Why Out-of-State Advice Could Be the Biggest Risk to Your San Diego Home Sale
Your home is finally listed.
The showings are steady.
You’ve weathered the early nerves and… we’ve got a great offer.
You should be celebrating.
Instead, someone says:
“Let’s just run it by my cousin who flips houses in Michigan.”
Insert: the world’s deepest sigh.
Let’s Talk About “Cousin Todd”
Almost every seller has a version of him—
The well-meaning relative or friend with just enough real estate experience to be dangerous.
Maybe they’ve flipped a few homes. Maybe they live in a completely different market. Maybe they just really love Zillow.
But here’s the problem:
Real estate is local.
What worked for someone flipping bungalows in Michigan won’t always apply to listing a luxury home in San Diego, Poway, or Escondido.
Here’s What Can Go Wrong When You Rely on the Wrong Advice:
1. You Second-Guess Strong Offers
San Diego’s buyer behavior, inventory, and price points are entirely different from markets across the country. Listening to the wrong opinion can delay your decision—and lead to the offer walking away.
2. You Overprice (or Undervalue) Your Home
A flip in Detroit might have different ROI expectations than a family home in 4S Ranch. Using mismatched data to make decisions can leave your home sitting longer, requiring price reductions, or leaving money on the table.
3. You Undermine Your Strategy Mid-Game
We create a pricing and marketing plan together—based on local comps, current buyer trends, and the unique features of your home. Veering off-course to accommodate outside advice mid-transaction introduces confusion, hesitation, and unnecessary risk.
What You Really Need Instead:
✔️ Local expertise
✔️ A strategy grounded in today’s San Diego market
✔️ A trusted agent who knows how to navigate high-stakes decisions with data, not emotion
And yes, I’ll always make space for your questions, concerns, and even your cousin’s opinion—as long as we keep the decision-making rooted in what’s true for our market.
Selling a Home? Trust the Process (and the Professional)
Whether you're prepping to list or fielding offers in a shifting market, now isn’t the time to crowdsource decisions. You deserve local knowledge, consistent guidance, and a strategy that’s built to win.
So next time someone says, “Let’s ask Cousin Todd,” feel free to smile politely.
And then call me.
