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San Diego Realtor specializing in ADUs

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You are here: Home / Blog / My Interview with Krystin Krebs Interiors

Sherry Chen / April 7, 2021

My Interview with Krystin Krebs Interiors

I always love connecting with the ADU community in San Diego. I recently met Krystin Krebs of Krystin Krebs Interiors, a San Diego interior designer specializing in designing small spaces and accessory dwelling units. I recently joined Krystin on her Facebook Live event where she interviewed me to learn more about how I help homebuyers who want to build an ADU.

Check out our video below where I share the top 3 characteristics I look for when identifying properties with the best ADU potential.

Video Transcript:

Krystin: Hey guys! I’m Krystin with Krystin Krebs Interiors and today I am talking to Sherry Chen from Compass. She is an awesome real estate agent who specializes in ADUs.

So Sherry, tell us a little bit about how you help your clients find ADUs.

Sherry: I help a lot of my clients find these properties that have the ADU potential so that they can kind of create the ADU of their dreams.

Krystin: Awesome, that’s great! So how do you go about finding a potential property that could have an ADU?

Sherry: So there are a lot of things to look for and it can get kind of confusing because there’s the state laws that buyers need to navigate and then there are individual cities that have their own laws.

I am pretty familiar with a lot of requirements that most of the cities in San Diego have so I help my clients navigate through those. But some of the main things that I typically look for is a detached garage. That is the most straightforward way to add an ADU to a property because a garage already has the structure and the cost to convert it into an ADU can be less than half the cost of what it would be to construct a brand new dwelling in your backyard. It’s also a lot faster and the permitting process is easier, so I always look for those for my clients.

Especially the garage because you can have that separation from your main home which a lot of times homebuyers are like, “oh i don’t want to be that close to a tenant.” Well you can have that separation if you have a detached structure so that’s always great.

Another thing I look for is alleyway access so if the property backs up to an alleyway in the back that is a separate entrance for your tenant so you don’t have to share a driveway or say “Hi” to them everyday. You know it just retains that privacy for you and also provides access for the construction portion as well.

And then a third thing, this one’s pretty obvious, if you do want to build a brand new ADU from the ground up which a lot of my clients do is a large flat lot. In some areas, that’s going to be harder to find than others. But definitely a large flat lot where there’s plenty of room to build especially if you want a larger unit. ADUs can be up to 1200 square feet, believe it or not, so to build something of that size you’ll definitely need a lot more land to accommodate the unit.

Krystin: Yeah, fantastic! Well I bet you have a ton of people that you can reach out to to get all that done for your clients as well, right?

Sherry: Yeah definitely! So I work with a lot of construction teams here in San Diego that specialize in ADUs as well as design firms and design build firms so it depends on what you’re looking for.

I have clients who just want someone to do the design and someone else to do the construction so there’s definitely someone in my network that could be your fit. And once the project is done Krystin can get involved with the interior design portion being that she specializes in ADUs and small spaces.

Krystin: Yeah well thank you I appreciate that! But awesome…I mean it is so cool to be able to have a real estate agent who knows so much about ADUs. You know the laws, you know the regulations, I mean it’s so great that you know, you’re so well versed in this and that you have the ability to be able to make it happen for your clients too — so i’m super excited for you!

Sherry: Thank you so much and it’s definitely exciting for me too to be able to provide this because not a lot of agents and not a lot of people know about ADU laws in general and it’s kind of intimidating for a lot of people.

So as for my background, I used to be an ADU consultant and I used to consult for an architecture firm that specializes in ADUs. That’s how I kind of became familiar with all the laws and such but I’m happy to answer any questions that people have about ADUs. 

If you’re looking for a home in San Diego with ADU potential, check out my website. You can find out more information at sherrychenrealty.com. I have a lot of ADU resources there as well.

Krystin: Perfect and then if anybody wants to reach out to you on Facebook, where should they go?

Sherry: You can visit @sherrychenrealty and on Instagram as well.

Krystin: Perfect, awesome! Well thanks so much for stopping in Sherry I really appreciate it. I’m super excited to see where you go from here. 2021 is gonna look good for you! 

Sherry: Yeah, I hope so! The market is crazy hot and I’m super excited for 2021. Awesome, thank you so much for having me!

To learn more, check out my guide on the top factors to look for when identifying a property with ADU potential.

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Sherry Chen, Realtor

Kappel Realty Group

Compass

DRE #02109149

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sherrychenrealty

✨ San Diego Realtor | Compass
🏘 ADU Specialist
🏆 SDAR Gold Award 2021
🎓 UCLA Alum
DRE 02109149
Kappel Realty Group

Sherry Chen
Had a blast celebrating with my team @kappelrealty Had a blast celebrating with my team @kappelrealtygroup at the annual San Diego Association of Realtors Circle of Excellence gala! Our team won the coveted Platinum Award for the third year in a row!

🏆 I won the individual Gold Award a second year in a row. As I’m entering my third year in the business, I’m extremely proud of everything I’ve achieved to earn this recognition and being included within the TOP 1% of realtors in San Diego! 💯

Sherry Chen
Kappel Realty Group | Compass
DRE 02109149

#sherrychenrealty #sdar #sandiegorealtor #sandiegorealestateagent #circleofexcellence #award #awardwinning #toprealtor #sandiegorealestate #sandiegocompass #toprealestateteams #topproducer
✨ JUST SOLD ✨ Congratulations to my buyer who ✨ JUST SOLD ✨ Congratulations to my buyer who relocated all the way from #Boston to achieve his dream of one day living in beautiful #SanDiego. ⁠
⁠
We were the first to see the property and submitted an offer right away ahead of the competition. My buyer knew from the moment he stepped into the home, that this modern home was exactly what he wanted. Therefore, we came in strong with an attractive offer that met all of the sellers' needs to make this as smooth of a transaction as possible. ⁠
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This gorgeous luxury townhome is located in a prime area of #Hillcrest is the perfect home base for my client to start his new chapter living on the sunny West Coast ☀️ My favorite part about this home is the roof top deck, the perfect place to unwind and enjoy the views and gorgeous San Diego sunset. 🌇⁠
⁠
Sherry Chen⁠
Kappel Realty Group | Compass⁠
DRE 02109149⁠
⁠
#sherrychenrealty #hillcresthomes #hillcrestrealestate #sandiegohomes #sandiegoluxuryhomes #luxurytownhome #bostontosandiego #sandiegocompass #sandiegorealestate #hillcrestsandiego
✨ JUST SOLD! ✨ Congratulations to my happy buy ✨ JUST SOLD! ✨ Congratulations to my happy buyers on the purchase of their first home in beautiful #ChulaVista. ⁠
⁠
My clients are residents of Los Angeles and decided to move back to San Diego to be closer to family, along with their 1 year old son. This home is the perfect place for them to start their new chapter with their family. ⁠
⁠
We were able to compete in this hot market 🔥 thanks to the help of @jale_yourloangirl_ with #CrossCountryMortgage! With a quick 15 day close and clean terms, we secured this beautiful home under contract. Within 2 short weeks, my buyers went from being renters to proud homeowners! 🏡⁠
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One of the challenges I face daily is dispelling misinformation in the news and headlines. While the rest of the nation may be seeing slower markets due to rising interest rates and inflation, there is still an overwhleming amount of buyer demand in San Diego. The #SanDiegoRealEstateMarket is still hot due to historically low levels of inventory. ⁠
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The key to securing a home today in this market is to work with a team who will do whatever it takes to GET 👏  IT 👏  DONE from the offer stage all the way to closing. ⁠
⁠
Sherry Chen⁠
Kappel Realty Group | Compass⁠
DRE 02109149⁠
Equal Fair Housing⁠
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#sherrychenrealty #eastlakerealestate #eastlakehomes #otayranch #otayranchhomes #firsttimehomebuyer #movingfromlatosd #relocationrealestate #relocation #losangelestosandiego #buyingahome #southbaysandiego⁠
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🚨 New video! 🚨 Check out my first ADU tour w 🚨 New video! 🚨 Check out my first ADU tour with @snap.adu who recently completed a gorgeous #accessorydwellingunit for my client! 

My client purchased a duplex in the Linda Vista neighborhood of #SanDiego last year during one of the most competitive times to buy. Since purchasing his duplex, his investment has CASHFLOWED stronger than he could ever imagine. 

To increase his investment even more, he partnered with SnapADU to build this stunning 2BD/1BA unit in the backyard of his duplex. 

Check out the full video tour and learn all about the DEAL STORY on YouTube. Link in bio! 

Sherry Chen
@kappelrealtygroup | Compass
DRE 02109149 

Contact me at:
Sherry.chen@compass.com
Www.sherrychenrealty.com

#sherrychenrealty #theaduagent #snapadu #compassrealestate #sandiegocompass #sandiegoinvestmentproperty #realestateinvesting #multifamily #sandiegoadu #adu #lindavistahomes #sandiegomultifamily #kappelrealtygroup
JUST SOLD! Congratulations to my buyers for purcha JUST SOLD! Congratulations to my buyers for purchasing their first home near beautiful Rolando Village! This stunning home is turnkey and even has an attached #AccessoryDwellingUnit. My buyers are excited to generate strong rental income from the #ADU to substantially reduce their monthly mortgage payment, the ultimate #househack! I couldn’t be happier for my #firsttimehomebuyers for closing on this incredible property. 

Sherry Chen
Kappel Realty Group | Compass
DRE 02109149

#sandiegorealtor #sandiegorealestate #rolandovillage #realestateinvesting #sandiegoliving #sandiegohomes #housetour #hometour #sandiegohometour
🚨Checkout my podcast episode with @thewhatsnext 🚨Checkout my podcast episode with @thewhatsnextpod! I sit down with Levi Quesada and Tony Hernandez with @new.venture.escrow to chat about ADUs, real estate, technology and LIFE! 

Learn how I got started in the business, my advice for new agents, and how I’ve had over 14 jobs in my adult life 😆 

I also tell the story of how my parents immigrated to America from Taiwan 🇹🇼 and started their own business from day 1, which has always inspired me to become my own boss since I was young. 

Now sit down and join me with your favorite glass of wine, and click on the link in bio to watch the full interview!🥂 

Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNpkzSKQoTw

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5MwewjnCPlS9gA76bFZxTg

Sherry Chen
Kappel Realty Group | Compass
DRE 02109149

#sherrychenrealty #podcast #realestatepodcast #newventureescrow #sandiegorealtor
NEW ESCROW! Can you imagine yourself relaxing on t NEW ESCROW! Can you imagine yourself relaxing on this gorgeous rooftop deck enjoying the beautiful San Diego sunset? 🌅 Congrats to my buyer for getting his offer accepted on this beautiful luxury property in the heart of #Hillcrest.

Sherry Chen
Kappel Realty Group | Compass
DRE 02109149

#sherrychenrealty #sandiegocompass #sandiego #luxuryliving #sandiegohomes #hillcrestestate #hillcrestsandiego
Honored to be part of @KappelRealtyGroup, named on Honored to be part of @KappelRealtyGroup, named one of the top teams in San Diego by the San Diego Business Journal @sdbusinessjournal! ⁠
⁠
Thank you to each and every one of my clients for your trust in working with me and for your continued support and referrals. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to change lives through real estate!⁠
⁠
Sherry Chen ⁠
Kappel Realty Group⁠
@Compass⁠
DRE 02109149⁠
⁠
#sherrychenrealty #awardwinningagent #topagent #toprealtor #sandiegorealtor #sandiegorealestateagent #sandiegocompass
Here’s a sneak peak behind-the-scenes look at my Here’s a sneak peak behind-the-scenes look at my new video coming up with @snap.adu! I walk through one of my best client deal stories. Learn all about how to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a #multifamily property in #SanDiego!

Sherry Chen
@KappelRealtyGroup
@Compass
DRE 02109149
 
#accessorydwellingunit #adu #sandiegoadu #sandiegoaccessorydwellingunit #multifamilyinvesting #duplex #lindavista #sandiegorealestate #realestateinvestor #valueadd #sandiegocompass
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