A Sellers Reserve Auction · Prepared for Brian Geraci
Six gated acres above Modjeska Canyon, with a private helipad, horse facilities and national forest at the back fence. Launched Wednesday, November 4. Sold under the hammer, Saturday, November 21, 2026.
Introduction
Thank you for the time today. Everything in this presentation was prepared specifically for 28012 Modjeska Grade Road, for Modjeska Canyon, and for the small but serious group of buyers who will pay for what this estate offers.
There is almost nothing like it in Orange County. Six gated acres with agricultural zoning, a 5,431 sq ft residence with four ensuite bedrooms, two custom garages, horse stalls, cross-fenced pasture and a private helipad, twenty minutes from Irvine and the toll roads. That rarity is the opportunity. It is also the risk: with no true comparable, a conventional asking price is a guess, and a guess either leaves money on the table or sits on the market.
Homes in 92676 currently take an average of 126 days to sell, at about 96.7% of their asking price. We do not want this estate to join that queue. Instead we bring every qualified buyer to the same place at the same time, give them a single date to act, and let them compete for it, while the reserve stays yours and private throughout.
What follows is how that works in practice: the positioning, the buyers we will target, the marketing, the qualification process and auction day itself. Five weeks of focused exposure from launch on November 4, converging on one transparent moment of competition on Saturday, November 21.
Michael Mahon & Bob Arthur
The Buyer
The buyer for this estate is not browsing Zillow by price bracket. They are searching for a way of life. We will find them where they already gather, and give each of them a reason to be in the room on the day.
The pilot
A private helipad within 20 minutes of Irvine is almost unheard of. Aviation owners at John Wayne, Fullerton and Chino, and helicopter operators and flight schools.
The equestrian
Four stalls, a tack shed and cross-fenced pasture on agricultural land, with Cleveland National Forest trails from the gate.
The collector
Two custom garages for cars, workshops and storage. Car clubs, Cars & Coffee communities and collector networks.
The outdoor executive
Mountain biking, hiking and riding from home. The Luge trail and Santiago Canyon on the doorstep, the office in Irvine.
The vintner / rancher
Agricultural zoning and acreage for a vineyard, orchard or small ranch, inside Orange County.
The privacy buyer
Gated, elevated and secluded. Executives, entertainers and athletes leaving Coto de Caza, Shady Canyon and Newport Coast.
Our Philosophy
28012 Modjeska Grade Road has been built, finished and held with real pride. A property this unique needs more than exposure. It needs a strategy that finds the few buyers who truly want it and brings them together at once.
The traditional approach is simple: list it, price it, and wait. If the market doesn't respond, the price gets reduced, and over time, that can quietly work against you. Time on market doesn't create value. It erodes it.
At Sellers Reserve we take a different path. We don't just list, we position, and we build a structured campaign engineered to engage the entire market at once, rather than letting it trickle in over time.
Reposition
Elevate how the home is perceived in the market.
Launch
A high-impact campaign engineered for maximum attention.
Qualify
Reach out to and pre-screen serious, capable buyers.
Compress
A defined window creates real urgency.
Compete
Bring buyers together where they have to act.
Close
Let the market compete with itself, not with you. Competition is the ultimate driver of price.
"The ideal buyer pays the ideal price. Our job is to attract the right buyers, not just any buyer, and create the conditions for them to compete."
Control & Flexibility
Your reserve price ensures 28012 Modjeska Grade Road will never sell below a level you accept. You retain control throughout the entire campaign.
And if the home doesn't sell under the hammer on November 21, we don't start over. We move immediately into Phase II, where, from a position of strength, we negotiate with the buyers who have already qualified, engaged, and committed to the buying process.
The risk of the traditional approach isn't just time: it's failing to fully draw out real demand and leaving genuine value on the table.
The Traditional Trap
Limited Initial Exposure
Buyer interest builds slowly, dampening momentum at the very moment a campaign should launch.
No Clear Timeframe
Without a defined deadline, urgency drops and decisions get deferred.
Isolated Negotiations
Buyers act independently, limiting competition and overall leverage.
Extended Time on Market
Prolonged exposure can affect perception and ultimate outcome.
A clear difference in approach
| Traditional Sale | SR Auction | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Approach | A fixed asking price can set an upper ceiling on offers. | No ceiling, competition can drive results higher. |
| Timeframe | No deadline; can sit on the market for a long time. | Defined campaign schedule leading to a specific sale date. |
| Sale Conditions | Often subject to financing, inspection, or other contingencies. | Unconditional sale, providing greater certainty. |
| Buyer Motivation | Without a deadline, buyers can delay or negotiate harder. | A defined date creates urgency and prompts decisive action. |
| Negotiation Style | Private, one-on-one negotiations limit competitive pressure. | Real-time competitive bidding often pushes price higher than expected. |
| Market Perception | Can feel like a waiting game, reducing momentum. | Positioned as an event, generating interest and energy. |
| Price Adjustments | May require reductions if initial pricing is too high. | Price is determined by real-time buyer demand. |
| Buyer Pool | May attract conditional or less committed buyers. | Buyers are prepared and ready to meet terms. |
27
Years at the front line of premium real estate
2,000+
Properties successfully sold
2
Network ecosystem: Sellers Reserve and First Team
Why Sellers Reserve
The most powerful, transparent and rewarding home sale experience in California, a strategically executed marketing and sales process designed to maximize the value of 28012 Modjeska Grade Road and deliver an outstanding result.
The value of your home should not be guessed. It should be driven by real market demand.
Powerful Marketing Engine
Leading-edge technology and a campaign designed to attract the most serious, competitive buyers.
Genuinely Motivated Buyers
Targeted outreach, domestic and international, that converts interest into real-time competition.
Immediate & Unconditional
The sale is certain the moment the hammer falls. No waiting, no conditions, no uncertainty.
Expert, End-to-End Management
Recognized specialists handle every detail, ensuring a smooth transaction through to close.
Proven Sales Process
Consult & Strategize
A focused, no-obligation consultation to align on goals and develop the right pricing strategy.
Property Preparation
Strategically prepare and present the estate to maximize buyer interest and competition.
Success Blueprint
Our proprietary property analysis, a personalized roadmap built by the auctioneer, agent, and marketing team.
Launch & Auction
Dynamic marketing material, a short but powerful campaign, culminating in the live auction event.
If the estate does not sell under the hammer, we seamlessly transition to Phase II, engaging the qualified, motivated buyers already in process through personal negotiation to secure the best possible offer. Your broker and agent remain closely involved through every stage, including close.
Backed by Scale
Sellers Reserve brings a refined, strategy-led campaign. FirstTeam, the #1 independent brokerage in Southern California, provides the scale, reach, and infrastructure to execute at the highest level.
Personalized strategy combined with market-leading capability, connecting 28012 Modjeska Grade Road to a deep pool of local, national, and international buyers.
2,200+
Real estate professionals
$7B+
Annual sales volume
45+
Offices
Luxury Partnerships
Through exclusive affiliations with Luxury Portfolio International, LuxuryRealEstate.com, and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, 28012 Modjeska Grade Road will be introduced to affluent buyers across local, national, and international markets.
Global Luxury Exposure
U.S. listings over $1M, by brand
FirstTeam / Luxury Portfolio Intl.
Sotheby's Realty
Compass
Coldwell Banker Global Luxury
Christie's International
Engel & Völkers
The Agency
Keller Williams Luxury Homes
Source: Scott Business Consulting, May 2024
Market-Leading Position
Total CRMLS sales volume 2010 to 2024
FirstTeam Real Estate
Keller Williams
Coldwell Banker
Sotheby's International Realty
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
RE/MAX
Century 21
Compass / Corcoran
Top Broker Report 02/2025 · CRMLS 1/2010 to 12/2024
In Their Words
His enthusiasm, but more importantly his knowledge of what it takes to make a sale, is truly contagious. My clients wanted to hear a solution to the question 'why hasn't my house sold?' Michael brought a fresh perspective, a real solution. Without doubt, he saved my listing from going elsewhere.
Ellen Kozlowski
Newport Beach
Even after 26 years in real estate there is still so much to learn and so much to be inspired by, Michael brings that wealth of knowledge in spades. I can't recommend him highly enough.
Louise Snowden
Raine & Horne, Double Bay
The Property
Behind a gated entrance, the 5,431 sq ft residence pairs an open floor plan with western charm: four ensuite bedrooms, five baths, a bonus room, library, office, a gourmet eat-in kitchen, dramatic living and dining rooms and a family room with an entertainer's bar. Outside are a splash pool with waterfall, built-in BBQ, fire pit, expansive patios and five balconies facing the canyon. Two custom garages, four horse stalls, a tack shed, chicken coop, cross-fenced pasture and a private helicopter landing pad complete the ranch, on approximately six acres zoned for agriculture with Cleveland National Forest trails nearby.
Specification is drawn from the most recent public marketing of the property and is confirmed against county records, permits and title during listing prep.
Residence
5,431 sq ft
Land
Approx. 6 acres
Bedrooms
4, all ensuite
Bathrooms
5
Zoning
Agricultural / ranch
Aviation
Private helipad
The Method
The most advanced and effective way to sell luxury real estate in California today. A proprietary platform that creates a high-energy competitive environment among qualified buyers, driving urgency and revealing the property's true market value, in the open.
You hold the reserve. Buyers compete openly. The market, not negotiation, sets the price.
A seven week program, from preparation and staging through launch and multi-channel exposure, engineered to saturate the qualified buyer pool and build undeniable urgency by auction day.
An open, on-site forum where qualified buyers reveal true market demand in real time, no back-channel negotiations, no guesswork.
A defined date, defined terms, and an unconditional contract. You know exactly when the home sells, and on your terms.
"We don't sell homes. We stage moments where qualified buyers compete in the open."
Timeline
From listing prep in mid October, to launch and broker preview on Wednesday November 4, to the hammer falling on Saturday, November 21 at 2:00 PM, every day is staged.
October 19 to 25, 2026
October 26 to November 1, 2026
November 2 to 8, 2026
November 9 to 15, 2026
November 16 to 21, 2026
Auction Day
A live, on-site auction staged at the estate with registered, pre-qualified bidders. Open and transparent. Unconditional contract signed on the day. Brian holds the reserve.
Auction Day
Auction Success
See the method in action, competitive bidding on the day and an unconditional result for the seller.
Your Team
Founder & CEO
Founder, CEO · Sellers Reserve
Twenty-seven years at the front line of high-performance real estate and more than 2,000 homes sold. A leading auction specialist, keynote speaker and operator, Michael founded Sellers Reserve to give principal sellers a transparent, certain alternative to the traditional listing.
michael@sellersreserve.com · +1 949 887 0350
CA DRE #02076897
Listing Agent
Realtor® · First Team Real Estate, Newport Beach
Bob leads the Bob Arthur Group from First Team's Newport Beach office, with a South Orange County and coastal practice. He manages buyer relationships, private tours and agent outreach through the campaign, converting genuine interest into qualified, deposited bidders on auction day, and represents Brian through to close.
bob@bobarthurgroup.com · 949-539-0316
Read more about Bobbobarthurgroup.com · firstteam.com
FIRSTTEAM® REAL ESTATE · CA DRE# 01008773 · Sellers Reserve is an auction marketing platform operating in partnership with FirstTeam® Real Estate.
Further Viewing
The thinking behind the method, in Michael's own words.
Time Kills Price
Why Auction?
Investment
Two distinct services, priced separately. First Team provides the brokerage representation. Sellers Reserve provides and funds the auction campaign. One does not subsidise or inflate the other, and both are payable only on a successful sale.
Zero out of pocket marketing cost to the Owners
Listing side representation, contract negotiation, disclosure management, escrow oversight and close. Paid to the brokerage at close of escrow, exactly as it would be on any conventional sale. Any compensation offered to a buyer's agent is a separate decision, entirely at your discretion.
A single flat fee covering the entire auction program. Sellers Reserve funds the campaign up front, you are never invoiced for marketing.
Independent of the brokerage commission
Traditional auction houses add a 10 to 15% buyer's premium on top of the winning bid. We do not, because it is counter productive. Buyers simply deduct it from what they are willing to bid, so the seller ends up paying for it indirectly, and it pulls the bidder into a calculating, analytical mindset at the exact moment you want them bidding with emotion.
Contingent on a successful sale. No sale, no fee.
Our commitment is to take full responsibility for everything within our control, strategy, positioning, marketing execution, buyer engagement, and negotiation, and to approach the campaign with absolute commitment to the best possible result.
No agent, platform, or method can fully control the price the market is willing to pay. What we can do is influence the market and create the conditions for the best outcome, and that is exactly what we are built to do.
Next Step
Signing the listing agreement this week secures the November 21 auction date, the November 4 launch and the full marketing calendar, so you know exactly when Modjeska Grade sells.