The Story Behind Preparing 2580 Mar East Street
A trust sale grounded in legacy, care, and a thoughtful transformation
Preparing a home for the market is never just a list of tasks. It is a process that asks you to understand the story held within the walls. In the case of 2580 Mar East Street in Tiburon, that story spanned almost twenty five years of family memories, celebrations, and quiet moments on the private beach below. It was a home that deserved time.
This was a trust sale, and with that came a level of care that felt personal from the very beginning. My client’s mother, architect and designer Norah Elliott Crawford, built this home for herself and her husband. Both have since passed, and this property had become one of the last pieces of their lives. It held the history of their marriage, their creativity, and the traditions they shared with their family.
Some of those memories are easy to picture even now. An intimate wedding ceremony on the lawn overlooking the bay. A family dinner held on the beach after the vows. Daily birdwatching. The sea glass collection that Norah and granddaughter added to after every walk along the shoreline. These were the moments that lived inside the home long before any prep work began.
Because of that history, this prep process needed to be thoughtful. It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t easy. And it wasn’t supposed to be. Some homes deserve time.
Clearing the home with care
We started by working with Landra Barta and her team at Dirty Deeds. After the heirs had gone through the home and taken what they wanted or were promised, Landra helped us clear the rest of the belongings. She coordinated donations, disposal, sales, and even brought in an auction house for items best suited for that route. Her team made it possible for us to start fresh with a blank canvas. In trust sales, this stage is not only about logistics. It is about respect for the family and the life that existed there, and Landra handled it with the care it required.
Stabilizing and preparing the property
At the same time, we brought in FreeModel, managed by Melissa Jones, to focus on repairs and improvements. The most urgent item was rebuilding the crumbling steps down to the private beach. The landscaping also needed cleanup, particularly the dead vegetation around the home that had accumulated over years of coastal weather. We scheduled PipeSpy to inspect the sewer lateral, another critical item for any Marin County home, especially in Tiburon.
With the home empty and the exterior stabilized, we brought in inspectors to fully understand the condition of the property and create a clear list of repairs that would make the transition seamless for the next owner.
Honoring the original design
The most important priority throughout this process was honoring Norah’s original vision. She had a natural eye for design and architecture, so our goal was not to change the home. It was to breathe new life into what was already there.
We refinished and sanded the floors and replaced the carpet in the bedrooms. The interior received an entirely new paint job, and the exterior garage doors and window trim were refreshed. We replaced almost every light fixture and every piece of hardware. The kitchen and laundry room received new countertops that modernized the spaces without changing their character. Each decision was made with Norah’s aesthetic in mind.
Bringing the home to life
Once the repairs and updates were complete, it was time for staging. Vesta stepped in and transformed the home with simplicity and intention. Their work created a true picture of what it would be like to live here. They opened the rooms, enhanced the natural light, and brought a new energy into the space that felt aligned with the architecture and the surrounding landscape.
The final result is a home that feels renewed, yet still deeply connected to its original spirit, its setting on Mar East, and the family who loved it for so many years.
A trust sale handled with respect
Trust sales are unique. They require patience, organization, and a careful balance of honoring the past while preparing for the future. None of the work we did was required, but it made a meaningful difference. Preparing a home at this level will always help achieve a stronger return, reduce buyer uncertainty, and create a smoother path to closing.
More importantly, it allowed us to present this property in a way that respected the legacy of the people who built it.
For anyone navigating a trust sale or preparing a long-held family home for the market in Marin County, my role is to guide you through every step with clarity, care, and a plan tailored to your situation. Homes like this deserve nothing less.
