Questions people actually ask.

Sellers here typically pay between 6% and 8% of the sale price in total closing costs. That usually includes the real estate commission (the largest piece), county transfer tax, title and escrow fees, and any repair credits negotiated with the buyer. On a $1.5 million home, that often lands somewhere between $90,000 and $120,000 all-in, though the exact number depends on the specific negotiation and which city the home is in, since transfer tax rates vary by city within the county.

A well-priced home in a desirable neighborhood often goes from listing to accepted offer in 1 to 3 weeks, especially in competitive markets like Burlingame or San Carlos. Add roughly 3 to 4 more weeks for escrow to close. Homes that are priced too high, need significant work, or list during a slower season can take considerably longer. Pricing strategy and prep work affect this more than almost anything else.

Small, targeted fixes usually matter more to buyers than a full renovation, and often cost a few thousand dollars rather than tens of thousands. Fresh paint, decluttering, minor landscaping, and fixing obviously deferred maintenance tend to have the best return relative to cost. A full kitchen or bathroom remodel rarely pays for itself dollar-for-dollar at resale, so it's usually smarter to spend on presentation than on major renovation before listing.

A 1031 exchange lets an investor defer capital gains tax by rolling sale proceeds into a new "like-kind" investment property instead of cashing out. It comes with strict timelines: generally 45 days to identify a replacement property and 180 days to close on it, and the proceeds have to be held by a qualified intermediary rather than touched directly by the seller. Because the rules are strict, this is a case where looping in a qualified intermediary and a CPA early matters a lot.

There's no fixed percentage that guarantees a winning offer, since it depends on how the home was priced relative to comparable sales and what terms matter most to that particular seller. A strong offer usually combines a competitive price with clean terms: a solid pre-approval or proof of funds, a reasonable close date, and as few contingencies as you can comfortably remove. Price alone doesn't always win; certainty often matters just as much to sellers.

It depends on your financial cushion and risk tolerance. Selling first removes the risk of carrying two mortgages or needing a bridge loan, but means you may need temporary housing between homes. Buying first gives you more certainty about where you're moving to, but requires financing that doesn't depend on your current home selling. Most families weigh this based on their savings, their lender's guidance, and how competitive the local market is right now.

A duplex gives you land, more control, and the option to rent out a unit to offset your mortgage, but comes with more maintenance responsibility and typically a higher purchase price. A condo is usually cheaper to enter with lower maintenance burden, but comes with monthly HOA dues, less control over shared decisions, and sometimes financing restrictions depending on the building. Which makes sense depends on whether rental income potential or lower up-front responsibility matters more to you.

California offers several state-level programs aimed at closing the gap between savings and a down payment, generally structured as deferred or forgivable loans rather than grants, with income and purchase-price caps. Availability changes, sometimes year to year, so the accurate move is to check current eligibility directly rather than rely on older information, since some programs pause when funds run out and reopen later.

Commission is negotiated between the client and their agent, not set by law or by any fixed industry standard. Since 2024, buyers and their agents typically sign a written agreement up front spelling out how the buyer's agent gets paid, and sellers separately negotiate what they'll offer to cover in the transaction. The specifics vary deal to deal, which is exactly the kind of thing worth a direct conversation about rather than assuming a number.

Timing depends far more on your personal situation than on trying to predict the market. San Mateo County is made up of many small, distinct markets that don't all move together, so "the market" as a single number is often less useful than looking at what's happening on a specific street or in a specific price range. The honest answer is to get a current, specific read on your situation rather than rely on general headlines.

Someone needs the legal authority to sell the home (usually an executor named in a will, or a court-appointed administrator if there's no will), the court may need to review the sale depending on the type of authority granted, and then it closes largely like a normal sale. Many estates qualify for simplified authority that avoids extra court hearings. A probate attorney can usually clarify exactly where a given estate stands within one conversation. Read the full walkthrough →

Drew works with buyers and sellers throughout San Mateo County, including Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo, Foster City, Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, Menlo Park, Half Moon Bay, Pacifica, Daly City, and South San Francisco, as well as the broader San Francisco Bay Area.