FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

You Have Questions? I Have Answers!

Working with my clients every day, it is my job and my pleasure to answer their questions. They have hired me to be an expert resource in real estate. If there’s something I don’t know, I find out for them. For example, just recently I had a client ask me if they could land a helicopter at a home I am selling. While that question was more out of the ordinary, I thought I would compile some of the more common questions here. As always, I am available to answer your questions — just call or text 415-847-5584 or fill in the contact form at the bottom of this page.

“My budget for buying (or selling) a home is on the lower end of the scale — do you work in that range?”

Yes. I provide luxury service at all price points. I enjoy working with clients on finding their dream home, whether it’s a condominium in Greenbrae or a waterfront estate in Belvedere. What’s important to me is that my clients are happy and that they find a home that aligns with their financial goals.

“Do you work in areas outside of Marin County?”

Yes. While I specialize in Marin, I have helped clients buy and sell homes in San Francisco, Sonoma and East Bay.  Feel free to consult my homes sold and featured new home listings pages to see some of my current and past home listings. Also, because I have access to Sotheby’s International Realty’s extensive national and international network, I am able to refer you to agents just about anywhere in the world. 

“I am ‘just looking’ at homes and don’t want to engage with a real estate agent yet. Is it OK if I use your site to search for homes and set up saved searches?”

Yes! I am happy for you to use this site all you want – set up saved searches, receive email alerts and look at all the beautiful homes for sale with no obligation to engage me for your real estate needs — though of course I hope when you are ready, you will. I remember what it was like to search for homes. You won’t start getting lots of unsolicited emails from me and in fact can search the site without setting up a login, something you won’t find on many sites. You might also want to read my Marin Real Estate Blog and check out my article Buying A Home In Marin County. There is a wealth of information on this website and you are free to use this resource.

“How do you handle celebrity clients when marketing our homes?”

The short answer is, I handle my celebrity clients per their instructions. I have had some clients ask if their name-recognition would help drive traffic and media exposure to their listings. In cases where I believe that may drive a higher price or a faster sale, we can discuss options the client is comfortable with. In some cases, clients who are well-known may not want open houses, or they may only want me to market the home via Top Agent Network and the internal Sotheby’s International Realty systems. This is all part of the pre-launch listing strategy discussions. I believe in utmost discretion for all of my clients.

“Will You Ever Give My Information To Anyone Else?”

Absolutely not. As a Marin luxury real estate agent, I maintain the privacy and confidentiality of all my clients. Obviously if you are involved in a transaction with me, information will be shared with other parties (such as the title company) as appropriate and as authorized by you.

“How Do I Begin The Process Of Selling My Home?”

You might want to first start by reading my article “Selling A Home in Marin County” which is applicable to the entire bay area. The first step is for you to interview real estate agents and I would hope to be on that list. Please call me at 415-847-5584 and I’ll put together a marketing plan for your home.

“How Much Is My Home Worth?”

Many people think they can use online price evaluation tools like Zillow to obtain the value of their home. What they may not know is that those services arrive at their valuation by taking the average price per square foot for a given area and multiplying it by the square footage of your home. That simple mathematical equation ignores many of the variables that an experienced top real estate agent will factor in, such as views and upgrades to the home.  I am happy to provide a complete analysis of your home’s value and present it to you for your review.

“How Do I Begin The Process Of Buying A Home?”

Congratulations – you already have! The first step in buying a home is reading about the market, visiting real estate websites such as this one, and getting a better understanding of what you like and what you can afford. I would suggest you read my articles “Buying A Home In Marin County” as well as “Buying A Home In A Sellers Market” as a next step. Please call or text me at 415-847-5584 and I can help you. Sometimes taking the first step is the most difficult — let’s take that step together.

“I Need To Clean Out My Parents’ Home To Sell It. Can You Help?”

Yes. I have personal experience in this arena and even wrote a blog article called “Marin Estate Sales | Advice & Tips On Emptying Your Home To Sell.” I have a number of resources at my disposal to help you with what can seem like an overwhelming task. After reading my article, let’s talk about your specific situation and I can help you formulate an approach.

“How Much Do You Delegate To Your Assistant?”

I make it my policy to personally hold open the first broker’s open house and the first weekend of open house(s). You are hiring me, not my assistant. There are cases during the busiest seasons when a home is held open multiple times where I may need to cover several listings, at which point I will discuss options with you.

“How Can I Market My Home Internationally?”

One of the benefits of my affiliation with Sotheby’s International Realty is the international marketing power of the company. At the core of the brand’s strategy are its relationships with preeminent media powerhouses in both the print and online arenas including: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Bloomberg, Dwell, Hong Kong Tatler, Financial Times and the Google Digital Network.  These relationships were developed to showcase unique properties from the Sotheby’s International Realty^® brand’s 760 offices in 60 countries and territories through unique, media-rich advertising units that offer an immersive experience and position the brand in front of a relevant audience of luxury consumers worldwide. Several of these relationships feature elements that are exclusive to the Sotheby’s International Realty brand.

Read more here about the global marketing power of Sotheby’s International Realty.

Questions are where all great conversations begin.

If you don’t see what you’re looking for, I’d love to help—call or text me at 415-847-5584 and we can talk by phone or meet in person. Or, complete the contact form below and I’ll reach out shortly.