Every San Francisco home search begins with a vision. For one recent client, that vision was firmly set in Pacific Heights, with preferences pointing to homes in the $6-$6.5M range. However, with a budget in the low $5Ms, this created what seemed like an unbridgeable gap between dreams and reality.
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This is where deep market knowledge really made a difference. We did an exercise looking through all the past sales together and we all concluded that though this wasn’t a slam dunk search, it wasn’t out of the question. However, it would take time and compromise.
We added a few more neighborhoods, Lake Street and Jordan Park, but we were still priced out of homes that met the mark. Eventually, we suggested exploring Cole Valley – an area our clients hadn’t considered. We knew it could offer the same level of luxury, charm, and lifestyle they desired but at a price point that aligned with their budget.
The Hidden Advantage: Off-Market Opportunities
Here’s something most buyers don’t realize: in the luxury market (over $5M), more than 30% of homes sell off-market. These aren’t properties you’ll find on popular real estate websites or Sunday open houses. They’re exclusive opportunities that require being plugged into the right network.
So we leveraged our extensive network to identify an off-market property that checked all the boxes:
Throughout the process, our focus was on providing:
This resulted in us being able to secure their dream home at a “buy me now” price, without the stress of a bidding war. The transaction was smooth, strategic, and successful.
What made this story possible wasn’t just market knowledge – it was the combination of expertise with genuine care for our client’s needs. But ultimately, it was patience. This search took years. Our clients lived in a beautiful condo in Pacific Heights that was hard for them to leave, even though they were growing out of it due to an expanding family.
We always tell our clients that we are not here to sell you a house, we are here to help you buy the home you want, and everyone has a different journey to get there. When the time was right, our clients were open to other possibilities, which led to a favorable outcome.
I Would Love To Help You Write Your Own Success Story
Whether you’re looking for your first home or your next luxury property, let’s explore how our experience, networks, and dedicated approach can help you find the perfect home – even if it’s in an unexpected place.
“Ruth and her team are incredible. We worked with her and Maddy to buy our first single family home in the city and were so impressed by the communication, helpfulness, attention to detail, and care the team brought to our search.
She knows the market inside and out and helped us get our heads around the process by analyzing past sales and was always quick to provide comps and perspective when we were interested in a home. It’s evident when you see Ruth interact with other agents that she has great relationships and respect within the field.
The home we bought was a fast-paced, off-market sale and we couldn’t have done it without Ruth and Maddy working to pull together review sessions and comb through disclosure packets. They were organized and super responsive, and it always felt like we were in the best of hands throughout the entire process.”
-E.L., Buyer
