La Jolla · Seller guides · Oceanfront

Selling an oceanfront home in La Jolla: what I prepare first

Short answer: Selling an oceanfront home takes more prep than most sales. Buyers will ask about the bluff or the beach, past permits, insurance and salt-air wear. I gather those answers before we list, so buyers can move ahead with confidence.

An oceanfront home is one of a kind. That’s the appeal. It also means buyers, their lenders and their insurance agents will ask more questions than usual.

The good news is that most of those questions can be answered ahead of time. Here’s how I get a home on the water ready to sell.

I’m Weston Clark, Founding Member of the Dickinson-Clark Team at Compass. I help sellers in La Jolla and coastal San Diego prepare homes on the beach and on the bluffs for sale. You can talk about fees with Weston directly. This form does not give a commission quote.

Talk to Weston Jump to FAQ Bluff homes guide

Related: Bluff homes · Coastal rules · Seller prep · Home value · Guides · La Jolla · Oceanfront vs ocean view · Permit history

Gather the paper trail first

I start with paperwork, because it’s what buyers ask for first. Here’s what I help you pull together:

• Permit files. The city’s list of permits for the home. I compare it to the house, room by room.
• Coastal approvals. Any coastal permits for past work. My coastal rules guide explains what those are.
• Bluff and soils reports. A geotechnical report is a soils engineer’s study of the ground under the home. If you have one, buyers will want it. See my bluff homes guide.
• Seawall papers. A seawall is a wall built to hold back the ocean. If the home has one, gather its approvals and any repair notes.
• Repair receipts. Roof, windows, decks, rust repair. Receipts help buyers see how the home has been cared for.

If some past work never had a permit, that’s worth knowing now, not in escrow (the period between an accepted offer and the final sale). My unpermitted work guide explains your choices.

Share what you know

California sellers fill out disclosures, the forms where you tell buyers what you know about the home. Near the water, that can include things like erosion, flooding, past repairs or insurance claims.

My advice is simple: if you know it, share it. Clear, early answers build trust and help avoid problems later. My disclosures guide goes through the forms. For questions about what you must share, talk with a real estate lawyer.

Get ahead of insurance questions

Buyers near the water often need flood, fire and earthquake quotes before they can commit. You can help by having your current coverage details ready to share.

• See my flood insurance guide for how flood maps work.
• See my fire insurance guide for what buyers will be asked.
• See my earthquake insurance guide for how that policy works.

I’ll encourage buyers to call an insurance agent early, so a late surprise doesn’t slow the sale.

Salt air: fix, refresh or disclose

Salt air leaves its mark on metal, paint, windows and decks. Before we list, I’d walk the home with you and sort each item into one of three piles: fix it, refresh it, or simply disclose it.

A pre-listing home inspection and a termite report can show you what buyers will find, before they find it. My seller prep guide and staging guide cover the rest.

Pricing and marketing a one-of-a-kind home

Few homes are truly like an oceanfront home, so pricing takes care and judgment. I walk through the numbers with you using my seller net sheet (a simple rundown of what you keep after sale costs), and we can start with a home value conversation.

For marketing, I plan photos and video around good light and the view, and I write the story of the home in plain words. My seller prep guide and staging guide cover getting the home ready.

Showings on the sand

Beach homes come with neighbors and passersby. I plan showings with your privacy in mind, and I’ll talk with you about what to put away and when you’d like to be out.

You make the calls. My part is to keep the process calm and clear.

This guide is general information. It’s not legal, tax or insurance advice.

More on sandiego.homes

• Bluff homes: homes on or near a bluff
• Coastal rules: coastal permits for past and future work
• Disclosures: the forms sellers fill out
• Seller net sheet: a rundown of what you keep after sale costs
• Home value: start a value conversation
• Seller prep: getting a home ready to list
• Guides · La Jolla

Talk with Weston about selling your oceanfront home

Tell me about your home and your timing. I’ll help you plan what to gather and what to prepare, with no pressure.

Or call (858) 997-8998 · weston@sandiego.homes · Search on Compass

Free seller tools: What is my home worth? · What would I take home? · Real estate words in plain English

Have another question? Quick answers to common questions

Sources

• California Coastal Commission
• CA DRE — Disclosures in Real Property Transactions (RE 6)
• City of San Diego DSD — Records
• FEMA Flood Map Service Center
• California Department of Insurance — Residential insurance guides