Legal insights and practical guides for Sonoma County real estate buyers, written by an attorney who is also your broker.
Buyer Representation & Agreements
California's AB 2992 requires buyer's agents to sign a written BRBC with their clients — but does it apply to open houses or seller-agent showings? The answer is no. Learn what the law actually says, and why buyers should not be pressured into signing a BRBC before touring a home.
Buyer Representation & Agreements
The standard California buyer-broker agreement (Form BRBC) was drafted to protect brokers, not buyers. Learn the five critical modifications every Sonoma County buyer must make before signing — and why the NAR settlement makes this more urgent than ever.
Rural Land & Agricultural Property
If you're buying rural land, a vineyard, or agricultural property in Sonoma County, there's a local ordinance most buyers — and even many agents — don't fully understand until it's too late. The Public Trust Review Area (PTRA) can be the difference between a productive property and one with severely constrained water rights.
Estate Planning & Tax Strategy
California's community property laws give married couples a powerful tax advantage that buyers in most other states don't have — the Double Step-Up in Basis. Understanding it before you close could save your family hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most buyers learn about it too late.