Use price-per-square-foot and days-in-market to break ties
You are torn between two homes and trying to decide which one is the safer choice in Westwood, CA. I break that tie by comparing how the home is priced per square foot and how long similar homes have been sitting, because those two signals expose overpriced listings fast.
Looking at the latest numbers, the clearest signal was pricing per square foot over the last 3 months, the typical asking level for homes for sale was $156 per square foot, and recently closed homes showed a typical $59 per square foot. This changes your plan because it highlights how wide the spread can be between what a seller asks and what buyers have recently paid in Westwood, CA. Some metrics were not reported for this period, including a typical sold-to-asking percentage across all sales, and several individual closings did not show a sale timeline, so I cannot give you a clean, universal "pay this percent of asking" shortcut. When you are choosing between two homes, demand to see a per-square-foot comparison that uses the same type of property and similar condition, then decide which home is priced closer to the market reality you can support. If one option is priced well above the typical $156 per square foot level, treat it as a negotiation situation, not a "must win" situation. Also watch the time on market in the same recent window, the typical time to sell for the closed group was 20 days, so if a home has been sitting longer, I use that as leverage to push for terms that protect you.
About Faye Daroeian
Faye Daroeian is a licensed Real Estate Professional affiliated with RE/MAX One, specializing in the Westwood market. With a focus on strategic marketing and deep local knowledge, Faye Daroeian provides clients with expert guidance in navigating complex real estate transactions. View full profile →
