Pam Buda

Trulia Pro
"Wine country homes, estates and horse properties"
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  • Real Estate Professional
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  • Coldwell Banker
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  • (707) 527-8300
Pam Buda, in Sonoma County
  • 46 Answers
  • 2 Best Answers
  • 16 First Answers
  • 11 Useful Answers
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About Me
I moved to Sonoma County from the Bay Area in 1999, after spending many weekends and holidays with friends throughout the county. I decided to trade in my Bay view and Silicon Valley and SFO commuting for a small ranch in the wine country northwest of Santa Rosa, with close proximity to Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Windsor, Kenwood, Glen Ellen and Sonoma. I went from selling and marketing software and technogy to marketing properties for sellers and finding country and horse properties for a wide range of buyers, many of whom have bought weekend getaways or who haved moved to the Wine Country full time.This Site and Homescopes Real Estate BlogMy wish for this blog and the informal network of Coldwell Banker agents I am affiliated with at Homescopes.com is that we provide our communities, clients, potential neighbors, friends and associates a way to stay on top of the diverse local real estate markets in Northern California. Also, we want to share the unique local flavor of our various counties and communities that we enjoy so much.Wine Country and Horses….Horses and Wine Country???Well, the main rationale for moving here from the Bay Area is that my back yard was not big enough for my horse, and I was tired of boarding her at a stable a half hour away. Also as a kid growing up in New York I had the crazy idea that I wanted a farm. No one in my family is quite sure how that happend, but it did. Anyway, one un-scheduled December day in 1998, I went driving to see what kind of farm I could trade my home for in Sonoma, Napa or Marin counties. The fact that I could afford to make the move and have plenty of room for horses, gardening, grapes as well as to be close to a variety of great restaurants and lots of things to do, plus only an hour from the Golden Gate Bridge, seemed like a logical next step. Within 6 months I had made the move, and by August my horse was safely ensconced at home with me.

Pam’s background

Prior to establishing her real estate business, she spent over 20 years in high level marketing and sales in the software and internet business, developing and implementing marketing and sales strategies for companies such as Macromedia, Lotus Development and Borland. Since 2003, she has applied her skills and experience to the effective representation of home sellers and buyers in Sonoma County. Her network includes experienced realtors in Napa and Lake Counties as well as elsewhere in California. Her experience negotiating with large corporations such as American Airlines, Chevron Corporation, Boeing and Bank of America and in crafting innovative product launches lend themselves to excellent representation of her real estate clients.Pam is a country property owner, grape grower and horsewoman thrilled to live and work in Sonoma County.
Testimonials
"Pam was recommended to me by a Marin friend and realtor whom I had informed of my wish to find property in the Sonoma/Santa Rosa area. I couldn't be happier with the outcome of my search. In three days of intense looking at a variety of listings, Pam nudged, pointed and otherwise encouraged me toward an area that she thought might meet all my requirements. It took a while to convince me to give it a try but sure enough, Pam's intuitive abilities were correct. She knows the market and she knows her stuff. I found exactly what I REALLY wanted (even though I didn't know, myself, what that was--nor was I able to articulate it-- when we first started out). From escrow to closing, Pam made the whole thing a breeze--the simplest, easiest process I've ever encountered in several decades of home-buying. Pam was right on top of everything, which meant I didn't have to worry. What a relief! I would enthusiastically recommend her to anyone who wants to find the perfect place in wine & horse country."
Gail Harris Thu Jul 10
"For anyone hitting this site because they are considering buying a house with horse property, you are onto the best kept secret of location and person power. Well, I guess its not really a secret given Google these days…but having to write most of time for work I usually avoid spending any additional time at the computer crafting responses/testimonials/ etc…I’d rather be out riding a cross country course! However, Pam was such an extraordinary real estate agent that I can’t resist singing her praises so more stellar horse people end up in Sonoma County. Perhaps you are like us…two horses, two SF based jobs, thinking that you had to wait until retirement to get into a nice horse property. In the meantime you are writing those hefty boarding checks each month for small stalls, limited turnout, extra charges for trailer parking, blanketing, less and less places to ride outside of an arena, etc. Not true! We thought we couldn’t afford anything within commuting distance to SF but Pam changed that perception and made it a reality. With tight work schedules, competing demands on free time and a budget, we were probably not a real estate agent’s dream couple, and we were very, very picky about what kind of place we envisioned as ideal for the horses and ourselves. Pam was exceptional. She sent frequent email postings of properties, worked completely around our work/horse showing schedule, lined us up with talented bankers, insightful consultants, crunched numbers for us, fed us at fabulous restaurants to keep the energy levels up and never complained that she wasn’t out riding when we made her drive us around every square inch of two counties on the weekend. She is extremely bright (that helps with complicated country property purchases where the contracts read like IRS manuals), perceptive (figured out what we liked and didn’t like faster than we did), knowledgeable (had or found the answers to every horse/property question that we came up with) and was lotsa fun in the process (and I think house buying is a pain to be honest). Did I mention she is also persistent? We would never have ended up in our fantastic 5 acre place with such happy horses if we hadn’t finally followed her advice that we see this one property “that I think has everything you want”. Well we saw it, bought it, and as they say in the fairy tales of old “lived happily every after”."
Christine Kennedy, William Hamersky, Rohan and Seamus Fri Feb 8
"“Pam does an amazing job and we would highly recommend her to anyone needing a thoroughly knowledgeable realtor with excellent marketing skills. She is willing to go the extra mile as we found out after 3 successful transactions buying one and selling two properties in less than a year.”"
Jeffrey Johnson and Terry Loveton, Sebastopol Tue Aug 21, 2007
My Q&A View all >>
Pam Buda's Questions (1)
Pam Buda's Answers (46)
Alfred Nueman, Just Looking in Santa Rosa

why is it inaccurately shown on the map? this property is on the corner of Hall Road and Park Royal Avenue.

Asked Mon Oct 13 2008, 14:05 by Alfred Nueman  -  95401  -  Home Buying  -  6 answers
Pam Buda answered:
Dave is right--you can go into Google Maps for example and correct the position of the pin on the Map. Listing agents or sellers need to adjust the maps now because they are not reliable, especially for country properties where the maps are not fully digitized, or on large parcels where the pin placement is either misleading or downright inaccurate. And you need to go to various mapping sites to effect the changes.

BTW,this is in an interesting location. It is a beautiful area between the Santa Rosa Country Club, an older development bordering the golf course and the surrounding farm properties which have vineyards, horses and livestock. All about 10 minutes to downtown Santa Rosa, or to Sebastopol, Graton or Occidental. Maybe 15-20 minutes to Healdsburg and 10 minutes to the Airport. Can you tell I like the area? - Mon Oct 13 2008, 17:22
Robert, Home Buyer in Santa Rosa

Everytime I see a house I like and the price I want, My agent always tells me it already has multiple offers

Asked Sun Jul 13 2008, 04:30 by Robert  -  95401  -  Home Buying  -  15 answers
Pam Buda answered:
Hopefully Robert you have bought a home by now. If not, please refer back to Mike Kelly's answer below. As an all cash buyer you have a definite leg up in today's market in Sonoma County. The truth of the REO game in here today, as 2.5 months ago when Mike commented, is that bank-owned property sales still dominate our market at the entry level under $500K, heck under $400K. That said, many buyers even with experienced agents, are competing for the best apples in the basket. A good apple in this case may not be a perfect home but a cosmetic fixer with good bones. Or a good location, etc. These are the ones that are selling quickly (quickly in bank time not buyer time)

As a cash buyer you should move to the head of the pack pretty quickly but what can be confusing is that many of the active REO listings on the MLS are actually not available. They are not accepting offers beyond the first 5 or 10 or 15 they have already received. Unfortunately, because banks are taking a long time to physically ratify the best of these accepted offers in writing, they show as available leading to a lot of frustration and confusion among consumers.

Some of the listing agents who handle large numbers of REO properties send out daily email updates to agents indicating how many offers have been received on their listings and a cutoff date for new offers if appropriate. This is an attempt to bypass the current shortcomings of the MLS status categories when it comes to REO's. Bankes also may request highest and best offers in these situations and will not counter on major financial terms.

It is possible to find a great deal, even with some sales prices going well over asking, on investment property or a first time home in Sonoma County. It just takes preparation and persistence. Good luck! - Mon Oct 13 2008, 15:33
Wow--I was out all day showing property in Sonoma county yesterday and I think you got some great answers in the meantime! I agree with most everything said, and wanted to reiterate 1 point. As Dave said, you should be first in line to see the new REO's as they come on and be in a position to write on them prior to the submission of multiple offers. Also, many of the agents specializing in REO's publish status lists of offer activity for their inventory. At a glance, your agent can guide you to the ones available. One list I subscribe to will indicate as many as 13 or 14 offers for especially desirable properties. If a bank as received only one offer right off the bat, and is waiting for more--that will be indicated. Could it be that the first offer was lowball? One listing I was following had an offer on it for weeks. Once a second offer came in, the bank indicated they would cut off new offers 3 days later.

As a cash buyer you are able to be much more competitive than the first time buyers competing against you. Many popular listings, REO or otherwise, are shown on the first day on market to agents and their clients who were aware of the property's coming on the market in advance of day one. - Sun Jul 13 2008, 11:42
Bob, Buyer & Seller in Downey

About California disclosure. How can disclose that my neighbor have gathering with friends in his patio every?

Asked Thu Oct 9 2008, 08:06 by Bob  -  Downey  -  How To...  -  7 answers
Pam Buda answered:
Hi Bob--thank you for the thanks to the community! We have always been advised to tell our clients to bring up anything that raises a glimmer of doubt or concern. It is best for everyone in the long run. - Thu Oct 9 2008, 17:42
Eileen is absolutely correct that in California this would most definitely be a disclosure item as material facts that may affect the property's desirability are not limited to physical aspects of the property itself. We also go through extensive legal training as part of Coldwell Banker every year to stay up to date on the case law and are definitely advised to err on the side of over-disclosing facts about a property and neighborhood that a prospective buyer "may" find problematic, even if you don't. Perhaps other states are different but in California the standard is very high. Just write your item in our own words. Your agent and I are certainly not able or permitted to advise you on the content of your disclosures, we can only advise you to be as thorough as possible. - Thu Oct 9 2008, 10:43
Rose Tabor, Home Buyer in Santa Rosa

Question removed

Asked Fri Oct 3 2008, 09:53 by Rose Tabor  -  Santa Rosa  -  Home Buying  -  7 answers
Pam Buda answered:
You know I have to take exception to someone from New York ( I was born in NYC) or anyone for that matter commenting on local realtors and lenders in Sonoma County and calling people sharks circling for loans. Since when does directing someone to a lender who can provide detailed information on currently available loan options in today's climate and in our market call for such disparaging language? I always advise my clients to seek detailed financial advice and determine exact numbers and costs today, and THEN make a decision about whether they should buy now or later. But the only loan and market conditions we know for sure are the ones that exist right now. Only with detailed information about their options can someone make an informed choice. - Fri Oct 3 2008, 12:47
Hi Andrea, You are actually in a good position to explore FHA Loans right now. As long as your credit score is over 530, and preferably over 580, some of these very competitive programs may be an excellent solution for you. Also, the good news is that you may need only as little as 3.5 percent down payment, which can come from a family member or a friend. Given the reduction in Santa Rosa home prices, these loans are excellent options for owner occupied homes, with even some excellent provisions for fixer homes as well. I attended a very informative seminar this week sponsored by Otto Kobler of Maximum Mortgage in Santa Rosa who is certified to handle the various types of FHA loans. Please email or call me and I will provide you with his contact info--his website is in the process of being re-done. Good luck! I was very encouraged to learn about some of these current programs and how helpful they can be in this market! - Fri Oct 3 2008, 11:48
dthomawong, Home Buyer in Windsor

Is the listing accurate? Seems a bit high for the surrounding market.

Asked Thu Oct 2 2008, 22:22 by dthomawong  -  95492  -  Home Buying  -  1 answer
Pam Buda answered:
Hi there--this is a bank-owned home which is priced under the recent sales for this floor plan. The newer homes along Starr Road border the Vintana development and are much larger, with more amenities and generally larger lots than those in the Vintana community in general. They have a view across the street to vineyard and agricultural property and were previously priced in the 700 to 900 range. If you are interested in more detailed information, please let me know and I can pull some comparable sales for you. When I saw this one come on it looked like a pretty good deal for the money and square footage. - Fri Oct 3 2008, 09:10
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My Listings
414 Piper St, Healdsburg, CA 95448 414 Piper St…
$585,000
2 br  2.0 ba Listing Web Site
5850 Gilmore Ave, Cotati, CA 94931 5850 Gilmore…
$729,000
3 br  2.0 ba Listing Web Site
View all 2 listings
Specialties
Country Property, Wine country living, Horse property, Negotiation, Contracts, Marketing properties, technology for marketing, selling and finding properties, Great restaurants and fun things to do in the wine country of Northern California, Vizsla dogs and resources for pet owners buying or selling real estate in Sonoma county.
Experience
Latest:
Realtor and Previews Property Specialist for Coldwell Banker
June 2003—present
Previous:
Principal for Convergence Point
Advisor and interim executive for emerging technology companies in sales, marketing and business development strategies.
January 1991—December 2002
Previous:
Vice President of Sales for Macromind, now Macromedia at Adobe
Launched Macromind Director to national distributors, resellers, corporations and major partners such as Apple Computer. Negotiated distribution and promotional deals, built a sales organization from headquarters into a national team.
April 1989—December 1991
Previous:
Director of Western Sales for Borland International
$43,000,000 P and L responsiblity including sales management, business development and product marketing strategy for the Western half of the United States, and national product marketing efforts.
April 1986—April 1989
Previous:
Sale and marketing for Lotus Development Corporation, now IBM
Various sales and marketing positions during a time of rapid growth and public offering. Company grew from zero to $360,000,000 in gross sales and from 25 to hundreds of employees during this time. Great fun and a wild ride!
March 1983—April 1986
Certifications & Awards
Rookie of the Year for Coldwell Banker, 2003
Interests
Horses, Dogs, Vizslas, Great food and wine, gardening and horticulture, grape growing, reading, former avid sailor and ocean racer, travelling--not enough time to do it all!
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