Tri-Valley Real Estate Blog

What a Buyer’s Agent Actually Does for You

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A buyer’s agent is that unknown entity that most first time buyers don’t even know about. Most people head out into the real estate world, scared and uninformed.  A buyer’s agent is exactly that; an agent for the buyer.

When a homeowner lists their home they call on the knowledge of a listing agent. This agent draws up a contract to sell the property. The listing agent markets the property and can even bring the buyer. BUT a buyer’s agent is only for the buyer and represents the buyer’s side throughout the process, not the seller.  [Read more…]

5 Things to Know Before Buying a ‘For Sale by Owner’ House

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For sale by owner or FSBO, as they are often referred to, is when a homeowner decides to list and market their own home for sale instead of going through a real estate broker or agent. Most homes are listed by real estate agents under a brokerage of some type but occasionally buyers come across the for sale by owner home. This may be someone you know or just a random listing in the newspaper or drive by a sign in the front yard. You might think this is an easy way to get a home without involving real estate agents but actually, it’s the opposite of simplifying the process. Conducting a real estate transaction with people that may not know the process or the legalities, can turn into a nightmare and make you and the seller liable for certain issues.
Here are five things to know before jumping into a for sale by owner real estate transaction.

1) many homeowners will work with a buyers agent.5 Things to Know Before Buying a 'For Sale by Owner' House

Even if you have your own buyer’s agent but find a for sale by owner home, the seller will typically work with the buyer’s agent so you don’t need to go behind your buyer’s agent’s back in order to complete the transaction. Talk to your agent about finding the home and let them do the negotiations for you. Often times, homeowners will pay the buyers agent a commission simply for helping facilitate the transaction.

2) Pricing may not be accurate.

Talk to your agent about the accuracy of the list price. Many homeowners price their home where they think they should be listed and it may be completely off the market value. Homeowners typically don’t do a lot of research when it comes to pricing their homes. They may be overpriced or underpriced but rarely at market value. Talk to your buyer’s agent about the accuracy of the price and if you should negotiate a lower asking price.

3) Check the integrity of the house.

There could be a variety of reasons the owner is choosing to sell themselves. Perhaps they don’t want to pay a seller’s agent commission, there could be something wrong with the house, or they just don’t like working with real estate professionals. However, the house might be perfectly fine. You shouldn’t discount a for sale by owner home by thinking there something wrong with it. Many homeowners take very good care of their properties but you’ll also want to verify building permits, local codes, and have a home inspection.

4) All laws still apply.

Just because the owner is selling the home themselves doesn’t mean that they are exempt from typical state and county laws. Laws typically stipulate that the seller must disclose any problems with the home and perform any repairs upon negotiations. If there’s a hazardous issue, it should be taking care of before the buyer takes ownership. Homeowners should also allow the buyer to have their own home inspection.

5) understand your legal rights.

If you’re not working with a real estate agent on a for sale by owner home you could be liable for issues in the future if you don’t understand all the legalities. This is why it is so crucial to have a buyers agent on your side that is familiar with local codes, tax laws, and regulations. If information is conveyed in writing it must be signed and documented by both the buyer and the seller. Do not do any negotiations verbally without everything being in writing and signed off. The last thing you want is for the previous homeowner to negate any repairs that they said they would do simply because it was not in writing.

Buying a for sale by owner home is not impossible but it does take a little bit more research for both the buyer and the seller. If you have found a home in the Tri-Valley area that is for sale by owner and you need help facilitating the deal contact my office today.

Image adapted by Mark Moz

Best Places for Young Families in Northern California

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Northern California has a reputation for pricey living, but young families are still finding affordable homes and good public schools in the suburbs of Sacramento and Fresno, as well as areas east of San Francisco.

Half of the 10 best places for young families in Northern California are clustered in suburbs of the state capital, NerdWallet found. Three other communities in our top 10 are in the eastern part of the Bay Area, where the tech industry is booming, and two are farther south, in the Fresno area.

NerdWallet’s analysis

By statistically comparing such factors as home prices, education, income growth and a crime risk score, NerdWallet identified the best places to start your search for the Northern California community that’s right for you and your family. We crunched the data for 202 places in Northern California — cities, towns and census-designated places with at least 10,000 residents. Not every place got top marks in all the categories we looked at, and housing affordability is an issue in some places.

Key takeaways

Family-friendly places came in pairs: Three sets of spots on the top 10 list are neighboring places — Rocklin and Roseville; El Dorado Hills and Folsom; and Dublin and San Ramon.

Second “bests”: Half of the cities on this year’s top 10 list also appeared on NerdWallet’s lists of the Best Cities for Young Families in Northern California 2014 or the Best Cities for Young Families in California 2014.

Best places for young families in Northern California

1. El Dorado Hills

El Dorado Hills, just east of Sacramento, earned a crime risk score of “most safe,” the highest possible mark. Homes aren’t cheap here — the median home value is $472,000, compared with the Northern California median of $304,650 — but median family income here is high, too, at $129,292. El Dorado Hills students are served by Buckeye Union School District, Rescue Union School District and El Dorado Union High School District. Top community attractions include El Dorado Hills Town Center and the area’s more than 200 acres of parks and open space.

2. Folsom

Folsom’s claim to fame may be its prison, but this suburban Sacramento city has a lot to offer families as well. Median family income in Folsom is high at $116,527, and it’s a community with plenty of young families — 30% of families include at least one child under the age of 18. Folsom earns a “safe” crime score, and poverty rates are low. Folsom Cordova Unified School District serves students in the area. The city offers a wealth of opportunities for outdoor recreation, and family attractions nearby include the historic district’s Sutter Street, the Folsom Railway Museum, Folsom’s Pioneer Village and the Harris Center for the Arts.

3. San Ramon

Living in San Ramon isn’t cheap; the San Francisco suburb’s median home value of $722,700 is the highest in our top 10. But families in the Contra Costa County city also earn a high median income of $151,494. San Ramon’s crime risk score is “most safe,” the highest possible, and 43% of families include at least one child under 18, the most in our top 10. Students here attend the award-winning San Ramon Valley Unified School District. Top attractions in San Ramon include the San Ramon Performing Arts Center, the San Ramon Art & Wind Festival as well as the city’s many trails and parks. San Ramon recently began a $4.45 million expansion and renovation of its main library, which will reopen in early 2017.

4. Dublin

Dublin, in Alameda County, is located on the BART train line, allowing for a car-free commute to San Francisco, and its crime risk score of “most safe” is the highest possible. Median family income grew 54.88% in Dublin from 1999 to 2014, the second-highest amount in our top 10. The Dublin Unified School District is expanding: A new kindergarten complex at James Dougherty Elementary School is scheduled to be completed in fall 2017, and a new K-8 school in the Jordan Ranch development is scheduled to open in fall 2018. Each year Dublin hosts Splatter, a popular food, art and wine festival for the whole family. The city is home to a wide range of parks and open space areas, including the 654-acre Dublin Hills Regional Park.

5. Kingsburg

Kingsburg, in Fresno County, has the lowest median home value in our top 10, at $219,700. Median income grew a whopping 57.15% on average from 1999 to 2014, the highest such jump in our top 10. Kingsburg is a “less safe” city according to its crime score, which is just under the state median. Elementary schools in Kingsburg operate on a charter system, which also includes one junior high school and Central Valley Home School. Kingsburg High School operates its own school district. Kingsburg pays homage to its heritage with its Swedish Village and annual events including the Kingsburg Swedish Festival and Julgransfest Christmas Tree Lighting.

Methodology

We analyzed 202 places in Northern California with populations of 10,000 or more. Northern California was defined as all counties in California, excluding the 10 southernmost counties of Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. Certain places were excluded because of missing data. Our methodology focused on four factors:

Home affordability. Home affordability, 30% of the total score, was calculated by averaging index scores for median home value and median selected monthly owner costs. The lower the costs, the higher the score. Data came from the American Community Survey, a division of the U.S. Census.

Growth and prosperity. Growth and prosperity are 20% of the total score. The two metrics were growth in family income from 1999 to 2014, and median family income in 2014. Data are from the American Community Survey.

Family friendliness. To measure whether an area is a good place for families, which is 20% of our total score, we looked at the percentage of married couples with at least one child under age 18, the average crime score as provided by NeighborhoodScout, and the percentage of families in poverty with at least one child under age 5.

Educational quality. Using data from SchoolDigger.com, every place was given a percentile score relative to other places in the state. Education is 30% of the total score.

Anna Helhoski is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. 

This article originally appeared on NerdWallet.

Dale Corpus

925-380-1657

Dale@KeytotheBay.com

Why You Need a Tri-Valley Real Estate Agent

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Why You Need a Tri-Valley Real Estate AgentBuying or selling real estate in California’s Tri-Valley area and the Bay area real estate market is a very unique experience when you choose to work with an Tri-Valley Real Estate Broker. I don’t only love where I live, I have a deep working knowledge of the area that is much more in depth and wide than what you would expect from a local Realtor. When most area brokers cover one or two Bay area counties at the most, I have hometown experience in various markets including San Ramon, Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, Danville and  Fremont. Based in San Ramon, service Alameda and Contra Costa County as well as individual communities and towns. In effort to create a more valuable service for my clients, Key to the Bay maintains all continuing education courses and connection to the local MLS. With my top local expertise, state of the art technology and time tested industry experience, your experience will make navigating even the most complex transaction smooth and easy.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line? Using a local real estate broker will save you time, money and heartache. Not only can I facilitate any real estate transaction, I understand home financing better than the average buyer trying to go it alone. My site offers the most up to date property listings, comparisons, and benchmarks because the most current and accurate data will always come from the MLS, of which Dale Corpus Real Estate is a member. Additionally, for sellers, my marketing and guidance from a seller’s perspective can save a lot of stress. Could you really price your home on your own with accurate comps of what’s nearby? It takes research, knowledge and tried and true experience.

You may think you’re saving money by opting out of using a broker but most buyers will leave money on the table and sellers will lose money on the deal, even after paying a commission. Statistics tell the tale, it truly is better to use an agent when buying or selling… and where are you going to go? To the experience and skilled knowledge of your local Tri-Valley real estate professional.  Give me a call today.

Dale Corpus

925-380-1657

Dale@KeytotheBay.com

Buyer’s Agent, Dual Agency and the Difference You Need to Know

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Most people understand what a real estate agent is and does.  A real estate agent is not just simply a job but a licensed position that requires continuing education to maintain their license and keep their job.For most people, the legalities and details of buying and selling property is not something that they want to deal with on their own. Many homeowners feel that they can try to sell their property on their own first, and if that doesn’t work,  hire the help of a real estate professional. Many first-time homebuyers don’t even realize that it can benefit them to have their own agent when buying a property, rather than going with the listing agent of the home they chose. This is where a buyers agent, a listing agent and dual agency come into play. [Read more…]