| Buyers & Sellers |
Buyers & Sellers
REALTOR® members and organizations like SAMCAR work hard to help home buyers and sellers, and protect property owners by providing valuable resources, legislative advocacy, giving back to our communities and holding our members to the highest ethical standards. The Buyers & Sellers page on our website provides information about local market conditions, resources for first time buyers, and information about the advantages of working with a REALTOR®.
REALTORS® are mostly small business owners who ensure buyers and sellers experience the greatest transparency, choice and efficiency through independent, local broker marketplaces that level the playing field for all types and sizes of residential real estate brokerages.
Learn more at competition.realtor
NAR Consumer Guide Series »
Infographics
179 Ways Agents Who Are REALTORS® Are Worth Every Penny of Their Compensation
Buying A Home Is Easy!* If You Work with a Real Estate Agent Who is a REALTOR® 
Selling A Home Is Easy!* If You Work with a Real Estate Agent Who is a REALTOR®
Published: April 02, 2015
CFPB LAUNCHES “KNOW BEFORE YOU OWE” TOOLKIT
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a new toolkit that guides consumers through the process of shopping for a mortgage and buying a house. Developed as part of the CFPB's "Know Before You Owe" mortgage initiative, the toolkit will help consumers take full advantage of the new Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure forms that lenders are required to begin providing in August.
Published: March 06, 2015
Help Preserve 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchanges
Your voice is needed. SAMCAR is joining with the Northern California Commercial Association of REALTORS® (NCCAR) to preserve 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchanges. Congress will be introducing tax reform bills in the next few months and Section 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchanges are directly threatened and could very well be repealed or severely limited.
Published: February 23, 2015
Response to Consumer Report's "Dirty Secrets" Article
In response to Consumer Report's recent article, "Real estate agents confess their dirty little secrets," NAR recommends members submit a letter to the editor of the magazine about the value that agents bring to their clients and real estate transactions. Read more for talking points and a model letter.
Published: February 09, 2015
Pacifica Embarks on Major Sewer Upgrade
Brian Martinez (Collection System Manager) and Joshua Cosgrove (Assistant Collection System Superintendent) for the City of Pacifica have announced the city is undertaking a major sewer main replacement project.
Published: January 23, 2015
Feds Won't Back Mortgages Seized by Cities
A controversial plan to use a municipality's eminent domain powers to seize properties in defaulthas suffered a severe setback with FHA, Ginnie Mae, and HUD now having no funds to insure, securitize, or establish a federal guarantee of any mortgage or mortgage backed security that refinances or replaces a mortgage that was subject to eminent domain condemnation or seizure.
Published: January 20, 2015
Fannie & Freddie Urged to Ease Up on Credit Qualifications
The FHFA has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to explore "alternate" credit-score models and the credit history of the loans they back. The move is part of several efforts by FHFA to ease tight mortgage standards and help more potential buyers qualify for financing.