FAQ’s

Q.  What is a CMA?

A.  CMA is short for Comparative Market Analysis.  The CMA helps illustrate market value using properties that match as much as possible to your property’s characteristics. The purpose is to determine a fair market value for your property and to help you decide the proper listing price. In evaluating your property I use many of the same tools that appraisers use provided from the local multiple listing service but rather than providing you an appraised value of the property I provide a market price range that supports as much as possible the market value of your property.

Marketing Your Property

The 3”P”s of marketing (price, presentation and promotion) apply to real estate just as much as they apply to any other product or service. The biggest of these “P”s is Price.  If the property is priced too high then your property will sit on market for a long time and may never sell.  You need to be aware of what the market is doing and price your property accordingly. This is why you need to see a comparative market analysis before listing your property. If the presentation, functionality or the curb appeal of your property is lacking may also be a cause for your listing to be on market for a long time while competitive listings that have good curb appeal and are priced right will receive more buyer attention. If the property is not promoted then buyers will not know that the property is for sale.

I will promote your property primarily through online marketing. Having a great web presence is essential because the majority of buyers are using the internet to research the area they want to live in and the property they want to own. Buyers will research the Realtors they want to work with and engage with Realtors® via websites and e-mail possibly more now then through traditional means like a phone call.

The property needs to look its best online, I use a large number of photos to help market listings.  A virtual tour is an essential part of an online marketing campaign and it can be done in many ways.  I have been doing virtual tours using a slideshow presentation of the property.  For Luxury homes and unique properties I am going a step further and integrating video into virtual tour presentations.

Once I post your property into the California Regional Multiple Listing Service and Bay Area Real Estate Service, it is syndicated to many other online web services including Realtor.com, List Hub, Yahoo, Zillow, HGTV Front Door, and many other online real estate websites and resources.

Your listing will show up as a featured listing on my website and KonoctiRealty.com and is searchable from the Lake County Association of Realtor’s website.

Ways to Speed Up Your Sale

  1. Price it right. Set a price at the lower end of your property’s realistic price range.
  2. Get your house market-ready for at least two weeks before you begin showing it.
  3. Be flexible about showings. It’s often disruptive to have a house ready to show on the spur of the moment, but the more often someone can see your home, the sooner you’ll find a buyer and get an offer.
  4. Be ready for the offers. Decide in advance what price and terms you’ll find acceptable.
  5. Be willing to counter if necessary.  I always feel it is better to come to the table even if the offer seems insulting.  You can always counter back to the asking price or possibly meet the buyer in the middle.  Sometimes sellers need to be willing to detach themselves from the property if they want it to sell, especially when selling in a buyer’s market.
  6. Don’t refuse to drop the price. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days without an offer, be prepared to lower your asking price. The phone will ring and the property will sell when it is priced at market value.

Things to do before you sell

1. Get estimates from reliable repairpersons on items that need to be replaced soon, a roof or worn carpeting, for example. In this way, buyers will have a better sense of how much these needed repairs will affect their costs.  If you can do some of the repairs before selling is a plus.

2. Have a termite inspection to prove to buyers that the property is not infested. Lenders will require that pest repairs be done before lending so if you want to attract more qualified buyers it is best to have a clear pest report. Ask me for a list of local termite inspection companies.

3. Get a pre-sale home inspection so you’ll be able to make repairs before buyers become concerned and cancel a contract. Ask me for a list of home inspectors.

4. Gather together owner’s manuals, warranties and guarantees on the furnace, appliances, and other items that will remain with the property.  

5. List material facts that you will need to disclose to a buyer. Take the time to be sure that you don’t forget problems, however minor, that might create liability for you after the sale.

6. Make the property ready to show.  Keep the place clean, Remove trash and debris, spruce up the inside and outside. First impressions do mean a lot to a buyer and the sharper image may really help you get you a better price.  This does not mean spending a fortune doing property upgrades.  Most of what you can do to improve curb appeal are simple and should not cost a lot.  Even if you are selling a fixer-upper presenting a neat and clean yard will make a difference to a buyer.

7. Hold a Yard Sale – Use a yard sale to reduce the clutter in your home and on the property and get rid of items you don’t want to move.

Property Valuation Request

.

Buyers FAQ

 

Buyer FAQs

Q.    How can I locate a parcel?

A.    This can be tricky but there are a few free online tools available to help you locate a property.

      a. A free tool provided on the County of Lake website is at the GIS/ Mapping link on the home page. This is not a user friendly tool and may take a little practice and getting use to before you become proficient with it.  Click here » Lake County website. When you click on this link you will get a page with an image of Lake County and a column to the right with a place to input the property address or Assessor’s Parcel Number (AP#).   I usually get the best results when I use the assessor parcel number AP#.  What you will get is an aerial photo of the property showing the approximate boundaries of the property and some specific information such as zoning, approximate area in acres and other info like flood hazard area.  The format for AP numbers in Lake County consists of 9 digits in the following way a group of three numbers followed by a dash another three numbers a dash and then three numbers as follows ###-###-### 

       b. Another free online tool is Google Earth which works well if you know the address and if you can trust their mapping system. Once you find a location on Google Earth you can tilt the 3 dimensional views to get a rough idea of the potential views and lay of the land.

       c. The alternative to online resources is to go to the County Planning Department located on the third floor at 255 North Forbes St Lakeport, CA 95422 .   Then ask for a planner.  Call 707-263-2221

 

 

Q.  I’m looking for a lot under $20K to put a manufactured home on or build a house on.

A.    Yes you may find lots for $20,000 or less but many of these bargain lots may be a challenge to build on.  Some are in remote or undeveloped areas and distant from developed roads, water and utilities. Some lots are in old undeveloped subdivisions of county that we often refer to as paper lots because they appear on a plat map but to find the lot is extremely difficult since there are no developed roads or infrastructure.  So I recommend caution when purchasing lots like these and do your due diligence before purchasing.  When you buy a lot sight seen you’re really taking big chance. 

 

 

Q.  If I buy a lot can I live in my RV or travel trailer on the lot while I build my house?

A.    You should be able to get a temporary permit from the county to do this but be sure to check with the county first.  Usually the permit is tied to a construction permit. Contact the county Community Development Department at 707-263-2221.  If your property is in a subdivision with CC&Rs be sure to check with the HOA about getting a permit to park an RV or Trailer on your parcel.

 

 

Q.  Can I build a Dock and Pier if I purchase this Lake Front property?

A.   If your parcel borders a state highway you will need a permit from CalTran and a Lakebed Encroachment permit from the County Lakebed Management call 707-236-2344.  The County can provide you with a list of local contractors that build docks and piers. Requirements do change so contact Lakebed Management for current requirements.
 

 

Q. What are property taxes in Lake County?

A. The property tax in Lake County is 1.25% of transfer value plus direct assessments, additional fees and ad velorum which varies from community to community. See the County Assessor’s Office for more information about property taxes in specific areas.  You can call 707-263-2302
 

 

Q. What is the sales tax in Lake County?

A.  8.25%

Q. VACATION RENTALS.  I want to purchase a home in Lake County with the intention of making it a vacation rental.

A. Do your homework before buying. Most successful vacation rentals in Lake County have lakefront or lake access. Most others may not work as well. Vacation rentals are seasonal. You need to know if there are CC&Rs that restrict vacation rentals. If you are not prepared to do the marketing and property management required to make a vacation rental successful then I recommend consulting with Lake Vacation Rentals in Lakeport. They can be reached at 707-263-7188.  Some folks use an online resource like VACATION RENTAL BY OWNER  www.VRBO.com

 

 

Q.  I was told I own a paper lot, what does that mean?

A.  We have several old subdivisions in Nice, Lucerne and a few other areas that were not developed by today’s standards. There is no infrastructure; no survey markers and most do not have accessible roads so they are known by local realtors as paper lots. They are sold as is and investors usually purchase them very cheap with the hope that someday they will be developed and worth more. People still buy these lots sight-unseen hoping they will be a good long term investment.  I don’t recommend buying any real estate site-unseen.  Since there is no real market for these lots and the value is so low I do not usually take listings for these types of properties.  If you can’t sell the lot then you might consider donating it to a charity organization like Habitat for Humanity or perhaps the Lake County Land Trust might be willing to take it.

Qualifying for a mortgage and working with a lender

If you need a loan in order to purchase a property you will need to work with a lender and the common thing they will ask for is as follows:

1.  W-2 forms or business tax return forms if you’re self-employed for the last two or three years for every person signing the loan.

2.  Copies of one or more months of pay stubs from every person signing the loan.

3.  Copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements for both checking and savings accounts.

4.  Copies of personal tax forms for the last two to three years.

5.  Copies of brokerage account statements for two to four months, as well as a list of any other major assets of value, e.g., a boat, RV, or stocks or bonds not held in a brokerage account.

6.  Copies of your most recent 401(k) or other retirement account statement.

7.  Documentation to verify additional income, such as child support, pension, etc.

8.  Account numbers of all your credit cards and the amounts of any outstanding balances.

9.  Lender, loan number, and amount owed on other installment loans—student loans, car loans, etc.

10. Addresses where you lived for the last five to seven years, with names of landlords, if appropriate.

11. If you have little or no established credit you may still get a loan but the loan will be based on non-traditional credit. To help establish non-traditional credit the lender will want letters or payment history evidence for regular payments made to utilities and other regular payments.

When working with a lender of mortgage broker have them help you do the following:

1. Determine if you have enough saved to cover your down payment and closing

    costs including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees.

2. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report.

3. Determine how large a mortgage you can qualify for. Explore different loans options and decide what’s best for you. Determine if you qualify for any special mortgage or down-payment assistance programs.

4. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to pre-approve you for a loan.

5. Calculate the costs of homeownership, including property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and association fees, if applicable.

Helpful Links

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SITES

Making Homes Affordable.gov

HUD.Gov

My Money.Gov

Veterans Administration

 

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SITES

California Housing

Consumer Home Mortgage Information in California

Purchasing a Home in California

CalVet

County of Lake      255 North Forbes St. Lakeport, CA 95453       707-263-2580

City of Lakeport    225 Park Street, Lakeport, CA 95453               707-263-5615

City of Clearlake    14050 Olympic Dr. Clearlake, CA 95422        707-994-8201

Contingencies

In a real estate purchase agreement you are protected by a number of contingencies.  Some contingencies are investigative contingencies that provide you with a way to cancel a contract if there is something about a property that you can not accept. There is also an appraisal contingency and a loan contingency.  Be sure that you are familiar with these contingencies and what effect they have when you release them. When you release all of your contingencies you are basically giving up your right to cancel the contract. Be sure that you understand the contingencies and the timeframes in the contract when they must be released.

Investigating the Property

When you enter into contract with a seller you have a certain period of time to investigate the property.  This is a very important part of making a purchase.  You want to be thorough in your investigation and satisfied when your investigation is complete. There are many advisories and disclosures that you will sign and these documents will be provided to you to point out various issues that you may consider investigating. Be sure that you understand this process before writing an offer.  You can do some of this investigation before writing an offer and it is a good idea to do so but if you spend too much time doing this you may loose out to another buyer. So be aware that you will have time while in contract to do investigations. With exception to Bank Owned Properties, sellers are required by law to disclose all material facts about a property. Material facts are things that would matter to you as a buyer.