A real story of reading market timing, executing quickly, and negotiating complete solutions for luxury homeowners
When a San Francisco family planning to move to Europe considered their home sale timeline, conventional wisdom said wait until spring. The luxury real estate market typically heats up after the holidays, and most agents were already winding down for Thanksgiving.
But something unusual was happening in the San Francisco market that changed everything.
While most of the real estate industry prepared for the traditional holiday slowdown, a significant market catalyst emerged: the secondary sale of OpenAI shares poured gasoline on the luxury market at price points above $5M, particularly in Noe Valley and Eureka Valley.
Buyers who had been taking their time suddenly started competing aggressively to get in before prices climbed even higher. The fall market momentum wasn’t slowing down—it was accelerating.
The conversation with the sellers was straightforward: “We could wait for spring and potentially get more, or we could sell now and capitalize on buyers who are ready to pay premium prices today. Here’s what I’m seeing in the market. What do you want to do?”
Their response: “If we can get $5.2M, we’d be happy to sell early.”
The challenge? Thanksgiving was approaching. They needed a minimum of 3 months rent-back, preferably 6 months, to coordinate their international move. And they were still living in the home.
We listed the home off-market using Compass Private Exclusive. The timeline was aggressive, but the opportunity was real.
Week 1 execution:
The result: Multiple competitive offers, with a final negotiated price over $5.6M—$800K to $1M above comparable spring sales.
All without the home ever hitting the MLS.
Off-market sales aren’t right for every situation, but in this case, strong buyer demand at the $5M+ price point created urgency and it allowed us to move quickly while the sellers maintained their privacy and daily lives with minimal disruption.
Price alone doesn’t tell the complete story of a successful real estate transaction.
Understanding the full picture of what these clients needed, we negotiated 6 months of free rent-back—worth approximately $120,000. This gave the family:
Selling a home successfully requires reading what’s actually happening in the market right now, not what typically happens. It means having the team and systems to move quickly when opportunity presents itself, and knowing how to negotiate not just for the highest price but for the complete package your situation requires.
In this case, that meant:
Final outcome:
There’s no universal answer to this question. Market timing depends on:
The key is working with someone who can see where the market is heading, execute flawlessly under pressure, and negotiate outcomes that exceed your expectations, not just match them.
If you’re considering selling your San Francisco home and want to understand your options—whether that’s off-market, traditional listing, or waiting for the right market timing we would love to talk about your goals and timeline.
“We worked with Ruth to sell our house, and the experience was exceptional from start to finish. From our very first conversation, it was clear that she and her team operate with an incredible sense of urgency while maintaining a very high standard of quality.
Once we decided to move forward, Ruth immediately put a comprehensive plan into action. We had a very tight timeline, but she coordinated inspections, photography, floor plans, marketing, and private showings seamlessly and in a remarkably short amount of time. The process felt efficient, thoughtful, and extremely well organized.
Ruth’s strategic approach and strong negotiation skills helped us achieve a strong outcome we were very happy with. She knew exactly how to position our home, communicate its value, and guide us through key decisions with confidence and clarity.
The marketing was outstanding. From the photography and listing description to how the home was presented to prospective buyers, everything felt polished, intentional, and tailored to attract the right audience. She is especially well-suited for sellers of high-end, design-forward homes who want a thoughtful and strategic approach.
Throughout the entire process, Ruth kept us informed and at ease. She checked in regularly, explained each step clearly, and made herself available whenever we had questions. Beyond being highly competent, she was genuinely a pleasure to work with. Calm, professional, and reassuring at every stage.
Ruth is also supported by an excellent team that stepped in quickly to keep everything moving smoothly. Their coordination and responsiveness made a fast-paced process feel manageable and stress-free.
We trusted Ruth completely with one of our biggest financial decisions and could not be happier with the outcome. If we were to sell again, Ruth would be our first call. We recommend her without hesitation to anyone looking for a smart, driven, and trustworthy real estate partner.”
— K & Y, Sellers
