New Listing - 16 Somer Ridge Drive, Roseville, CA 95661

Loved by one owner for over a decade, this 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2,340sf hidden gem is tucked away in the gated community Somerset Hills and is ready for a new owner. You will love the spacious, light and bright layout with a freshly painted interior and new floors. Enter into the foyer. A formal living room overlooks the front yard. Spacious kitchen opens to the family room and has a large breakfast counter, stainless appliances, LOTS of cabinet and counterspace, and has a large sunny eat-in dining nook. The family room features a cozy fireplace and looks out to the backyard. Huge separate formal dining room. The primary suite has abundant light, dual closets and linen cabinet, and an ensuite bathroom with a separate tub and a stall shower. Down the hallway three more large bedrooms and another bathroom with a tub/shower. Large patio space is the perfect place to enjoy coffee and conversation, or for al fresco dining while entertaining guests on a crisp evening. Big 0.19ac lot backyard with lots of sunny space to garden or play. Enviable inside laundry/utility room features extra storage cabinets. Attached 3-car garage. Central heat & air. Cul-de-sac lot! Section 1 pest clearance. HOA dues are $85/mo. All this is located in close proximity to award-winning k-12 schools, public transit, parks, shopping, restaurants, freeway access, and more! Don't wait! Successor Trustee Sale. Offered at $760,000. For more photos and a 3D virtual tour, please visit 16 Somer Ridge Drive, Roseville, CA 95661.

Erin, where are all the homes that should be for sale in Sacramento?

I was quoted in a Sacramento Bee article last week, that among other things discussed the imbalance of supply of homes for sale and demand to purchase homes. I was quoted in the article saying "At some point there is going to be this backlog of sellers who have forgone selling. We are going to see those people put their houses on the market."

BUT WHEN?

That is a fabulous question. I thought I'd take a minute to describe some of the things I have been hearing from my clients, as well as some of the bottlenecks and challenges sellers have in this environment. At some point the trickle of new listings will be a little more steady, but we have some things to work through in our Sacramento real estate market.

(1) Some sellers still do not feel safe having buyers in their homes. Some homeowners who want to sell have a higher or lower risk tolerance than others. While the COVID19 vaccine has recently become more widely available, it will still be several months before the majority of the population in our region has been fully vaccinated. And cautious sellers who fear catching COVID19 have been staying put. I have conversations with would-be sellers in this category all the time. It does seem like there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but every would-be seller will have a different comfort-level here.

(2) The court systems have been backed up. You may not realize how many transactions are dependent on court orders or other legal processes. For example the probate court system, which governs who will manage the estate of a deceased person, was closed for a few months. There is a tremendous case backlog, and those who will ultimately decide if and when to sell a home that was owned by someone who died are not able to manage the estate affairs without a court order. I have one client who filed for probate back in the summer 2020 who was just recently finally granted authority to handle his father's estate. Courts also often weigh in on the sale of homes in divorce/family law and bankruptcy cases too.

(3) There is an eviction moratorium and various "just cause" ordinances in place preventing landlords from displacing tenants. While I feel for the plight of tenants who face a COVID19-related hardship, there are property owners who would love to sell if they were able to end the tenancy of their current renters. It is often challenging to sell a home with tenants for a variety of reasons. I was contacted by a single-family homeowner last year who had a non-paying tenant, and ultimately they were advised by their attorney that they could not evict the tenants and should not try to sell until the tenants were either paying rent or move out. 

(4) There is a moratorium on foreclosures. While we have been in an increasing price market for a while in Sacramento and distressed property listings (short sales and foreclosures) account for a very small fraction of listings, these listings are not coming on the market as quickly. (4b) Homeowners who are unemployed or under-employed are propped up by federal stimulus, additional pandemic unemployment insurance income, and loan forbearance. At some point, some of these homeowners will sell when the federal assistance expires.

(5) It can be a little more difficult to prepare a home for sale. I have spoken to many contractors are reluctant to work on occupied homes. For those that do, their schedules tend to be booked out for weeks or months. Some organizations have stopped taking certain donated items, so clearing out the house can take longer. Many building materials, supplies, and appliances have become scarce and can be difficult or expensive to obtain. (I personally am still waiting for delivery of a new cooktop I ordered in early March. I will be lucky to have it by the end of May according to the supplier. No it is not stuck on the Ever Given!)

(6) Where will the seller move once they sell? In this low inventory environment for both purchasing AND renting homes, sellers often express concern that if they sell their home they may not be able to purchase or rent something else. Not every seller has an easy move-out plan. I easily have 8 would-be sellers who would list tomorrow if they were confident in finding a replacement property. There are still plenty of ways to work through this, but some of the options can be a little stressful for risk-averse sellers/buyers.

So hopefully this is informative. And as I was quoted in the Sacramento Bee article -- at some point sellers who have not listed their homes WILL sell. I have a queue of many people who very much want to sell. And at some point we will see those homes come to market. There are ways to work within many of these challenges with a little creativity and determination. I am still listing plenty of homes...

The good news is I am seeing a little more inventory as we inch more into the spring. This is the time of year when we normally see more listing inventory...and I can only hope it takes some of the upward pressure off the market for home buyers, as the current trajectory of the market is not sustainable for the long term. but we all know there is less that is the normal we are all used to. 

Sacramento Home Seller B-I-N-G-O!

After one particularly stressful transaction recently that was laced with several pandemic-induced challenges I jokingly asked my seller client "So was 'getting exposed to COVID right before closing' on your BINGO card"? 

And we both laughed.

And then it hit me -- gosh maybe adding some levity during an otherwise stressful time would be a good idea. So, starting now I will be giving my sellers a BINGO card to complete during our transaction. I used an online program that randomizes the squares so each client will have a unique card for their own unique transaction. Any client who achieves a BINGO will get a $100 gift card to a restaurant of their choosing at closing.

The market is a little nutty and things can get chaotic, so let's have some fun too. 

Earned a Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist (CPRES) designation

Not that I have loads of spare time, but as we are spending more time at home during the COVID19 pandemic, I have dedicated more time in 2020 to continuing education. While I have closed many probate estate transactions and already consider that to be an area of expertise, I recently earned a Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist (CPRES) designation. This additional education will be an asset as I assist estate personal representatives throughout Sacramento to sell properties that are in probate estates. 

Probate is a legal process through which the applicable county court verifies that a deceased person's assets are distributed according to the deceased's Will or via applicable law. Most people filing for probate need to connect with an attorney who specializes in estate law - I know several great ones if you need a referral.

It is an emotional time for any family, and a confusing path to navigate. Having an expert to help sell the real estate assets of a probate estate is really a key. 

This is a path I have traveled both personally and professionally. Not only have I sold many homes via probate processes, but I have also been the personal representative and administrator of my mom's probate estate when she passed away unexpectedly. 

I know first hand what the process is like from the inside out, and I try to smooth out the rough edges for my clients. 

Quoted in today's Sacramento Bee in an article about the real estate market...

I was quoted in today's Sacramento Bee in an article by Tony Bizjak about the Sacramento real estate market. The headline of the article is a little funny to me -- as prices increase, so (generally) does home equity. Clearly this is great for homeowners and sellers. Higher home prices - not so great for buyers.

Things are complicated.

As I have mentioned before, we have an imbalance of supply and demand in the market right now. This stems from fewer than normal sellers listing their homes, and a high number of buyers who are highly motivated to purchase homes as we are all spending so much more time at home now.

Sellers who would otherwise list their homes are faced with several challenges that are unique to our COVID19 environment:

• Some contractors are reluctant to do repairs or remodeling in occupied homes. This makes things a little more difficult to prepare homes for sale.
• The courts were closed for a prolonged period of time. Courts are now open but caseloads are backed up. Petitioners for probate have had a much longer wait to receive their "orders and letters" needed to appoint a personal representative. Personal representatives, who have authority to act on the estate's behalf, can't prepare or list homes for sale until their authority is ratified by the court. 
• Estate liquidators have some challenges selling the contents from the homes of those who have died. The traditional estate sale is just not really feasible right now due to social distancing. This affects homes in trusts and in the probate process, and these properties now take longer to clear out.
• Ever try to clear out a home yourself where someone has passed away? It it emotionally draining and physically difficult! It takes a long time under normal circumstances, and longer when people are reluctant to come to a garage sale.
• At a time when everyone is supposed to be social distancing, many sellers are not excited to have dozens of people in and out of their homes for showings! Not only can it be overwhelming to sanitize between showings, but many sellers do not want to take the risk of exposure COVID19. While buyers and agents must provide a health declaration swearing they do not have symptoms of COVID19, there may be asymptomatic carriers of the virus who access the property. 
• Spending so much time at home, where can you go during showings? It is best to leave during showings, and many local businesses are closed. Travel is not as easy as it used to be, so it may not be super convenient to pack up the kids and pets to leave.
• The kids are going back to school! Seriously, now that so many people are working from home and kids doing distance-learning during the day, who has time to sell the house? And how much more disruptive will a move be?
• If you have a home to sell in order to purchase your next home, with such low inventory, what will you be able to buy?
• Some sellers want to wait things out and get past the COVID19 situation to a time where things are more predictable and certain.

These are common things I hear from people thinking about selling. And for some would-be sellers, sometimes these challenges are insurmountable. I thankfully have been able to work with and around most of these scenarios with sellers. I have numerous inspectors and tradespeople I can refer who will work through these conditions. I have a really creative estate liquidator who has pivoted to virtual estate sales and some creative online sales techniques. There are viable alternatives in many cases. But things are slower moving for sure.

With low inventory and LOTS of interested buyers including more than usual bay area transplants, it can be a good time to put your Sacramento home on the market if you have a well-crafted plan and circumstances allow.

2018 - review of my real estate transaction statistics and how I compare to Sacramento market averages...

I ended last year with a bang, and had a busy start to 2018. I can't believe the year is over already! And what a year it was...it was one of my busiest years ever in my 13+ years in Sacramento real estate and did so while finishing my master's degree.

I like to track the statistics of my transactions, and toward the year end I always reflect on what I have done, how I compare to the rest of the agents in the market, and how I can improve. So as a follow up to my similar post last year, I thought I would publish some statistics and my thoughts on the coming year. Keep in mind, I am not a part of a "team" and this is all my own production. This year, all of my transactions are in Metrolist MLS, so this information is easily verifiable (although one sale was erroneously attributed to me that is not included in here)...in 2018:

-I closed 36 transactions and closed $14,473,000 in volume. My lowest transaction was $190,000, and my highest transaction was $749,900. The average was $402,028 and the median was $376,050.
-41.67% of my transactions were past/repeat clients (which is amazing to me!) 58.33% were new clients.
-94.4% of my transactions were residential properties (condos, single family homes), 5.6% were multi-family properties (duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes), and 0 were other (commercial, land).
-58.3% of my transactions I represented the seller, while 41.61% of my transactions I represented the buyer.
-My typical residential listing sold for an average of 100.56% of its original listing price (meaning, 0.56% over the original listing price) in just 17 cumulative days on the market. The distinction of original and cumulative is important...original means even after a price reduction from the initial listing price, and cumulative means even if a property is re-listed or comes back on the market.
-My typical multi-family listing sold for an average of 108.7% of its original listing price (8.7% over the listing price) in just 2 cumulative days on the market.
-My typical listing had an average of 4.14 buyer offers on it! (For further disclosure though, one listing really skewed this statistic and had 23 offers on it alone...removing that one, then it becomes an average of 3.2 buyer offers)

Comparing my production statistics to the overall Sacramento real estate market averages, my clients and I had another stellar year.

For one, to qualify for the Sacramento Association of Realtors Masters Club, a realtor must close $5M in transaction volume and a minimum of 8 closed transactions. Clearly I blew those numbers out of the water. I would guess that with 36 closed transactions and nearly $14.5M in volume I am likely in the top 1-2% of all agents in greater Sacramento.

My clients are all over the spectrum from first-time buyers, move-up buyers (those who sell their home and then purchase another home), investors, sellers of property they inherited via a trust or probate, sellers retiring and moving out of the area, sellers divorcing, etc. My average and median transactions at $402,028 and $376,050 are basically in line with the average and median home prices in the Sacramento region according to Trendgraphix data. My high and low range indicates I work with a broad economic client spectrum as well, from those working with downpayment assistance to those among top-income earners in the region. I closed just one short sale listing in 2018, and I also did list one foreclosure/bank repo. Distressed properties are a very small part of the marketplace right now though 5 or so years ago they were the bulk of my transactions.

My listing statistics are also excellent...according to Trendgraphix for Sacramento County, the lowest average days on market for a single family listing in the last 14 months was 23 days on market (with a high of 41 days on market), versus my listings at 17 cumulative days on market. My original listing price versus final selling price ratio is also outstanding as my listings sell for 100.56% above original listing price on average, versus the highest month of the last 14 months at 100% (lowest at 96%). I think these numbers are indicative of my strategic approach to listing property -- complete with pre-listing inspections, staging, repairs, professional photography, 3D virtual tours, TV ads, and multi-faceted marketing.

Comparing 2017 to 2018, the market went from crazy nuts to a little more balanced between buyer and seller. This, as far as I am concerned, is a welcome change and brings a slightly more equitable transaction between buyer and seller. Sellers need to price according to the market, and buyers won't have to offer their first born to actually have their offers accepted.

 It is a good thing for buyers not to be faced with such intense competition from other buyers -- though don't get me wrong: properly marketed, appropriately priced, good homes still sell with plenty of competition and offers.

Of course I hope to improve these numbers this year in 2019...so we shall see how that shapes up! If you think we would be a good fit to work together toward your next property sale or purchase, I welcome your contact via phone or email.

New Listing - 8238 Leesburg Way, Elk Grove, CA 95624

Adorable 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1220sf Elk Grove home! You will love the spacious open layout with vaulted ceilings, freshly painted interior, updated flooring, and a cozy fireplace. The kitchen has lots of storage space, tile counters, and a cute dining nook. The backyard is a great place to garden and it has a covered deck which is a wonderful spot to entertain or barbeque! This home features a newer fencing, corner lot with possible RV access and an attached 2-car garage. It is located close to parks, Harriet Eddy Middle School, Monterey Trail High School, shopping & more! Don't wait! Offered at $339,900. For more photos and detail, please visit 8238 Leesburg Way, Elk Grove, CA 95624. MLS#18033426

Don't wait to get a "Date of Death" Appraisal...

I sell many homes where the original owner passed away, and the successor trustee of a trust is the person selling the home. As a rule, I do not give tax or legal advice to my clients since I am not a CPA and not an attorney...but I see this situation enough that I feel the need to make a suggestion to sellers of homes after the death of the owner - talk to a CPA immediately, and obtain A DATE OF DEATH APPRAISAL.

A Date of Death Appraisal is a formal valuation of the home by a state-licensed real estate appraiser upon the date of death of the owner.

You should look into this sooner than later. The estate will likely need one for tax purposes, whether you decide to sell the home immediately or wait.

For too many people having this done is an afterthought. Be proactive. Recently I sold a home for a successor trustee where the owner died over 8 years ago. The longer you wait to have a this done, the more expensive the appraisal will be. The appraisers I refer to my clients typically charge $400-$500 for an appraisal, however if they have to dig for comparable sales information that is not readily available or current, the cost will definitely increase. Additionally, if you get this done sooner than later, while you still have access to the property, the appraiser can actually see the home. If you wait a long time...and maybe even wait until after the property is sold (very common), then the appraiser not only has to dig up old information but also won't have the benefit of being able to see the home in person.

My suggestion - talk to a CPA and don't delay getting this done. If you need a referral to a great appraiser, reach out to me and I can connect you.

New Listing - 9434 Pandora Court, Orangevale, CA 95662

Well-maintained 3 bedrooms + office / possible 4th bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1813sf Orangevale home is ready for a new owner. Lovingly cared for by one owner for more than 30 years, this home is the ideal blank canvas for your personal touches! You will love the spacious, open layout, separate living and family rooms, updated kitchen with granite counters, formal dining area, large bedrooms, central heat and air, dual pane windows, composition roof and two-car attached garage. Inviting built-in swimming pool is the ideal place to play or entertain, and large sunny garden area is a great place for your green thumb! HUGE attached workshop with high ceilings and 220v is just waiting for your crafts and hobbies, and large covered RV or boat access can store all of your toys. Bring your imagination! All this located near award-winning K-12 schools, parks and recreation areas, shopping and more. Don't wait! For more photos and detail, visit 9434 Pandora Court, Orangevale, CA 95662. MLS#18035980

New Listing - 2408 E Street, Rio Linda, CA 95673

Rio Linda 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,493sf home on one acre - this is the perfect blank canvas for your personal touches! You will love the spacious layout, living room with cozy gas fireplace, laminate flooring, dual pane windows, newer central heat and air, huge over-sized 2-car attached garage with long driveway and possible RV access. Large outbuilding for additional storage. HUGE front yard, and bigger rear yard with ample room for your creative endeavors. Don't wait! Offered at $339,000. For more photos and additional detail please visit 2408 E Street, Rio Linda, CA 95673. MLS#18021809

2017 - my real estate transaction statistics and how I compare to Sacramento market averages...

I closed what will likely be my final real estate transaction of 2017 yesterday - not that I have any shortage of work to do between now and the end of the year! 2018 is shaping up to be extremely busy as well.

I like to track the statistics of my transactions, and toward the year end I always reflect on what I have done, how I compare to the rest of the agents in the market, and how I can improve. So for the sake of transparency, I thought I would post some statistics and my thoughts on the coming year. Keep in mind, I am not a part of a "team" and this is all my own production. This year, all of my transactions are in Metrolist MLS, so this information is easily verifiable...in 2017:

-I closed 38 transactions and closed $13,448,865 in volume. My lowest transaction was $95,000, and my highest transaction was $815,500. The average was $353,917 and the median was $334,500.
-65.8% of my transactions were past/repeat clients (which is amazing to me!) 34.2% were new clients.
-81.6% of my transactions were residential properties (condos, single family homes), 15.8% were multi-family properties (duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes), and 2.6% were other (commercial, land).
-57.9% of my transactions I represented the seller, while 42.1% of my transactions I represented the buyer.
-My typical residential listing sold for an average of 101.64% of its original listing price (meaning, 1.64% over the original listing price) in just 11.55 cumulative days on the market. The distinction of original and cumulative is important...original means even after a price reduction from the initial listing price, and cumulative means even if a property is re-listed or comes back on the market.
-My typical multi-family listing sold for an average of 101.4% of its original listing price (1.4% over the listing price) in just 6 cumulative days on the market.
-My typical listing had an average of 3.8 buyer offers on it!

Comparing these statistics to the overall Sacramento real estate market averages, I had a stellar year.

For one, to qualify for the Sacramento Association of Realtors Masters Club, a realtor must close $5M in transaction volume and a minimum of 8 closed transactions. Clearly I blew those numbers out of the water. I would guess that with 38 closed transactions and nearly $13.5M in volume I am likely in the top 1-2% of all agents in greater Sacramento.

My clients are all over the spectrum from first-time buyers, move-up buyers (those who sell their home and then purchase another home), investors, sellers of property they inherited via a trust or probate, sellers retiring and moving out of the area, sellers divorcing, etc. My average and median transactions at $334,500 and $353,917 are right in line with the average and median home prices in the Sacramento region according to Trendgraphix data. My high and low range indicates I work with a broad economic client spectrum as well, from those working with downpayment assistance to those among top-income earners in the region. Unlike past years, I did not close any short sale listings in 2017 (though I do have a short sale listing that is pending/approved, and scheduled close in 2018). Distressed properties are a very small part of the marketplace right now though just a few years ago they were the bulk of my transactions.

My listing statistics are also excellent...according to Trendgraphix for Sacramento County, the lowest average days on market for a single family listing in the last 14 months was 19 days on market, versus my listings at 11.55 cumulative days on market. My original listing price versus final selling price ratio is also outstanding as my listings sell for 101.64% above original listing price on average, versus the highest month of the last 14 months at 100%. I think these numbers are indicative of my strategic approach to listing property -- complete with pre-listing inspections, staging, repairs, professional photography, 3D virtual tours, and multi-faceted marketing.

Of course I hope to improve these numbers next year in 2018...so we shall see how that shapes up! If you think we would be a good fit to work together toward your next property sale or purchase, I welcome your contact via phone or email.

New Listing - 4320 20th Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95820

Adorable, well-loved 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 888sf Oak Park home is ready for a new owner and is the perfect blank canvas for your personal touches. You will love the wood floors, spacious living room, cozy fireplace, attached 1-car garage, composition roof, all on a large corner lot. Located near public transportation, parks, schools, and just down the street from a community center. Don't wait! Trust sale. Offered at $185,000. For a 3D virtual tour and more information please visit 4320 20th Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95820.

New Listing - 2921 Heron Way, Sacramento, CA 95821

Adorable and lovingly maintained Arden Arcade home is the perfect blank canvas for your personal touches! You will love the spacious layout, large living room with cozy fireplace and built-in shelving, formal dining room, charming kitchen with lots of cabinet space and huge pantry, large bonus room would make for a great den, home office, or 4th bedroom. Covered deck is the perfect place for fun gatherings, large sunny yard has plenty of room to play or garden! Newer HVAC, 2-year roof certification, and central vacuum system. Don't wait! Trust sale. Offered at $239,000. For more photos and a 3D virtual tour, visit 2921 Heron Way, Sacramento, CA 95821.

Heirs: please do not throw out home maintenance records if you find them...

I listed a Sacramento home recently where the owner passed away earlier this year. The person selling the home is the "successor trustee" of the owner's Living Trust -- the niece of the owner. She came out from Texas to go through the house, clean it out and get it ready for sale.

I visited the house the other day as they were packing items up to move and getting ready for a huge garage sale, and the niece handed me a box. Looking inside, I discovered the owner retained records for EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean everything. Every appliance she purchased, service records for maintenance, extended warranty information and more dating back nearly 40 years.

We were able to purge a little of it -- for example the central heat and air system she installed in the 1980s was replaced just a few years ago. And the coffee maker she bought in 1996 was being sold in a garage sale and not coming with the house.

Homes that are sold by the successor trustees of a living trust where the owner has passed away or become incapacitated are exempt from many of the typical disclosures given to buyers during a home sale. Often, successor trustees have never occupied the home and don't know pertinent information about the home. If you are ever in the position to have to sell the home of a deceased person, PLEASE do not throw out these records if you find them while sorting out the affairs of the estate. This sort of cache of information is absolutely invaluable to the new owner.

California Transfer On Death (TOD) Deed -- avoids probate, less expensive, faster...

Thanks to California Assembly Bill 139 that passed in 2015, as of January 1, 2016 a real property owner has a new way to avoid the Probate process. AB 139 created the "Transfer On Death" Deed. Why is this significant? Let me explain...

Generally, if a property owner dies and does not have a Living Trust, any real estate owned must go through the Probate process in order to be sold. This applies even if the property owner has a Will...so don't be fooled into thinking that property named in a Will avoids the Probate process. IT DOES NOT. The Will only serves to specify who the deceased person wants to pass the property along to. Probate is a court process to actually transfer ownership of the property. Probate is expensive, extremely time consuming, and can be highly emotionally charged...trust me, I have helped several clients through the process in order to sell homes of deceased loved ones, and it is not a process I would wish on anyone.

So I am frequently asked -- how can we avoid Probate? Up until this last year, my answer was -- talk to an attorney, form a Living Trust, and do not forget to deed your real estate into the trust. Creating a Living Trust sets up a mechanism that transfers responsibility for real estate to a Successor Trustee, which makes selling a home after death pretty simple. There are two downsides to setting up a Trust though. The first is that forming a Trust is pretty expensive -- an attorney will charge $2,500 - $10,000 depending on how complicated your estate is. The second is that Trusts take time to plan properly -- so it could take a few weeks to a few months to form your Trust and deed your real property into it.

With the passage of AB 139, there is now an inexpensive and faster option -- deed your property into a "Transfer On Death" Deed -- aka, a TOD Deed.

One of my past clients called me in September when her mom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.  Her mom had just weeks to live, had no trust and no will, and owned a home in Carmichael. I immediately thought of the TOD Deed. With a TOD Deed, the owner remains the owner while that person is alive, and it names a beneficiary that the property is transferred to upon the death of the owner. She called an attorney who prepared a TOD Deed for her mom, had it signed and  notarized and recorded with Sacramento County. She passed away just days later.

The entire process to prepare, execute, and record a TOD Deed was just days and a few hundred dollars. Once her mom's death certificate was available, an "Affidavit Death of Transferor" had to be prepared and filed with Sacramento County. So within a short period of time, and for a few hundred dollars, daughter had full authority to sell the property. No Probate. No excessive costs. Way less stress.

I always suggest getting tax and legal advice before doing something like this, but what I can tell you is that this is a streamlined way to take the expense, time, and stress out of what is already an emotional time. And as a side note, an owner can file a TOD Deed, make changes to the beneficiary during his/her lifetime, sell the property, or deed the property into a trust later. No need to wait until a fatal illness to get one done. In fact I would recommend being proactive.

Disclosing death on a property....

It seems a few times per year, I list property where someone has passed away at the home. Death at a property is one of those things that will not bother some people, and for others it will be a deal breaker when deciding whether to purchase a home. But how should it be disclosed? Where should it be disclosed? And for how long is it relevant to disclose?

In late 2016, legislation passed clarifying disclosure obligations in California for death on a property.

The provisions in AB73 are pretty simple: any death in or on a property MUST be disclosed if it occurred within 3 years from the date of the purchase contract. After 3 years has passed, the death, and the manner in which someone passed away, will no longer legally be considered "material facts" and disclosure is not required. Additionally, this legislation clarifies that no disclosure is required if an occupant who lived at the property had HIV, or died from HIV-related complications.

As I assist sellers to fill out their property disclosures, when we get to this question in the Seller Property Questionnaire, usually the answer is no and the "no" box is checked accordingly. However when the answer is yes, just checking the "yes" box that there has been a death on the property within the last 3 years, is usually not enough. I would recommend noting, if known, the location within the house where the death occurred and circumstances. Something like "Previous occupant passed away by natural causes in the master bedroom" is appropriate. It's also something I put in the agent comments section in MLS, so that it can be known to buyers before they view a property. If buyers have additional questions about the death, I generally suggest they ask in writing so that the seller can respond appropriately.

I also ask my clients to think about other notable deaths that may have occurred at the property. I recently had a seller who buried a 60-pound dog in the backyard, and after some discussion we agreed was a good idea to disclose that burial. What new owner wants to start landscaping and unexpectedly find buried bones in the backyard? Providing appropriate detail may save everyone from surprises later.

Is your house a 1970's throwback? A small investment in neutralizing the decor may payoff for home sellers...

Often times I list property for folks who have lived in their homes for decades, or for a family who inherited property from long-term owners. Homes that have been well loved and well lived-in are often in good shape structurally, however cosmetically they tend to be a little dated. Sometimes it makes sense for the sellers to invest a little money in neutralizing some of these things before selling a home.

It doesn't always make sense to make improvements to a home before putting it on the market though. Depending on numerous variables, such as the target market buyer for a property, the overall condition of the home, the location, and just how pervasive the cosmetic dating is will play into what, if anything, it makes sense to improve.

These are options that I review with the sellers so that they get the most bang for the buck -- flooring and paint tend to get a really good return on the investment, and generally spending a few thousand dollars yields a much higher return in property value and a higher selling price. The home will photograph better, and have a more wide appeal to the target market with neutral colors, and will ultimately be more turn-key for the new owner.

After strategizing different ideas with the sellers of this particular property shown in the photos, they decided it was worth the investment to scrape the wallpaper, paint the walls, replace the shag carpet, and replace the vinyl flooring.

Not every seller has the resources to do improvements to a home before selling it, and not all improvements will have a positive return, but generally neutralizing a property with very distinct outdated décor will payoff.

I have a full slate of contractors and suppliers who can assist as well. Often times folks who are selling homes under these circumstances live or have relocated outside of the Sacramento area, and I have lots of experience helping to get bids and facilitate this work from afar.

Earned the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Designation...

As I was completing my continuing education for my real estate broker license renewal, I thought it would be useful to couple that effort with earning a new professional designation - so I earned the Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation. It was a great refresher on some of the issues I regularly assist clients and their families with when buying or selling - probate sales, sales via a living trust or an estate, relocation into senior housing, or finding homes that meet the special needs of someone who is aging, etc. And I also thought it was fitting that, while every other designation I have earned emails an electronic certificate of completion, the SRES Council snail mailed a certificate to me.

Is that short sale listing owned by a Living Trust? This may be problematic...

If your home is held in a living trust, and you are seeking to do a short sale, you may have an additional hurdle to jump through when you list and try to sell your property. Why, you may ask?

Well...living trusts generally don't obtain home mortgages; individual people obtain mortgages, and then they transfer the title of the home into their living trust, while their mortgage remains in their names personally. There's no problem with doing this -- folks do it all the time and use living trusts for family estate planning and asset protection purposes. So what is the issue that occurs when a home that is held in a trust is listed for a short sale?

The title to the home is "Smith Family Living Trust", however the names on the mortgage company records are John Smith and Mary Smith. On the listing agreement documents, the seller is listed as "Smith Family Living Trust" rather than John Smith and Mary Smith. On the documents that the title company generates, the trust is listed as the owner, not the individuals who obtained the mortgage. Soooo....when the short sale lender receives the request for a short sale, and the name trust appears on all of the listing agreement, purchase contract, and escrow/preliminary title report documents -- this can be problematic.

When this information does not match, the short sale lender will probably ask why, and may request new documents that name the individuals as the sellers. So basically, the short sale lender may indirectly require that the title to the home be transferred out of the living trust and back into the names of the individuals. Simply providing a modified listing agreement and a new purchase contract with corrected names will not be sufficient...and is probably illegal. The title company absolutely WILL NOT be able to issue a revised preliminary title report and HUD-1 document unless there is proof of recording a transfer with the county recorders' office. Doing so often takes valuable time (document preparation, signing, notarization, filing with the county recorders' office, etc). Also, the seller really needs to get legal advice -- removing a home from a trust may have certain tax or legal ramifications.

Some short sale lenders will not care, however some will. If you are a homeowner with property in a trust, and you are considering doing a short sale, you may want to have a conversation with the attorney who prepared your trust in advance of listing the house to find out if it makes sense to transfer the title back to you (as individuals)...before listing the house. AND if you are a buyer, and you get into contract on a short sale and on your contract documents list the seller in a trust - you may wish to have your agent ask the listing agent if this may be an issue. It is best to be proactive before it becomes a problem!

How to research permit history for a home in the City or County of Sacramento

It seems like every time I list or work with a buyer to purchase a property, folks will ask about the status of permits for past improvements that were completed to a home. Sometimes, just asking the seller to provide copies of permits or other pertinent information will suffice...BUT, if the seller has not owned the house for long (for example, the seller is flipping the house and work may have been performed prior to that owner's purchase, or perhaps they are selling it after inheriting it from a deceased or incapacitated relative), or the seller is a bank who has no knowledge of those types of things, then a little digging may be necessary. There are two great online resources I recommend to my clients -- the City of Sacramento and County of Sacramento websites. Both have online permit archives....keep in mind that older permits may not be archived online, so you may have to visit the City or County offices to get more information, but generally these are great tools that answer most questions in this regard.

City of Sacramento Permit Application Archive

Sacramento County Online Services