Looking for the best San Francisco Realtor to help you buy a home in the SF Bay Area? You're in the right place! We're about to share a fascinating case study where Vivre Real Estate, a boutique collective of top San Francisco real estate agents, property marketers and transaction experts, helped a homebuyer capitalize on a softer real estate market and significantly improve their lifestyle. (Yes, it’s possible!)
Join us as we uncover valuable insights and practical advice shared by Josh Ortiz, Vivre’s lead buyer agent specialist, that can help you navigate the complex world of San Francisco real estate and write a success story of your own.
Have you ever wished for the perfect opportunity to buy a home in the San Francisco Bay Area? It’s not often that SF homebuyers catch a break. In fact, in the decade from 2012–2022, San Francisco home prices went essentially straight up alongside the Bay Area’s post-2008 recovery and second tech boom.
Something changed in 2022. With greater money supply and consumer savings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as years of historically low interest rates which preceded the crisis, the US economy was flush with cash—a recipe for rising inflation. In response, the Federal Reserve began a warlike campaign on inflation using their one unwieldy weapon: interest rates.
Directly or indirectly, the Fed’s sharp interest-rate hikes resulted in lower stock prices, higher mortgage rates, and tens of thousands of tech-industry layoffs. (Fun fact: the SF Bay Area economy—and thus the San Francisco real estate market—is deeply rooted in tech, making it particularly sensitive to such fluctuations.)
Not exactly a rosy economy, was it? But as Winston Churchill said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Our San Francisco homebuyer clients saw this as a chance to finally make their move.
Our clients had long desired to purchase a single-family home in their neighborhood, Dolores Heights, a centrally located San Francisco community on the cusp of additional great SF neighborhoods like Noe Valley, Mission Dolores, and Eureka Valley. Like so many of today’s homebuyers, our clients were looking for the best San Francisco Realtors to help them upgrade their lifestyle and livable space—both indoor and outdoor—by expanding from a condo to a single-family home. (The shift in homebuyer tastes toward single-family homes and outdoor space was supercharged during “shelter in place,” and it looks to be here to stay.)
So, how did our SF Bay Area homebuyers connect with Josh and the top SF Realtor team at Vivre? They were actually repeat clients! Our business thrives on word of mouth, and we are proud to say a large part of our business comes from happy repeat clients and their referrals to friends and family. Since we had worked together previously, the buyers already knew we were experts in Dolores Heights/Mission Dolores properties and market trends. They also knew that Josh and Danielle Lazier (Vivre Real Estate founder and lead listing strategist) are considered some of San Francisco’s best negotiators, with a keen understanding of market dynamics and buyer/seller psychology. Negotiations are where the rubber really meets the road in a real estate transaction, and Josh and Danielle are known for fighting for their clients’ every penny. It's like having a secret weapon on your side.
(For more on negotiations, read: Want to Sell Your Home in San Francisco For the Most Money? You Need an Expert Negotiator)
Eager to seize the opportunity, our past clients reached out to Vivre’s expert San Francisco Realtors for help finding their dream single-family home in Dolores Heights. They were seeking advice on the market and individual properties, and hoping to make competitive offers without giving away the farm. (Spoiler alert: we delivered!)
So, how did we turn our clients' dreams into reality? Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of what our top SF Realtor agents did to make this San Francisco home buying process a success.
First and foremost, our buyers identified a property that suited their needs. In today's digital age, homebuyers have endless options to look at homes online, from syndicated MLS feeds like Zillow and Realtor.com, to a more tailored search experience like RealScout which we utilize at Vivre Real Estate. Long gone are the days when real estate listings were obscure to the general public and visible only through a San Francisco real estate agent.
This shift has made expertise even more important to hiring the best San Francisco Realtor. As full-time, career professionals who care about our craft, we don't just send our buyer clients a Zillow link or MLS auto-email; we work hard to understand what they are looking for in a home. Then, we use our experience to make suggestions and offer advice beyond what any algorithm or search filter would provide. (We like to think of ourselves as your personal home-finding concierge!)
Once our buyers found a home they loved, they collaborated with Josh to devise a winning offer strategy.
Don’t take us wrong: a softer San Francisco housing market does NOT guarantee an effortless transaction free of competition or bumps in the road. The current San Francisco real estate landscape is like a tale of two cities: downtown condos are still recovering from the peak pandemic era, while competition is fierce as ever for desirable single-family homes in the more western areas of San Francisco, from Noe Valley and Bernal Heights to the westernmost Sunset District.
So, it didn’t come as a big surprise that our clients still had to compete with eight other offers on the Dolores Heights home they wanted!
When the home they wanted received nine total offers, our clients found themselves initially in 5th place. Yikes. But we had a few tricks up our sleeves. After some re-strategizing, we resubmitted their offer, and guess what? They won! (Cue the confetti.)
Josh firmly believes that they didn't win on price alone. In fact, it seemed like an investor in the mix offered more, but their offer wasn't presented as well. (Presentation matters, not just of the listing but of your offer too!) This is where our expertise as top San Francisco buyer agents truly shined. We knew how to package our clients' offer in a way that made it stand out from the competition, ultimately leading to a victorious outcome.
Price is, of course, the most important part of a purchase offer. Sellers will almost always go with the highest price if all else is equal. (Wouldn’t you?)
But not all is equal. There are many other factors that sellers weigh when deciding with their San Francisco listing agent which offer to choose. Working with an experienced agent who is well-regarded in the community, your offer is more likely to be seriously considered and accepted. Despite there being 5,000+ licensed real estate agents in San Francisco alone, would you be surprised to learn that only 5–10% of us do 90% of the business? In the small pond of top-producing, known-commodity agents, reputation means a lot. No one wants their client’s deal to fall through mid-escrow.
The same goes for lenders, inspectors, etc. Our team has a deep working relationship with all the movers and shakers in SF Bay Area real estate, and that gives our clients an edge. Since this is our full-time career, we also know better than most what it takes to write a strong, competitive offer and how to get the best insider info. Knowing the right people can make all the difference!
With a strategic approach and strong relationships within the San Francisco real estate community, we were able to re-strategize and resubmit our clients’ offer. With a higher offer still on the table, Josh’s expertise in presenting an attractive offer is likely what secured our clients their new dream home in Dolores Heights.
Leveraging the expert guidance, strategic thinking, and strong relationships of Josh Ortiz and Danielle Lazier Vivre Real Estate, our clients achieved their goal of purchasing a single-family home in Dolores Heights. They are now enjoying their upgraded lifestyle, complete with more indoor and outdoor space and a very desirable location. (Talk about a happily-ever-after!)
This San Francisco Realtor and Buyer success story is just one example of how our unique, small-batch approach at Vivre Real Estate, and our expertise in the San Francisco Bay Area market, can make a big difference for homebuyers. As your trusted advisor, we are dedicated to understanding your needs, providing critical advice, and delivering results that exceed your expectations.
If you're considering buying a home in San Francisco and have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We'd be more than happy to answer your questions and help you navigate the exciting world of San Francisco real estate. Contact us today!
Feeling like we might be a good fit for your home-buying journey? We'd love to learn more about your personal situation and how we can help you find the perfect home. Head to our Buyers page and fill out our Home Buyer Worksheet, and let's get started on turning your San Francisco real estate goals into a reality!
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