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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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The answer to this question is determined by many different factors, including the type of property you are selling, the city in which the property is located, local rent control ordinances and the length of time the tenant has been in the property. I’m going to treat this scenario as a single-family home, not under rent control, with tenants on an existing lease.

If the intention is to close your home sale without the tenants in place, the first step is to give them notice that you do not plan on continuing their tenancy. You’ll need to give 30 days’ notice if they have lived there less than a year and 60 days’ notice for a year or more. Legally, you may proceed with listing the house while the tenants are still living in the property. However, this can pose significant marketing challenges. 

With tenants in place, you have very little control over how the property looks for showings. It complicates your ability to do pre-marketing prep work such as painting, cleaning and staging, and these steps are extremely important if you are trying to maximize your profit. Your tenants would need to cooperate with your requests for showings, which need to be made at least 24 hours in advance. They are under no obligation to tidy the house or leave the property during showings. Listing with tenants in place can also be a red flag for buyers who want to owner occupy, because they may be concerned about the possibility of the tenants refusing to leave. 

The bottom line is if you are looking for the highest possible sale price, and your tenants only have one month left on their lease, your best option is likely to wait until the property is vacant to put the home on the market. That being said, if you absolutely need to sell as quickly as possible, an experienced Realtor can help you to navigate a tenant occupied property sale to minimize the impact of these challenges as much as possible. 

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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One of the most common questions I hear from buyers at open houses is: “Do you have an offer deadline?” Buyers in the Los Angeles area are generally pretty savvy and well aware of the strategy of listing agents setting a specific date to review offers. But many sellers don’t fully understand this approach—or the pros and cons that come with it. Here are a few things to consider:

As a seller, you can choose to review offers as they come in, or you can set a deadline for buyers to submit their offers. Promoting a deadline can create urgency, encouraging buyers to act quickly. It can also signal strong interest in the home and help generate multiple offers at once, which often gives sellers more leverage to negotiate a higher price and better terms.

That said, setting an offer deadline can be a calculated risk. If a deadline is heavily promoted but no offers come in, it can weaken your positioning and make buyers question the level of interest in the home. In some cases, buyers’ agents may even skip showing the property if they feel they don’t have enough time to prepare a competitive offer. Deadlines can also be less effective for highly unique properties that may not naturally attract multiple offers at the same time.

Ultimately, the decision to set an offer deadline should align with your overall marketing strategy. If your home is well-priced, in a competitive area, and supported by strong marketing, a deadline can be a powerful tool. But if you’re not in a rush or are waiting for a very specific type of buyer, a more flexible approach may make more sense.

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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This is one of the questions I’m asked most often during listing appointments, and it’s definitely smart to think strategically about timing your list date if your personal situation allows for flexibility.

Our local market does tend to follow a familiar seasonal cycle influenced by weather, school schedules, and holidays. Unsurprisingly, activity typically slows between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, as many buyers are focused on holiday spending and travel during that time.  But sellers should also be mindful of other holiday weekends that can impact a listing launch. Realtors often try to avoid bringing homes to market right before Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, or Labor Day, since many buyers travel during those weekends, which can reduce open house traffic.

Another surprisingly slow time of year in our area is July and August. I recently spoke with sellers who had been advised to list in July to attract buyers hoping to enroll in our Blue Ribbon school districts. However, La Cañada and Glendale schools typically begin in mid-August, and enrollment periods usually open the February prior. As a result, buyers who are specifically purchasing for schools are often house hunting in the spring rather than waiting until summer. Because our neighborhoods are so closely tied to school calendars, July and August tend to become vacation and back-to-school months for many families, making late summer one of the quieter periods of the year for real estate activity. Even many local Realtors schedule their own vacations during that time.

That said, we are fortunate that the consistently low inventory in our foothill communities helps maintain strong buyer demand year-round. So if you end up needing to list your home in December – or during another traditionally slower season – there is absolutely no reason your home can’t still sell quickly. It simply becomes more important to recognize current market conditions and price strategically. And remember: listing during a slower time of year can also mean facing less competition from nearby listings, which can help offset having fewer active buyers in the market.

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