THREE GOLDEN RULES OF BUYING A HOME IN COLLEGE-GLEN

Golden Rule #1 – Location:

When it comes to resale, you do not want to purchase in a few areas that will be hard to sell later. Those areas include homes that back to the freeway, homes that back to commercial or apartments and the busy/main streets through the neighborhood. The homes that either back to the freeway or are one house away, typically sell for 10-20% less. The homes that back to commercial or apartments can have a hard time selling because of the perceived fear that those homes have a higher potential for issues with non-residential backing to them. The houses that are on the busier streets (La Riviera/Occidental/Wisssemann/parts of Notre Dame/parts of Lake Forest) have some traffic issues with people speeding and a high volume of cars. This will put off families that are looking to buy in the neighborhood and make it more difficult when it comes time to resell. Lastly, it’s not a big deal for most homeowners, but if you live in close proximity to either one of the schools in College-Glen you will have a bit more traffic in the mornings and afternoons near your house during drop-off and pick-up times.  The same goes for the Cabana Club when they have swim meets during the summer and the parks during baseball and soccer seasons; not major things but something to note that you would not know about until you actually move into the neighborhood.

Golden Rule #2 – Inspection:

Have the property inspected very well. Due to the age of the homes, this typically will include a whole-home inspection, a pest/termite inspection, roof inspection, sewer inspection and a pool inspection if applicable. Also, do not skimp on these inspections.  You are making the largest financial purchase of your life. Do not try and save a few hundred bucks by going with a poor quality inspector. Just as I do, any good realtor should have excellent referrals for these categories. The inspections will hopefully turn out great but, if things come up, it could potentially lead to further inspections such as the chimney, foundation, pluming or electrical. Doing all your home work during the escrow process can help with negotiating repairs with the sellers and also provide you with all the information for making an informed decision now and not have surprises later.

Golden Rule #3 – Think long-term:

Many people that buy a home in the neighborhood end up loving College-Glen and stay for the majority of the rest of their lives. So there are two strategies to take, either buying a large enough place that will accommodate everything in your future or purchase a property that will make a great rental in the near future so that you can turn your house into an investment property and then buy something larger in the area when you are in need of more space.

Top FAQs

1. Due to the proximity of the river, homebuyers that are looking to move into the area are wondering about flood insurance.

College-Glen is in the FEMA zone X500 and XPL. These designations do not require flood insurance (however, if you are getting a loan, it’s always up to the final determination of your lender). Flood insurance can be added onto your homeowner’s insurance policy if you would like the additional protection, which is not a bad idea. And since the neighborhood is not in a high, flood-risk area, the additional coverage is an inexpensive price compared to a location that requires flood insurance. The X zones are protected by levees from 100-year flood. This is a nice benefit as other areas in Sacramento that are as close to the river, do require flood insurance and are in the 100 year flood areas.

2. Many homebuyers have age-related questions about the homes in the area.

Most of the homes in College-Glen are 50 years old. It is very important to have an excellent home inspection performed when you are in escrow so the major systems of the house (heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, roof, foundation, etc.) can be evaluated and determined when they have been replaced/updated. I have a wonderful home inspector resource that does many home inspections in the neighborhood for my buyer clients. A combination of inspections can catch age related issues and allow the buyers an opportunity to negotiate a repair or cancel the transaction if necessary.

3. A lot of other buyers ask about the freeway and any noise issues related to that.

The general rule of thumb is to not buy a house that either backs to the freeway or is only one house in from the freeway. Most homeowners that are two or more houses out from the freeway do not have any issues with the proximity and become quickly adjusted to the sound. Also, when it comes to resale, the homes that back to the freeway or are one house away, take a substantial hit on value. Those homes typically sell for 10-20% less due to the freeway closeness. Most buyers seem to be fine with the homes that are two or more houses away from the freeway walls. 

4. Will I fit in with the neighborhood? 

The neighborhood has a great age range of just-graduated professionals, young families with kids/teenagers and retired empty nesters. Most of the people are active with walking their dogs, jogging and cycling. College-Glen also has a wide variety of blue-collar workers, stay-at-home moms, white-collar professionals, business owners and public sector workers. It truly is a diverse neighborhood that cares about its homes, neighbors, safety and well-being.  Pride of ownership shows through on most streets and most homes.

An Edge in Negotiating

A few key things are having a strong pre-approval squared away before you write your offer, having thorough inspections performed during escrow and working with a Realtor that knows exactly what’s going on in the College-Glen market.

A strong pre-approval letter will give you a great starting point when submitting and negotiating an offer. Typically it is best to work with a local, direct lender for your home loan. A solid pre-approval will put you ahead of other potential buyers and can also help with negotiating favorable pricing terms by committing to an accelerated loan process. Working with a great lender can help you shorten your loan/appraisal contingency periods. That can be an extremely beneficial thing for the seller and helps with your negotiating as the buyer.

Have the property inspected very well. Due to the age of the homes, this typically will include a whole-home inspection, a pest/termite inspection, roof inspection, sewer inspection and a pool inspection if applicable. Also, do not skimp on these inspections. You are typically making the largest financial purchase of your life. Do not try and save a few hundred bucks by going with a poor quality inspector. Just as I do, any good Realtor should have excellent referrals for these categories. The inspections will hopefully turn out great but if things come up, it could potentially lead to further inspections such as the chimney, foundation, pluming or electrical.  Doing all your homework during the escrow process can help with negotiating repairs with the sellers and also provide you with all the information for making an informed decision now and not have surprises later.

Working with a Realtor that knows the current real estate trends in College-Glen and where the market is headed will give you a negotiation advantage as a buyer.  My constant involvement within the College-Glen real estate market gives my buyer clients an advantage when shopping for a home in the neighborhood. I know every street and have been inside nearly every home on the market since 2009.  This gives me the knowledge of the best floor plans and streets. I am also known by Sacramento Realtors as a specialist in the area, listing agents have comfort in work with me and my buyer clients.