Cardoza Realty Services

Professional Real Estate Brokerage Services

James Cardoza offers real estate seller agent services ("Seller's Agent / Listing Agent"), buyer agent services ("Buyer's Agent"), and real estate transaction facilitation services ("Transaction Broker") (i.e. for For Sale by Owner Seller's and Buyers who have reached an informal agreement to buy/sell, but need assistance preparing the paperwork (purchase contract and disclosures) and facilitating the transaction). 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.

California Real Estate Buyer and Seller Guides

Click HERE to Download James Cardoza's California Real Estate Seller's Guide(pdf download, email NOT required)

Click HERE to Download James Cardoza's California Home Buyer's Guide(pdf download, email NOT required)

How much does James Cardoza charge for representing home sellers and sellers / lessors of vacant land, commercial real estate, and agricultural real estate?

James Cardoza is willing to work on either on a commission basis or a flat fee basis. The actual amount charged by James Cardoza will depenend on a variety of factors, inculding size / complexity of the property or transaction, expected marketing time, travel distance, and other factors. Please call or text James Cardoza at 559-612-6629 to set up a time to talk about how James V Cardoza can help you with selling your home or selling or leasing your vacant land, commercial, or agricultural property.

If I hire James Cardoza to represent me in the sale of my property, will I have to also pay a buyer's agent commission?

James Cardoza has designed a unique marketing plan that should enable you to get maximum exposure for your property, while also reducing the likelyhood that you will be asked to pay a large buyer's-agent commission. Please call or text James Cardoza at 559-612-6629 for more information or to set up an appointment to list your home for sale with James Cardoza or to list your vacant land, ag property, or commercial property for sale or lease with James Cardoza.

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.

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 7/30/24), 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 (7/30/24) dual agency is still allowed in California, buyers (and sellers) should use caution when deciding to use a dual agent.

Q. What is a buyer-broker representation agreement or a buyer-broker agreement, and will I be required to sign one to see homes or to make an offer on a home?

A. A buyer-broker agreement, or buyer-broker representation agreement is a written agreement between a prospective real estate buyer and a real estate broker that sets forth the amount of commission and/or other fees the buyer will pay for using the services of a real estate agent, as well as the scope of the broker's duties. A buyer broker agreement may be an exclusive agreement or a non-exclusive agreement. An exclusive buyer-broker agreement requires that you pay the broker named in the agreement a commission or fee if you buy real estate or a mobile home that fits the description set forth in the agreement in terms of price, location, size, or other specified factors during the term of the agreement, REGARDLESS of whether the agent prepares, presents, or negotiates the purchase for you, or manages the process from offer to closing. This means that unless you are able to cancel the agreement, you are stuck with the agent named in the buyer-broker agreement until the agreement expires, and possibly for an additional time period for specific properties that the broker (or the broker's associate licensee) has shown you during the term of the agreement. A non-exclusive buyer-broker agreement still sets forth the amount of real estate commission or fees that you will be obligated to pay the broker if you buy a property for which the broker has prepared or presented a purchase offer on your behalf during the term of the agreement, but does not require you to pay the broker if you purchase the property without the assistance of the broker. Although the California Association of Realtors publishes one or more buyer broker representation agreement forms, and although proposed legislation has been submitted to require the use of buyer-broker agreements in California for specific types of real estate transactions and to set forth specific items that must be addressed in buyer-broker agreements, as of 7/30/2024, the proposed legislation has not yet been signed into law and the exact form of buyer-broker agremeent you use is NOT set by law, so it may be beneficial for you to interview several prospective buyer-agents (buyer-brokers) before signing a buyer-broker agreement.

If you choose to be represented by James Cardoza in the purchase of a home, you have the option to use James Cardoza's custom buyer-broker agremeent, which is more consumer friendly and easier to understand than the standard form Buyer-Broker-Representation Agreement published by California Association of Realtors. To view a sample of James V. Cardoza's Buyer Broker Representation Agreement Form, please visit: CaliforniaRealtyForms.com.

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. Who 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; Gary McDonald 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. Although it is possible to buy a home without a real estate agent or a real estate attorney, it is almost always recommended to use a real estate agent and/or a real estate attorney to help you complete your home purchase. If you have already found a home you would like to purchase directly from the seller and need help facilitating the purchase, James Cardoza may be able to help. Please call or text James Cardoza at 559-612-6629 for assistance with transaction facilitation.

About James V. Cardoza