Doug Van Soest
CEO & Co-Founder · SoCal Home Buyers
Doug brings a residential appraisal background to buying houses in Southern California. He and his wife, Andrea, founded SoCal Home Buyers in 2008, helping homeowners consider a direct sale when repairs, timing or a change in circumstances make selling more complicated.
From residential appraisals to buying homes.
Doug began working in residential appraisal in 2003. Over a seven-year appraisal career, he developed experience evaluating comparable sales, property condition and the differences between homes in the same market. He previously held a California Certified Residential Appraiser credential; he is not presenting himself as a currently licensed appraiser.
In 2008, Doug and Andrea Van Soest co-founded SoCal Home Buyers. The company has completed over 400 transactions across Southern California, including properties with repair needs, inherited homes and tenant-occupied houses. Its transaction history lets homeowners look at documented purchases rather than rely on a company claim alone.
Real estate was not their first business together. Doug and Andrea previously operated a kettle corn concessions business in Colorado Springs before returning to Southern California. Their later work in home buying also became the subject of their Spouses Flipping Houses podcast.
A house is more than a price per square foot.
Doug’s valuation experience informs the property questions behind a cash offer. For a seller, the useful part is understanding the assumptions and the written terms.
Start with relevant properties.
Nearby sales provide context, but location alone does not make two homes comparable. Layout, size, condition and the timing of a sale all matter when discussing value.
Account for the work ahead.
A direct buyer’s offer considers the house as it stands, along with anticipated repairs, selling costs and buyer margin. Ask which assumptions have the largest effect on the offer.
Look beyond the headline price.
The closing date, costs, inspection terms and possession arrangements belong in the comparison too. Review them alongside a listing estimate or another written offer.
A buyer’s offer is not an independent appraisal. SoCal Home Buyers has a financial interest in purchasing your property. Doug’s former appraisal credential does not make the company’s offer an appraisal or a guarantee of market value.
Spouses Flipping Houses
The podcast archive covers finding properties, estimating repairs, working with contractors and running a real estate business as a couple. It offers a longer look at the work behind their home-buying business.
Doug in the media
Reporting, expert contributions and interviews featuring Doug’s real estate experience. Older features describe the business and market at the time of publication.
- CNBC · 2015Home flippers get creative as competition heats up
- Inman · 2015San Diego housing market not out of steam yet
- RedfinReal estate investing for beginners: expert tips
- Yahoo FinanceSigns of a buyer’s market
- Flipping JunkieThe evolution of direct mail for real estate investors
- FlipNerdThe appraiser packet
- Real Estate Investing MasteryDoug’s interview on rehabbing and wholesaling
- The Deal Farm · 2016Doug and Andrea on Best Deal Ever
Resources for Southern California homeowners
Explore the situation that brought you here, from repair needs and inherited property to questions about tenants or title.
Thinking about selling your house?
Tell us about the property, its condition and your timing. We’ll discuss whether a direct sale could fit and explain the next steps.
No charge for an offer. No obligation to accept.