The California Real Estate Purchase Contract

I had an occasion today to receive a copy of a real estate contract from the State of Michigan.  Upon reviewing this document I felt compelled to share with my fellow California Realtors the fact that the contract there is only 4 pages long.  I am sure that Michigan Realtors think that this is a lot of paperwork but compared to California whose pages total about 40, it is wonderfully brief and simple.  Yes, the language is still all legalize and double talk but there is so little that you can pull out your dictionary, do some research and be finished reading it within 15 minutes.  I tell my clients in California to take it home, read up, pinch yourself when you fall asleep and pour yourself a cup of coffee (or a large glass of wine depending upon what time of day it is), because you are in it for the long haul.

Why do you suppose that this contract can be so different in the two states and yet they both convey the same idea and accomplish the same job?  I ask myself this question and can only come to one conclusion.  California Realtors and their clients have experienced way more lawsuits based on the transfer of real estate.  The length of the contract, I believe, is an attempt to “cover all of the bases” in the hope that a lawsuit will not occur.

California used to have bragging rights on being the state of the environmentally conscious.  Considering all of the trees that the real estate contract and appurtenant disclosure documents have killed, I believe that crown has slipped.

BMPs, who needs EM?

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency says that any property that exists — residential or commercial — within the Tahoe Basin, requires a compliance certificate that their BMPs have been completed.

Jennifer and I attended an informational meeting today at the North Tahoe Conference Center that was put on by the TRPA. Shay Navarro, Associate Environmental Specialist with the Agency did a good job of explaining what the BMPs are. This is an acronym for “Best Management Practices.” The problem is that the clarity of our finest lake — Lake Tahoe – has diminished since 1968 when the visibility was 102 feet. At last measurement 2008, the visibility was 69 feet. Apparently the cause of this regression is a lot of sediment entering the Lake from things like water dripping off of roofs, moving dirt down the road and into the Lake. Another cause might be snow melt off on unformed and unpaved driveways, again picking up sediment including oil from autos and moving it into the lake.

The TRPA has been charged with remedying this situation and one of the ways they plan to do that is to require property owners to have their property assessed and bear the responsibility for mitigating any problems that their property may be causing. The 3 ways they are forcing the property owners hand are requiring the BMP certificate of compliance at 1) the point of application for a building permit; 2) application for a buoy permit; 3) targeted enforcement; or 4) at the point of a real estate transaction as something that must be disclosed to a potential buyer.

Some drastic measure of cooperation must be taken since out of the 45,000 properties within the Tahoe Basin that need to have compliance with this BMP situation, only 12,000 properties have stepped up to the plate (and this has been required since 2003).

For more information on this — there is a lot at the TRPA’s dedicated website where you can even find out if your property has a certificate.

Road Construction In North Lake Tahoe & Truckee

Hard to believe it but it is almost summer.  As I write this post, it is snowing outside but the highway construction has already begun.  They say that there are only 2 seasons in the Truckee-Lake Tahoe area:  Winter and Road Construction Season but with snow in May, it seems that they are merging.  Check it out here:

Hwy Const Summer2010

10358 Donner Trail

A wonderful 4.5 acres centrally located within the Truckee Town limits.  In a nice quiet neighborhood and off of a cul-de-sac means very little traffic yet easy access to the conveniences of town. Beautiful forested setting for seclusion with potential peek mountain views. Gentle up sloping terrain with level areas to give choice building opportunity. This perfect home site is very reasonably offered at $250,000

12165 Bernese Lane – Tahoe Donner

Wonderful cabin located in Truckee’s amenity laden Tahoe Donner Subdivision.  This home has it all, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and an attached 2 car garage.  Set on a perfectly level lot with southern exposure and located in the lower part of the subdivision so you get lots of snow but not too much!!   Extensive use of wood includes wrapped windows, vaulted pine ceilings, wood accent wall and hardwood floors.  The owners have taken such good care of this home, it hardly looks its age.  There is even a nice back deck that opens to a greenbelt setting affording fantastic privacy.  All this, so affordably priced at $450,000 make it a great choice for either full time residents or second homeowners.

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