I bring to the table an MBA, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification as well as certification as a Real Estate Negotiation Expert giving me proven skills to help create a successful strategy, effectively implement that strategy and to negotiate on your behalf for the best results.  My approach is driven by providing my clients with the highest level of service from Day 1 driven by proactive and effective communication.

My community is extremely important to me.  I am a board member of the Half Moon Bay Rotary Club, a member of the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce and a sponsor/volunteer coach with the Half Moon Bay Little League.  I’ve also refereed high school basketball in the Bay Area for over 20 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take to sell my home?

That depends on a variety of factors including your goals, the condition of the home and the expectations of the market.  All homes need at least some preparation before they hit the market.  At the listing meeting, we will discuss your goals in terms of price and how quickly you want to sell, and I will identify items that need attention to prep your home for sale and work with you on a gameplan for getting the prep work done.  The goal of the prep work is to properly position your home for when it hits the market.

Once the home hits the market, it really is a function of supply and demand with the home price and the prep work’s goal being to maximize demand.

After the home gets into contract, typically it is 30-45 days before it closes and you get your money.

Can I just sell my home to some website for cash?

Sure you can, and in some instances that even makes sense.  However, there are always tradeoffs and if the benefit you’re getting by selling to a website is speed and convenience, your cost is in the price you get for your home.  Generally speaking, you can expect to sell for 20%-30% less when selling as-is to a website.

I have a family member/friend who is an agent, why shouldn’t I just use them?

There are a ton of people in California with a real estate license, but most transactions are handled by a small percentage of those agents.  Selling your house can be one of the most impactful transactions in your life, so hiring a professional is important as mistakes can be incredibly costly.

Assuming your friend is a full-time agent who knows the market well, there are still plenty of reasons to consider working with someone else.  For starters, real estate transactions involve intimate financial information.  If you decide to work with your friend, make sure you’re comfortable with them knowing information like: how much money you make, your credit history, your debt and everything negative about your house.

If you do have a friend or family member who is an agent, but you’d prefer to work with me, let your friend know that I do accept referrals from other agents.

When should I plan different aspects of the move?

That, once again, depends on your goals which we will discuss during our first meeting.  I address this topic in more depth in my Power Seller’s Guide, but generally speaking, I recommend as a best practice moving out of the home while it’s on the market if at all possible.  One of the things I provide as a listing agent is assistance with planning the move.

Do you sell your own listings?

Generally speaking, I will not represent both a buyer and a seller on a transaction.  The only times I would do so is if the seller brought their own buyer prior to the listing and needed assistance putting together the contract or if I was representing a buyer in a for sale by owner situation and the seller compensated me for putting together the contract.

How much do you charge?

Like most Realtors® I get paid on a commission only basis, which means that I only get paid if you sell your home.  In the process of marketing your home, I will incur out of pocket costs related to preparing and marketing your home in addition to the time I spend, so once engaged, I am highly motivated to help you sell your home.

All real estate commissions are negotiable by law, but depending on the level of services that you request, I generally charge between 2.5% and 3% on behalf of my broker, Coldwell Banker to sell your home.

In addition to the fees that go to my broker for representing you in the sale, as a seller you also customarily pay the buyer’s agent for procuring the buyer.  That fee is also negotiable, but I highly recommend a fee of 2.5%, or in some cases higher for the buyer’s agent.

Depending on the circumstances, the total cost in terms of commission to me and the buyer’s agent for selling your home is typically between 5% and 6%.