The Folks With a Well Organized Home Search!
Embark on a brand new adventure in the beautiful State of California with a Kunau & Cline Residential Agent by your side. Explore, discover and reward yourself with all that a new home has to offer in one of our local communities. We’re here to help you every step of the way, working diligently to ensure that you’re comfortable and excited about this very important decision. With the support of a number of North America’s most prestigious builders, all you need to do is turn the key.
What is our Buying Process?
Step 1: Agent/Broker Selection
Step 2: Broker/Buyer Meeting
Step 3: Loan Pre-Approval Letter
Step 4: Make an Offer
Step 5: Respond to Counter Offers
Step 6: Open Escrow
Step 7: Complete a Walk-Through
Step 8: Closing
Step 9: The Move
Step 10: Enjoy Your New Home!
Getting in Contact with an Agent
Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to buy a new home!
Once you’ve made your wish list, contact your local Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage agent to begin the home buying process. If you are not already working with a Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage agent, you can click on Agent from any part of our web page. Be assured that by choosing a Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage agent you will find a professionally trained, experienced agent to offer you agency representation options as a part of our full service.
Your agent can put you in contact with our preferred Mortgage broker so you can be pre-approved for a mortgage even before starting the house hunting process. Although the pre-approval is not a final loan commitment, the pre-approval letter will demonstrate your financial strength and ability to go through with the purchase when you are ready to make an offer.
Your agent can provide detailed information on almost any property currently listed for sale. This includes Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage listings as well as all other real estate broker listings on the Multiple Listing Service. In addition, your agent can also provide information on homes that you see advertised for sale in the newspaper or online. This also includes information on properties that are advertised “For Sale by Owner.” Your Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage agent is the only resource you’ll need. In addition, during this initial phase of your home search, you may wish to begin the process of selecting a local Real Estate attorney to represent you once you have an accepted offer on a home. If needed, your agent can provide you with a list of local attorneys that specialize in real estate.
Making an Offer
What if I’ve found a home and I’m ready to make an offer?
The initial step will be to instruct your Kunau & Cine Residential Brokerage agent to make an offer. The paperwork process can vary between counties. Please check with your Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage agent to determine the county differences, as some areas use Offer to Purchase Forms and others use Fill-in-the-Blank Contracts for Sale.Typically, you will provide your agent with the following information for them to make an offer.
- Your demographic information.
- The amount you are willing to pay.
- Mortgage amount along with pre-approval letter from the bank.
- Closing and occupancy dates.
- Contingencies, such as obtaining a mortgage, building inspections, and pest inspections to include where appropriate.
- Disclosure of notable property attributes (termites, pests, radon, water potability, well, lead, septic, oil tank, etc).
Any personal property specifically included or excluded. If the offer is not acceptable to the seller, further negotiations may be necessary to reach terms agreeable to both buyer and seller. Because counter-offers are common (any change in the offer can be considered a counter-offer) it is important that you remain in close contact with your Kunau & Cline Residential Brokerage Sales Associate during the negotiation process so that proposed changes can be reviewed and responded to quickly. l When both parties say “Yes”, you have an Acceptable Offer!
Since the Contract writing procedure, down payments required, building inspection contingency dates, etc., all vary within different counties of California, please consult with your Sales Associate so that they can inform you of the immediate action steps. Timing becomes very critical during this portion of the purchase process!
Closing the Deal
What happens between contract and closing?
Our exclusive Concierge/Trusted Partner program was developed to assist you with the services you need before, during, and after your move. From moving companies and new community information, to home improvement services we’re here to help you every phase of your purchase. Please see the Concierge/Trusted Partner section within this Web site for further details. Our exclusive Concierge/Trusted Partner program was developed to assist you with the services you need before, during, and after your move.
What can I do to avoid surprises?
The closing, during escrow, is a formal process where all parties sign all of the necessary paperwork needed to complete the transaction Escrow officer will direct the closing so that the Title to the property is transferred from the seller to you. The seller receives payment for the home, and you receive the house keys!
From the amount credited to the seller, the title representative subtracts the funds to pay off the existing mortgage and other transaction costs. Deeds, loan papers, and other documents are prepared, signed, and ultimately filed with local property record office.
What happens after closing?
At closing of escrow and beyond, our Concierge/Trusted Partners service is here to assist you with all the details as you move into your new home! Please be sure to visit the Concierge/Trusted Partner Services section of our website.
Selling Residential Real Estate
Embark on a brand new adventure in the beautiful State of California with a Kunau & Cline Residential Agent by your side. Explore, discover and reward yourself with all that a home has to offer. You have lived a part of your life here, many memories are with you. Now it is time to downsize, obtain a larger living space, move for the new job and its time to embrace a new chapter of your life. We’re here to help you every step of the way, working diligently to ensure that you’re comfortable and excited about this very important decision. With the support of a number of expert Kunau & Cline Residential Real Estate Agents, all you need to do is list your home.
Step 1: Agent/Broker Selection
Step 2: Broker/Seller Meeting
Step 3: Staging Considerations
Step 4: Appraisal Review
Step 5: Set the Asking Price
Step 6: Realtor Takes Over –
Advertising, Realtor Caravan, & Open Houses
Step 7: Respond to Offers
Step 8: Make Counter Offers
Step 9: Reach Agreement on Price & Terms
Step 10: Open Escrow
Step 11: Closing
Step 12: The Move
Selling Factors to Consider
Selling Factor 1
Pricing it right. Find out what your home is worth, then reduce it by 15 to 20 percent. You’ll have buyers by with multiple bids - even in the worst markets - and they’ll bid up the price over what it’s worth. It takes real courage and most sellers just don’t want to risk it, but it’s the single best strategy to sell a home in today’s market.
Selling Factor 2
Half-empty closets Storage is something every buyer is looking for and will be hard pressed to have enough. Take half the stuff out of your closets then neatly organize what’s left in there. Buyers will snoop, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.
Selling Factor 3
Light it up your rooms to maximize the light in your home. After location, good lighting is the one thing that every buyer cites that they want in a home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, change the lampshades, increase the wattage of your light bulbs and cut the bushes outside to let in sunshine. Do what you have to do make your house bright and cheery – it will make it more sellable.
Selling Factor 4
Select the right Broker/Agent, Kunau & Cline has just the right Agent for you. Make sure you have a broker who is totally informed. They must constantly monitor the multiple listing service (MLS), know what properties are going on the market and know the comps in your neighborhood. Select from Kunau & Cline Agents, our Agents embrace technology – a tech-savvy Kunau & Cline Agent has many tools to get your house sold.
Selling Factor 5
You might think a cute dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but guess again. Buyers don’t want to walk in your home and see a bowl full of dog food, smell the kitty litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning an open house, send the animals to a pet hotel for a vacation day.
Selling Factor 6
Quick fixes before selling generally tend to pay off. You don’t know what the buyer will want so no major makeovers. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get a new fresh coat of paint on the walls, a professional job. Clean the curtains or replace them with new ones. Replace door handles, cabinet hardware, make sure closet doors are on track, fix leaky faucets and clean the grout.
Selling Factor 7
The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.
Selling Factor 8
The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of a third of your stuff – put it in storage. This includes family photos, memorabilia collections and personal keepsakes. Consider hiring a home stager to maximize the full potential of your home. Staging simply means arranging your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.
Selling Factor 9
Your house needs to be “show-ready” at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will help give prospective buyers a great impression of your home. The first impression is the only impression. No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel warm, welcome and safe as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with shrubs and brightly colored flowers. Repair broken bricks, sprinklers and the like. You can typically get a 100-percent return on the money you put into your home’s curb appeal. Entryways are also important. When you’re selling, make it welcoming by putting in a small bench, a vase of fresh-cut flowers or even some cookies.
Contact Us Today
We are ready to help you through the process of selling or buying commercial property.