A true pearl - Dawna made the selling of our home and buying of our "new" home a truly painless and easy experience. She was involved in everything from help in preparing our home to sell to finding and negotiating the purchase of our new home. Even more amazing, as this is really my first experience in these types of transactions, she was able to keep my nerves at a low rumble.
She is a true expert in managing expectations of both sellers and buyers. I know this because we were involved in a sell and buy simultaneously.
She always seemed to have the right words to manage ruffled feathers between buyers and sellers on both ends of our transactions.
I don't believe anyone could, or would be willing, to take on all of the nitty-gritty aspects of the process, frequently leaving us to simply nod our heads yes or no as all of the myriad decisions were made.
I won't say the entire process was easy, but I will say I've never worked with a realtor who took more responsibility or worked harder to help us achieve our goals than Dawna did.
Would I use her again? You bet! Would I recommend her to a friend? In a heartbeat.
- Find a REALTOR® before you find the house or property to buy, or before you determine the time to sell. There are over 420,000 people with real estate licenses in California (http://www.dre.ca.gov/). You have many choices. Find one who is available, knowledgeable, responsive, and with a schedule and style that fits yours.
- Talk to your CPA and financial advisors to determine if buying a property or selling your real estate is a good choice for your situation. With an ever-changing economy, your income or losses may have changed from prior years, giving you greater (or less) need for the tax benefits that real estate can provide.
- Get familiar with schedules for Cal Poly and Cuesta College to be aware of the expected school breaks. These are times that many buyers are in town with their students and have time to browse. Time your search to avoid competition to your offer and/or time your sale listing to attract more traffic during these times.
- If you are a seller, start preparing for future property photos. Take advantage of the rainy season! If you are preparing your property for listing, start landscape cleanup several months before listing to allow for plant growth and a vibrant yard before the listing date.
- If you are a buyer, start looking before most buyers will expect to start (January-ish). Some properties might have been on the market since before the holidays. Be aware that sellers may get fatigued and could be more receptive to a lower price or terms before the spring season window.