Real Living Sugar Pine Realty
Serving the Sonora, Twain Harte, Groveland, Copperopolis / Lake Tulloch, Mother Lode
area of California including Tuolumne, Calaveras and Mariposa Counties
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Information for Buyers

Real Living Sugar Pine Realty buyers come from near and far. They are your friends with growing families that need a bigger home, or your older neighbors that need to down-size so there is not so much to take care of.

Real Living Sugar Pine Realty buyers move across the county, state and country to relocate to our beautiful area. Buyers purchase more homes here because of job changes, city attractions, child rearing, or just to fulfill their dreams of returning to the place they once called home.

Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agents are trained experts in their field. They know how to steer you in the right direction with each and every move. We pride ourselves on quality customer service, first-hand industry education and more sold homes than the local competition.

Let's begin the home buying process so that you can understand how easy and hassle-free Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agents make it for you, our valued client.

Choose a link from the list below, or follow them step-by step to learn more: #1 Getting Ready To Buy
Are you ready to build the "American Dream?" Preparing to buy a home can be both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Fortunately, a Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agent can lead you in the right direction toward the home for your dreams. You first may want to ask yourself these questions:
  • What am I looking for in a new home?
  • Do I have enough money to purchase a new home?
  • How does my credit look?
You may want to make a list or brainstorm about the features and amenities that you find most appealing in a new home.

#2 Finding a Realtor
Before you choose a real estate agent, it is important to do your homework on the real estate companies in your area.
  1. Search the Internet for local real estate companies.
  2. Review local publications for agent advertisements.
  3. Call each company to compare commission fees, marketing campaigns and yearly sales volume.
  4. Talk to your friends and neighbors. 9 times out of 10, someone you know has sold their home and can provide a credible recommendation to point you in the right direction.
When choosing a Realtor, do not be afraid to meet with many different agents. They are, after all, competing for your business. This competition is what makes the real estate industry successful.

Feel free to ask them the following questions:
  • How many years of experience do you have in this industry?
  • What is your selling experience in my community?
  • What professional certifications do you hold (ex. Certified Residential Specialist–CRS)?
  • What services will you provide for me as my agent?
  • How will you represent me as a buyer?
  • Can you provide all the information that I need about homes in the area that fit into my price range?
  • What is the fee for your services?
  • Can you provide all of the different scenarios with the sale of property I may purchase? (as far as commissions and fees)
  • Can you explain the paperwork that I will need to sign?
  • What is my contracted timeframe for using you as my agent?
Once you have chosen an agent, it is important to establish specific goals that you would like to meet. It is very important to communicate with your real estate agent and, in turn, that your real estate agent communicates with you.

#3 Starting the Loan Process
It is important as a buyer that you establish some kind of financing before you make any serious home offer. The "pre-approval" process allows lenders to take a look at your finances and credit history in order to make a general assumption about your loan amount.

The pre-approval process is when a lender looks at all of your finances and determines the amount of money you could afford for a mortgage.

In order to get pre-approved for a loan, you need to contact a lender. Your Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agent can help you help you find a lender that you feel comfortable with, and that offers programs best-suited to your needs.

#4 Starting Your Search
Now it is time to start the exciting search for homes! You may want to narrow down your search by asking yourself the following questions:
  • Where do I want to live?
  • What is the neighborhood like?
  • What is the crime rate?
  • Would I be moving into a good school district?
  • Are there any zoning restrictions?
  • How far is this home from my job?
  • What is my price range?
  • How many bedrooms and bathrooms do I want?
  • What style of house am I attracted to?
  • What amenities do I desire (ex. pool, fenced-in yard, etc.)?
  • Does this home have potential to increase in value?
  • Is there room to expand if I would like to build an addition?
Searching for a home is becoming easier than years ago. We now have the Internet as a powerful "home finding tool," as well as the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and print advertising.

#5 Finding Your New Home
Beginning the search for your new home can be a great feeling. It is important that you directly communicate what you desires in a home are to your real estate agent.

You may want to first begin by making a list of the features and benefits that are most important in your pursuit of finding a home. These could be:
  • Location
  • Affordability
  • Size
  • Style
  • Design
  • Amenities
Looking for a home in an area where you feel comfortable is key. If appropriate, instruct your real estate agent to look for homes in the specific areas you have designated.

#6 Making an Offer on a Home
Selecting a home should be relatively easy once a home falls somewhere in your criteria and the property is desirable for purchase.

You will want to inform your real estate agent what you like about the house and make a list of your likes and dislikes with the property. Though you will most likely have done this already in a general sense, it is important to do it again for specific homes you have in interest in.

There are three steps in selecting a home:
  1. Accept the seller's asking price and have your agent write up the contract
  2. Reject the seller's asking price and have your agent make a different offer, or
  3. Agree to different terms and have your agent write an offer
This is all a part of the negotiation process.

Communicating about the house and how it makes you feel is important when making this decision. It is also important to be realistic when it comes to how much you can afford when selecting "your" home.

#7 Financing
Doing you homework about loans will save you both time and money. There are thousands of loans out there to choose from, but it is important to keep in mind several key factors that will help you along the way:
  • How much money should I put down?
  • How is my credit?
  • Is this my first home?
Receiving a loan requires completion of a loan application and specific financial documents including pay stubs, rental checks and/or tax returns. You can receive a loan from a number of different financial institutions, namely: commercial banks, credit unions, mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers, savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks and insurance companies.

#8 Insurance
Insuring your home is like making an investment in your future. You work hard to have a home; homeowners insurance protects you and your family from someone or something taking it all away.

There are many different forms of insurance:
  • Title Insurance – protects you in the event that the title on your property has a lien, unpaid taxes, or other legalities that would make it invalid.
  • Homeowners' Insurance – protects your home from fire, theft and other liable coverage.
  • Flood Insurance – protects your home from flood damage.
  • Home Warranty – offers buyers and sellers the piece of mind that should anything unexpected happen (due to normal, every day wear and tear) of the home's appliances, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems, it will be repaired (or replaced in some cases) for you without costly fees.
#9 Closing Procedures
The closing process is always changing. It is even referred to as "settlement" or "escrow" in different parts of the country. With increased technology, most closings are completely automated and both parties do not have to be present at the same time to sign.

Closings usually take about 30 days to complete. This mainly depends on the buyer's financing availability, successful home inspection completion, and various lender conditions (ex. title search, title insurance, termite inspections, surveys and appraisals).

The closing process is the transfer of the title of the property from the buyer to the seller. The buyer will receive the keys to the home or the deed to the land, while the seller receives payment for the property. The amount the seller receives is based upon the amount that is still owed on the mortgage, any outstanding fees or taxes, and any additional closing costs. All legal papers are filed with the local record office.

It is this step where the buyers and sellers do very little. It is important as the seller to take a final walk through the property to make sure the property's condition as not changed. It is equally important for both the buyer and seller to make sure the paperwork they are signing reflects the agreement of the original sale.

#10 Settling In
You have unpacked your boxes, arranged your furniture, and feel complete with your moving task. What's next? There is always an adjustment period when you move. It is important to understand that what you, your spouse and/or children may be feeling is completely normal.

Here is a list of a few things that may help:
  • Urge everyone to talk about how they are feeling.
  • Get outside and tour the neighborhood or take a drive and visit some new places around the community.
  • E-mail old friends and neighbors to let them know about your new home and community.
  • Start a list about what you like about:
    • Home
    • School
    • Neighborhood
    • Community
    • Church
    • Friends
    • Teachers

Information for Sellers

It is the one thing that almost everyone does at one point in their lives - sells their home. This can be a very confusing time, filled with many questions and few answers. It is hard to understand all of the questions you may have about selling your home. Fortunately, Real Living Sugar Pine Realty can help.

Real Living Sugar Pine Realty can help you with all of the questions you have about selling your home. Real Living Sugar Pine Realty has many years of experience in the real estate industry. We pride ourselves on quality customer service. Our customers come first and we make selling your home, the same way. We will make you our first priority.

Let's begin the home selling process so that you can understand how easy and hassle-free Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agents make it for our valued clients.

Choose a link from the list below, or follow them step-by-step to learn more: #1 Preparing to Sell your Home
The first question you might want to ask yourself is, "Why do I want to sell my home?" Do you need more space? Are you an empty nester looking for a smaller space? Have you accepted a job in a different part of the country? All of these questions affect the potential sale of your home and the negotiating process of that sale.

You may also want to begin making a list of all of the interior and exterior projects that you want to complete before placing your home on the market.

Contacting a Real Living Sugar Pine Realty Real Estate Agent will point you in the right direction, too. Our agents have the knowledge and understanding of the industry. They can provide reliable information and get you moving in the right direction towards the sale of your home.

#2 So You're Ready to Sell your Home
Assessing your home is key in beginning the home selling process. You may want to ask yourself, "What would I like to see or not see if I were touring this home as a potential home buyer?"

Problems like chipped paint, dirty walls, windows and doors, unfinished remodeling projects and cluttered garages are all areas for home selling improvement. Treat the sale of your home as you would with any day living in your residence. Neat, tidy and organized works!

#3 You're Ready to List
Before you list your home, it is important to do your homework on the real estate companies in your area.
  1. Search the Internet for your local real estate companies.
  2. Review local publications for agent advertisements.
  3. Call each company to compare commission fees, marketing campaigns and yearly sales volume.
  4. Talk to your friends and neighbors. 9 times out of 10, someone you know has sold their home and can provide a credible recommendation to point you in the right direction.
When choosing a real estate agent, do not be afraid to meet with many different agents. Thay are, after all, competing for your business. This competition is what makes the real estate industry successful.

Feel free to ask them the following questions:
  • How many years of experience do you have in this industry?
  • What is your selling experience in my community?
  • What professional certifications do you hold (ex. Certified Residential Specialist–CRS)?
  • What services will you provide for me as my agent?
  • How will you represent my property?
  • Can you provide a market analysis for my property?
  • How will you determine the price of my home?
  • What is the fee for your services?
  • Can you provide all of the different scenarios with the sale of my property? (as far as commissions and fees)
  • Can you explain the paperwork that I will need to sign?
  • What is the timeframe for listing my property with you?
#4 Determining Property Value
There are a number of factors that go into determining the value of a home.
  • It is realistic to compare the homes in your area and the asking prices of those homes.
  • The law of supply and demand always comes into play. Do you live in an area with increasing job opportunities or an increasing supply of homes?
  • Owners needs greatly impact the selling price of a home. Do you need a quick sell or do you have time to sit on your sale?
  • The selling price is not cut and dry. On many occasions, the seller will negotiate the price, split closing costs or offer different allowances to the buyer, to make the sale of the home complete.
Only a qualified Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agent can provide a fair market analysis of the homes for sale in your area. A Market Analysis is usually free and without obligation.

#5 Getting Your Home Out There
There are a number of different ways that an agent can drive traffic to view your home:
  • Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
  • Open Houses
  • Websites/Internet
  • Print Advertising
  • HOMES™ Magazines
  • Real Living Sugar Pine Realty Marketing Strategies
#6 Selling Your Home

The Offer

An acceptable offer depends on many different things:
  • Is the proposed offer near the asking price?
  • The timeframe of the seller – Does the seller have another house payment? Insurance?
  • Does the owner have enough time to wait for the agent to bring them more potential buyers?
  • What if the home is listed and never receives a single offer?
  • What if several offers are received at the same time?
The Counter-Offer

When potential buyers are searching for a home, they can respond in three different ways to the seller(s):
  1. This home is not what we were looking for. We are not interested in the property.
  2. We are interested in the home and we will purchase the property on the buyer's terms per the real estate agreement.
  3. We are interested in the home, but here is our counter-offer for the property.
Negotiating

This negotiating process can at times seem very complicated. However, if you are equip with the right Real Living Sugar Pine Realty agent, all of this can be made hassle-free.

During the negotiating process of the sale of a home, the seller can react in one of three different ways:
  1. Accept the buyer's proposed offer
  2. Decline the buyer's offer
  3. Make a new counter-offer
#7 Saying Goodbye To Your Home
The closing process is always changing. It is even referred to as "settlement" or "escrow" in different parts of the county. With increased technology, most closings are completely automated and both parties do not have to be present at the same time to sign.

Closings usually take about 30 days to complete. This mainly depends on the buyer's financing availability, successful home inspection completion, and various lender conditions (ex. title search, title insurance, termite inspections, surveys and appraisals).

The closing process is the transfer of the title of the property from the buyer to the seller. The buyer will receive the keys to the home or the deed to the land, while the seller receives payment for the property. The amount the seller receives is based upon the amount that is still owed on the mortgage, any outstanding fees or taxes and any additional closing costs. All legal papers are filed with the local record office.

It is this step where the buyers and sellers do very little. It is important as the seller to take a final walk through the property to make sure the property's condition as not changed. It is equally important for both the buyer and seller to make sure the paperwork they are signing reflects the agreement of the original sale.

#8 Surviving the Move
Moving can be one of the most emotional times in your life. The thrill of something new … new career, a new neighborhood, a new home. While this may sound great to some people, for others, these changes can be an emotional rollercoaster.

The key to surviving your move is to first analysis the situation. You may want to ask yourself this question, "What does my move entail?" "Will I be moving across the country or just down the block?" "Could I handle the move myself, provided I have the right packing materials and friends to help" Or "Do I need to explore the option of hiring a professional moving company?"


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Disclaimer: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information on this site was last updated 09/02/2010. The listing information on this page last changed on 09/02/2010. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of HHOAR MLS (last updated Thu 09/02/2010 11:48:07 AM EST) or TCAR MLS (last updated Thu 09/02/2010 11:50:51 AM EST) or Metrolist CA MLS (last updated Thu 09/02/2010 10:18:06 AM EST) or Calaveras MLS (last updated Thu 09/02/2010 1:15:38 PM EST) or EBRDI MLS (last updated Thu 09/02/2010 2:59:39 PM EST) or Mariposa County Board of Realtors (last updated Thu 09/02/2010 8:37:05 AM EST). Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Real Living Sugar Pine Realty may be marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and detailed information about those properties will include the name of the listing broker(s) when required by the MLS. All rights reserved. --

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This information is being provided by the Bay East MLS or the CCAR MLS or the EBRDI MLS.
The listings presented here may or may not be listed by the Broker/Agent operating this website.




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Agency License Information: Sugar Pine Realty Inc 19520 Hillsdale Dr Sonora, CA 95370 California License ID 00659397