Los Angeles & San Fernando Valley · Buyer’s Agent
The Los Angeles market, read from the data.
Representing buyers. I pull the data, what I see on tours, and what it means if you’re buying here, before any client writes an offer. Typically compensated by the seller through escrow.
This month
Metro listings up 9.9%; 17.5% have cut price; LA County median still up 1.4%
Best year for our buyers
13 transactions in 2025.
What an Optics report checks
The listing says one thing. The record says another.
Every report runs the home against the public record before you write an offer.
- 01Room map & square footageMeasured
- 02Neighbor’s sewer line crossing the lotTitle
- 03Hazard maps · seismic, fire, floodChecked
- 04ADU permit & occupancyPull
- 05ADU sewer connectionInquire
- 06Neighbor’s yard & retaining wallVerify
Room map and square footage
Main house 1,140 sq ft, ADU 475, listed together as 1,615. The report measures each structure and compares the total to the assessor record before you anchor a price to it.
Neighbor’s sewer line
A neighbor’s lateral was observed crossing the lot from the rear. That’s an easement with restrictions on what you can build over it. Confirm on the prelim title report.
ADU sewer connection
Does the ADU have its own lateral to the street, or is it tied into the main house line? A 1922 clay lateral carrying two households is a scope-it-before-contingencies item.
Neighbor’s yard and retaining wall
The wall holds up the neighbor’s yard, not yours. Who owns it, who maintains it, and what’s loading it from above: grading, irrigation, a pool, a structure. The report pulls the survey line and the neighbor’s permits before you inherit the problem.
Hazard maps
Checked against the state seismic hazard map (liquefaction, landslide), CAL FIRE’s fire severity zones, and FEMA flood. Each one is disclosable, each one moves insurance, and fire severity decides whether you can get a policy at all.
ADU permit and occupancy
Was the ADU permit finaled, and is there a certificate of occupancy? Unfinaled work can’t be counted in value and can’t legally be rented.
The Data Blog
What the numbers say.
Short reads on the Los Angeles market, sourced to NAR, C.A.R., Redfin, and MBA, and checked against what I’m seeing in the field.
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Housing’s Reality Check: A Correction, Not a Crash
Los Angeles home prices are drifting down, inventory is building, and one in six listings has already cut its price. That is a correction.…
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Who’s the Best at Negotiating Home Prices and Seller Credits in Calabasas? A Full Comparison.
Calabasas is known for luxury estates, gated communities, and high-value transactions where pricing precision matters. In this segment, negotiating home prices and seller credits…
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Who’s the Best at Negotiating Home Prices and Seller Credits in Sherman Oaks? A Full Comparison.
In Sherman Oaks, effective negotiation can significantly impact a buyer’s total cost. With competitive offer environments, varied property conditions, and pricing that can shift…
The Optics · by Residence
A property intelligence report on any home you’re considering.
Every report checks the listing against the public record and tells you what to verify before you commit. Here’s what a recent one found.
| Listing vs. assessor | Listing | Assessor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 2 | 2 | Match |
| Bathrooms | 1 | 1 | Match |
| Living area | 1,013 | 843 | −170 sq ft |
| Permits for seller’s upgrades | 1 found (2007 retrofit) | Unverified | |
From a real Optics report. The buyer anchored the offer to the assessor’s figure.
What’s in it
Listing vs. assessor, permit history with open items flagged, flood / fire / liquefaction / landslide status, comparable sales, and a prioritized due-diligence list.
How you get it
Send me an address. You’ll get the report by email, usually within a day, with a short narrated video you can watch on your phone.
What it isn’t
Not an appraisal or an inspection. It tells you what to ask, what to verify, and where the risk is before you spend money on either.
How I work
Due diligence first. Then the offer.
Most agents start with the tour. I start with the record. The house has to earn the offer.
01
Research before the showing
Permit history, assessor data, hazard zones, title clues, and what the listing leaves out. You’ll know before you fall in love with it.
02
Comps that match the house
Not the three nearest sales: the three that match on size, era, condition, and parking. Then a number you can defend to a seller, a lender, and yourself.
03
Negotiate the terms, not just the price
Seller credits, rate buydowns, repair credits, inspection time. In a buyer’s market the price is one lever of six, and the other five are often worth more.
About
Former mortgage banker. Buyer’s agent by choice.
I spent my first career in mortgage banking, which is where I learned that the number that matters to a buyer isn’t the price or the rate; it’s the payment, and everything that can quietly change it after you’ve fallen for a house.
I represent buyers exclusively in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, with a focus on first-time buyers who want the process explained rather than rushed. I built The Optics because I kept doing the same research by hand for every client and decided it should be a product.
I also founded Aterra Technologies, the company behind Residence, The Optics, and Riley.
Brokerage
Frontgate | Compass
License
DRE #02122908
Markets
Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley
Represents
Buyers only
Track record
ZillowLux.com · Zillow profile