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.

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.

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.

2002 Rickenbacker Lane

2002 Rickenbacker Lane, Lincoln, CA 95648-Well designed floor plan at Lakeside in Lincoln. You’ll love the open feel of the kitchen and family room areas. Warm, neutral paint colors, tile counter with extended backsplash, built-in microwave, alarm system and much more! Full back yard landscaping with stamped concrete patio, mow curb and auto sprinklers. Located in a nice new, friendly neighborhood and just down the street from a park. Close to schools and community sports fields. Listed at $179,999, all offers will be considered.

222 D Street

222 D Street, Lincoln, CA 95648-A recent remodel on this cute bungalow in downtown Lincoln makes it move-in ready! Hardwood flooring, carpet, custom paint, central heat and air, crown molding, wainscoting, and more. You’ll love the bright and spacious kitchen with oak cabinets, white appliances, tile flooring, gas cooktop and decorative tile countertops. Great location close to McBean Park. This home also has a detached garage with alley access and an inviting front porch. Great price and perfect for the first-time homebuyer. Listed at only $109,999.

1300 Hudson Circle

1300 Hudson Circle, Lincoln, CA 95648-Move in ready! This richly appointed home is located close to schools and parks and has all the right upgrades. Granite counter tops, stainless appliances, gorgeous cherry wood cabinets and so much more. You’ll love the spacious master and functional floorplan. Other features include upstairs laundry and finished garage with epoxy floors. Don’t delay, own a home with a lower monthly payment than rent! Listed at only $149,999

Call or email today if you have any questions about any of these homes. 916 408-2222.

I’ve said it before, Lincoln, CA is a great place to live!. We are located close to pretty much everything. Day trips to the resorts up I-80 and towards San Francisco are an easy possibility. This time of year we love to take some trips to the snow. The kids enjoy sledding, building snow caves and snowmen, and drinking hot chocolate. One of the places we like is about an hour up I-80 at Cisco Grove. There is a snow park there, but we prefer to hike up behind the park and blaze our own trails. My wife and I take the camp chairs and set up at the bottom of the hill while the kids wear themselves out. The good thing about being only an hour away is that you can look at the weather and jump in the car without having to plan too much or take a full day to get somewhere if the weather is going to be terrible. As the kids start to get cold and wet, I fire up a couple Jetboil backpacking stoves (well used on all our Scout camps) and get the water ready for hot chocolate. Some hot chocolate and then a few more runs and we can stop at In and Out in Auburn for dinner and be home before dark. Cost is minimal. $10 for parking, 1/4 tank of gas, some packets of chocolate that were in the camping box anyway, and less than $30 at In and Out. As long as there aren’t any co-pays at the emergency room, we have a great day with the family for under $75. Right now sleds are on sale and most of the sporting goods stores. We really enjoy doing day trips. I am the kind of person that would rather get out and do something than sit in front of a movie screen (ok on rainy days) or waste a day doing nothing… Let me know if anyone has any good ideas for day trips, we are always looking for new adventures!

2049 Glenveagh Lane, Lincoln, CA

Move-in ready! This quality-built Pulte home is located in a great 12 Bridges neighborhood close to schools, parks and walking trails. With a functional and spacious floor plan, this home has 5 bedrooms and 4 full baths, including a full bed and bath downstairs. This plan also includes a formal living and dining room, large loft, a den, and a huge great room. You’ll love the upgrades this home has to offer! The bright and open kitchen has granite countertops, top quality cabinets with roll-outs, upgraded appliances and a walk-in pantry. This home has warm, two-tone custom paint, tile flooring, premium carpet and more. The fully landscaped yard includes custom concrete, auto sprinkler and drip, landscape lighting, covered patio, mow curb and lots of room to play or relax. Other features include plantation shutters, built-in media niche, laundry sink, whole house fan, ceiling fans and a finished 3 car garage. From the excellent location to the size and functionality of the floor plan, this is a must see home!

Call me at 916 408-2222 if you have any questions or would like a private tour.

6900 sf Custom Home in Catta Verdera-now only $1,132,900

Well, let me preface this by saying what I say right now might not apply 10 days or 10 minutes from now. The real estate market is ever changing. There are numerous variables that will cause price shifts, movement in supply and demand and the overall “mood” of the market. Some of these variables can affect the market nationwide (interest rates, govt. stimulus etc.) and others affect Lincoln or even just parts of the city.

This being said, here is my simple take on the market today:

1) rates are extremely low and many buyers that have been looking for a while are realizing their “buying power” has increased. They qualify for a higher loan amount. Even with the lower rates we haven’t seen the price increases that usually go hand in hand. Buyer power has truly increased.

2) the low rates haven’t stimulated the housing market overall like the government hoped. However, in Lincoln, we still have a shortage of properties that can be closed in 30 or so days (non shortsale). Most buyers want to close quickly and a lot of the regular or bank-owned properties sell fast. I did see a bit of a lag in the market the last couple weeks but things are picking up again. I attribute the slow down to ”back to school”.

3)prices in Lincoln Crossing and West Lincoln seem to be falling. The smaller homes between 180K and 215K seem to be staying steady, but the larger 2800 sf+ homes are dropping. Prices in 12 Bridges (with the exception of the custom homes in Verdera) are generally stable. The custom homes in Catta Verdera will see a PLUNGE in the next few months. Sun City Lincoln is a little harder to figure out. In general the prices have dropped, but the buyers in that market will buy regardless, if it is what they want.

Overall, the properties are moving and the banks are starting to get better at processing their short sales. This is just a snapshot of my feelings as to what is going on. If you have specific questions, let me know!

Sorry if I come off harsh, it might just be a bit of an attitude after talking to some banks on short sales, but I’m also counting my blessings and trying to reflect on how lucky we are to live in this country. I’m going to try to have a more positive outlook and encourage others to do the same!

On the real estate front, rates are still extremely low and if you have good credit and a little money, it’s a great time to buy. Some of the bank-owned and traditional sales are starting to sit on the market a little longer and I feel that prices in the larger homes are starting to drop again slightly (they did go up in Placer County for a few months).  Congratulations on closing to my two clients moving out of the area.

1756 sf, 3bed/2bath sold for $233,000

2498 sf 4bed/2.5bath sold for $235,000

 Call me if you have any questions about buying or selling or the market in general.