Let us be your secret weapon!

The real estate market can sometimes feel like the Wild West, with high stakes hanging on every decision and competition lurking around every corner. In this constantly evolving environment, a good agent is like your secret weapon — the savvy sidekick who saves you money, time, and a whole lot of headaches!

CHIC (Pearl)

From day one, we are here to help you get the home you need at the price you want. A good agent can save a buyer as much as $100,000 on the listing price. It isn’t magic or luck or some kind of secret sauce. It’s just hard work. We dive deep into the data, providing detailed market analysis and playing out every possible opportunity. And when it’s time to negotiate, we are relentless advocates for your bottom line. Like seasoned diplomats, we know how to work with listing agents to get the best deal possible. The road to homeownership can be rough. We’re here to smooth out the bumps.

GEEK (Kevin)

And the road doesn't end at the sale. We’re like the friend who sticks around after the party to help you clean up. Whether it's recommending a painter for final touches at a 30% discount, planning and budgeting for major updates, or rolling up our sleeves and pitching in on a DIY project, we’re in it with you for the long haul — or at least as long as you’ll let us stick around! Let us be your secret weapon, the maestro conducting your orchestra, ensuring every instrument hits the right notes, on time, and within your budget, so you can focus on the excitement of starting a new chapter.

New rules.

You may have heard about the court ruling that went into effect August 17th prohibiting brokers from cooperating to set their commission rates and providing more transparency and security for homebuyers as well as sellers. We take a look at what this means on the ground.

CHIC (Pearl)

Under the new rules, every National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) agent is required to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement formalizing the relationship between parties before touring a single property. Additionally, properties listed via a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) are no longer permitted to include an offer of compensation to the buyer’s agent in any form or fashion. Buyers can still accept concessions from the seller, such as offers to pay closing costs, and they can still negotiate with sellers to have them pay all or a portion of their agent’s compensation.

GEEK (Kevin)

Like Pearl mentioned, under the new rules, properties on an MLS can’t include an offer of compensation to the buyer’s broker. However, some services allow sellers to communicate to buyer agents that they are open to making concessions. Concessions are generally a credit to the buyer at closing to use for whatever they need — paying closing costs, paying their agent, or covering unexpected repairs. Sellers can also negotiate with the buyer over paying the listing broker’s compensation. This can be in addition to or in lieu of other requests for concessions.

The new starter home?

More than 1,400 ADUs have been built in San José over the past five years, and thanks to a new law, they can now be sold as separate condo units. Spotlight explores how this new law could change the definition of “starter home.”

Sunnyvale considers a property transfer tax

Something for your radar if you’re thinking about buying or selling in Sunnyvale: 63% of city voters supported a potential property transfer tax in a recent poll. This means the tax could be headed to the November ballot. San José Spotlight has more details.

The Fallout from Prop 19

In November 2020, California voters narrowly passed Proposition 19, changing the way property taxes are assessed to provide more portability for seniors, people with disabilities, and those who lose their homes in wildfires and other disasters. But the new law also came with consequences for family transfers…

CHIC (Pearl)

Under Prop 19, there are new limits on property tax exemptions in transfers to family members. The transfer must be to a child or grandchild, that family member must make the home their primary residence within one year of the transfer, and the exemption is limited to the first $1 million of assessed value over the original base assessment. And no, gifting your property to your child would not qualify for an exemption!

GEEK (Kevin)

Another Prop 19 quirk is that the same property owner can take their base property tax assessment with them to 3 different properties anywhere in California, provided the original and replacement homes are of moderately equal value. I don’t think this will lead to a flurry of seniors on the move, but it seems a bit antithetical to the original intent of Prop 13, which was to allow Californians to age gracefully in place.