Make the opportunity easy to understand
Separate verified facts from items still being confirmed so buyers see confidence, transparency, and a clear path to due diligence.
Pre-listing strategy draft | Research reviewed September 21, 2026
Prepared for Linda Mitchell
2346 Elden Avenue
A thoughtful strategy for your next chapter.
Linda, this is a buyer-targeted launch plan built to position the property clearly, create multiple moments of exposure, and support your next move.
Prepared for Linda Mitchell by Brad Coleman, First Team Real Estate
Section 1
A plan built around Linda's next move.
The goal is not simply to place the home online. The goal is to shape how serious buyers understand the opportunity, then launch in a sequence that gives Linda control over timing, feedback, and negotiation leverage.
Seller advantage
The strongest strategy starts with clarity: who is most likely to respond, what to promote to those buyers, and when Linda should use feedback to make the next decision.
Market to more than one buyer path
Speak to lifestyle buyers, land-sensitive buyers, and flexibility-minded buyers without overstating use, income, ADU potential, or legal dwelling count.
Use data and feedback before making decisions
Review buyer quality, showing response, questions, and competing inventory before choosing whether to hold, adjust, or create a second push.
Section 2
Understand the property before setting the price.
Property facts are reported, not independently verified. The seller strategy should only promote what can be supported before buyers begin due diligence.
Classification and living area must be reconciled before final pricing.
Before recommending a price, we will confirm unit count, permitted floor area, condition, parking, and any rental occupancy.
Reported
Lot size
4,792 sq ft
Historical MLS
Year built
1964
Historical MLS
Bedrooms
2
Historical MLS
Total baths
1
Historical MLS
Garage
One garage space
Reported
County and universal use
Multi Family Residence / Multi Family Dwelling
Current legal dwelling count
Measured permitted living area
Current beds, baths, parking, and layout
Improvements, permit history, condition, and occupancy
Section 3
Who we are speaking to.
The marketing should be written for the buyer groups most likely to understand Eastside Costa Mesa value while respecting what has not yet been verified.
Eastside lifestyle buyer
Buyers who value proximity to 17th Street, Newport Bay recreation, parks, and the broader coastal Costa Mesa setting.
Message
Lead with location, scale, light, outdoor usability, and the ability to make the home feel personal after verified preparation.
What we'll promote
Professional photography, refreshed lifestyle copy, and accurate room and outdoor descriptions.
Land and improvement buyer
Buyers comparing lot utility, future flexibility, and the cost of improving rather than buying already finished product.
Message
Frame the lot and property facts clearly without promising expansion, ADU rights, or development outcomes.
What we'll promote
Permit review, title considerations, city guidance as needed, and measured living area.
Flexibility-minded buyer
Buyers attracted to possible multi-use or income-supporting layouts once legal use and occupancy are confirmed.
Message
Present the classification question as a diligence item, then show any verified configuration in a clean, credible way.
What we'll promote
Legal dwelling count, current occupancy, rental details if any, and financing implications.
Prepared-value buyer
Buyers who respond to a well-presented property that feels easier to inspect, finance, and close.
Message
Use floor plans, clean photography, inspection-ready facts, and straightforward disclosures to reduce hesitation.
What we'll promote
Prep list, repair priorities, seller disclosures, photography, and broker-reviewed launch copy.
Section 4
What the neighborhood data tells us.
Homes for sale
34
Median asking price
$2,197,450
Asking prices
Newly listed
13
Last 30 days
Sold
13
Last 30 days
Median days to sell
27
Marketing metric
Sale vs asking
0.30% below
Median
Inventory context
Approximately 3 months of available inventory, using a 12-month rolling methodology.
Sale snapshot
$1.8M median sale price and $881.70 per sq ft for the last 30 days across a broader mixed property set. This is not a subject valuation.
Marketing range
Half of homes sold within 9-46 days.
Trailing 12-month median sale
$1,912,500
Reported -3.65% change
Homes sold
164
Reported -9.89% change
Section 5
Comparable evidence, not a simple average.
These are preliminary research candidates, not a completed adjusted CMA. Prices and statuses were checked on public pages 09/21/2026, and CRMLS must be refreshed before the appointment.
No verified direct pending comparator was identified in this initial set.
Strong local candidate with important caveats
159 Albert Place, Costa Mesa
$1,625,000
Sold 07/23/2026
3 bd2 ba1,256 sq ft7,704 sq ft lot1977
Larger lot and more beds/baths than the subject's historical record. Condition is unknown, and entry-only history is unsuitable as a normal marketing-time example.
Public listing dated 07/21/2026; remarks only 'Entry only'.
MLS CV26159326Redfin public page
Useful price context after CRMLS refresh
353 E 21st Street, Costa Mesa
$1,425,000
Sold 06/23/2026
3 bd1 ba1,069 sq ft6,720 sq ft lot19532-car garage
Larger lot and extra bedroom. Condition is not verified. Public history shows list and sale on the same date, which should not be interpreted as zero days marketing.
Public listing identifies First Team on both sides. No claim is made that Brad represented it.
MLS OC26099447Redfin public page
Cautious comparison due to remodel and ADU claim
2019 Orange Avenue, Costa Mesa
$1,655,000
Sold 06/29/2026
3 bd2 ba1,162 sq ft5,115 sq ft lot19452 garage spaces per page
Closer lot size, but extra bed/bath, remodel, and listing-stated ADU with permit status unknown make this a cautious comparison.
$1,995,000 original ask 01/16/2026; $1,895,000 on 02/28/2026; relisted 05/29; pending 06/20. Calendar elapsed time is not verified DOM.
MLS OC26006961Redfin public page
Same-street secondary evidence with configuration caveats
2480 Elden Avenue, Costa Mesa
$1,875,000
Sold 07/27/2026
1,922 sq ft9,148 sq ft lot19652-car garageMultifamily classification
Same street, but nearly twice the subject's reported lot and a different configuration. Secondary comparison pending subject classification.
Listing describes 3 bd / 2 ba main home plus 1 bd / 1 ba quarters with kitchen above garage. Shown here as main home plus additional quarters per listing, not a verified legal duplex.
MLS OC26097185Redfin public page
Closed sales
Strong local candidate with important caveats
159 Albert Place, Costa Mesa
$1,625,000
Sold 07/23/2026
3 bd2 ba1,256 sq ft7,704 sq ft lot1977
Larger lot and more beds/baths than the subject's historical record. Condition is unknown, and entry-only history is unsuitable as a normal marketing-time example.
Public listing dated 07/21/2026; remarks only 'Entry only'.
MLS CV26159326Redfin public page
Useful price context after CRMLS refresh
353 E 21st Street, Costa Mesa
$1,425,000
Sold 06/23/2026
3 bd1 ba1,069 sq ft6,720 sq ft lot19532-car garage
Larger lot and extra bedroom. Condition is not verified. Public history shows list and sale on the same date, which should not be interpreted as zero days marketing.
Public listing identifies First Team on both sides. No claim is made that Brad represented it.
MLS OC26099447Redfin public page
Cautious comparison due to remodel and ADU claim
2019 Orange Avenue, Costa Mesa
$1,655,000
Sold 06/29/2026
3 bd2 ba1,162 sq ft5,115 sq ft lot19452 garage spaces per page
Closer lot size, but extra bed/bath, remodel, and listing-stated ADU with permit status unknown make this a cautious comparison.
$1,995,000 original ask 01/16/2026; $1,895,000 on 02/28/2026; relisted 05/29; pending 06/20. Calendar elapsed time is not verified DOM.
MLS OC26006961Redfin public page
Same-street secondary evidence with configuration caveats
2480 Elden Avenue, Costa Mesa
$1,875,000
Sold 07/27/2026
1,922 sq ft9,148 sq ft lot19652-car garageMultifamily classification
Same street, but nearly twice the subject's reported lot and a different configuration. Secondary comparison pending subject classification.
Listing describes 3 bd / 2 ba main home plus 1 bd / 1 ba quarters with kitchen above garage. Shown here as main home plus additional quarters per listing, not a verified legal duplex.
MLS OC26097185Redfin public page
Current asking prices
Current asking reference only
162 Cecil Place, Costa Mesa
$1,600,000 asking
Public page showed 3 days on Redfin at review; updated 09/19/2026
2 bd1 ba1,098 sq ft8,476 sq ft lot19471-car garage
AS-IS, marketed individually or together with adjacent 166 for potential assemblage. Larger land and development angle are not like-for-like cottage evidence.
Active competition, not sold evidence.
MLS CV26203418Redfin public page
Current asking reference only
166 Cecil Place, Costa Mesa
$1,600,000 asking
Public page showed 3 days on Redfin at review; updated 09/18/2026
2 bd1 ba917 sq ft8,476 sq ft lot19222-car garage
AS-IS and assemblage angle. Price is for this property alone, with the same caveat that it is not like-for-like cottage evidence.
Active competition, not sold evidence.
MLS CV26204062Redfin public page
Section 6
Price with evidence. Launch with purpose.
Pricing status
Final pricing follows property verification.
Market-aligned launch
Position with refreshed CRMLS evidence, verified property facts, and buyer-facing presentation that gives serious buyers confidence.
Measured upper-range test
Consider only if verified features support it, with a disciplined 10-14 day review of showing quality, buyer objections, and competitive movement.
Speed-priority positioning
Align price and terms around Linda's actual timing needs, financing certainty, and acceptable escrow path.
Decision pathPricing implication
Single verified dwelling
Use detached home evidence and adjust for verified condition, size, land utility, and functional layout.
Lawful multiple units
Add separate income, occupancy, expense, and buyer-financing analysis before pricing any multi-unit premium.
Uncertain improvements
Verify before making premium claims. No ADU entitlement or legal-use promise is assumed here.
Section 7
Home Run 360: a launch built to create competition.
Home Run 360 is the First Team listing launch system. Instead of placing a sign in the yard and hoping the right buyer wanders by, it builds demand for two to three weeks, opens the property to buyers on one concentrated day, and asks buyers to compete with each other rather than negotiate against you.
A listing that produces only one conversation has been underused. The same launch that sells your home also reaches neighbors and a wider referral network, which is what creates the audience your buyer will come from.
Photo plan
The plan starts with a rights-cleared photo set, a floor plan, and a walking tour, because the first impression happens on a screen. No extracted Street View image or scraped listing photo is used here, and professional photography is scheduled after staging.
Demand before access
Two to three weeks of preparation and promotion happen before any buyer walks through. Showings are held until open house day so interest arrives together instead of trickling in.
Zillow Preview first
Zillow Preview goes up roughly one business day before the listing reaches the MLS, giving the property its first public moment with photos, open house date, and offer review date, subject to seller approval and current platform rules.
Staged launches, not one launch
Zillow Preview, then Coming Soon on the MLS, then Active, then open house day. Each step is a fresh reason for buyers and agents to look again.
One offer review date
A firm date for reviewing offers replaces a stream of one-off negotiations and lets buyers see they are competing.
Every launch reaches three audiences
Buyers for this home
The people who will see the listing, walk through on open house day, and compete for the property. Every piece of the launch is built to bring them all on the same day.
Neighbors on the Eastside
Neighbors receive a private preview before the public. They talk, they forward the listing, and they frequently bring the eventual buyer with them.
The wider referral network
Past clients, agent relationships, and sphere outreach carry the launch to buyers who are not actively searching portals yet.
The Home Run 360 launch sequence
1
Plan and prep
Day 1 and 14 to 18 days out
Verify property facts, walk the home for refresh and repair items, book staging, schedule termite and pre-listing inspections, and set the theme and vendors for open house day.
2
Assets finalized
7 to 10 days out
Staging complete, professional photography, video, and drone shot after staging, floor plan and walking tour produced, neighbor mailers printed, and buyer materials assembled.
3
Zillow Preview
About one business day before the MLS
First public exposure with photography, open house date, and offer review date. Subject to seller approval and Zillow and MLS requirements at the time.
4
Coming Soon on the MLS
Monday of open house week
The property becomes visible to agents and syndicated sites. Still no showings, which keeps anticipation building toward one day.
5
Active on the MLS
Wednesday of open house week
Full reveal across approved channels, paid social promotion to target buyer audiences, neighbor invitations, and direct outreach to agents with matching buyers.
6
Final touches
Thursday and Friday
Countdown promotion, reminders to the strongest prospects, final walk-through of the home, and signage placed the evening before.
7
Open house day
Saturday
Neighbor Sneak Preview first, then the public open house immediately after, with floor plan, walking tour, inspection summary, and neighborhood market review available on site.
8
Follow-up and offer review
Sunday through the review date
Same-day thank-you contact with every guest, agreed follow-up for each interested buyer, a report back to you, and offers reviewed together on the review date.
Open house day, run as two events.
The Neighbor Sneak Preview opens about two hours before the public. Neighbors get an exclusive first look, and the public open house then begins with the home already full of energy rather than empty.
- Neighbor Sneak Preview roughly two hours ahead of the public open
- Counter display with floor plan, walking tour, inspection summary, and neighborhood market review
- Food, beverage, music, and signage so the home feels like an event, not a showing
- Every guest greeted, with a clear follow-up agreed before they leave
- Photos and video captured for post-open house promotion
Why competition, not a high list price, protects your proceeds.
An auction house does not open bidding at the highest price it hopes to reach. It opens where it can attract every qualified bidder in the room, then lets competition set the final number. Home Run 360 applies the same idea to a launch.
- 1Price against confirmed market evidence, positioned to attract maximum traffic rather than to test the market
- 2Hold all showings until open house day so demand concentrates
- 3Set a firm offer review date
- 4Let buyers compete with each other instead of negotiating against you
You are not leaving money on the table. You are setting the table so buyers can compete. No strategy can guarantee an offer, a number of offers, or a sale price, and your final list price still follows property verification.
The internal First Team training material behind this section includes regional statistics on overpriced listings. Those figures are not repeated here because they are not specific to this property or this street, and they are not independently verified in this draft.
After the sale
- Neighbors updated when the home goes pending and again when it closes
- A plain summary of how the sale came together, including days on market and final result
- Continued market updates to the Eastside audience the launch reached
Adapted for this property from the First Team internal materials HomeRun_360_Checklist.docx and Official_HR360_Presentation.pptx. Internal agent training items such as lead scoring and database workflow are intentionally excluded from this seller presentation.
Section 8
A launch calendar built around readiness and response.
This is a proposed seller plan, not a market prediction. The report's 27 days is a marketing metric, not closing time.
Preparation
2-3 weeks
Marketing allowance
2-6 weeks
Escrow allowance
30-45 days
Financing and terms dependent
Total approximation
8-15 weeks
- 1
Verify facts, permits, and seller objectives
- 2
Prioritize preparation and repairs with costs
- 3
Termite and pre-listing inspection scheduled
- 4
Staging, then professional photography, video, and floor plan
- 5
Zillow Preview, then Coming Soon, then Active on the MLS
- 6
Open house day with Neighbor Sneak Preview
- 7
Offer review date and negotiation
- 8
Escrow management through closing
Launch when ready this fall
Best when the property facts are reconciled, preparation is complete, and seller timing benefits from moving sooner.
Wait to early 2027
Worth considering only when delay creates a clear preparation or seller-life benefit, weighed against holding costs and future competing supply.
Section 9
The Eastside setting.
Location copy should stay neutral, refreshable, and based on verified public-facing details before marketing.
Access to 17th Street shopping and dining
Outdoor recreation around Upper Newport Bay
Local parks, including Lindbergh School Park
Access to the Costa Mesa Freeway
Section 10
How Brad will bring the strategy to life.
This is a proposed service plan for discussion, focused on Linda's goals, targeted buyer messaging, stronger presentation, and disciplined feedback loops.
Seller goal review and timing strategy
Property verification and buyer-positioning discipline
Preparation and staging consultation
Rights-cleared photography and floor plan
Accurate buyer-facing property narrative
First Team Home Run 360 launch coordination
Zillow Preview review where available and appropriate
Broker-approved digital distribution
Agent outreach and showing follow-up
Weekly buyer response review
Offer negotiation and escrow management
Section 11
The person behind the plan.
Brad Coleman is a Broker Associate and Branch Manager with First Team Real Estate, with more than 25 years of experience in the Orange County market. He is the former owner of a luxury real estate brokerage and joined First Team in 2024.
He has personally guided hundreds of clients through buying and selling in every type of market, and has spent over a decade coaching top real estate professionals and serving as an expert witness in complex real estate disputes.
Brad served six years in the United States Marine Corps. His community service has been recognized with the President of the United States Volunteer Service Award and the National Association of Realtors Good Neighbor Award.
Luxury home salesReal estate investmentsConsultingRealtor training and coachingReal estate office management
Seller-facing strengths
- Hands-on listing management from preparation through closing
- Clear communication around seller decisions and timing
- Negotiation confidence when buyers begin to respond
What sellers say about working with Brad
“Brad is the best in the business. Incredibly responsive and fought for us as a seller all the way through listing to closing escrow. I would recommend Brad to anyone that is buying or selling a house.”
“Brad is simply the best. I had relocated quickly for a new job and Brad handled all the details with making sure my property sold. He made sure I was well taken care of despite some challenges with buyers. There was no hurdle he couldn't overcome.”
“Brad is very thorough and handles the entire process for you as the seller. He let me know what I needed to know and when I needed to know it.”
“Brad was our listing agent for a house we just sold in Newport Beach. I've been in the Commercial Real Estate business for 30 years.”
“Brad is without question the finest, most knowledgable, most thorough, thoughtful, persistent, caring, and honorable real estate agent with whom I've ever had the good fortune to work. At every step, he girded me with complete confidence that I was getting the best possible deal with the right buyer.”