Big Valley Properties

Office
707-994-7100
Cell
707-291-0698
9960 Highway 53
P.O. Box 581
Lower Lake, CA 95457
kelseyvillerealestate@yahoo.com
Century 21 NorthBay Alliance
How to Prepare Your House For a Quick Sale
1.  Disassociate yourself from the home.
2.  De-Personalize.
3.  De-Clutter!
4.  Rearrange closets and cabinets to show
how   
much room there is for storage.
5.  Remove/replace favorite items.
6.  Rent a Storage unit to store some furniture
etc.
to help the rooms appear larger.
7.  Make minor repairs.
8.  Make the house sparkle!
9.  Scrutinize.  Does the house welcome you?
10. Check the curb appeal!
10 Important Steps to Take Before
You Sell Your Home
1.  Get Pre-Approved for a new home
loan.
2.  Check your mortgage payoff amount.
3.  Determine how much your house is
worth.
4.  Estimate your costs to sell.
5.  Estimate costs to buy a new home.
6.  Calculate your estimated sale
proceeds.
7.  Make necessary repairs.
8.  Get the house ready to show.
9.  Get psyched up to let people in to
see your home.
10. Get ready to move!
10 Simple Tips For First-Time Home Buyers
1.   Know what you can afford to spend.
2.   Find out if you qualify for home buying help.  HUD, VA, and CalFHA have
programs for 1st time homebuyers.
3.  Get pre-qualified for a loan.  First, get a copy of your credit report.  I can
help you find a reputable lender.
4.  Make a list of "must-haves" and another list of "would-like-to-have".
Prioritize and be realistic.
5.  Don't spend time looking at homes you can't afford.
6.  Realize the neighborhood you choose is at least as important as the house.
Make sure you are comfortable there.  You can fix a house; you can't fix a
neighborhood.
7.  Think about resale values.  When you spot a home you like, consider how it
will look to future buyers.
8.  Find out and calculate on going maintenance costs and other factors
like taxes, insurance and utilities.
9.  Have the house inspected by a professional home inspection company
and carefully review the report.
10. Examine the pre-closing statement provided by your Realtor and Lender.
Make sure you have enough cash to close the deal.
Why Use a REALTOR?
The Personal and Professional commitment
of a REALTOR is to ensure that a Buyer and
Seller are brought together to make an
agreement that is fair and equitable to both
parties.

Not every Real Estate Agent is a REALTOR.
A REALTOR is a member of their local
Association of Realtors, and the State and
National Realtors Associations.

As a REALTOR, I have taken an oath to
subscribe to a stringent and enforceable
Code of Ethics with Standards of Practice
that promote the fair, ethical and honest
treatment of all parties in a transaction.  
Non-member agents have taken no such
oath and are not morally bound to these
ethical practices and principles.
Homeowners Beware:  Foreclosure Rescue Scams
With the recent rise in foreclosures, foreclosure-related scams have exploded onto the real estate scene.  The so-called
"foreclosure rescue companies" claim they will help save your home, but in reality are out to make a profit-at your expense.

Red Flags for Foreclosure Rescue Scams
If you are at risk of or in foreclosure, you should be on the lookout for foreclosure scams. Here are some to watch out for:
  • Asks for money upfront before providing any service.
  • Instructs you not to contact your lender, lawyer, family,
      friends, housing counselor or others.
  • Asks for mortgage payments to be made directly to his
      or her company or a bank account set up by that
      person, rather than your lender.
  • Requires payment only in the form of cash, cashier's
      check or wire transfer.
  • Promises to stop the foreclosure process, no matter
      the circumstances.
  • Advises you to transfer your property deed or title to
      his or her company.
  • Offers to fill out paperwork for you.
  • Asks for something to be done immediately and without
    delay.
      This includes pressuring you into signing paperwork that
       you have not had the change to read thoroughly or do
       not fully understand.
  • Encourages you to lease your house and buy it back
    over time.
  • Offers to buy your house for a fixed price that is not set
    by the housing market at the time of sale.
  • Asks for you to give a power of attorney.
  • Asks for signatures on a grant deed or deed of trust.
  • Asks for signatures on a document that has blank lines.
  • Fails to provide copies of signed documents.
  • Refuses or fails to put an oral promise in writing.
Report Fraud
If you have been a victim of a foreclosure-related scam or approached by a scam artist, you may report the incident to the
following organizations and government enforcement agencies:
  • California Attorney General, http://ag.ca.gov
  • California Department of Real Estate, http://www.dre.ca.gov
  • Federal Trade Commission, http://www.ftc.gov
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development, http://www.hud.gov
  • Your local Better Business Bureau, http://www.bbb.org