Selling at Tahoe

"Alex listed and sold our house during the fall - traditionally the slow time - and we netted almost $200,000 in two years of owning it."

- Jason Fox, seller of 555 Red Cedar, Tahoe City, November 2005, $600,000.

Overall Philosophy

I always put my clients and their property first because I know that repeat and referral business with experienced buyers and sellers is the best.

Selling Your Property

My expertise is in helping you market your property so that it sells for the highest price and with the best terms.

The first step is making sure the house looks its best to attract and hold the broadest audience of buyers. A Home Inspection, Pest Report and small repairs are all good ways to proactively do things that buyers will request and to let them know that you have always taken good care of your property.

The next step is price. Establishing the right price can get your property sold even during the slowest times of year.

I advertise my listings in Homes & Land Magazine and Mountain Homes Magazine - the two most important publications for buyers in Tahoe. I regularly put listings on the covers of both magazines - ask me about this for your home. Tahoe Real Estate Group also produces our own Tahoe Homes Guide three times a year.

I will put a slideshow of your home on the internet as its own web page. I will have CD copies in your house for prospective buyers to take with them after touring it. See an example here.

Chinquapin owners: I was the first person ever to put a Chinquapin unit on the cover of Mountain Homes Magazine. I had Brokers' Tours, too,and the feedback was that most of North Tahoe's sales people had never been there before! I am committed to keeping the market open so every listing I have in Chinquapin goes into the Multiple Listing Service immediately and I facilitate showings so the 'mystery' goes away. This greatly increases the chances of getting multiple offers. I also have a strong working relationship with WMC Inc. HOA Management which is very important for a smooth transaction.

I listed Connie Brandner's unit, #68, and we had four offers - three were 'all cash.' Three offers were from our office as a direct result of our advertising. The unit was priced right, marketed aggressively and realtors in town were able to show it regularly. Connie has offered to be a reference for how well everything was handled. Use your HOA Members List or contact me for her information, if you'd like.

I work at the Tahoe Real Estate Group because of the access to expertise, company size and 'feel.' I have two full-time brokers each with 25 years of experience in Tahoe who are always available. We know how agents in town operate and we utilize our knowledge to get the most from them for our clients. TREG is a medium-sized brokerage that hand-picks agents to create an easy team feel. We are not filling seats with warm bodies and being overseen by managers who are not hands-on brokers like you see at the 'chains.' We are an independent brokerage with a strong backbone.

"Alex was more than just professional and thorough. He handled difficult situations well and through the process, became our friend."

- Cliff and Michelle Maupin, buyers of 6125 Chamberland Drive, $999,900, September 2005.

"Alex sold our Old Tahoe cabin efficiently and in time for us to avoid having to pay taxes on the huge capital gain."

- Todd and Laura Barber, sellers of 320 Olive Street, $564,000, December 2005.

"Alex found a great place for my first home and the whole experience was not as scary as I had feared. He also stayed in touch afterwards which is great."

Call Alex or use this website to get started with the best real estate experience available in Tahoe.

Here are some low-cost, high-return upgrades to improve the perceived value of your house or condominium:

Repair and Pre-inspect for No Surprises
A motivated buyer will bring in a professional house inspector – this is the norm in Tahoe. Make sure nothing is there to be found because deferred maintenance turns buyers off. I recommend that sellers get Home and Pest Inspections before listing their home. This way, we will have no surprises after we’ve accepted an offer and the buyers send their pros in. We will not get 'negotiated down' because we’ll already know what they will find.

Clean up
A clean house sells more quickly and for more money than a dirty one. Get your house squeaky clean. If you do nothing else, do this!

Eliminate clutter
Visually expand the rooms. Storing half your clothes will make closets look twice as big. Get rid of excess or worn-out furniture. Try to increase the buyers’ comfort.

Eliminate strong personal statements
If the buyer senses this property still belongs to you, it can give them "territorial anxiety," and they'll feel it will never belong to them. Put away your toy soldier collection. Reduce family photos to a treasured few. Your master suite and kitchen should look like a model home.

Fix up
The house should appear to be in excellent condition and in perfect working order. Even your house number should be new and bright. Pay special attention to the kitchen and master bath. These rooms are always at the top of a buyer's list.

Establish a focal point
In each room, give the buyer something to remember: shiny brass andirons by the fireplace, a charming area rug, red geraniums in the kitchen window sill. They are probably looking at a lot of property in one day so this can help them remember the small things about your house.

Use light to your advantage
Wash all the windows and let in as much natural light as possible. Flick on all the lights. This is no time to conserve energy or to be worrying about the sun fading your furniture.

Foster a welcoming aroma
Eliminate offensive odors from pets, smoke or cooking. We can help you create that "new house smell" with common materials and products. And don't forget fresh air and sunlight.