Guides & Resources for
Buyers and Sellers
Helpful checklists and guides, prepared by Amanda — downloadable versions are on the way.
Guides & Checklists
Resources for Every Step
Seller's Guide
A step-by-step overview of pricing, preparation, and the selling timeline.
Downloadable guide coming soonBuyer's Handbook
What to expect from financing through closing day.
Downloadable guide coming soonHome Preparation Checklist
Simple updates that make the biggest difference before listing.
Downloadable guide coming soonDownsizing & Moving Checklist
A practical guide for downsizing, estate sales, and moving day.
Downloadable guide coming soonThe Vendor Network
Who You’ll Need, and Who Amanda Introduces You To
Preparing a home for sale usually means assembling a small team on a short timeline, and finding each trade cold is where most sellers lose weeks. Amanda keeps a working list of people she has used and would use again — painters and color consultants through to landscape designers and professional stagers. The full network is set out on the Staging & Design page.
These are introductions rather than a published directory. Which trades you actually need depends on the property and the plan, so the list gets narrowed in conversation and the scheduling is coordinated as part of White Glove service — not handed to you as homework. If you are preparing a home after a move or an estate transition, the Downsizing & Estate Transitions page covers the moving, hauling and donation side as well.
Local Reference Points
Checking the Things That Actually Vary by Address
School district assignment. Across this service area, district lines routinely fail to match city lines. Walnut Creek is split between three districts, southern Martinez falls under a different district than the rest of the city, Antioch’s boundaries cross the city limit in both directions, and Berkeley and Oakland assign by lottery and choice rather than by street. Every community page names the districts that serve it, and the answer for a specific home should always come from the district’s own address lookup rather than a listing or a neighborhood name.
Which jurisdiction you are actually in. Northgate and Saranap are marketed as Walnut Creek but sit in unincorporated Contra Costa County. Canyon is outside Moraga’s town limits. Piedmont is its own city entirely, enclaved inside Oakland. Jurisdiction affects permits, services and sometimes taxes, so it is worth confirming rather than assuming from a mailing address.
Carrying costs beyond the mortgage. Many Brentwood neighborhoods carry HOA dues, and some newer ones also carry Mello-Roos assessments on top of standard property taxes. Rossmoor is governed as 23 separate Mutuals and Summerset has four separate associations, so there is no single dues figure for either — see the 55+ communities page for the full picture. Amanda pulls the current disclosure package for the specific property rather than working from a number someone quoted online.
Common Questions
Guides & Resources: Common Questions
Are Amanda's guides available to download?
Not yet. The seller's guide, buyer's handbook, home preparation checklist and downsizing checklist are being prepared as downloads. In the meantime Amanda walks clients through the same material directly.
Does Amanda charge for vendor referrals?
No. Introductions to painters, stagers, landscapers and the other trades are part of how she works, and coordinating them is included rather than billed separately.
How do I confirm which schools serve a specific address?
Use the district's own address lookup tool. District boundaries in this area often do not follow city lines, and Berkeley and Oakland assign by lottery and choice rather than by street, so a listing or a neighborhood name is not a reliable answer.
Can Amanda recommend a lender or inspector?
Yes. Vetted lender and inspector introductions are part of the buyer side of her White Glove process.