Case study: Xander & Colby secure their future friend compound
Xander and Colby purchased their future Berkeley friend compound in January 2025. They found the property through Live Near Friends and purchased it with Max Nelson, a Live Near Friends realtor.
It’s a lovely 3-home property (one duplex + an ADU) near Ashby BART. They plan to live in one unit and rent the other two to friends after some renovations.
How to keep it simple: Be the Lead Buyer
We are fans of the strategy they used: Instead of navigating the challenges of co-buying with friends, they took the lead—purchasing a multi-unit property themselves and inviting friends to rent afterward.
This approach sidesteps the complexities of co-ownership, shared financing, and group decision-making. Plus, it offers flexibility—no need to align everyone’s timing perfectly. While they wait for friends to get ready to move, they are renting out units short-term to some UC Berkeley grad students to cover expenses until their friends are ready to move in.
By taking initiative (we’d call them “instigators”), they’ve secured a future home base for their community—on their own terms. They are designing the dream life for themselves and the people they care most about.
The buying process: A little hustle makes it happen
The best deals don’t just happen—they take a little hustle. Xander and Colby knew they needed a realtor who was willing to go the extra mile, so they turned to Live Near Friends real estate agent Max Nelson.
Max specializes in finding the right homes for friends and family to live right next door — it’s what he lives and breathes all day long.
When he spotted a great property that had already gone pending (meaning an offer had been accepted), he didn’t just move on. Instead, he contacted the seller’s agent and discovered the deal was on shaky ground. Sensing an opportunity, Max worked with Xander and Colby to put together a backup offer—a smart move that paid off. When the original buyers backed out, the seller accepted the couple’s offer without re-listing the home.
Throughout the process, Max also helped Xander and Colby crunch the numbers, modeling potential rental income from friends and estimating operating costs—ensuring their new home wasn’t just a great place to live, but a smart investment too.
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“The reason I decided to work with Live Near Friends was for some confidence.
Will this plan work? Is this a good opportunity? I also wanted someone who had experience in multi-unit properties. My Live Near Friends agent Max Nelson has his own rentals in the Bay Area and has been a fantastic resource with all the improvements we need to make, coaching me when I got super anxious and nervous, and helping us before, during and after the whole buying process. He's also nearby so it feels like we have someone on our team who isn’t just there to do the paperwork.”
- Xander, on working with Max at Live Near Friends
Xander and Colby’s dream
Xander and Colby will move into one unit together after their wedding and friends will follow soon after. Designing life around two close friends with a shared yard has always been the goal. Congrats to them for making it happen.
We’ve shipped them a pair of Live Near Friends crocs as a housewarming party. They can use these to visit their friends in the back ADU.
If you’d like Max or another Live Near Friend realtor to help you in your search, drop us an email at hello@livenearfriends.com. We’d love to hustle to find your dream place.
