• Just a gal who wanted to offer an alternative real estate choice to people wanting more transparency and accountability when they buy or sell a home. You might have noticed a lack of transparency or fairness in your dealings with your bank, your insurance company, your cell phone company, or your credit card company.  I started Cedros Homes based on a cage free concept of real estate so that I could practice real estate in the transparent fashion I wish existed in all business agreements. 

• Cage Free Real Estate means many things…a hassle free listing cancellation policy. Yahoo!  Don’t you hate being locked into a long-term contract?  When you’re doing your job, there’s no need to lock people in like that.

• Cage Free also means single client representation always.  That’s true transparency. You won’t doubt whose side your agent is really representing when they don’t have any financial interest in the other parties transaction.  Dual agency is legal in California.  However, the financial and behavioral incentives are not where they should be.  I want to be clear.  Most agents don’t take advantage of their dual agent role…Most agents are able to compartmentalize and represent both buyer and seller.    

• I like to read unbiased, non industry sources for myself and my clients benefit.  The local news is not going to tell you what you need to know.  By the time they do mention a real estate trend, it’s not relevant any more.  Here are a few blogs I follow; The Big Picture blog – macro economic trends;  Calculated Risk and Foreclosure Radar – distressed housing trends; Zillow and Case Schiller blog – macro housing trends. 

• I negotiate to get the best deal for my clients. Everything  I say and do focuses on that goal.  That may mean I tell you NOT to buy a particular home because of its location or price, or not to buy in an inflated market (as i did to several clients last year), or NOT to bid higher during a negotiation, and sometimes i suggest you make a last and final counter offer and just let it sit…Sometimes silence is the best negotiating tool there is…

• I’ve worked at Coldwell Banker or Prudential Del Mar for over 20 years.  It is really helpful in any industry to know the players at the table.  I know who plays straight, who doesn’t have a clue, who would sell their mom for a commission and my favorite list of all, the list of agents that should not be in real estate!  Here’s what my clients have to say here.

Contact Cheryl at Cheryl@cedroshomes.com or twitter follow @cedroshomes