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- Real estate consulting
Advice before you decide
Every purchase I work on starts with a conversation, and sometimes the best advice is to wait.
Honest advice, even when it means waiting.
Most agents will try to talk you into a house, I’m more likely to talk you out of one. I want my clients to find ‘their home,’ not just any house.
A consultation is where we start. We talk through what you want, what you can spend and where, and I run a live search so we can see what that budget actually buys in the neighborhoods you have in mind. Sometimes that changes the plan before we ever tour a home.
I hold a California broker’s license, and before real estate I was an archivist with a master’s degree in library science, so research comes naturally.
The questions worth asking first
- 01
What your budget buys
A live search on the neighborhoods you like, so expectations match the market before you fall for a house.
- 02
Down payment and closing costs
You don’t need 20% down. We go over your loan options and the cash you’ll need beyond the down payment, including closing costs.
- 03
Repairs and long-term value
Which issues are cosmetic, which are expensive, and how a house holds up as a long-term home rather than a quick flip.
- 04
Offer strategy
I call the listing agent before we write anything, so we know what the seller actually wants.
- 05
Pricing and timing for sellers
Where your home fits against recent sales and the competition, and what to fix before you list, so you’re not chasing the market after it goes live.
- 06
Selling and buying at once
How to time the sale and the purchase on one plan.
Should I wait to buy?
It depends on your finances and your plans. We look at your numbers and the neighborhoods you want, and if waiting makes more sense, I’ll tell you.
Do you advise investors?
Not usually. I focus on people buying and selling the homes they live in.
What’s the first step?
A phone call. Tell me what’s going on, and we’ll work out the next step from there.
“I never thought selling a home could be this painless and easy.”
“Joseph made the entire process smooth and reassuring from start to finish.”
“Joseph took my biggest burden in recent history (selling an inherited property) and walked me through it, step by step, unburdening me in record time.”
Keep reading
I explain every step before it happens. You’ll always know where we are in the process.
Read more SellersEvery experience is unique. I start with why you’re selling, then build the price, the timing and the plan around that.
Read more First-time buyersFirst-time buyers are my favorite clients. You’re excited, you have a hundred questions, and I have the time to answer every one.
Read more Next-home buyersSelling and buying at the same time is two transactions that have to land together. I’ve done it for several clients this year alone.
Read moreStart with a conversation
Tell me what’s going on, and I’ll give you an honest read on your next move.
“The best part of this job is helping people on a human level.”Joseph Olson
- Call / text(916) 835-2968
- Emailjosephao@gmail.com
- OfficeColdwell Banker – Sierra Oaks
2277 Fair Oaks Blvd, Ste 440
Sacramento, CA 95825