If you ask anyone at my gym, they'll tell you the same thing about me: I talk too much. They're not wrong. I've had full conversations with people mid-set that lasted so long we both forgot what exercise we were doing. It drives the regulars crazy, but most of them will admit it's the reason they keep coming back.
I bring that up because it explains a lot about why CurbSold exists. I'm a people person who happens to buy cars. Not the other way around.
Thirty Years of Cars
I've been in the car business for over 30 years. I have bought over 50,000 cars. I've owned more personally than I should probably admit. Cars are my thing. Always have been. I know what a 2012 Accord with 80,000 miles is worth in the rain without looking it up, because I've seen a thousand of them.
But the part of the business I've always liked most isn't the cars. It's the people. Every car has a story. Someone is upgrading. Someone is downsizing. Someone just lost a parent and needs to deal with the car sitting in the driveway. I've heard all of them, and I take each one seriously.
How Friends Became Customers
For years, my friends knew I was in the business. When they had a car to sell, they'd call me. I'd swing by their place or they'd come to mine. I'd look at the car, tell them what I thought it was worth, and if the number worked for both of us, we'd shake on it right there. No nonsense, no back and forth. Just a conversation and a check.
What surprised me was how often they kept calling, even when they could have sold privately for more money. I'd tell them straight: “You could probably get another thousand posting it yourself.” They didn't care. They'd say something like, “I know. But I'd rather just hand you the keys and be done with it.”
At first I thought I was just saving them the hassle of dealing with strangers. That was part of it. But the real reason came out when I started hearing the CarMax stories.
The Two-and-a-Half-Hour Estimate
One friend told me he went to CarMax on a Saturday morning, thinking he'd be in and out in 30 minutes. He sat in that waiting area for two and a half hours. Warm, crowded, nothing to do but watch the TV on the wall and wonder if he should just leave. All that to get an estimate. Not a check. An estimate.
When he finally got the number, he wasn't sure what to do with it. The person who gave it to him was already walking to the next customer. No explanation of how they got there. No advice on whether it made sense to take it or try selling privately. Just a number on a piece of paper and a “let us know.”
He called me the next week. I went to his house, looked at the car in his driveway, told him what I'd pay, and he said “done.” Whole thing took maybe 20 minutes. Same number CarMax quoted him. He told me later it was the easiest transaction he'd done in years.
Then another friend told me the same story. Then a neighbor. Then a coworker of a friend. The pattern was always the same: they went to CarMax expecting it to be quick, spent half a day there, got a number with no context, and wished they'd just called me instead.
They weren't coming to me for a better price. They were coming to me because I showed up, told them what the car was worth, and didn't waste their Saturday.
Why CurbSold Exists
After 30 years in this business, I wanted to build something new. Not a dealership. Not a website that spits out a number. A service where I do what I've always done for friends, but for anyone in the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County who has a car to sell.
That's CurbSold. I drive to your house. I look at the car. I run it through the same professional valuation tools that places like CarMax, AutoNation, and your local BMW or Honda dealer might use. Same data, same market comps, same numbers. I tell you exactly what the car is worth, how I got there, and whether I think you should take it or try selling on your own. If you want to move forward, I write you a check on the spot and handle all the California paperwork.
The whole thing takes about 20 minutes.
I guarantee to match or beat any CarMax offer because I'm working from the same data they are. The difference is I can look you in the eye and explain the number. And if I think your car is worth more than what the tools say, I'll pay more. I have that flexibility because I'm not a corporation with a formula. I'm one person who's looked at 50,000 cars and knows when one is worth more than the spreadsheet says.
It Hits Different When It's Personal
As some of my friends have gotten older, I've seen firsthand what a difference this makes. Instead of driving across town, sitting in a lobby, and wondering if they're getting a fair deal, they walk out to their driveway. We talk for a few minutes. I look at the car, give them a number, and explain it. If they want to think about it, no pressure. If they want the check, I write it.
That's the whole point. Selling a car shouldn't take a whole day. It shouldn't feel like a guessing game. And it definitely shouldn't require sitting in a warm waiting room for two hours just to find out what someone is willing to pay.
I started CurbSold because I watched too many people go through that. I knew I could do it better. Not because I'm smarter than CarMax, but because I actually have the time to sit in your driveway and have a real conversation about your car.
If you've been thinking about selling, give me a call or shoot me a text. I'll come to you.
Joe
(747) 364-5606
I also built a free listing tool that creates professional listings for five platforms and gives you a range of what I'd pay. No account, no sign-up. If you're not ready to call, start there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the owner of CurbSold?
CurbSold is owned and operated by Joe, a licensed dealer with over 30 years in the automotive industry. I've personally bought over 50,000 cars and operate through National Fleet Wholesale, serving the San Fernando Valley and Ventura County.
Why does CurbSold come to your house?
I built CurbSold around home visits because I watched friends and customers waste hours at dealerships just to get an estimate. A 20-minute driveway appointment saves the trip, the wait, and the uncertainty. The offer is firm on the spot.
How can CurbSold guarantee to match or beat CarMax?
I use the same professional valuation tools that places like CarMax, AutoNation, and franchise dealerships might use. The data is the same, so the numbers come out the same. The difference is I can choose to pay more when the car warrants it, and I explain exactly how I arrived at the number.
Is CurbSold a licensed dealer?
Yes. CurbSold is a service of National Fleet Wholesale, a licensed dealer in California. I'm fully licensed, bonded, and insured.