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BUYER'SGUIDEF R O M S T A R T T O S O L D . A L LT H E D E T A I L S Y O U N E E D T OS U C C E S S F U L L Y B U Y Y O U RN E W H O M E .THE LUCAS GROUP

Hi, We are The Lucas Groupand We believe in homeHome is more than just a physical space. It'swhere you've created countless memories,shared moments with loved ones, and whereyou feel most comfortable. When it comes time to buy a new home andbegin a new chapter, the process canoftentimes feel overwhelming. Buying ahome can be an emotional journey, and it'sunderstandable to feel apprehensive. WELCOMERest assured that together, we can help younavigate the process with ease. We'll outlinethe process and create a plan together, soyou don't have to do any of the heavy lifting.From setting a budget, to finding the rightneighborhood, negotiating the best terms foryou & creating a smooth close, this bookletwill be your guide.The Lucas Group

04About Me + TeamCONTENTS06Successful Buying Process07Timeline08Setting Your Budget10Wish List11Pre-Approval Process13Find Your New Home14Under Contract19Closing Day

SANDRALUCASABOUT MESandra Lucas is an accomplished full-serviceRealtor®, licensed in California and a member ingood standing with the California Association ofRealtors® and the National Association ofRealtors®. With over 18 years of real estateexperience, she has the knowledge, resources,and expertise to market homes effectively and toassist owners in selecting the right neighborhood,schools, and home for their family.Sandra is dedicated to providing excellence andpersonal service. She understands that real estateinvolves more than just buying or selling a home;it's about forming relationships, building trust withclients, and prioritizing their needs.A B O U T M ELicensed Realtor with 15+ years ofresidential experienceBroker/Owner of Realty World – TheLucas GroupCertified Military RelocationProfessional (MRP)Certified Probate Real EstateProfessional (CPRES)Certified Distressed Property Expert(CDPE)Top 20% of all agents in Realty WorldNorthern California & NevadaPinnacle Franchise Award – 2017, 2019,2020Hall of Fame Award Winner – 2015, 2016President’s Club Award - 2014Best of Trulia Top Agent AwardZillow 5 Star Agent AwardC R E D E N T I A L S925.464.8400Sandra@lucasgp.comSandra.lucasgphomes.com@realsandralucasKnowledge of local real estate marketsStrong sales & negotiation skillsEffective team player and team builderwith strong leadership qualitiesExcellent communication skills both inwriting and oralHighly organized and attentive todetailsEffective at building reputablerelationships within the communityQ U A L I F I C A T I O N S

CAMILALOVINGABOUT MEWith 4 years of experience in the ContraCosta real estate market, I have a deepunderstanding of the local market andthe needs of my clients. Whether you'relooking to buy, sell, or invest in realestate, I'm here to help you achieveyour goals.I have a Bachelor's degree in BusinessAdministration and I am a licensedRealtor in the state of California. Mybackground in business administrationcombined with my in-depth knowledgeof the local real estate market, allowsme to provide my clients with the bestpossible experience.ABOUT MELicensed Real Estate Agent, [California /Brentwood]Business Administration [Hospitality Managment]Transaction Coordinator TCMember of NAR Real Estate BoardC R E D E N T I A L SWhat you can expect working with meI'm always one stepahead, anticipatingpotential roadblocks andfinding creative solutionsto overcome them.I'm Curious I'm Committed I'm Proactive I'm PersonalI believe in buildingrelationships with my clientsand treating them likefamily, because in the end,that's what leads to the bestpossible results.I want to have a clearunderstanding of yourgoals, who you are, andwhat your home meansto you.I bring my A-game toevery transaction, and I'mcommitted to achievingthe best possibleoutcome for my clients.925.505.1654Camila@lucasgp.comcamila.lucasgphomes.com@Camiloving20

When it comes to buying or selling a property, having a real estate team on yourside is a game-changer. Not only will they always be available to take calls andshow properties, but they'll also bring a wealth of experience and expertise to thetable.When it comes time to take your largest asset to market, it's vital to have a varietyof perspectives to build your specific marketing plan. As a team we build a planjust for your home and each listing is vetted through the team, which ensures wedon't have any holes in our marketing.Our job is to get you the best deal and often times that is through leveraging ourcombined skillsets...and NETWORKS.While we personalize our marketing approach, we systemize our approach topaperwork, ensuring you always know what's coming next.SAY HELLO TO MY TEAM...SANDRA RIGOSHEYLAKASSANDRAWHY HIRE A TEAM?

SUCCESSFULBUYING PROCESSS E T Y O U RB U D G E TG E T P R E -Q U A L I F I E DF I N D Y O U RH O M EM A K E A NO F F E RI N S P E C T I O NP E R I O DC L O S E O N T H EH O U S E ( A N DC E L E B R A T E )I KNOW THAT BUYING A NEWHOME CAN BE STRESSFUL... But it doesn't have to be. Instead it canbe the glorious start to a new chapter. The anticipation of creating newmemories in a home that better servesyour needs. We're here to help youdetermine your budget, find the perfectneighborhood & hear "OFFER ACCEPTED!"Moving to a new home is EXCITING andwe can't wait to help you every step of theway.C O N T I N G E N C YR E M O V A LP E R I O D

B U Y E RHOW DOES A REAL ESTATETRANSACTION WORK?S E L L E RBU YER’SRE ALTORSE LLER’ SRE ALTORTRANSACTION CLOSEDL O A N E V A L U A T I O N O F F E R P R E S E N T E D P U R C H A S EN E G O T I A T I O NS E L L E R ’ SD I S C L O S U R E SG O O D F A I T HD E P O S I TI N S P E C T I O N P E R I O DL O A NA P P L I C A T I O NP R O C E S S E D &A P P R A I S A LO R D E R E DC O N T I N G E N C I E S S A T I S F I E DT I T L E S E A R C HC L O S I N G D O C S I S S U E DF I N A L W A L K T H R O U G HBEFORE MA K I N G A NOFFER, TA L K W I TH AFEW LENDE R S T ODETERMINE Y O U RBUDGETBUYER’S R E A L T O RPRESENTS O F F E R TOSELLER’S R E A L T OR,WHO CONVE Y S I T TOSELLERSALES PRI C E , T ERMSAND CONTI N G E N C I ESARE NEGOT I A T E D &AGREED UP O N .SELLERS P R O V I D EDISCLOSUR E S T H A TMAY MATER I A L L YEFFECT TH E V A L UEBUYER SUB M I T SEARNEST D E P O S I T TOTITLE COM P A N Y W HICHIS HELD I N E A R NESTBUYER BEG I N S 1 0 -DAYINSPECTIO N P E R I OD &SUBMITS R E P A I RREQUESTS.CONCURREN T W I T H LOAN PROCESS, C L O S I NGAGENT CON F I R M S SELLER HAS CLE A R R I G HT TOSELL PROP E R T Y & ESTABLISHES F A C T S , SUCH ASWHETHER T H E R E A RE ANY RESTRIC T I V ECOVENANTS O N T H E USE OF THE P R O P E R T Y1-2 DAYS P R I O R TO CLOSING, BU Y E RCONFIRMS T H A T T HE HOME IS IN T H E S A MECONDITION A S W H EN PURCHASED & A L LAGREED UP O N R E P AIRS HAVE BEEN M A D ELENDER PR O V I D E S LOADESTIMATE & C L O S INGDISCLOSUR E S D E T AILING ALLTERMS & C O S T SONCE FINA N C I N G IS COMPLETE,INSPECTIO N R E P A IRS MADE,APPRAISAL C O M P L ETE,CONTINGEN C I E S A RE DROPPED OFF .F I ND Y O URD R EA MH O ME !S A LE SA G RE E M E NTE X EC U T E D

BUDGETCLOSING DAYMEET WITH A LENDERMOVING DAYSET UP YOUR HOME SEARCHOFFER ACCEPTED!theTIMELINEInterview lendersCrunch the numbers todetermine how muchhome you can affordDeposit earnest money10-day inspection periodAppraisalSign all lenderdocumentsSign all title documentsSent to record + fundSchedule your moversTurn on all utilities inyour nameWelcome Home!SHOWINGSDetermine what your'must have' items areDefine the location youwant to live inSet up your home searchWalk any homes thatmeet all of thequalifications you've setuntil you find the rightone & submit an offerDetermine what you wantyour monthly payment tobeDetermine how much youwant to put down

SET YOUR BUDGETI know…the dreaded B word, but if you’recrystal clear on what your budget is, thisprocess will be SO MUCH EASIER. You’ll want tomeet with a lender to determine final numbers,but take some time to determine what monthlypayment feels comfortable for you and yourfamily at this time. As a rule of thumb it isrecommended that your mortgage not exceedmore than 1/3 of your take home pay. Beforeyou lock yourself into that, I will tell you thatthere are exceptions depending on yourseason of life. A few things to consider: Are you at the front end of your earningpotential? If so, you might want to push onyour budget a bit. This would be for youngprofessionals like attorneys that just graduatedlaw school. Their entry level pay has a lot ofroom to increase over the coming years, so itmight make sense to over extend just a bit,knowing you can grow into the monthlypayment. Are you at the end of your earning potential?If so, you might not want to push on yourmonthly budget. This would be for anyone onthe back end of their career OR with a fairlyfixed income.

AGENTCOMPENSATIONInside real estate transactions there aretypically two agents involved. One agentrepresents the seller, the other agentrepresents the buyer. Each agent works tocreate circumstances that are agreeable totheir clients.Typically, seller’s offer 3% of the purchase priceto their agent and 3% to the buyer’s agent. New NAR regulations prohibit us from offeringa buyer co-broke inside the MLS, but it is stillrecommended that seller’s offer a co-broke to abuyer’s agent, here’s why:It makes their listing more appealing. Buyers face a lot of upfront costs whenpurchasing a home, seller’s covering this cost allows buyers to afford more.It creates a smoother transaction. A represented buyer is a buyer that iseducated with an agent working to make sure we get everyone to the closingtable.Sellers are not required to offer a buyer’s agent co-broke, this means buyers needto be prepared to pay their agent out of pocket if need be. As a buyer’s agent, it is myjob to seek best circumstances for your purchase, which is why we’ll try to negotiate aseller paid commission structure.

Are you required to have a real estate agent to purchase a home? No. But you’realso not required to have a professional cut your hair, so why do you pay someoneto do that? Because you don’t want to walk around with your hair a mess, right?Buying a home is often one of the biggest financial investments you’ll make in yourlifetime. A lot can go wrong and unfortunately, it can go REALLY wrong if you don’tknow what you’re doing. WHY HIREAN AGENTFOR YOURHOMEPURCHASE?UNREPRESENTED CONSUMERS ACCOUNTFOR 70% OF ALL REAL ESTATE LAWSUITS.

WISH LISTBuying a new home is so much fun and this is the part where you day dreamabout all the possibilities. I like to remove all constraints of budget and locationand write down ALL the things I’d love to have inside my home. Not gonna lie, mylist is fairly epic, but it makes me happy to think about all the possibilities. AfterI’ve filled my mind with all the possibilities, I start sorting them and ranking themin order of importance, narrowing it down to 3-5 must haves. It’s important to dothis BEFORE you start looking at houses so you don’t get distracted by somethingthat might seem like what you want, but really isn’t. We’ll refer to this list whenwe’re out looking at homes. If a pool is on your MUST HAVE list, then we’re onlygoing to walk homes that have pools OR are priced in a way that allow you toimmediately put one in. This ends up saving everyone so much time AND ensuresyou get what you really want.DOWN PAYMENTDetermine what your down payment is. While some put20% down on their home, you can often qualify with aslittle as 5% down. It’s important to be clear on thisnumber as it will impact your monthly payment. You’llalso need to have your Earnest Money on hand as well.Typically buyers put 1% of the purchase price down asearnest money. I’ll break down your earnest money injust a bit, but know that you’re earnest money will beadded to your down payment on closing day.

K I T C H E N B A C K Y A R DF A M I L Y R O O M F R O N T E N T R YB E D R O O M S M I S C E L L A N E O U SB A T H R O O M SNew HomeWISH LIST

Now that you have a clear idea on what you want and thenumbers you’d like to hit, it’s time to talk to a lender. Every buyermust have a pre-approval before seeing any homes. Dependingon your price point (usually luxury listings), Listing Agents willrequire proof of funds prior to showings. This ensures sellersaren’t prepping their home for showings for buyers that aren’t ina position to buy. Your pre-approval will be submitted with anyoffer so the sellers know you can secure a loan for their property.Once you have your pre-approval, revisit your ‘must have’ list tobe sure those items can realistically be secured at your pricepoint.MEET WITH YOUR LENDER

BUILD YOURTIMELINEAre you renting? Do you need to sell yourcurrent home? Closings typically take 30 days,so line up your dates to be sure they work foryou. If you need to sell your current home inorder to buy your new home, it’s important tohave it cleaned, staged and photographedPRIOR to looking at homes. This allows for meto best negotiate a Buyer Contingency,meaning that your new home purchase iscontingent on your current home selling. As anagent, I need to be able to show the sellerswe’re ready to go to market ‘overnight’ so wedon’t delay the closing process.If you’re renting, know that your first mortgagepayment isn’t usually due for 45-60 days AFTERclose of escrow, which helps you not double upon rent and mortgage payments.

Now it's time to start shopping for your new home! We'll automate this by setting up a custom homesearch for you with all of the criteria you listedabove. This means anytime a new home hits themarket that meets your criteria, you'll get an emailnotification. If you like what you see, reach out andI'll set an appointment to walk the home.A few ground rules to make this process as enjoyableas possible:Do not walk homes that are not in your budget. I canpromise you this never ends well and oftentimesmakes you disappointed in what you CAN afford.Remember when walking homes, someone else isoften living there. This means we want to berespectful of their space, especially if little kids are intow.And finally, there are almost always cameras, so saveany talk of pricing for after the showing.SET UP YOURHOME SEARCH

010203Once we have an accepted contract, we send it to the Title Company who will facilitate theclosing documents. The Title Company works with all parties involved (buyer, seller, both agentsand lender) to compile all the documents necessary to close.01 02 03THE DETAILS...YOU'RE UNDER CONTRACT...Now what?EARNESTDEPOSITINSPECTION APPRAISALEARNEST DEPOSIT: Your earnest deposit is typically 1% of the purchaseprice. Once all contingencies are met, your earnest money will be non-refundable and will be applied towards your down payment. INSPECTION PERIOD: This is your time to do all of your due diligence on theproperty. It is HIGHLY recommended that you hire a professional inspectorto do a full inspection of the home. APPRAISAL: Once the inspection is complete the next contingency toremove is the appraisal contingency. Most loans require an appraisal priorto funding.

This is your time to do all of your due diligence on the property. It is HIGHLYrecommended that you hire a professional inspector to do a full inspection of thehome. You can google some options or I’m happy to share a few companies I’veworked with in the past, but who you use as your inspector is your decision. Theinspector will climb into the attic, check the a/c, run all the faucets, check all theelectrical and look for anything that is out of order. They’ll then provide you with a fullreport that is often dozens of pages long — you want them to be thorough! They’llpoint out everything that is in working order and everything that is not. Once theinspection is done, you’ll have an opportunity to ask the seller to repair or replaceanything that isn’t working properly. Let it be noted, you cannot ask for things thatare working properly to be repaired or replaced. If buyer and seller cannot come toan agreement during this due-diligence period, buyer has the opportunity to cancelthe contract and receive a full refund of their earnest money.10-DAYINSPECTION PERIOD

APPRAISALOnce the inspection is complete the next contingency to remove is theappraisal contingency. Most loans require an appraisal and if the homedoesn’t appraise for the purchase price buyers and sellers have a fewoptions. The buyer can exercise their right to cancel the contract andreceive an full refund of their earnest money, or buyer and seller canrenegotiate on the price or buyer can bring the difference between theappraisal amount and loan amount in cash to the closing table to bridge thegap. Once the appraisal contingency has been met, the buyer’s earnest money istypically what we call, ‘hard.’ This means that should you decide to cancelthe contract, you will not receive a refund of your earnest money deposit.

FINANCINGIf you’re selling your current home in orderto buy your new home, you’ll have thiscontingency as well that needs to be fulfilledbefore your earnest money goes hard. We’llgo over all of these dates so you knowexactly what is expected of you and the sellof your home.During this time, it’s imperative that you stayin close contact with your lender. They’llneed specific paperwork and informationonly you can provide them. It is also of theupmost importance that you refrain fromany other major purchases that could impactyour financing. This would be buying a newcar or boat or swiping your credit card forfurniture for the new house. Thesepurchases can negatively impact your debt toincome ratio and implode your deal beforeit’s done. Hang tight until we close on yourdream home and then you have full reign toget that home furnished or buy that new car.OTHERCONTINGENCIES

This occurs 2-4 days prior to close and is your chance to walk thehome one last time to ensure that all of the repair requests havebeen completed and that the house is in the same condition aswhen you bought it. It’s normal to see boxes stacked in the garagebecause sellers are moving too! If everything looks good, you’llsign paperwork accepting the home’s condition and we’ll be onour way to a smooth close.FINAL WALKTHROUGH

Closing day is usually a collection of a few days. The Title Company will receive loan documents3-5 days prior to close and you’ll have two options: you can make an appointment to sign at theTitle Company OR they’ll send the documents to you with a notary to sign in the comfort of yourown home. Either way is just fine, but you’ll need to be sure if you’re signing at home that thereis time for documents to get back to the Title Company in a timely manner (this only comes intoplay if you’re signing out-of-state). Both buyers and sellers usually sign all the documents a fewdays prior to close, so that on closing day, all that is left to do is send the title to record at theCounty Recorder's Office. Your property is officially closed once the title has been recorded, then funding will follow.Depending on which day of the week and the time of day, sometimes funding doesn’t happenuntil the next day. Banks often work on Eastern Time so if you’ve recorded late in the day on aFriday, you can expect it to fund on Monday.Good news? Once it’s funded we can release the keys to your new home to you!CLOSING DAY

CAN EXPECTWhat youI know this is about more than selling highand buying low and I can promise you thatwhile there will be some bumps in theprocess, I'll be doing my best to help youavoid any delays or roadblocks. You canexpect weekly phone calls with mytrademark tell it like it is honesty & creativeproblem solving to get you where you wantto go.Camila

what othersARE SAYINGVANESSA AND LOGANCamila did an amazing job finding our first home. My fiancéand I were shopping around and came across Camila. She isvery professional and informative and very responsive, sheanswered every call and text we sent. Camila is also verythoughtful, Our wedding is coming up on the 20th and shewent as far as to get us a wedding gift for us on the day ofclosing! 10/10 We recommend Camila!PATRICK AND SARAHCamila was extremely helpful! We were so indecisive anddragged her around different cities in different countiesand she did not complain once! Left every decision up tous being so patient! We were truly blessed finding her asour realtor! At a stressful time as moving I greatlyrecommend her! She would make everything go smoothand everyone happy.

GET IN CONTACTREADY TO BUY?925.505.1654Camila@lucasgp.comCamila.lucasgphomes.comC A M I L A L O V I N GR E A L E S T A T E A G E N TSet your appointment here: