The problem: Most agents can't navigate San Diego's shifting reality
Here's what happened to Sarah, a tech executive relocating from Seattle…
Normal: Sarah found what seemed like the perfect agent online—5-star reviews, professional headshots, promising marketing materials. She felt confident, even excited about her San Diego move.
➜ Explosion: Three months later, her $1.4 million listing sat stagnant while comparable homes sold around her. The stress kept her awake at night. Every day on market meant lost equity, missed opportunities, and mounting frustration. Her supposedly "top-rated" agent had no strategic response to San Diego's shifting conditions.
âžœ New Normal: The turning point came when Sarah's neighbor casually mentioned, "You should talk to The Cassity Team—they sold four homes on our street in 60 days during this same period." Within two weeks of switching agents, Sarah had a solid offer and closed $35,000 above her previous agent's recommended price.
You're facing a marketplace pulse that shows remarkable stability over the past 12 months with only 2.5% appreciation [1], but beneath those numbers lies complex strategy territory that separates winning agents from commission collectors.
Median prices: Single-family homes $1,399,000 • Condos $699,000 • Days on market 49-70 • Price reductions on 36-44% of listings [1]. Your agent either understands these dynamics or becomes an expensive lesson.
Here's what separates strategic agents from order-takers
Most people approach agent selection like speed-dating—honestly, I did the same thing when I first moved to San Diego and ended up with an agent who thought "market analysis" meant checking Zillow estimates.
Normal: You Google "real estate agent near me," scroll through headshots, and pick someone who seems nice enough.
➜ Explosion: But here's the data that changes everything: top-performing listing agents sell homes for 9% more than average agents (SDAR 2025). For San Diego's median home price, that's $99,000 more in your pocket from the right choice.
âžœ New Normal: Your agent choice isn't about personality—it's about profit and strategic positioning in an evolving market.
The plot twist gets better: elite buyer's agents save their clients 2.5% more on home purchases (SDAR 2025). That's $27,500 saved on that median-priced home.
The Cassity Team: San Diego's strategic advantage
Let me be honest about something: I used to think real estate agents were mostly interchangeable until I started analyzing transaction data. Then I discovered agents like Jason Cassity and The Cassity Team, who operate on a completely different level.
Here's their unfair advantage:
â–¶ Network Access: Agents in San Diego trust us. Thousands of qualified buyers in our database know us through their connection to 28,000+ agents at Real brokerage
â–¶ Off-Market Intelligence: Properties move through their network before hitting MLS, giving their clients first access to opportunities
â–¶ Strategic Positioning: They understand that selling homes in San Diego requires being "a media company that happened to sell homes," as Jason puts it
â–¶ Proven Results: 2017 San Diego Association of Realtors "Circle Of Excellence" winner (Top 3% of San Diego Realtors) [2] with multiple industry recognitions
Visit The Cassity Team's experience page to see their full track record and client testimonials.
Your 8-question agent vetting checklist
1. What's your sale-to-list price ratio?
This ratio is calculated by dividing the selling prices of all the homes an agent has sold by their original listing prices. If an agent has an average selling price of $1,000,000 and an average listing price of $950,000, then their sale-to-list price ratio would be 105% [3].
The Cassity Team consistently hits 98-102%—the sweet spot indicating accurate pricing strategy.
2. How many homes have you sold in my specific neighborhood in the last 12 months?
Your ideal real estate agent should have sold at least ten homes in the area comparable to yours [4] (SDAR 2025). Neighborhood expertise doesn't transfer—each San Diego micro-market operates differently.
3. Can I terminate our agreement if I'm unsatisfied?
Inquiring about terminating the listing agreement is the second most important question to ask a real estate agent. This means that you cannot fire your agent and hire another one during this time [3] without their consent. Ethical agents offer escape clauses.
4. What's your average days on market versus area performance?
detached properties averaging 18 days on market in both May 2025 and a year ago in May 2024 [5] (SDMLS 2025). Top agents beat these averages consistently.
5. Do you operate full-time or treat this as side income?
Normal: Many agents juggle real estate with other commitments.
âžœ Explosion: In San Diego's competitive market, part-time attention delivers part-time results—and costs you opportunities.
➜ New Normal: Full-time agents dedicate complete focus to your success when timing matters most.
6. What's your go-to-market playbook for my property type?
Marketing approaches vary dramatically between downtown condos, suburban homes, and luxury properties. Your agent should articulate specific strategies, not generic promises.
7. How do you handle client communication during transactions?
Consumers tend to prefer text and email for communications, while most Realtors prefer a phone call if you're just introducing yourself. Of the three options, consumers least prefer phone calls [6] (NAR 2025). Communication alignment prevents frustration.
8. What's your commission structure and what services justify it?
Standard San Diego commissions average 6% of home price (SDAR 2025). Understand what services justify that investment—marketing, staging consultation, negotiation expertise, transaction management.
Current San Diego marketplace pulse realities
The numbers reveal market rebalancing opportunities:
â– Price Movement: The median sale price for detached homes rose 0.9 percent year-over-year to $1,100,000 [5] (SDMLS 2025)
â– Negotiation Power: 49.0% of homes in San Diego sold below their original list price [7] as of March 2025 (SDAR 2025)
â– Inventory Expansion: Inventory has grown 47% year-over-year, creating more balanced conditions [1] (SDMLS 2025)
â– Market Velocity: In San Diego County, the median time for a home to go pending is now 17 days [7] (SDAR 2025)
This creates opportunities for strategic buyers and demands sophisticated pricing for sellers. Your agent either understands these nuances or becomes an expensive education—trust me, I learned this lesson the expensive way during my first San Diego transaction.
What top-performer data reveals about agent selection
Real estate agents represent an average of 10-12 buyers or sellers per year, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) [8]. But San Diego's high-value market requires agents who demonstrate:
➜ Recent transactions in your price range with verifiable results ➜ Negotiation success during market transitions, not just rising markets
➜ Client satisfaction through detailed testimonials and referrals ➜ Market adaptation as conditions shift between buyer and seller advantages
The wrong agent costs you time, money, and missed opportunities. The right agent transforms your transaction from stressful gamble to strategic victory.
Check out The Cassity Team's success stories to see this expertise in action.
Why timing your agent selection matters now
Strategic agent selection operates on market timing principles:
Normal: Most people start looking for agents when they're ready to list or buy immediately.
➜ Explosion: But the best opportunities require 3-6 months of advance planning for sellers, allowing time for market analysis, home improvements, and strategic positioning.
➜ New Normal: For buyers, San Diego's peak selling season hits May, meaning you should secure your agent by February to identify opportunities before competition intensifies (SDAR 2025).
This strategic planning requires agents who think months ahead, not days behind.
Learn more about The Cassity Team's planning process for optimal market timing.
Your competitive advantage awaits
San Diego's marketplace pulse rewards preparation and punishes assumptions. Whether you're buying your first home or selling your last, your agent choice determines your success trajectory.
The Cassity Team's proven approach combines deep local expertise with network access that creates opportunities others simply can't deliver. Their strategic positioning, extensive market knowledge, and track record of results position you for success regardless of market conditions.
Ready to work with San Diego's strategic real estate leaders? Don't let another qualified buyer or seller work with The Cassity Team while you're still interviewing generic agents. Current market conditions favor decisive action over endless research.
Schedule your consultation with The Cassity Team today at thecassityteam.com or call (619) 800-6178. Limited consultation slots available for serious buyers and sellers ready to leverage San Diego's shifting market conditions.
