What does your castle look like? Everyone has specific needs, and we want you to buy the right home at the right price.

I preview real estate inventory every week and know the character of neighborhoods and homes in the area. By FOCUSING on just these two small towns, I don’t get confused! For people RELOCATING to the area, this can be invaluable because everything can look the same, that is, very Californian. Our initial tour will include not only homes but an overview of neighborhoods, schools, libraries, train stations, beaches, walking trails, fitness centers and shopping areas. Whatever is important to your lifestyle, I will show you the closest facility. I love helping buyers this way because I have been in your shoes many times. POWER SHOPPING is always in order for buyers with little time to make a decision, but it needs to have a clear focus so we don’t waste your time.

If you are a LOCAL and don’t need such a broad overview, you can be as SPECIFIC as you want. “I only want to see homes in walking distance of the train station,” or “I only want to see fixers under $500K.” No problem. I won’t waste your time showing you anything outside your given parameters. When we do find the right home, we will both know every property on the market with the same features, and we can make a winning offer.

Finally, let’s have fun NEGOTIATING! I don’t cringe or shy away from strong negotiation, but I do try to hit the SWEET SPOT quickly so that the sellers don’t get tired of you. This also sets the tone for the transaction as you may need their good will later on when unforeseen problems arise (repairs, change of closing date, etc). The current market is in your favor and I will tease out exactly where the sweet spot is before we make our initial offer. My past clients will attest to the importance of this strategy.

I look forward to working with you. If you know what you want, I can find it for you. If you are uncertain about how to PRIORITIZE your needs, let’s sit down and chat about your daily habits and how we can improve your lifestyle with the right home. Where you live is very important to your quality of life, and I take that seriously. Buyers who have worked with me feel confident that they have found the best home for their needs for the best possible price. I am deeply gratified when clients call me after they move into their new home to thank me for listening so well.

Here are some examples of how things have changed and how we have responded.

Need	Old Way	Our Way
You want to talk with an experienced agent about the market and the inventory of homes.	You walk into a real estate office. Much like a used car lot, the "floor" agent comes over to talk to you. You don't get to pick who you talk to, and you may end up with a rookie agent.	You stroll out onto the Internet. You visit a bunch of agents' web sites and get to read about the services they provide. Based on what you read and video you see, you call the agents you think are experienced.
You want to see some of the home inventory.	The random agent that you talk to runs a search on his/her computer. If the agent is effective at computer research, then you get good results. If not, you end up with few homes of interest.	Your agents' web site allows you to run your own searches, including value-added parameters to meet the needs of specific categories of buyers. You find exactly what you are looking for.
On your way home from work, you see a home for sale on a nearby street and call the agent you met for details on the home.	The agent looks up the home in the MLS and sees that it has a poor commision and tells you that the home doesn't meet your needs.	Your agent provides you with powerful real estate maps with which you can easily find the home of interest. If you call, the agent KNOWS you can easily get the information and tells you everything you want to know regardless of the commission.
You see a home of interest and want to know about the school district.	The agent guesses that the school about a mile away is the relevant school and that's what he/she tells you.	The agent pulls up the Homes-by-School-Boundaries map on his/her web site and (in seconds) tells you which boundaries the home appears to be located. But, realizing that the boundaries can change, the agent pulls up the school district phone number and confirms the location of the home.
You are want to invest sweat equity into a home that needs work.	The agent does some searches on the computer and comes up with an incomplete list of fixers.	You use sophisticated search tools to access the pre-sorted fixers that meet your price and other needs.
You just went to the inspection of the property and learned of problems that cause you real concern.	The agent tells you that you should go through with the deal, especially because you have deposited earnest money into escrow.	Your agent says that if the problems cannot be addressed through explanation/resolution, then you can cancel the deal and have all your monies returned to you.
The seller doesn't want to fulfill a contractual obligation in the purchase agreement.	Your agent calls the listing agent, but the listing agent beats up on your agent, and your agent advises you to drop the matter.	Your agent has his former-lawyer team member draft a letter explaining the situation, the correctness of your position, and the remedy that you are seeking. After faxing over the latter and giving the listing agent some time to consider it, your agent calls to confirm that the matter will be addressed by the seller.
You mention that you want to investigate foreclosures as a purchasing option.	Your agent doesn't provide you with the information because it means that you might bid for a property at the courthouse and not purchase a property with the agent.	Your agent realizes that different needs fit different buyers and wants you to make the decision that is right for you, and wants you to refer him/her to family and friends. Consequently, your agents' web site has the trustee sales information on it.
You want to find homes that are underpriced for their neighborhood.	Your agent says that he/she can think of one or two but the request is a hard one.	Your agent creates statistical models for analyzing the home inventory and then runs automated computations every night. You get the desired list of statistically underpriced homes.
You want to see a home that just came on the market, but your agent is on an out-of-town vacation.	Your agent tells you that this is a much-needed vacation and that you need to wait until he/she gets back to town.	Your agent calls a teammate and the home preview is scheduled within a few hours. If you decide that you want to write an offer, the teammate assists and you know that your agent will be compensated for the transaction.

A good buyer's agent doesn't just show you some houses and ask you to pick one! A real buyer's agent can be valuable throughout the home-buying process!

LOCATING PROSPECTIVE HOMES IN SOLANA BEACH AND DEL MAR
With the Internet, this is probably less important today than it was in the past when only agents had access to the MLS listings. With this web site, you may have been able to scope out the entire area and narrow down your list of prospects to just a few homes. If you are new to the area or live out of town and are relocating, a buyer's agent can be of tremendous help in narrowing the field.

For me, the most important start to this relationship of trust is listening to you and moving forward based on your needs. I mean it! There are agents who tell their clients to jump in the car and see some homes; then they want the client to make a decision! I have heard people tell horror stories about how they felt when the agent kept information from them and tried to make the decisions for them. I will never do that, nor will I tell you what you should pay for a home. This is your investment.

This website has been built on the idea that you are a smart consumer, that you have an interest in seeing what is available, and that you can make your own judgments. While some agents will steer clients away from homes where the sales commission is less, I will work to show you any home in which you have an interest. You may even find "For Sale By Owner" homes listed on this site.

GAINING ACCESS
A buyer's agent can accelerate your ability to see a home. Agents are entrusted with the keys to the house via the outside lockbox. Of course I can pre-arrange a viewing of the home, but a lockbox means that we may be able to see a house just after we drive by with a simple phone call.

THE CONTRACT, FINANCING, AND NEGOTIATING THE DEAL
Locating your next home marks the beginning of a process, not the end. I have read every line of the California Association of Realtor's contract and will be glad to spend as much time as necessary to help you understand what it means. In most cases a buyer doesn't need a legal interpretation of the contract terms, but simply wants to know when it might be customary to make one selection over another. (Obviously if you have real legal questions, you will need to speak to a real estate lawyer. If you don't know a good one, I will be happy to give you a referral.)

Financing is a central part of home buying for most people, and the days of being limited to conventional or VA loans are long gone. There are many type of loan packages to meet all kinds of needs. (e.g., Would an interest-only loan be the right one for you?) Working with a trustworthy loan officer to get pre-approved can give you an edge, because it tells the seller that you are a serious, ready-to-buy home shopper.

Finally, getting your deal accepted and signing a binding contract with the sellers is something I love to negotiate. If you want the house, I will go to bat for you!

FOLLOWING THROUGH UNTIL CLOSING
Even after a binding contract has been signed, there are inspections to make and follow-up papers to sign. As your buyer's agent, I will help you navigate through this process. Should repair issues arise, I will help you work out a suitable and appropriate way to get them resolved.