This Listing Agent Gives Sellers Three Choices. Now He Is Bringing That System to eXp Realty.
Cesar Diaz has built his business around one conversation many listing agents make harder than it needs to be:
How should this home enter the market?
Instead of giving sellers one price and hoping they agree, Cesar walks them through three options:
Behind the market: List high and prepare for a longer timeline.
With the market: Price alongside the competition and expect a more typical sale window.
Ahead of the market: Price to attract attention quickly and create stronger buyer activity.
That framework has helped Cesar build a listing-focused business in Southern California’s Inland Empire. In 2025, he closed $29.36 million across 65 transactions and says he converts roughly 73 to 75 percent of his listing appointments.
Now, after spending his entire real estate career at Ponce & Ponce Realty, Cesar has joined eXp Realty.
He Starts With the Number Sellers Actually Need
Before talking list price, Cesar asks two questions:
What is the best case scenario as far as the price for you home?
Everyone has a worst case scenario, off the record, what would that be?
That second answer changes the conversation.
A seller may want to test the market at a higher number. They may also be carrying a vacant home, relocating soon, or trying to buy another property. Cesar wants to understand the real situation before recommending a strategy.
“The easier you can make it for a client, the better,” he said.
One recent listing had spent roughly six months on the market. The home launched at $619,000, but ended up going through several price reductions, and eventually expired without selling.
When Cesar met with the sellers, he learned their true floor was $575,000. So, they chose the “ahead of the market” route and relisted at $549,000.
The home received multiple offers and sold for $580,000 in 21 days.
The takeaway is not that every listing should launch below market value. It is that sellers should understand how price affects attention, showings, and urgency before the sign goes up.
The Part Other Agents Can Use
Cesar’s listing strategy is built around simplifying decisions for sellers.
A few takeaways agents can borrow:
Ask for the seller’s ideal number and true minimum.
Connect every pricing recommendation to their timeline.
Explain the tradeoffs of pricing high, in line with the market or aggressively.
Define what strong early activity should look like.
Address price or presentation issues early instead of waiting for the listing to go stale.
Keep the CMA useful. Sellers need to understand the conclusion, not just receive a stack of data.
Why He Joined eXp
After five consecutive years as the No. 1 agent at his former brokerage, Cesar joined eXp as a solo agent while relocating to a new county and looking for a different environment.
“I am not one to switch. Before eXp, I was with one single company my entire career, but the opportunity to grow was attractive,” he said. “I wanted to have top producers around me as well so we can all push each other to higher levels.”
He was also drawn to eXp’s cloud-based model, especially because he already handles many listing appointments through Zoom.
Before real estate, Cesar played professional soccer, including time with the San Jose Earthquakes. He brings that same focus on repetition and preparation into his real estate business.
“Practice makes permanent,” he said.
At eXp, he plans to keep doing what he knows best: helping sellers understand their options and building a business around listings.
