Buyer Services
Buyer services from Josh Ortiz, Danielle Lazier and the Vivre Real Estate team.
Buying in San Francisco usually means competing for a limited number of homes, often against multiple offers. Our job is to help you find the right home and win it without overpaying.
Josh Ortiz, Lead Buyer Specialist
Josh leads our work with buyers, side by side with Danielle, his business partner of more than eight years. He's known for sharp negotiation, organization and fast responses, and for writing offers that hit the sweet spot: enough to win, without overpaying. His relationships with listing agents across the city often mean earlier information and a fair hearing for his clients' offers. Originally from Boston, Josh has lived in San Francisco since 2012.
"Many agents can 'win' a house by telling clients to keep increasing their offer. That's easy. The real challenge is helping clients win without overpaying."Shahram A., Inner Richmond buyer
A Zoom consultation with everyone involved in the decision, to talk through your goals, budget and timing. If you need a recommendation for pre-approval, we can connect you with trusted local lenders.
We help you focus on the neighborhoods and homes that fit, preview properties, and use our network to hear about opportunities early, sometimes before they reach the market.
Every offer starts with research: comparable sales, the listing agent's approach, and what it will realistically take. Then we help you decide how far to go, and when to walk away.
We coordinate inspections, lender, title and escrow so nothing falls through the cracks. After you move in, we're still a resource.
Sales volume is easy to compare, but it says little about how an agent will help you buy. On the buying side, these make the difference.
Real estate fees are a significant expense. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, how buyer agents are paid is agreed in writing up front instead of being advertised in the MLS.
There is a meaningful range of fees in San Francisco, and a meaningful range of service, experience and negotiating skill behind them.
We sit at the higher end of that range, with a full-service approach to match. In our experience, what buyers care about most at the end of the day is getting the right home at the best possible price.
Read more: Real Estate Agent Commission Rates in San Francisco →
Many buyers reach out with a long list of questions. Here's how we think about the most common ones.
Recent sales are a useful starting point. But a search across several neighborhoods often covers very different kinds of homes, from Edwardian single-family houses to new condos, and averages across that mix can mislead. The more useful first step is narrowing what you want and why. Then we look closely at the sales that actually compare. Our neighborhood guides and market reports are a good place to start.
Many San Francisco homes are listed below their expected sale price to draw multiple offers, so the list price is often a starting point rather than the seller's expectation. How far over a home goes varies widely by neighborhood, property type and season. Our monthly market reports track the percentage over list in several neighborhoods. For a specific home, we research the comparable sales and the listing agent's approach before you decide on an offer.
That starts with a lender, who can help you set a realistic budget and get pre-approved. If you need a recommendation, we're happy to connect you with trusted local lenders. From there, Josh can help you see what that budget buys in the neighborhoods you're considering.
Not always. It depends on the home, the competition and your comfort with risk. San Francisco sellers usually provide inspection reports and disclosures up front, so you can often review them before making an offer. Sometimes the right move is a shorter contingency period. Sometimes it's walking away.
Yes. Buyers now sign a written agreement with their agent that spells out the services and the compensation. Compensation is negotiable. A seller may agree to contribute toward it, and we can ask for that in your offer when it makes sense.
Not at all. Early is a good time to talk with a lender, learn how the market works, and get a feel for neighborhoods without pressure. That way, you're ready to move when the right home comes along.
The first step is a Zoom consultation with Josh and everyone involved in the decision. To help us prepare, please fill out our short buyer questionnaire.
