James V. Cardoza, JD, MBA, Broker

Home Buyer Services

James Cardoza offers real estate buyer agent services ("Home Buyer's Agent"). Please call or text 559-612-6629 to get started or to answer any questions you may have about buying a home or working with a home buyer's agent.

James Cardoza's California Home Buyer Guide

Click HERE to Download James Cardoza's California Home Buyer's Guide(pdf download)

How much does it cost to be represented by a home buyer's agent in California?

Real estate commission rates are negotiable, and the amount of out-of-pocket real estate commission expense or broker fees you will need to pay when you buy a home in California will depend on a variety of factors, including: the commission rate or fee structure you agree to with the real estate agent you choose, which may itself vary depending on whether the agent you are working with is your exclusive agent (i.e. you agree to ONLY work with one agent throughout your entire home buying process) or a non-exclusive agent (i.e. your agreement with your first real estate agent allows you to also shop for homes using another agent or agents); any commission share that may be contributed by an agent who represents the seller to cover the amount of sales commission or fees you have agreed to pay your buyer agent; any amount that the seller of the home or another party may contribute to cover the amount or rate of commission or fees you have agreed to pay your real estate agent; whether you choose to even be represented by a real estate agent; possibly other factors. It may be such that you will need to account for the cost of real estate buyer agent commission or fees in determining how much cash you need to contribute to closing on the purchase of your home; but it may also be the case that you receive a credit (from other sources) at closing that will cover the entire cost of your agreed to buyer agent commission and may be available to cover other home purchase closing costs or home loan closing costs.

For information about the cost (and value) of James Cardoza's home buyer agent services (versus other buyer's agents), being represented by your own buyer's agent / buyer-broker in general instead of going it alone, being represented by a dual agent who also works for the seller, or just having a real estate attorney "prepare your paperwork" and handling the rest of the transaction by yourself, please call James V. Cardoza today at: 559-612-6629 .

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Q. Can James Cardoza help me buy a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Home?

A. YES, though for best results, please contact James Cardoza BEFORE you contact the homeowner.

Q. Can James Cardoza help me buy a new home from a builder?

A. YES, though for best results, please contact James Cardoza before you contact the builder or preview the new home models on display.

Q. Can James Cardoza help me buy a home that is listed for sale by another real estate agent?

A. YES, though for best results, please contact James Cardoza before calling the agent who is advertising the home for sale, and before visiting any open houses.

Q. I found a property that is not being advertised for sale anywhere (not listed with a real estate agent, builder, or For Sale By Owner (FSBO)), but I would still like to make an offer to buy this property. Can James Cardoza help me buy this home that is not even being advertised for sale?

A. Possibly. If you would like to make an offer to purchase a property that is not currently being advertised for sale or "listed" for sale, James Cardoza may still be able to help you contact the current owner and make an offer to purchase the property.

Q. What is a dual agent? What is dual agency? And should I use a dual agent when buying a home to save on real estate commission? I.e. as a home buyer, should I go directly to the listing agent (seller's agent) to make an offer on a home?

A. A dual agent is a real estate agent (salesperson or broker) who represents both the home buyer and the home seller in the same transaction. Although dual agency is currently still allowed in California (as of 4/19/24), several states have actually outlawed the practice. Advocates for dual agency suggest that by using a dual agent (i.e. by the buyer working directly with the same agent who works for the seller, or with an agent who works for the same brokerage that represents the seller, they may be able to reduce the amount of commission that they have to pay, but this is not always the case, and it can create other complications or concerns. The biggest concern for home buyers who use a dual agent to help them purchase a home is that they can never be certain whether that agent is fully acting in their best interest, since their first loyalty was often to the home seller. That said, California real estate agents still have a fiduciary duty to both the seller and the buyer in a dual agency situation, but it becomes very difficult to actually fulfill this dual fiduciary duty when it comes time to negotiate the price of the home, the allocation of closing costs, and what to do about suggested or necessary repairs that get revealed during the process of buying/selling the home. Although at the present time (4/19/24) dual agency is still allowed in California, buyers (and sellers) should use caution when deciding to use a dual agent. Add to that, many sellers are already expecting to be asked to cover all or a portion of the cost of a buyer's agent's commission, and REAL ESTATE COMMISSION RATES ARE NEGOTIABLE, so it is often a better idea to use your own agent (as opposed to a dual agent) when purchasing a home.

Q. What are some websites that I can use to find homes for sale? And can James Cardoza help me buy a home that is listed on one of these websites?

A. There are all sorts of websites that advertise homes for sale, and in most cases, James V Cardoza can help you buy one of these homes (even if the site is operated by another real estate agent or brokerage). Some popular sites include: your local Multiple Listing Service (MLS); Realtor.com; Homes.com; Zillow.com; Fresno.Craigslist.org; FaceBook Marketplace; HUDHomesUSA.org; FSBO.com; Various local real estate brokerage websites, and other websites.

Q. What are some of the builders who sell new homes in Fresno County and Madera County

A. There are several new home builders that sell homes, in Fresno, Clovis, Madera, and surrounding cities and towns in and around Fresno County and Madera County. Some of the larger local home builders (in no specific order) include: Wilson Homes; Granville Homes; Wathen Castanos by Truemark Homes; Woodside Homes; KB Homes; Bonadelle Neighborhoods; Lennar - Central Valley; K Hovnanian Homes; and various other builders.

Q. I'd like to purchase a home directly from the owner without using a real estate agent or a real estate attorney. Are there any pre-printed forms or real estate contract templates on the market that I can use?

A. There are a variety of pre-printed real estate purchase contracts, home buyer forms, or real estate purchase contract templates available online. Two popular sources for these types of forms are U.S. Legal Forms (USLegalForms.com) and First Tuesday / RPI Forms (FirstTuesday.us). Although it is possible to buy a home without a real estate agent or a real estate attorney using forms from either of these two form publishers or from another form publisher, it is almost always recommended to use a real estate agent or a real estate attorney to help you complete your home purchase.

About James V. Cardoza