Lafayette Real Estate Agent

Lafayette is part of my everyday life

I'm raising my daughter here, and our family's experience with Lafayette schools has spanned private school in the early elementary years, Happy Valley Elementary, and now Stanley Middle School. I work from the Compass office at 3595 Mount Diablo Blvd., Suite 200, in Lafayette.

How I look at a Lafayette property

No two Lafayette properties are alike, and the differences usually matter more than the address. When I evaluate a home, these are the things I look at and why.

Downtown and BART. Lafayette has its own BART station, and I always note how a property relates to downtown and to the station. Easy access to town and transit appeals to many buyers, so I want to know what a particular home offers and how to present it.

Topography. Lafayette sits in the East Bay hills, so terrain is part of nearly every property. I look at how the land lies, how the house sits on it and what that means for views, usability and upkeep, because buyers weigh those things differently.

Lot characteristics. Size, shape, slope and how much of the lot is truly usable all affect value. A usable yard can be more valuable to buyers than a larger lot with limited functional outdoor space.

Access. I look at how you get to the house: the driveway, the approach, parking and how easy it is to come and go. Access shapes both daily life and first impressions at showings.

Location. I consider where the home sits relative to the things buyers care about, and what is nearby, then price and present the house accordingly. I would rather explain these tradeoffs honestly than sell you a story about a neighborhood.

Selling a Lafayette home

If you're thinking of selling, I'd much rather walk through your home before you start making improvements. We can talk about what I would change, what I would leave alone and where your money would have the greatest impact. Sometimes I'll give you a list. Sometimes I'll save you from one.

How Lafayette prices

Lafayette, Oakland and Berkeley each call for a different pricing strategy. Buyers in each market read a list price differently, so I don't carry a formula from one side of the Caldecott Tunnel to the other. I start with the house.

Read more in Pricing an East Bay Home: Why the List Price Isn't the Value.

Preparing your home, including fire safety and insurance

Preparation, presentation and pricing have to agree. In Lafayette I also want sellers thinking about fire safety and insurance before going on the market, not after accepting an offer.

Lafayette is served by the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, which maintains vegetation-management and weed-abatement requirements. Outdoor space is often a meaningful part of why someone wants a Lafayette house, so I help sellers decide what is actually worth doing. I've also built a team of reliable contractors and vendors, so you don't have to become the general contractor.

Read more in Preparing Your Lafayette or Orinda Home for Sale: Where to Invest Before Listing.

Moving from Oakland or Berkeley to Lafayette

Moving through the Caldecott Tunnel may be a short drive, but you're moving between markets that behave differently. I spent years working extensively in Oakland, Berkeley and the inner East Bay, and I now work from Lafayette. I understand both sides of a move I see frequently: selling an urban East Bay home and moving through the tunnel to Lafayette or Orinda.

The sale of your current home, the financing of your next one and the timing of both need to work together. Whether it makes sense to buy first or sell first depends on your financing, your comfort with risk, and the market conditions on both sides of the move. I help clients evaluate their options and build a realistic plan before they start looking.

Lafayette and Orinda are competitive markets with their own dynamics. Crossing the tunnel doesn't mean less competition. It means different competition.

Read Selling in Oakland or Berkeley and Buying in Lafayette or Orinda: How to Make the Move.

What a Lafayette client says

"I've worked with Sarah on 3 properties (selling/buying) and have had an excellent experience each time. Sarah is a true professional with a ton of experience and outstanding client service. I'd be more than happy to work with her again in the future."

Buyer, Lafayette, October 2023. Originally posted on Redfin and republished verbatim on my client reviews page.

Thinking About Selling?

Looking to Buy in Lafayette?

Or reach me directly: 510.915.6705 or sarah.marcus@compass.com.