Jim Cheney Your Rincon Valley Realtor

I love showing property to prospective buyers. There is nothing more full filling than finding the perfect property. Knowing that your clients have found the home that they will live in for years.

One of the worst things that can happen to a buyer is, after finding the perfect home, realizing they can not qualify for a loan to complete the purchase. Does this really happen? Yes, but usually to new agents. Here's why: New agents need the business so badly, that they don't want to risk stalling their potential buyer by asking that get pre-qualified. Also, some agents think there is an appearance of being rude. Asking a buyer to get pre-qualifed is like suggesting they don't have much money, or they might be waisting your time. Not true.

I feel like it's a disservice to my clients to spend their time looking a property they may not quailify to buy. I will show property to potential buyers without making them pre-qualify, however, only once or twice. I do want the opportunity to meet buyers, without sending them off to get pre-qualified, but at some point I'm going to recommend they see a lender, and that I'd be happy to go along.

So what should you be prepared to take with you to your first meeting with a lender? Here's a check list:

1. Your residential history. A lender is going to want to know where you've lived for the past 2 years. If you rent, bring your rental agreement with your landlords name, address, and phone number. If you own, bring your most recent mortgage statement.
2. Your employment history. Bring a list of names, addresses, and zip codes of where you have been employed for the past 2 years. Include full, part time, and temporary positions. Be prepared to give incomes earned at the end of each job. Also, bring a recent pay stub. If you're self employed, bring the last 2 years of tax returns plus a year to date income and expense statement.
3. Your income. You'll need to provide all sources of income including salary, secondary sources such as military retirement, pensions, social security benefits, disability benefits and/or child support or alimony.
4. A list of your assets. Names, addresses, and account numbers for all your bank accounts. The value of household goods and personal property. Make, model, year, and value of all automobiles. Cash value of any insurance policies. Addresses, description, and value of all real estate owned. For investment property it would be helpful to know the address, market value, mortgage balance, equity, gross rent, and mortgage payment.
5. A list of your liabilities. The name address, and phone number for each creditor (Most lenders can download this information instantly right from your credit history).
6. Additional information. A certificate of eligibility for VA loans, proceeds from any homes being sold prior to buying, is an employer paying any relocation costs and how much? Is a relative giving you money towards your home purchase that does not need to be repaid?

If you bring the information listed above to your first meeting with a lender, I guarentee you leave with a pre-approval letter that will save you time and give you a jump start on your home purchase.

Fresh foods and vegitables are not hard to find in Sonoma County. Here is a list of all the local farmers markets with dates, times, and locations:

Cotati

June 4th - Oct 1 (Thursdays) 4:30 - 7:30 pm at La Plaza Park W. Sierra & Old Redwood Hwy

Gualala:

June 1st - Nov 7th (Saturdays) 10:00 - 12;30 at Gualala Comm. Center 47950 Center St

Healdsburg:

June 1st - Nov 28 (Saturdays) 9:00 - noon at North and Vine Street

June 2nd - Oct 24th (Tuesdays) 4:00 - 6:00 pm Healdsburg Plaza downtown

Occidental:

June 1st - October (Friday) 4:00 - Dusk downtown Occidental

Petaluma:

June 1st - October 24th (Saturdays) 2:00 - 5:00 pm at Walnut Park on Petaluma Blvd

Santa Rosa:

June 1st - Aug 12th (Wednesday) 5:00 - 8:30 pm Downtown Fourth St

Sebastopol:

June 1st - Nov. ? (sundays) 10:00 - 1:30 pm Downtown at Petalma Av and McKinley Ave

Windsor:

June 1st - Nov 22nd (Sundays) 10:00 - 1:30 pm Windsor Town Green

June 11th - Aug 27 (Thursdays) 5:00 - 8:00 pm Windsor Town Green

Jim Cheney, Broker "Your Rincon Valley Realtor"

ServingRincon Valley's real estate and property needs

RinconValley, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, CA

I have a client who has been looking for a Rincon Valley townhouse/condo for the past 4 weeks. Every weekend I print up everything that is available to go look at. Every week I notice there is less and less inventory in Rincon Valley (under $200,000) to view. We started out with about 15 homes, and we are down to 4 "active" listings. We wrote an offer on a short sale. My client asked why all of a sudden there was drop in inventory. I told him it was because interest rates are so low. I believe we are truly at "the bottom" and with summer around the corner we will see price increases.

Below are the current averages per Freddie Mac.

I stopped my Santa Rosa Memorial Park (cemetary) today. It was Memorial Day and I'd heard the cemetary always puts on a good show for our deceased veterans.

This was the 38th annual Avenue of the Flags

I walked up the front drive and was greated by all the flags of the US. As I walked past the front entrance I was met with a sea of American flags. It was quite a sight. 1000 American flags.

Happy Memorial Day!

Jim Cheney, Broker "Your Rincon Valley Realtor"

ServingRincon Valley's real estate and property needs

RinconValley, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, CA

American Graffiti filmed in 1973 was written and directed by George Lucas. It starred Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Wolfman Jack, and Cindy Williams just to name a few. Most of the cruise scenes were filmed on Main Street in downtown Petaluma.

Every year Petaluma hosts the American Graffiti car show. It is one of the biggest car shows in the county. It is just one more reason I love living in Sonoma County.

In just three years, Petaluma's Salute to American Graffiti Celebration, which takes place on the same streets where the movie was filmed has become one of the premier and most sought to attend classic car events in Northern California. Registration for Salute 2009 is already full with cars from as far away as Colorado, Utah, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and throughout California.

Like the movie, Petaluma evokes a time gone by with its turn-of-the-century brick and Ironfront buildings, stately Victorian homes and downtown riverfront. Incorporated in 1858 and located on U.S. Highway 101 just a 40 minute drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge, this historic gateway to the Redwood Empire, wild Sonoma and Mendocino coasts, and world-renown Sonoma and Napa wine countries is a very popular destination for visitors from around the world

Jim Cheney, Broker "Your Rincon Valley Realtor"

Serving Rincon Valley's real estate and property needs

Rincon Valley, Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, CA