06/01/2026
(Price closed at was $1,260,000)
I am pleased to share the story behind this recent closing. It all started during COVID when the owner entrusted me with renting out their house through several rounds of tenants. After they had considered selling a couple of times, this year, upon it becoming vacant again, I reassured them that this home, in this location and at a reasonable price, would perform well as a sale.
They placed their trust in me to invest in the right preparations, resulting in stunning marketing materials for this beautifully restored California Craftsman. But at launch, the market was lagging a bit more than expected, likely due to the onset of a new war in Iran. People loved the house, but we received common feedback about its proximity to Jefferson Blvd, and we didn’t get any offers. After a month of no activity and with the seller getting a little restless, we planned to reduce the price. In fact, we had signed the paperwork for that and submitted it to my office administrator, but they had gone home for the night. Fortunately, just hours later, a near full-price offer came in, and both the sellers and I were thrilled!
Inspections revealed some repairs needed to address elevated moisture levels, which I managed with my trusted team of vendors to satisfy the buyer. This process was made easier by a great agent on the other side—thank you,
Initially, the buyers had other options, and after seeing the house, they pursued those instead. When those options didn’t work out, they came back to us. They didn’t feel pressured to rush into a decision, unlike buyers fdid ahead of the 2022 rate hike. Instead of low-balling us, they came in right near the asking price, which allowed for some grace when they requested $20,000 in repair credits (around 1.5% of the sale price). Kudos to my sellers, who, when the mold report came back, called to say, “Ari, keep the buyers happy.” And so we did, keeping this important transaction intact. The sellers walked away with substantial proceeds and closed at a price they were hoping for, and the sale was a wine-win for all.