Finding The Agent That Works For You

• What Set Brokerages Apart

• Who Is Compass

• The Latest Technology For Home Sellers

• Finding the Right Agent for You

• Home Type Specialists

Selling your home in Los Angeles and Pasadena is more challenging than it is in other parts of the country. 

SoCal sellers have to navigate hundreds of showing requests, a nervous pool of buyers, and the management of 20+ complicated offers in a span of just one week in the hopes of finding a buyer that can make it through the hurdles on the path to homeownership. The journey will take some professional and seasoned help.

While all sellers want the most gain possible, there is a delicate balance to get to that place. How a home is presented, how it is promoted, how it is priced, and how negotiations are executed are all highly nuanced and will take much more than just a sign on the lawn to make it happen.

One of the biggest decisions a homeowner needs to make when planning to sell their home is the selection of the agent that will represent them.

That agent, and the brokerage behind them, can make the challenging task of selling your home into a positive experience while selecting the wrong one could deem a much darker one.

What Sets Brokerages Apart

The first real estate brokerages in the US date back to the late 1800’s. The brand name brokerages most know followed shortly after; Coldwell Banker was formed in 1906, Century21 in 1971, RE/Max in 1973, Keller Williams in 1983 and many of them still operate in the fashion they were created. 

Some brokerages are where new agents go to get their first experience, while others brand off of an image of established luxury and more recently, we are seeing new digital discount brokerages.

While the specific agent has the greatest effect on the experience, the brokerage itself does have a hand in how they assist sellers with one of the largest transactions of their lives. The core ethics and a firm grasp on modern technology matter at the brokerage level.

Who Is Compass?

Compass, the real estate brokerage that I am an agent for, operates off a modern foundation of ethical principles that the recruited agents operate off of and has created some industry-first tools that have proven to be key in helping home sellers.

Envisioned in 2012, Compass is a privately owned and well-funded real estate company that was born out of technology. It is a modern real estate company that believes a supported agent, with accurate data and invaluable tools, is the only way to cater to the needs of a home buyer or home seller before, during, and after a transaction.

Compass embraces a culture of collaboration, expertise, and the utmost in ethical professionalism. While the company is not obsessed with sales figures, we ARE obsessed with long-term relationships and doing what is in the best interests of our clients. 

Today, Compass is 10,000 vetted agents in 35 major cities nationwide, but what really sets us apart is the caliber of agent that is asked to join.  We are not the brokerage for new to the market agents, and we are not the brokerage for those operating in outdated fundamentals. We are a niche brokerage built on passion, advanced technology, hard work, and honesty.

Unique Technology and Tools For Sellers

The vision of this new breed of brokerage has created some never-before-offered tools that help our clients. 

 Compass Concierge: A program that offers no-interest, no fee loans to properly prepare your house for market, from new roofs to paint and landscape to staging, by empowering the seller with funds at a critical time, the seller can reap the rewards vs a flipper looking to take advantage.

Compass Bridge Loans: Selling your house to buy another house, called a contingent sale, puts a seller at a major disadvantage, and in a hot market, your offer on that next home is less likely to be accepted. A bridge loan carries you into the next house enabling you to sell your previous home at your convenience.  

Coming Soon Listings: Our network of 10,000 agents share listings before they hit the market giving us a way to test the market and draw early interest. 

Collections: A tool we use to build collections of properties for buyers. These private platforms are where we share insight and scheduling on the properties a buyer is considering. 

There is No Shortage of Agents

Home selling is a long-term relationship. There are months of work involved, from leading up to the sale and through the transfer of ownership. Communication and coordination between seller and agent will be on a daily basis, it is like entering into a new relationship.

California has some 200,000 licensed real estate agents and 20,000 new licenses are issued annually so you can pretty much throw a rock and hit an agent in California. The goal is to align with an agent that you feel is up to the task. Someone that understands the specific nuances of your home, is very well-versed in technology and marketing (96% of home shopping starts online), and is truly concerned about your well-being.

Finding the Right Agent for You

With so many agents to choose from, where do you start? Here are some tips:

Geography:

Narrowing by where the agent lives are the easiest. If an agent lives 10 miles from the home you are selling, scheduling showings will be more difficult. Aligning the schedules of your agent, buyers, and buyers agents can be a challenging task, an agent that can show on little notice is extremely helpful.

I generally work in the east side cities like Los Feliz, Silverlake, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Pasadena, Alhambra. This is close to home and where pre-war construction is prevalent.

Teams Vs Independents

We have all seen the agent ads on bus benches and on postcards in your mailbox. Most agents with large ad budgets are branded as a single agent but are most often a team of agents. While you think you are hiring the agent in the picture, it is more likely that a junior agent will be handling your showings and day-to-day communication.

While there is security knowing that the paperwork will be handled properly, there is nothing more annoying to buyers when they come to a showing and questions can’t be answered. The junior agents just aren’t privy to the information buyers seek.

As an independent agent myself, I hold all the knowledge and can therefore answer any question when asked. It makes a huge difference to buyers.

MARKETING SAVVY

Home buying starts online and has for years now. While all agents post listings to our shared MLS system, agents today need to be well versed in digital marketing to promote the property. Photography and video production are the skills of a savvy agent.

Understanding the inner workings of Instagram and how to run advanced Facebook ad campaigns are skills a select bunch of agents has, but become key in drawing in the most attention possible for your property.

Prior to my seven years in real estate, I spent twenty years in advertising and marketing, I apply those skills daily. My experience in digital marketing and a thirst for technology fits well with the technical offerings at Compass, and I have mastered how they can benefit my clients in real estate. You want an agent that understands technology well.

Category Specialists

Your next move is to find agents that have specific experience with the property you are selling. Condo sales are nuanced with how to get access, the strength of the HOA, pricing, and building amenities. If you are selling a condo, look for an agent that sells condos, preferably one that has experience with that specific building or neighborhood.

High-end luxury homes in the $5 million and more price range are best suited to be represented by an independent or a team that specializes in that zip code. There is a lot of specialty marketing that will need to be done.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know my specialty is in PreWar (1880-1939) and Mid-century homes. If you are selling a 16-million-dollar modern mansion in Malibu, I am not the right agent for you.  If you have a new construction condo in Hollywood to sell, I am not the right agent for you.

My passion for the older homes and lofts found in the Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, DTLA, Pasadena, and Altadena are what drives me and it is the client base I have formed and continue to build upon.   

A Note on The Nuance of Older Homes

Older homes present some very specific challenges that I have embraced. Having an intimate knowledge of mechanical systems like plumbing, electrical and HVAC enables me to advise sellers (and buyers) of the conditions of a property that most won’t.

Knowing what repairs should be completed and the return possible on upgrades as an owner prepares to sell their home is a skill I have honed over the years. This guidance is invaluable.

Marketing the merits of classic construction to potential buyers takes a passion.  I strongly believe the preservation of these pieces of our architectural history falls into greatest jeopardy when there is a transfer of ownership.  It is for this reason that I dedicate so much of my free time to the advocacy efforts of historical, preservation, and conservancies in Southern California.

I am an elected board member of Pasadena Heritage and a frequent speaker and docent for the LA Conservancy, Bungalow Heaven Neighborhood Association, and several others. 

When You Are Ready, I am As Well

I have always taken pride in the long-term relationships I have formed. The result is a client base that has utilized me for several transactions and referrals to family, friends, and colleagues.  

If you are considering the selling of a Pre-War of Mid-Century home this year or in the future, I welcome the conversation to see if we are a fit.

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