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I’ve been selling real estate in the LA area for fifteen years, and during that time I’ve seen dramatic swings in market demand, countless revisions to purchase contracts, and major procedural shifts—most recently around how agent commissions are disclosed. Technology alone has completely transformed the day-to-day business of real estate. When I started, electronic signatures were barely a thing, and most clients signed every document in person with me. But I think the most significant change I’ve experienced is a shift in buyer mindset—specifically, how buyers approach the search for and purchase of a home.

Today’s first-time buyers grew up online. They’re immersed in constant streams of information: videos, 3D walkthroughs, street views, social media stories, and advice from countless “experts” offering opinions on pricing, timing, and market trends. These tools didn’t exist when I began my career.  Buyers are now more informed than ever, but all that accessible information can lead to second guessing. Many buyers feel overwhelmed by competing perspectives, and because of that they struggle to make decisions with confidence.

Agents often joke that we’re part Realtor, part therapist—and that feels especially true today. With anxiety levels rising, buyers need more reassurance throughout every stage of the process. Ultimately, understanding buyer perception is key to a successful transaction on both sides. Homes in niche neighborhoods like La Canada Flintridge often hold decades of memories, and translating that value to today’s buyers takes both care and perspective. Sellers must think more like advertisers, tailoring their marketing to the specific mindset of today’s buyers, while buyers benefit most from guided confidence—focusing on their own goals rather than an idealized version of the home-buying experience.  

Kari Carson

DRE #01903828

(818) 424-5537

kari@karicarson.com

Neighborhoods Served: La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Greater LA area

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I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been called to show a property, only to discover during the appointment that the buyers are already working with another agent. When I ask why they didn’t have their own Realtor schedule the showing, the answer is often, “I didn’t want to bother my agent.”  Let’s clear up that misconception right now: showing homes is not a bother—it’s part of our job. While we appreciate that buyers value our time, the last thing a Realtor wants is for their client to feel hesitant about reaching out. In fact, most agents would much rather accompany you to a showing than have you meet with another Realtor in a professional setting.

Even if you’re touring a home purely for research purposes, your agent will likely welcome the opportunity to join you. Every home you visit provides valuable insight into your preferences, helping your agent better understand your goals and refine your search.

One common source of confusion is the “Request a Tour” button on sites like Zillow and Redfin. Many buyers assume that clicking this button connects them directly with the listing agent. In reality, it often routes the inquiry to a Realtor who has a referral agreement with the website. That agent then schedules time to meet you, expecting to assist a potential client, only to learn that you’re already committed to working with someone else.

If you simply want to satisfy your curiosity and already have a Realtor you trust, consider waiting for a public open house rather than requesting a private showing with another agent. However, if there’s even a small chance you may buy or sell a home in the next few years, don’t hesitate to call your agent. We genuinely enjoy helping our clients explore the market, and we always appreciate the opportunity to catch up and discuss your future real estate plans.

Kari Carson

DRE #01903828

(818) 424-5537

kari@karicarson.com

Neighborhoods Served: La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Greater LA area

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An escalation clause is a written stipulation stating that a buyer is willing to pay a certain amount above the highest verifiable competing offer in order to secure acceptance. In theory, it makes a lot of sense. If a seller believes you’re willing to outbid any competing buyer, they may be more inclined to work with you before making a final decision and give you the opportunity to come out on top. Buyers will typically submit a strong initial offer, along with language stating they are willing to pay a specific amount above the highest competing offer, up to a maximum purchase price. For example, a buyer may offer $1,800,000, while stating they are willing to pay $5,000 above the highest verifiable offer up to a cap of $2,000,000.  I have also seen buyers write escalation clauses with no cap at all, implying they are willing to pay a set amount above any competing offer regardless of the final price.

The complication involved with either structure is that they typically create an additional negotiation step. In order to finalize the purchase price, the seller usually has to issue a counteroffer reflecting the escalated amount, and a binding agreement is only created once the buyer signs that counter. But there is no guarantee the buyer will ultimately agree to move forward at the escalated price, so the clause often functions more as a “right of first refusal” than a firm commitment. This can create uncertainty for sellers and potentially delay the process while other strong offers remain on the table.

Another potential drawback – especially with capped escalation clauses – is that buyers are effectively telling the seller, “We’re willing to pay this amount, but only if we absolutely have to.” I recently received an offer on one of my listings with an escalation cap that was $300,000 over the asking price, and it was difficult to explain to my sellers that the buyers were not actually offering that amount outright. Instead, they were using the cap to signal a high level of interest in the property.

Because of this, it’s always important for you agent to have a conversation with the listing agent ahead of adding an escalation clause. Some listing agents specifically request that buyers avoid them entirely in an effort to streamline negotiations and create cleaner, more straightforward offers. That said, if the listing agent and sellers are open to escalation clauses, they can sometimes provide buyers with one final opportunity to compete on price. Ultimately, the key is understanding how the sellers are likely to react before deciding whether an escalation clause is the right strategy for your offer.

Kari Carson

DRE #01903828

(818) 424-5537

kari@karicarson.com

Neighborhoods Served: La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Greater LA area

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A realistic look at buying a smaller home in today’s Foothills market – from pricing to competition.

Downsizing can be challenging, especially if you’ve lived in your current home for over twenty years. You’ve likely grown used to a certain amount of space and the features you love, and not every aspect of your home can be replicated in a new one. While it’s natural to hope for a house that’s just like your beloved home—only smaller and without stairs—the reality is that your next home will probably be a different type of property. And that’s perfectly okay! The key is to approach your search with realistic expectations.

If you’re looking to truly downsize, your new home may be half the size of your current one—or even smaller. That price range often puts you in competition with first-time buyers or step-up buyers working toward their “forever” homes. Smaller homes are often transitional properties, meaning they may not have been extensively remodeled or maintained in the same way as your current home. Even if cosmetic updates have been made, major renovations or added square footage may be lacking and you may have a mix of updates that don’t always flow together. Most downsizing buyers prefer a move-in-ready home, but it’s wise to be prepared for minor updates to make the space feel truly yours.

Despite these challenges, downsizing can put you in a strong position as a buyer. Smaller homes tend to attract more competition, but downsizing buyers are often financially stronger than first-time buyers. If you’ve already sold your current home, you may be able to make an all-cash offer or put down a large down payment, which can make your offer stand out. Your experience as a homeowner is another advantage—sellers often feel more confident knowing they’re dealing with someone who understands home maintenance and appreciates a property’s condition.  With a clear plan and a bit of flexibility, downsizing can be a smooth and exciting step toward the next chapter of your life. 

Kari Carson

DRE #01903828

(818) 424-5537

kari@karicarson.com

Neighborhoods Served: La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale, Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Greater LA area

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With the market in our area continuing to perform well and prices starting to rise above the pre-recession peak, many home owners are beginning to consider cashing out their equity in their current property in order to trade up to a larger home. If you are a homeowner who bought in 2011 or 2012 near the bottom of the market crash, you could be in a particularly good position to move up. However, if you need to sell your current home first in order to purchase a new home, it’s important that you understand how contingent offers work and how to best protect your deposit money throughout the process.

If you’d like to move forward with making an offer on a home before the sale of your current property, but you need the funds from your sale in order to buy, you are writing what is called a “contingent offer”. Along with your offer paperwork, you will submit a form called a COP, which stands for “contingency for sale of buyer’s property.   The COP is hugely important to the process because it sets clear timelines for moving forward and it protects you against getting into a situation where you are contractually required to move forward with a purchase, but are unable to do so because you haven’t sold your current home.

There are three main points of negotiation included in the COP. The first is the length of your contingency. Ideally, you want the contingency for the sale of your home to remain in place until you close both properties (which is often done concurrently on the same day). However, some sellers will try and negotiate that you reduce that contingency to a shorter term – they may ask that you remove your COP after two or three weeks regardless of the status of the sale of your current home. Be sure to carefully consider whether or not you are comfortable removing the COP based on your situation. If you end up removing the COP and then run into a problem that cancels or delays the escrow on your current home, you could be at risk of losing any deposit you submitted on your replacement home purchase.

The second item specified in the COP is the length of time you have available to get your current home into escrow.   If your home is already in escrow at the time you make your offer, this item hold less importance. However, if you are making an offer before putting your current home on the market, this stipulates how long you have to get your home under contract. It is common for sellers to give buyers 14 – 21 days to get their home under contract. If you are unable to get your home into escrow within that time period, the sellers are allowed to cancel your contract. It’s important to note that if the sellers decide to cancel based on you failing to meet the timeline set for your own home sale, they are not able to keep your deposit as long as you have not removed the overall contingency for your home sale.

The final item noted on the COP deals with the sellers’ ability to market the home and accept backup offers while you are in escrow. The COP has an option that allows the sellers to accept your offer, but continue to market the house. If they get a better offer that is not contingent, they could then cancel your escrow. It’s important that you modify this term on the COP to prevent the sellers from having the right to basically kick you out of your sale if a better option comes in. There is a section in the COP that allows you to prevent the sellers from canceling your sale to accept a backup offer for a set amount of days. Ideally this amount of time would be the entire term of your escrow, but it’s more common for it to match the amount of time the sellers have given you to get your current home into escrow.

Buying and selling at the same time can be complicated and stressful process. However, if you understand the rights afforded to you by your COP, you can make sure that you have covered yourself against any unexpected issues that may arise!

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Your home inspection is often the single most important day of your escrow – it’s when you finally get some answers to all those questions that have been nagging you since you first set foot in your potential new home. How old is the roof? Is there copper plumbing? Has the electrical been updated? You can try and get answers to these questions before your write your offer, but you won’t have much concrete information until your general inspection. Continue reading →