Berkeley
Senior engineer, $1.5M RSU vesting over 3 years, $1.4M home target.
Outcome: Closed at $1.38M with 20% down from year-1 RSU sales. Roger timed offer around a Q3 vest.
Vest-timed close, year-1 occupancy
For tech buyers with concentrated stock or liquidity events
A Bay Area home purchase funded by RSUs or an IPO needs different timing than a salary-funded one.
Roger Grubb works with Bay Area tech buyers whose downpayment comes from RSU vests, ESPP, or post-lockup IPO sales. The tax + liquidity calendar shapes the offer structure — and most realtors don't know what RSU "value at vest" vs. "value at sale" means for proof-of-funds. (510) 504-0402.
Who is writing this
Roger has closed home purchases for engineers and PMs at most major Bay Area tech employers across the last 5 years. He understands the lender requirements around RSU income vs. salary income, the AMT timing for ISO sales, and how to time the closing around a 10b5-1 plan or a post-lockup window.
The process
One person. End to end.
- 01
Map the liquidity calendar
Vest dates, lockup expirations, blackout windows. Roger plans backward from when you actually have wireable cash.
- 02
Lender match for RSU income
Most lenders count RSU income only if you have 2+ years history and a vested forward schedule. Roger sends to lenders who do this well.
- 03
Tax planning, with your CPA
Selling RSUs at vest vs. holding to long-term capital gains has 13-23% tax delta. Roger coordinates so the home-buying timeline doesn't force a bad-tax sale.
- 04
Offer structure
Sellers love proof-of-funds. RSUs aren't funds until sold. Roger structures offers with realistic close dates and contingencies that survive lender scrutiny.
- 05
Close + 1031-ready
For buyers planning to upgrade in 3-5 years on the next liquidity event, Roger structures the first purchase with the move-up in mind.
Cost
What it costs
Buyer commission paid by seller. No fees.
When to call somebody else
This is probably not the right move if…
- Your RSUs vest 100% on a single future date 12+ months out. We're too early.
- Your company is pre-IPO with no clear path to liquidity. The lender math doesn't work.
- You expect to leave the Bay Area within 18 months. Closing costs eat the gains.
The record
Recent transactions in this exact situation.
San Mateo
PM at recent IPO, post-lockup, $2.1M home target.
Outcome: Sold 30% of stock post-lockup, used for downpayment + reserves. Closed in 38 days at $2.05M.
Post-IPO close, asset-diversified
Mountain View
Engineer at acquired startup, M&A cash payout, $1.7M target.
Outcome: Closed in 21 days all-cash, no contingencies. Roger negotiated 3% under asking on speed.
All-cash, -3% off list
Frequently asked
Questions before you call.
Can I use unvested RSUs for downpayment?
No — lenders only count vested-and-sold shares. Unvested is future income, not assets.
How much RSU income counts toward qualifying?
Most lenders require 2 years of RSU vesting history + a documented forward schedule. They'll count 70-100% of the trailing 2-year average.
Should I sell RSUs at vest or hold?
Pure financial-planner question — short answer is sell at vest for diversification, hold if you have strong company-specific conviction. Tax timing matters either way.
What about ISOs and AMT?
Exercising ISOs early can trigger AMT. Don't exercise just to fund a downpayment without modeling the AMT impact with your CPA first.
How long after lockup should I wait to buy?
Most clients sell 25-40% of locked-up shares in the first 90-day window post-lockup. That cash funds the purchase + emergency reserves. Roger coordinates timing.
What's the first step?
Free 30-min call with your liquidity calendar in hand. (510) 504-0402.
One call.
(510) 504-0402
Roger answers his own phone. The first 20 minutes are free, no pitch.
After-hours emergency? Call or text (406) 205-9003 — 24/7.