We see them everywhere. On telephone poles, restaurant bulletin boards, posted on stakes on the street corner. Everywhere. You know what I’m talking about. They’re the signs with a phone number followed by “Cash For Your House” or ” We BUY ALL HOMES, Any condition for CASH.” These signs (often written with a sharpie on neon poster board) are targeting homeowners that are underwater or in distress in their mortgages. They’ve been popping up everywhere since the real estate and economic downturn of a just a few years ago. However, now that things are starting to turn around for real estate, we’re STILL seeing them…and homeowners are still thinking it may be the only way for them.

However, this may no longer be the case. Be sure to check out ALL your options because the Bay Area real estate is really looking up and with Spring just around the corner, we’re about to see interested buyers out on the prowl. Demand is going to go up which means you may be able to get more for your home than you realize. Don’t be fooled by the cash for your home signs. Even though these “buyers” are paying you in cash, you may be cheating yourself out of what you can really get for your home if you go this route. This year is the time for you, the seller, to benefit from strong demand for a limited supply of homes.

If you’ve been thinking of listing and selling your San Ramon area home, you just may be very pleasantly surprised by your home’s value in this year’s market. Prices are rising again in many Contra Costa and Alameda counties, so feel free to contact me for an evaluation of your home’s market value.