Menlo Park Home Selling Guide (Standard) 2026 March - Audrey Sun
Audrey Sun and the DeLeon Listing Team take a different approach to selling homes in Menlo Park. DeLeon agents are salaried professionals, so Audrey’s sole focus is maximizing your sale price. There’s no pressure to accept early offers and no incentive to steer you toward inflated buyer-agent fees. Every recommendation is made with one goal in mind: achieving the best possible outcome for you.
Being the #1 team in Palo Alto gives us an unique and powerful advantage. There is no other agent with the market share we have who can strategically redirect buyers from a high priced city, like Palo Alto, into Menlo Park.
For many buyers, the same budget in Palo Alto can secure significantly more home and value in Menlo Park, with equally strong schools and an exceptional lifestyle. This ability to transfer momentum and competition across markets creates additional buyer demand that most agents simply cannot replicate.
In addition to our robust local marketing, fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese, Audrey also extends your home’s exposure well beyond the Menlo Park market. Through targeted Chinese media, WeChat, and an exclusive international network, your property reaches qualified global buyers that most agents simply cannot access.
MEET OUR TEAM
When you list with Audrey and the DeLeon Team, you’ll meet our senior interior designer, and field coordinator, who will work closely with you to get your home ready for the market.
Our goal is simple: to exceed your expectations by providing tailored recommendations that are cost-effective yet highly appealing to buyers. We focus on spending the right amount to make your home look its absolute best in the shortest time.
You’ll receive a detailed plan of the proposed work. We’ll compare multiple estimates to ensure the best pricing and oversee the entire process from start to finish.
With careful attention to every detail, we keep you informed at every step, making the process seamless, stressfree, and rewarding.
COMPLIMENTARY LISTING SERVICES
DESIGN & HOME PREPARATION
• Dedicated interior designer
• Dedicated field coordinator (8-hour free service)
• Tailored staging specific to your home (free furniture rental, delivery, set up, de-staging)
• Free property & pest inspections
• Free Natural Hazard Disclosure & Tax Data report
LEGAL ASSISTANCE
• Real estate attorney provided to review disclosures and answer questions
• Up to 25 hours of law firm representation should a dispute arise during escrow*
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION & AVOID CONFLICT OF INTEREST
• Seller focused, strategic and problem-solving negotiation by Audrey, who has completed the Harvard Program on Negotiation
• DeLeon’s buy direct model (0% buyer commission, learn more on page 2)
CUSTOM MARKETING
• Full-color, 12-page home brochure
• Multiple, full-page newspaper ads
• Custom home website with 2D/3D tour and custom narrated video
• Targeted online and social media marketing ads
• High-quality professional photography
• Ad in an upcoming edition of The DeLeon Insight real estate magazine, distributed to over 50,000 homes
• Extensive marketing to international buyers
• DeLeon’s promise of at least one advertisement for the home every week until the home sells
HOME PREPARATION
Making
your home stand out
At DeLeon Realty, staging is far more than decoration. It’s a strategic tool designed to showcase your home’s best features and make it unforgettable in a crowded market.
Our interior designer personally selects the stager with a style that best complements your home. From curb appeal to interior spaces and backyards, we reimagine your property to ensure it captivates buyers both online and in person.
Our team also offers an extensive collection of outdoor furniture, artwork, rugs, and other staging pieces, allowing us to create a custom, Silicon Valley–focused look that speaks directly to the local buyer pool.
Best of all, DeLeon Realty covers all staging costs: furniture rentals, design, delivery, setup, and destaging all completely free of charge, with no reimbursement required at closing .
A WHITE-GLOVE PREPARATION EXPERIENCE—INCLUDING A DEDICATED DESIGNER FROM START TO FINISH
Our in-house interior designer personally oversees your home’s entire preparation process to unlock its full market potential. The designer coordinates every detail, from vendor selection, competitive bids, timelines, and on-site supervision, ensuring each improvement is executed flawlessly and with purpose.
We also work closely with the top staging companies in Silicon Valley, selecting the stager that best aligns with your home’s architecture, layout, and target buyer profile.
ADVANTAGEOUS PRICING FROM PREFERRED VENDORS
At DeLeon Realty, we leverage our high volume of listings to secure exclusive preferred pricing with trusted local vendors. With a licensed interior designer and experienced handyman on your side, you’ll never overpay for renovations or improvements from a resale perspective. We ensure every upgrade and repair is strategically targeted to boost buyer appeal and maximize your sale price.
There are no markups, kickbacks, or referral fees – every dollar saved goes directly to you. With DeLeon, you get smarter spending, higher returns, and peace of mind.
DEDICATED FIELD COORDINATOR AT NO COST
Our in-house field coordinator, an experienced handyman, handles the details buyers notice immediately at no charge to you. Using a comprehensive pre-inspection checklist, your field coordinator addresses key items before your home ever hits the market, which may include:
• Gutter cleaning
• Landscaping touch-ups
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detector compliance
• Light bulb replacement
• Oiling squeaky hinges and minor adjustments
• Touch up paint
Your home is market-ready from day one.
COMPLIMENTARY PROPERTY AND PEST INSPECTIONS
DeLeon Realty covers the cost of your property inspection, pest inspection, and natural hazard disclosure report, fully paid and never reimbursed at closing. This transparency strengthens buyer confidence and protects your negotiating position.
EXPERT GUIDANCE AND SOLUTIONS
Selling a home is a major transition, and our goal is to make it seamless for you. Our team provides hands-on guidance with downsizing, decluttering, storage coordination, and moving logistics so you can focus on what’s next.
Clients also have access to valuable resources at no additional cost, which may include:
• Over 1,500 moving crates
• A mid-size dump truck
• A mid-size moving van for local Silicon Valley moves
• Complimentary estate sale services
• Landscape tools to assist in any emergency removal of fallen branches
• Tools to epoxy garage floors
Availability is limited and based on timing and advance planning.
Homes that are prepared properly sell for more, and preparation takes time. If you’re considering selling your Menlo Park home, schedule a confidential consultation with Audrey Sun to secure priority access to our white-glove preparation services.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: SELLER FAQS
By Audrey Sun, DeLeon Director of Listings
What does “conflict of interest” mean in real estate?
A conflict of interest occurs when a listing agent or brokerage represents both the seller and the buyer in the same transaction. In that situation, the agent or brokerage is financially rewarded on both sides, making it impossible to advocate fully for the seller while also representing from the buyer.
Is dual representation common?
Yes. Most agents and brokerages represent both buyers and sellers and almost all (except DeLeon Realty) collect commission from both sides of the deal. While legal, this structure creates competing incentives that sellers should clearly understand.
Why is this a problem for sellers?
When an agent or brokerage earns more money if a specific buyer wins, negotiations can become compromised. Sellers may feel pressure to accept an early offer, avoid countering aggressively, or choose a buyer tied to the listing brokerage, sometimes without realizing the financial incentive behind it.
Can this happen without sellers knowing?
Unfortunately, yes. In some cases, another agent writes the offer while the listing agent still receives a buyer-side commission or referral fee. Sellers often learn about this only after the transaction has closed.
How does DeLeon Realty handle this differently?
DeLeon Realty mitigates the conflict by never taking commission from both sides of a transaction. Our brokerage does not collect buyer-side commission on our listing, period.
Does Audrey Sun benefit if the buyer comes from DeLeon?
No. Audrey is a salaried employee, not a commissionbased agent. She does not receive referral fees, bonuses, or incentives based on who buys your home, whether the buyer is represented by DeLeon or an outside brokerage.
Who pays buyer-agent commission on DeLeon listings?
If the buyer is represented by DeLeon, no one pays buyeragent commission to DeLeon Realty. Neither the seller nor the buyer is charged with buyer-side commission on our listings. It should be noted that the DeLeon buyers agent is also a fulltime salaried employee that DeLeon Realty still pays, even if the company does not collect commission.
How does this protect me as a seller?
It ensures full transparency without any hidden incentives. With no financial incentive tied to the buyer’s side, every decision is made with one goal: achieving the highest possible price and best terms for you.
What makes DeLeon Realty unique?
DeLeon Realty is the only brokerage that we know of offering a true Buy Direct model, designed to remove conflicts of interest, eliminate hidden incentives, and protect sellers at every step of the transaction.
When incentives are misaligned, results suffer.
Speak with Audrey Sun to learn how a conflict-free approach leads to better outcomes.
EXCEPTIONAL MARKETING
DIGITAL & PRINT
Built for today’s Silicon Valley buyer
Today’s Silicon Valley buyers are younger, tech-driven, and highly visual. Many works in engineering, product, and venture-backed startups and they shop for homes the same way they evaluate products: online first.
Before visiting an open house, they study photography, video, layout, and digital presentation. If a home doesn’t stand out on screen, it’s often eliminated before it’s ever seen in person. In today’s market, exceptional visual marketing isn’t optional, it’s essential.
IN-HOUSE MARKETING. NO TEMPLATES. NO OUTSOURCING.
Our Listing Team works closely with the best in-house marketing teams in real estate. Unlike most agents who outsource third-party vendors using generic templates, every element of our marketing is custom-built for your home.
From messaging to visuals, we showcase what makes your Menlo Park property compelling to the Silicon Valley buyer most likely to pay a premium.
A PROVEN, HIGHEXPOSURE
STRATEGY
We’ve developed a strategic marketing plan refined through years of success in Silicon Valley. The result is broader exposure—both digital and print—than any other local brokerage, executed with precision and purpose.
Because of our volume, we also know which agents and buyer profiles are actively searching for homes like yours, even if they’re currently looking in nearby neighborhoods.
PRESENT YOUR HOME
Inspire buyers with engaging and memorable home tours
DeLeon Realty hosts open houses that are regularly well-attended, thanks in large part to promoting the events via e-blasts, online and newspaper ads, TV commercials, radio ads, and social media.
Our open house events often create a buzz and add to the high number of offers that we receive. Plus, busy open houses make potential buyers feel like the home is more desirable, and the attendance we generate at these events contributes directly to our strong sales statistics.
”The team addressed everything from staging, maintenance and landscaping. Our home had multiple offers and sold within six days.” - Madeline B.
795 SAN MATEO DRIVE
FOR $4,201,000
paid 0% commission to buyer’s agent 128 CORNELL ROAD
SOLD FOR $3,350,000 Seller paid 0% commission to buyer’s agent 1120 MAY BROWN AVE
FOR $4,200,000 Seller paid 0% commission to buyer’s agent
1180 TRINITY DRIVE
MENLO PARK
990 BERKELEY AVE
MENLO PARK
SOLD FOR $4,500,000
Seller paid 0% commission to buyer’s agent
SOLD FOR $3,800,000
Seller paid 0% commission to buyer’s agent
A TRANSPARENT MODEL THAT PUTS MENLO PARK SELLERS FIRST
In Menlo Park, sellers are often encouraged to sell “offmarket” or as a pocket listing, which limits exposure and can result in lower sale prices due to reduced competition. At DeLeon Realty, we believe that maximum exposure leads to maximum price. About one-third of our Menlo Park sellers pay 0% in buyer agent commission when buyers attend our open houses without an agent or are represented by a DeLeon agent. Even when commissions are involved, our competitive environment often results in higher net proceeds for sellers. By not accepting commission from both sides, we ensure full transparency and eliminate hidden incentives, creating a win-win for sellers.
