It always surprises me just how little effort and expertise goes into prepping and presenting homes for sale. The way a home is presented in marketing and advertising can mean the difference between getting an offer or sitting on the market and can mean 10’s of thousands of dollars to a home seller.
Above is a great example that I came across the other day while searching listings. These pictures of one bedroom condos for sale in The Village of Redondo Beach make a great impact as they are generally the same room, floorplan and angle. Honestly which would you be more inclined to see and visit? Both properties were vacant but the home on the left was staged and professional photographer used. It simply looks brighter and more inviting and a buyer would be far more likely to want to take a look and tour the home.
So why do some sellers choose realtors that put so little effort into selling their Torrance homes?
That’s a great question but there is really no great answer. Sellers sometimes use a friend of the family, perhaps someone they know, or someone that sends out flyers to the neighborhood. Regardless of where the realtor comes from it’s astounding that sellers don’t ask how the realtor will prep and market the property.
So what should a Torrance home seller do?
Research….find out which agents are successful selling in the area and find out why. Then look at past listings to see how the homes look. It’s no mistake that some agents just have better looking listings. Some agents simply do more and want every home they sell to look as good as possible. Ask to see marketing samples and insist on your realtor using a professional photographer as it can make a huge difference. Sellers have one chance to be a “new listing” and take advantage of the interest and momentum that comes along with that. Would you rather have your home look like the one on the left, or the one on the right.
past 3 months have seen a slight increase in inventory which may be temporary or may be showing signs that the very beginning of a more balanced market is on it’s way. Keep in mind that Torrance is a big city and prices, demand, values, and trends can vary considerably throughout the city. The chart below shows the number of 
Redondo Beach and the proximity to the ocean means milder weather and great ocean breezes that other parts of the city don’t enjoy. Comprised mainly of 1940s and 1950s beach style bungalows, the area is still more affordable than some of the nearby beach cities while still having a certain charm lost in some of these other areas with oversized homes, makes a statement type architecture and over development. Some homes have gone the route of maximum square footage, but the majority still look like homes that belong in the neighborhoods and give homeowners a bit of space and separation. Although prices are still below neighboring South Redondo, they have risen dramatically in the past 2 years with most original smaller 3 bed/1 bath homes starting in the mid to low $600’s for fairly original, but nice condition, and the larger 3 bed/2 bath 1400 foot (many homes added a family room accounting for the extra square footage) selling anywhere from the mid to low $700s up to the low $900’s depending on location and condition.