Ellie Ridge | CA DRE# 02217753
Raised in Albany, educated at UC Berkeley, and a homeowner in the East Bay, I know deeply what it is to build a life here.
As a 6th generation Bay Area resident with a family background in construction, I’ve been scaling roofs and spelunking through half framed homes since I was a child. Knowledge of construction is a rare skill in this industry, and why my style is a little bit different from other agents. I elevate structural education, teaching my clients the fundamentals of a building’s systems as we house hunt. My buyer clients make their purchase armed with knowledge, and the confidence to take on stewardship of a structure.
Meanwhile, with a professional background in tech and marketing, I bring a shrewd design sense and tactical approach to my work with seller clients. Good design is, in fact, strategic, and my protocol for preparing a home for the market is highly intentional, with proven efficacy: to improve the home in just the right manner (both cosmetically and ‘under the hood’) to maximize your return on investment, and deliver the highest sale price the market will bear.
Our market evolves almost weekly in the Berkeley area, so it’s critical to work with an agent immersed in the local ecosystem – to win without overpaying and to sell with maximum return. As a full time and prolific agent, ranking in the top 50 by volume in the inner east bay, my approach is data-driven but emotion-informed. I deeply understand the market, but also the humans who exist within it. With buyers, this shapes our offer strategy. With sellers, this informs my listing protocol. Every milestone through our work together – be it buying your new home, or selling your current one – is rooted in my principles of actionable education, functional design, and measurable success metrics, all while centering you – the human being at the heart of the process.
I work closely with my mother, Sarah Ridge, a top producing East Bay agent, and our shared expertise is a boon to both our clients. Each transaction is deeply personal to us and we treat one another’s clients with great care, pouring over the details of every contract and negotiation from our Solano Avenue office.
As you search for your home in the East Bay, a true local real estate agent is the key to navigating and winning in our intense and competitive market. My work is the great passion of my life. Nothing is more important than helping my clients find a corner of the world to call their own.
I cannot wait to serve you. Let’s get you home.
First time buying a house, or need a refresher? Although the inner East Bay market is intense – as you've likely heard! – with the right agent, it can truly be a fun and educational experience. Here's what you can expect when you reach out to me.
We’ll get on a call (or a Zoom, if you’re inclined to a video chat). We’ll discuss your vision for your new home, your ideal neighborhood, and your non-negotiables. Do you need an office? A big yard? Close to BART? On that one specific block that you really love because of all the street trees? This is the time to lay out all your hopes and dreams, and we can narrow it down later. I’ll have input and ideas, and together we’ll outline a rough idea of the house we’re looking for.
If you’re pre-approved, we’ll talk about the range of your budget, and get really crisp on the number that’s comfortable, realistic and still allows you to live a full life outside of mortgage payments.
If you aren’t pre-approved, I’ll connect you with a few stellar local lenders. I refer them because they’re shrewd, dogged and creative, and have excellent reputations – the person you want in your corner on offer day.
I’ll be thinking of you on broker’s tour, when I’m researching on the MLS and when I hear about off-market or back-on-market listings. Meanwhile, you can be checking Redfin and Zillow. We’ll share potential properties with each other, and when you see one you like, we’ll tour it in person. While we tour I’ll be pointing out everything it’s my job to keep eyes out for; how’s the health of the structure? What’s the remaining serviceable life of the foundation? How’s the traffic? How’re the schools? I’ll be teaching you what to look for in a house, and you’ll be teaching me what you like and dislike.
When you fall in love, we’ll be ready. We’ll have reviewed all the paperwork included with the offer in advance, so there will be no surprises on offer day. Our goal will likely be to make a non-contingent offer (and I’ll explain this more when we talk in person), so we’ll have reviewed the home’s disclosure packet and possibly pre-inspected so that removing contingencies is feasible and comfortable for you. In the preceding days, I’ll research what comparable homes recently sold for in the area. I’ll advise on where I believe the sale will land and what I suggest you offer to be a strong contender, but you, of course, will choose the final number. When I submit, we’ll craft the narrative together of who you are and why you love the home, and then I’ll be your fierce advocate through negotiations. Every transaction and negotiation process is a little different – that’s what makes this job so exciting – but what remains the same is that if you want the house, I’ll do everything in my power to make it yours.
When you’ve won your home, we’ll celebrate, maybe cry, and then I’ll open escrow. We’ll review this process in much more detail, and will revisit the topic many times, but in summary we’ll enter the period of transferring funds and title between buyer and seller. I’ll be there to shepherd you through this phase – mostly a lot of Docusign emails – and answer all of your questions along the way. And finally, when the deed has recorded, I’ll meet you to deliver the keys for your new home, so that you can begin your wonderful new chapter. ♡
My approach in working with sellers is hands on, streamlined, yet always highly personal. My practice is informed by an intimate understanding of the (ever-shifting!) dynamics of our local housing market, a professional background in marketing and design, and negotiation prowess – with you, and your goals, at the center. Let’s talk about the process of putting your home on the market.
We’ll meet in person or get on a call to talk about your needs regarding a sale. Are you buying a new house with the proceeds? Where will you live in the interim? Is there a minimum profit you need for a sale to make sense? How long have you been in the house, and how much have you put into it already? Is there anyone else on the title? Are you a trustee? We’ll determine all the baseline facts so we both know everything salient before starting this project together. If we have the luxury and you aren’t in a hurry, we’ll also strategically pick the time that we’ll go on the market based on a variety of factors that we’ll discuss in more detail.
When you feel ready to progress, we’ll sign a listing agreement. Then we’ll consult on what renovations (updating kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, paint, refreshing the garden, etc) will raise the value of the home and get you the best return on your investment. I’ll collect bids for the work we agree on, get your approval, and then manage the projects until they’re complete. We’ll simultaneously be getting inspections done on the home, I’ll be walking you through the necessary seller disclosures, and we’ll be creating your list of seller improvements. This process of creating a packet of materials for buyers – known as the disclosure packet – will help us begin to craft the narrative of this house and the story we’ll tell in marketing.
When the house has been prepped, we’ll arrange photos, make a website, write beautiful copy to tell the story of the home, and then go live on the MLS. I’ll share the home within my network, hold it open on one to two weekends, and facilitate private showings. This period is typically two weeks before we take offers.
We’ll choose a date that makes sense based on interest levels, and accept offers at that time. This is when negotiations happen, which will look different based on the number of offers we receive. We’ll meet to review the offers on this day, and when you choose the one to accept we sign and open escrow. You’re now in contract!
Closing periods are generally 21 days though often faster, and sometimes 30 (and occasionally, but rarely, longer). During this time we’re essentially waiting as documents are signed and funds are gathered in escrow. On closing day, I’ll deliver the keys to the buyer’s agent, funds will be released to your account, and hopefully you’ll be delighted and ready to move on to your next amazing chapter!
I’d love to work with you. Reach out any time to schedule a meeting or phone call to get started.