East Bay Real Estate & The Best House in the Whole World
For the last eight years, I have lived in what is (to me) the best house in the whole wide world. I love my Alameda home with its tall ceilings, big backyard, and windowy bedroom, looking out at a huge old pine tree, so tall it tickles the clouds.
But it is time for me to sell my dream home (for a bunch of reasons).
I tell you my story because I KNOW that selling your home can be very stressful. So much so, that it’s easy to put off, and find yourself trying to do everything all at once.
I am concurrently working on my own home, and that of a client. If you start in time, and build the right team, the process can be made far easier.
I have done this many many times over the last 17 years of real estate, and have a system and the referral resources to make quick work of it.
For my client’s house, I am collecting bids, and creating a menu of options. We will review these and then build a plan that will culminate in their beautiful 1920s house hitting the market in July.
As for my house, I called in one of my colleagues to do the walkthrough with me and build the plan. A little distance can be a good thing.
With 17 years of experience and now my own home (and remember this is the best house in the whole wide world) I have a few tips for you.
2. COLLECT DOCUMENTS
Start collecting all those old invoices, projects, and repairs. Doing the disclosures is so much easier before you’ve packed up your life.
3. KNOW THE VALUE
Know the competition. I always assess value and share listings with my clients so they can know what to expect as far as value. Even if your house (like mine) is the best house in the world, it helps to see it in the right light of you compare to newly listed and sold homes.
4. HIRE THE PROS
Do not take on lots of home repair projects yourself. Unless you are not working or parenting, it is not realistic. I have seen far too many sellers end up hiring people at the last minute because it was too hard to pack, plan a move and get the new faucet installed in the bathroom, and fix the hole in the drywall. Last minute is never the best fix or even vendor.
I’m here for you if you’re thinking of selling. Let’s talk about your options, timeline, pricing, and how to make any transition less stressful.