Part 1: Off-Market Levers. On-Market Instincts.How to Structure Offers That Get Accepted

Most people assume sellers want the highest possible price.

That’s what I thought – until I started buying homes off-market directly from sellers.

In those situations, I noticed something that surprised me:

Price was almost never the deciding factor.

Instead, every deal revolved around three main levers:

Ease. Speed. Risk.

These sellers weren’t trying to maximize their return. They were trying to reduce the friction of a sale – to remove stress, not squeeze every dollar.

Price still played a role, but it was clearly fourth on the list. Often, it wasn’t even negotiated.

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In off-market deals, the hierarchy is consistent:

1. Ease – How simple can you make it?

2. Speed – How fast can this get done?

3. Risk – How certain is the outcome?

4. Price – Can I live with the number?

The trade-off was clear: sellers were exchanging potential upside for clarity, control, and closure.

But in on-market deals, the dynamic shifts.

There’s far more variability in how sellers weigh each factor.

• One might tolerate a long escrow to get a higher price.

• Another might accept less for an all-cash offer with no contingencies.

• Someone else might care most about minimizing hassle.

• Yet another might want a rent-back.

• Another might prefer an installment sale.

One of the most valuable soft skills a strong buyer’s agent can bring—especially in a competitive market like the Bay Area—is the ability to surface what truly matters to the seller.

Not just what they say out loud, but what their tone, pacing, or hesitation might suggest.

Sometimes the seller’s real priorities aren’t fully articulated—they’re implied, or even avoided.

That’s where a sharp agent makes the difference: by asking better questions, tracking what’s left unsaid, and tailoring offers around the seller’s underlying needs—not just the stated ones.

Because of that, crafting a winning on-market offer is more complex—and especially important in the Bay Area’s hot market. You have to:

• Understand what the seller values most

• Shape your offer to match that

• While still protecting your own tolerances on speed, risk, and complexity

It’s a balancing act.

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If this gave you a clearer understanding of what it actually takes to structure winning offers in today’s market—and how a great agent works behind the scenes—I’d be grateful for your referrals.

They’re what allow me to keep doing this work and sharing more of it.

Next time, I’ll share two stories that illustrate these principles in action—and the kind of hands-on effort this work really requires.

How to avoid getting ripped off when hiring contractors.

I’m going to share a tip I give every single one of my clients—

How to avoid getting ripped off when hiring contractors.

Whether it’s a plumber, roofer, electrician—doesn’t matter.

Most people make the same mistake:

They start their search on Google or Yelp.

Sounds smart, right? But here’s the problem—

Everyone else is doing the exact same thing.

And that means the contractors you find there are usually swamped with business.

So what happens?

They raise their prices. Sometimes dramatically. And you end up overpaying—just because they’re easy to find.

Here’s what I tell my clients instead:

Go to the California Contractor State License Board website.

It’s part of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

This is where all licensed contractors in the state are listed.

Now here’s the trick:

Don’t search in your zip code—especially if you live in a high-cost area.

Instead, search in a nearby city or county with a lower cost of living.

Find plumbers, electricians, or roofers there.

You’ll get a list of licensed pros who might not have fancy websites or hundreds of reviews—but that’s the point.

Those folks are often just as good, sometimes better, and way more affordable.

Start calling them. Get 8–12 quotes. Ask for references.

That’s how you find quality work—without paying premium just because of visibility.

Don’t pay more because a contractor is good at marketing.

Pay for skill, not search ranking.

“The final boss of any long recovery isn’t physical. It’s identity.”

I’ve been sitting with that truth for a while now — and today, I wanted to share the story behind it.

Four years ago, I was spending up to 6 hours a day on the floor. Not because I was tired or injured, but because my body couldn’t keep up.

I’ve lived with Gitelman’s Syndrome my whole life, but it caught up to me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. My kidneys couldn’t hold electrolytes, and even the most basic tasks became exhausting. I could do a little. But it took everything I had.

Recovery wasn’t a straight line. It wasn’t dramatic or visible. It was slow, quiet, and frustrating.

You wait to feel like yourself again. But eventually, you realize: you’ve changed.

Skills I once took for granted started requiring full attention. What used to be instinct became something I had to earn back, piece by piece. That shift didn’t just affect my body — it impacted my energy, my decision-making, even how I showed up for work and the people around me.

It felt like loss. Until I reframed it.

Gratitude became the turning point:

• Gratitude for the chance to rebuild

• For the people who stood by me

• And for the clarity that comes when you strip everything down to what matters most

Today, tennis has become a kind of mirror for me. Not a competition. Just a way to check in.

Each time I step on the court, it’s a pulse check — not on skill, but on presence. On recovery. On identity.

And real estate, believe it or not, has parallels. Because helping people buy or sell a home — especially when it’s tied to life change — requires that same presence, patience, and empathy.

We don’t get to choose what breaks us.

But we do get to choose how we rebuild — and who we become after.

If you’ve gone through something like that… I see you.

And if you’re rebuilding — in life, in work, or in where you live — I’d love to be part of that journey.

Have you ever felt that shift too?

#Recovery #Resilience #GitelmansSyndrome #MentalHealth #RealEstateWithHeart #FremontRealEstate

Move with Larry | Bay Area Real estate

Here’s to the ones who expect more —

More than a lockbox and a listing.

To the ones who ask the hard questions,

who won’t settle for half-truths or half-effort.

To those who know that trust is earned,

and fiduciary isn’t a buzzword — it’s a promise.

You want a guide who listens before talking,

advises before selling,

and stands behind every word with action.

You don’t just want service.

You want stewardship.

You don’t want fast talk — you want the truth.

You don’t want a deal — you want the right one.

We’re not here to impress.

We’re here to protect, to guide, and to deliver.

Because you’re not just buying or selling a home.

You’re making one of the most important moves of your life.

Rethink Real Estate.

Because expecting more… isn’t too much to ask.