Garth Evans

831 Dunbar Court

Welcome Home! This beautiful home is located on cul-de-sac lot in a quiet West Lincoln neighborhood. Upgraded exterior elevation with stone fascia and a quaint front porch make this home very inviting. This “Birchwood” model is an excellent single story floor plan with 2145 sf of living space including formal living and dining areas, open kitchen/family great room concept with kitchen nook, spacious den, master suite with private bath, 2 additional bedrooms and a main bath. The bright kitchen is nicely appointed with oak cabinets, tile countertops and under cabinet lighting. The oversized kitchen nook leads out to the covered patio and private back yard that is landscaped with auto sprinklers, grow boxes and a variety of trees and shrubs.

The handyman will be thrilled with the oversized driveway and the generous 3 car garage with auto door opener.  Other upgrades include upgraded heat and air, front security door, fireplace blower and more! This is NOT A SHORT SALE OR BANK-OWNED. NO MELLO ROOS, NO HOA! Can respond and close quickly!

Offered at $249,999   

Call today for a full list of upgrades and to request a private showing.

Every once in a while the Lincoln News Messenger asks me to write an article about real estate in Lincoln. This time I decided to do something a little different…

Home Preparedness

Over the last 6 years or so, I have had the opportunity to work with the Boy Scouts. Recently, a number of boys in our troop started working on their Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge. Shortly after we started, the tanker fire in Lincoln took place. About a week after the dust had settled, we had the chance to meet with one of the people who had been in charge during the disaster. He spoke to the boys about what had happened and stressed the importance of having an emergency kit in their homes. Instead of giving home beautification tips or how to cut down on your utility bills, I thought it would be worthwhile to pass along some information that could be essential for every home.

One of the first things he told us was that it was important to put together a kit that would have the essentials for at least 96 hours. He was involved in operations during 9-11 and Katrina and said that 96 hours’ worth of supplies was needed before many people were rescued or evacuated. He told us that it should be in a place that is easily accessible and probably close to the car. He suggested keeping it in backpacks or in the large plastic bins you can find at the store.

One of the first things he spoke about was having cash in relatively small bills readily available. The amount may depend on your family size, but having some cash very important. Also having some change on hand could be useful.

Food and Water-He talked about having a 4 day supply of food and water per person. He said that having a box (or boxes) of bottled water would be adequate but that it should be rotated every once in a while. Food would be items that aren’t perishable, can be stored, and don’t require cooking or refrigeration. Some items that would work well are jerky, granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, canned foods, gum, candy and dehydrated foods.  I have a backpacking stove and fuel in my kit and prefer the dehydrated backpacking meals. They don’t take up much space and the kids like them.  Along with your food you should think about having utensils and a simple mess kit or paper plates.

Personal items-One of the most important items would be a first aid kit. You should also have a toiletries kit for each person that includes soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, comb or brush, toilet paper or wet-wipes. Travel-size items that are available at some large retailers are perfect for your kit. Some members of your family may have needs that will require prescription medicine, extra contact lenses or eye-wear. Medications including Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, cough medicine and children’s medicine should be included. Babies will require additional items.

Shelter, Warmth and Clothing-I keep my camping supplies close by and ready to go in case of an emergency. Sleeping bags, foam pads and tents are part of my kit. Along with this, jackets, hats and gloves should be included for every member of the family. Even in warm weather these items can be useful. Each person should have a change of clothing for warm and cool weather, extra under garments, rain gear, extra socks and a sturdy pair of boots.

Additional equipment-flashlights, headlamps, extra batteries, lantern, flares, candles, lighters, shovel, radio, work gloves, rope, a roll of duct tape, pen and paper, whistle(s), dust masks, tarp, camera and other items can be added if deemed necessary.  He did tell us that it could be helpful to have some simple games included. Some individuals prepare more or less items and this list is not comprehensive, it just gives an idea of some things you may want to think about.

Emergency plan-each household should have an emergency plan laid out for any time of the day. Who picks up the kids if a disaster happens while they are at school? Where does everyone meet? Communication by cell phone may not be possible during a disaster and it is good to go over everything and have a plan for every situation. “Be Prepared”  like the Boy Scouts and a tough situation can turn into an event that the whole family will get through and look back on as an adventure.

Let me know if you have any ideas about emergency preparedness!

1088 Lawrence Lane

Here is a new listing in Lincoln Crossing that is really better than new! This beautiful home is located on a quiet street in a great neighborhood. Upgraded throughout, you will be impressed from the minute you walk in the door. The richly appointed kitchen has dark cherry wood cabinets, granite countertops, top of the line stainless appliances, tile flooring and pendant and under cabinet lighting. Throughout the home you will find plush premium carpet, plantation shutters, ceiling fans and so much more! This floor plan is very appealing with a downstairs bed and bath as well as a spacious den with French doors, formal living and dining and a great room concept for the kitchen and family rooms. Upstairs you will find the generously-sized master bed and bath as well as 3 additional bedrooms and another full bathroom. All the bathrooms are highly upgraded with brushed nickel fixtures, tile flooring, granite slab counters and bath surrounds. Excellent curb appeal and meticulous landscaping greet you from the street and invite you to the back yard. This home is extremely clean and is just waiting for your personal touches. Enjoy free internet to your home and the swimming pools, workout facilities and other amenities that Club Lincoln has to offer. This is NOT A SHORT SALE OR BANK-OWNED. No delays on response or closing!

Offered at $309,999   

Call today for a full list of upgrades and to request a private showing.

Location, Location, Location! This beautiful home is located on a quiet street directly across from the 26 acre Miner’s Ravine nature preserve. Not only will you enjoy Roseville’s premier network of trails, you will also have your own private paradise. As you relax next to the pool or unwind while listening to the soothing fountain on the side courtyard, you will feel like you have walked into a lush, botanical garden. Various types of trees and shrubs provide privacy and shade to the unique yard. Inside the home you will be greeted by architectural details such as a rounded entry-way and soaring 17 foot windows appointed with custom blinds. The inviting family room has large picture-windows with an unobstructed view to the yard, wood-burning fireplace, and surround sound. The kitchen is nicely finished with a granite slab island with prep sink, black appliances, tile floors and raised panel maple cabinets. You can look out to the courtyard from the many windows of the bright kitchen nook and there are multiple access points to the yard. At almost 3600 sf, this home includes 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, a spacious loft/bonus room and a 2^nd floor covered balcony. The master bedroom is conveniently located on the main floor and there is also an additional full bed and bath downstairs. You’ll love the open, airy feel of the 2^nd floor looking across to the tall windows of the formal rooms. Maple banisters with ornamental iron railings add to the look. If you are looking for a home with a functional floor plan, beautiful pool, close to nature yet convenient to shopping and hospitals, and in the highly desirable Eureka school district, this is the home for you!

Call today for a full list of upgrades and to request a private showing.

Here is your chance to own a beautiful “move-in ready” home in the highly desirable, gated community of Verdera. Loaded with tons of custom features and upgrades, this home will impress the most discriminating buyer. From the curb appeal of the stylish rock fascia to the spacious yard, there are so many things to like about this home. As you enter, you will see the quality of the upgrades. Plush, premium carpet, tile with inlaid medallion mosaic, elegant fixtures and so much more. The bright kitchen is richly appointed with top of the line GE stainless appliances including a double oven with convection, gas cook-top and over-sized hood. It also has granite countertops, decorative backsplash and tile floors. The home is great for entertaining and includes a large dining room with french doors out to the side courtyard. The extensive yard is fully landscaped with an eye-catching rock retaining wall spanning the back of the yard and it is a yard you can enjoy. Those with a “green thumb” can tend to the various fruit trees or putter in the raised grow boxes of the garden area. Inside, the master bedroom is generously sized and the master bath includes a jetted tub, split vanities, shower with rain head, body jets and a huge walk-in closet. This home has larger bedrooms, an upstairs laundry and a space for a reading nook. The split 3 car garages are fully finished with florescent lighting, epoxy floors and quiet I-Drive automatic door opener. You’ll love the gated neighborhood with 24 hour security patrol, front yard lawn maintenance and paved walking trails.

Call today for a full list of upgrades and to request a private showing.

Gold Country Media asks me to write articles for the Inside Lincoln Magazine and for the News Messenger every now and again. Here is one I wrote that gives an outline of a real estate transaction. I think it is important for buyers and sellers to have an  understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. There are a lot of phone calls, emails, coordination and time spent by good agents. It is more than just putting a sign out or writing an offer. This is still oversimplified but gives an idea of what happens:

Road Map to a Real Estate Transaction

Some buyers and sellers really aren’t interested in the details of what goes on during a real estate transaction. Others want to be very involved and want to know all the inner workings of a deal. There are some real estate agents that would rather keep their clients in the dark, but it is important for both buyers and sellers to be educated regarding the process. This article will give you a quick outline of what you may expect during a real estate transaction.

1)      Listing agreement and preparation for market. Seller will meet with the agent they have chosen and sign a listing agreement that clearly shows the price the property will be listed at and the term of the agreement. The agent should make recommendations about how to make the property more marketable. Pictures will be taken and other marketing will be prepared. Video tours are becoming more popular for the higher price range.

2)      Showing the property. The listing agent and other buyer agents will show the property. It makes it much easier to show if the property has a lockbox and the owners aren’t present at the time of showing.

3)      The Contract. The buyer agent will meet with their buyer after showing the property. It is not uncommon for a potential buyer to look at the home more than once. The agent should give advice about actual value of the property. The list price may be higher or lower than the comparable sales and the agent should show the buyer some of the past sales in the neighborhood. The buyer must be preapproved and the agent should work with the buyer and their loan officer to formulate the offer. The listing agent will go over the offer with the seller and either accept, counter or reject the offer.

4)      Once an offer is accepted it becomes a contract. At this point, a lot of things happen simultaneously. Escrow is opened with a title company; the preliminary title report and a natural hazard disclosure are ordered. The buyer’s earnest money deposit is submitted to escrow and inspections are scheduled. The seller will fill out disclosures with their agent and the buyer will be able to review them. The inspections may include a pest inspection and a whole house inspection. Depending on the property you may want to do a well test, septic pumping, pool inspection, roof certification or other tests under the advice of the agent.  At the same time the loan officer will be asking the buyer for updated documentation, order an appraisal and be working to package the loan for underwriting.

5)      Contingency removal. This is an important step in the transaction. There is a set time for the buyers to do all their inspections, review the disclosures, get the appraisal and have the loan approved. In most transactions the period is 17 days, but lately some sellers require that the period is tightened up to 10 days or less. The buyer’s agent will have a form that will need to be filled out that indicates everything is in place and the buyer is ready to move forward to close the deal. In a regular transaction, there may be a request for repairs that should be worked out prior to contingency removal.

6)      Final walk-through and signing. The buyer will do a final walk-through within 5 days of the close of escrow to make sure the property is in the same physical condition as when they made the offer. They will check to see if all of the agreed upon repairs have been done. Both buyer and seller will have appointments set with the title company to sign all the final transfer documents. The buyer package will be larger as it will include their loan documents as well. Buyer will bring in their down payment money and after the documents are signed, the title company will request funds from the lender and then send the transfer deed to the county to record. Upon recording confirmation, the title company will notify the agents and the buyer will get the keys.

This is just a general outline and simplification of what should happen during your transaction. Every transaction is different and each has challenges that will need to be met and overcome. It is important that you have a good agent that is aware of the timelines and has good communication with the parties involved. As a buyer or seller you may not be aware of all the work that goes on behind the scenes. Contact a professional agent in your area to work for you in making your transactions seem easy.

See how Garth does business in Lincoln…

So, every once in a while the Lincoln News Messenger asks me to write an article related to the real estate market here in Lincoln, CA. This is a draft of what I will have coming up in next week’s News Messenger:

Thinking about buying in today’s market?

Right now is a great time to buy. Prices have gone down dramatically and interest rates are still low. There is still a lot of inventory and many great opportunities, but there are some things you should think about before the excitement causes you to make a mistake. Here are some of the things you should consider:
• Hire a professional. Although there are many good websites that give you access to numerous home listings, you should hire an agent who will work for you. Hire a professional agent that knows the area well. The agent can help you in terms of location and will have information about the area including school boundaries, proposed construction, HOA’s, special assessments etc. It is worth not only having someone who knows how to negotiate but also someone who will know everything about the area.
• Be prepared with a loan preapproval. Most real estate agents can give you good recommendations of loan officers who are experienced and can get the job done. You need a loan officer that will educate you and help you understand the different loan options that are available. Although you may be hearing that it is a “Buyer’s Market”, the competition is stiff and you must be prepared to act quickly after a home comes on the market if you want a chance to purchase. Almost all sellers will require a preapproval letter with an offer.
• Choose a target area and type of home you want to buy. After you know which area you think you want to be in, spend some time driving around the neighborhood on different days at various times during the day. What may seem to be a quiet neighborhood at 2:00 pm on a Tuesday afternoon may be totally different on a Friday evening. Talk to the neighbors and ask them how they like the neighborhood. Speak with your agent about the characteristics that you want in a home. A good agent will listen and won’t waste your time showing you homes that you don’t want. Create a detailed list of needs and wants.
• Understand the process. A good agent will sit down with you and help you to understand the process from start to finish. Become educated and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Know the difference between buying a short sale, bank-owned or traditional sale and the possible challenges of each. At your first visit with your agent, you should strategize with the agent and come up with a game plan for finding a house. Talk with the agent about how you will communicate, best times for you to look at homes and let the agent know what you expect. Also ask the agent what he or she expects of you as a buyer.
• Don’t get frustrated. The process can be challenging. You may get beat out on offers and there may be some disappointment. If your offer gets rejected, talk with the agent about why it wasn’t accepted and use the experience to give yourself a better chance on the next offer. Buying a home is an exciting time and should be a good experience. Have fun with it.
• Start thinking about home inspectors and other contractors that can help you either during the process or after you buy the home. Once you are in escrow and the appraisal has been done it is a good idea to have a professional home inspection. This can let you know what will need to be done right away and what things you may want to think about having done in the future. On a regular sale you could ask for things to be repaired. The cost of a home inspection can usually be recouped through the repairs you ask to be done or at the least let you know what needs to be done. It can also save you from making a big mistake.
This is just a short list of a few things you may want to think about as you start the home buying process. The experience should be fun and exciting and a lot of the stress can be alleviated by hiring people who are competent and have expertise in the various aspects of the process. Don’t take the process lightly. You must do your homework, become educated and you will be able to make what is usually the biggest investment in your life.

1859 Loring Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648

Welcome Home! This beautiful home is located on a large corner lot in a quiet neighborhood. Excellent curb appeal and meticulous landscaping greet you from the street. Upgraded exterior elevation with stone fascia, extended exposed aggregate driveway and a quaint front porch make this home very inviting. You will be impressed with the wonderful floor plan including formal living and dining rooms, the open kitchen/family great room with the kitchen nook, and 4 bedrooms with 2 incredibly upgraded bathrooms. Each bath has granite counters, granite surrounds, quality fixtures and tile flooring. The bright kitchen is nicely appointed with granite countertops, cherry wood cabinets, stainless appliances, pendant and under cabinet lighting, and tile flooring. The oversized kitchen nook looks out to the free-form salt finish patio and the back yard is professionally landscaped with a variety of trees and shrubs.

The handyman will be thrilled with the finished 3 car garage. Other upgrades include exterior coach lights, separate laundry room with sink, custom paint and so much more. You won’t be disappointed! This is NOT A SHORT SALE OR BANK-OWNED and can be closed in 30 days!

Call today for a full list of upgrades and to request a private showing.

Rainbow in Roseville, CA

Are you the kind of person that always looks forward to the next step in life or is never satisfied with the way things are? To some extent, I have to say that I have been guilty of that. Thinking that things will be much better once some sort of event or milestone happens. Don’t you remember thinking that things will be much more fun once I get to high school, or once I graduate, or once I get a real job…Anyway, this spring has seemed to be quite wet and I am looking forward to the warm weather. I am thankful for the rain and realize that it is good that we have had more than normal for a number of reasons. Last night I was out with my wife and we saw this incredible rainbow, maybe the rain is over…