Are you asking the right questions?

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There’s no such thing as a stupid question, especially when it comes to selling your home. But it’s hard for a seller to know the right questions to ask if they’ve never done this before. That’s why it’s important to pick an agent who knows the answers. 

CHIC (Pearl)

Beyond the basics of price and commission, it’s important to ask an agent about their marketing strategy. How can they ensure your property gets maximum exposure in a crowded market? Related to this is timing. Is now the best time to put your property on the market? If so, why? If not, why not, and what would be a better time? And there’s nothing wrong with asking an agent directly why they are the best person for the job. If they can’t answer that question, it’s a big red flag!

GEEK (Kevin)

As a numbers guy, it’s important for me to know about valuation and pricing. How will the agent get you top dollar without scaring off potential buyers? How do they plan to handle a bidding war? Can they guarantee none of the buyers will walk away before you get the offer you want? And what will the agent do to mitigate your risk by avoiding contingencies in the contract? A successful sale requires attention to detail, and your agent should reflect that.

Bay Area tech layoffs hit 20K

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More than 20,000 workers in the tech sector have lost their jobs in the past 6-8 months, and you more than likely know someone who’s been affected. According to a Mercury News report, open listings are down as much as 53% from pre-pandemic times for software positions and 37% for IT roles. But while some tech giants are downsizing, they’re still bigger than they were before COVID.

Thank you, George Washington!

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Who doesn’t love an extra day off at the end of the weekend, especially when there’s so much to get done before the springtime thaw! How did you spend your Presidents’ Day?

CHIC (Pearl)

I spent most of my Monday showing homes to prospective buyers. I guess you might call this work. For me it’s a labor of love, and it’s great to see buyers coming back to the market after a slow holiday season. At the end of the day, we treated ourselves to a hike in the Windy Hill Preserve!

GEEK (Kevin)

If you know me, you’d probably guess that I used the extra day to get projects done around the house. And normally you’d be right. But just this one time, I got some extra sleep and binge watched classic TV shows until Pearl dragged me out of bed for a sunset hike and some photos!