The East Bay Home Seller's Guide

Thank you for taking the time to read my sellers' guide. I'm Tanja Odzak, a REALTOR® with eXp Realty, and I've made it my top priority to put you and your needs first. Selling a home can be very stressful, and I have the tools to guide you in the right direction.

This guide is what I've learned over my years in real estate, gathered in one place to answer your questions and fill in the blanks, so the process feels easier while I market your home. If you finish it and still have questions, ask me. Helping people is my passion, and no question is too small.

Online estimates are a starting point, nothing more. They can't see inside your home, so they miss the things that move the price most: the condition, the layout, and the updates you've made.

A real value starts with what has actually sold near you, not what's listed. I compare those homes to yours, room by room, and adjust for the differences. You get a number you can plan around, and an honest read on what would raise it.

Want me to do that for your home? Request your home value here. There's no obligation.

First impressions start at the curb. These nine are simple, and every one of them shows buyers the home was cared for:

1. Renew the entry. Try a fresh coat of paint or a new front door.
2. Tend the landscaping. A well-groomed lawn shows buyers the house was cared for.
3. Check outdoor light fixtures. Replace them, or put in brighter new bulbs.
4. Wash both sides of the windows. Clean windows make a home look more open.
5. Clean out the garage. Consider a storage unit for the non-essential things you want to keep.
6. Add flowers. Plant flowers to add color and beauty to the landscape.
7. Renew the welcome mat. It's the first accessory people see at the door, and a fresh one adds a homey feel.
8. Paint or replace the street numbers. Bright numbers make your home easy for buyers to find.
9. Pressure wash the exterior. It removes dirt, dust, and spider webs, and makes the home look brand new.

Why do I advertise on social media? Because that's where your home gets the most exposure. Many agents say they advertise on social media, but posting to a personal page or a business page is not advertising. I run paid video ads for every listing, built around a property tour video, and send them to the buyers most likely to want your home.

Two numbers tell me whether it's working. Impressions are the number of people your home's ad was shown to. Reach is the number of people who actually looked at it. I also track how many hours people spend watching the tour video, because a buyer who watches the whole tour is a buyer who books a showing.

Here's what that looked like on three of my listings:

• Listing one: the ad was shown to 249,670 people and 115,917 of them watched it, for 233 hours of total watch time. That's like holding 93 open houses. The home sold for $100,000 above the comps.
• Listing two: shown to 209,828 people, viewed by 96,934, and 257 hours of watch time, like 103 open houses in a little over a week. This home also sold for $100,000 above the comps.
• Listing three: shown to 265,552 people, viewed by 115,129, and 261 hours of watch time, like 105 virtual open houses in a little over a week. It drew over 107,000 more views than the listing got on Zillow, sold for $282,000 above the comps, and broke a sales record in the neighborhood.

Every home and every market is different, so these are three real past sales, not a promise for yours. What they show is how many more buyers see a home when the marketing is done this way.

A mature database is the other half. Your home goes in front of the buyers and agents I already know, before and after it hits the market. The full plan, step by step, is on how I sell a home.

Putting People Before Profit is how I work. You'll get honest numbers, a clear plan, and someone who has your back from the first walk-through to the closing.

When you're ready to talk about your home, send me a note or call or text (415) 722-0472.

This guide describes my general process. It is not legal, tax, or lending advice.