Buyer’s Guide
About the Oldham Group $300+M Closed Volume in 2022
Over 220 Transactions closed in 2022
#62 The Oldham Group is a Collective of talented agents, staff, and support, led by Andrew and Jennifer Oldham - Founding Agents for Compass. Having closed over $1 Billion in sales volume during their career, Andrew and Jennifer lead a team that has substantially increased its business year over year while covering the expansive Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Alameda, and Contra Costa County real estate markets. Because their agents have been selected based on
Teams in the nation
#20 Teams in California
#14 Top 100 producing agents or teams in the SF Bay Area
their hyper-local expertise, they confidently represent a vast coverage area with in-depth knowledge across several counties. With over 85 years of combined real estate expertise in
oldhamgroupcompass
marketing, law, title, design, and escrow, they provide their clients talents and expertise unparalleled in the California
Oldham Group | Compass
market. Combining their knowledge and experience with their love and passion for residential real estate, local expertise, exceptional marketing, personal service and the backing of the
Oldham Group at Compass
nation’s best luxury brokerage, Compass, they will prove to you the Oldham Group difference. O L D H A M G RO U P
californialiving.me
Simone McCarthy San Mateo and Santa Clara County Specialist As a Bay Area native, Simone attended Carlmont High School, played soccer, went on consecutive mission trips with her St. Charles Parish, and cheered on her brother at St. Francis baseball games. While at the University of Arizona, she studied journalism and channeled her passion for writing into a position as a beat writer for the Oakland A’s. Simone loves people, getting to know them, what makes them tick, and their ultimate goals and desires. She approaches
Realtor® 650.380.3062 simonemccarthy@compass.com DRE# 02137539
each day with optimism and feels that the true reward comes from a job well done and the satisfaction of her clients. Simone's commitment to seeing her own dreams come to fruition translates to her commitment to helping her clients find their dream homes. Simone's keen attention to
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detail, ability to look at multiple angles and perspectives, and knack for photos and videos make her a true gem in the real estate world.
Jennifer Oldham Team Leader
Jennifer is a high-performing real estate professional, who is not only an experienced realtor and loan officer, but also a skilled negotiator and a real estate paralegal. What sets Jennifer apart is her ability to listen to her clients’ needs and use her indepth knowledge of the real estate market to negotiate the best deal to exceed the clients’ expectations. With more than two decades of experience working for residential real estate, title, escrow, and specializing in high net worth clients. Jennifer knows exactly what it takes to buy or sell a home. This is one of the reasons why she has been an award-winning Realtor since 2000. When working with clients, Jennifer first learns about what the client wants, then clearly explains the process, sets goals, and works hard to accomplish the best result. Jennifer has built the team on three simple principles: 1. Be Kind, 2. Be Professional, 3. Be an Expert. Jennifer ensures each one of the Oldham Group Team members exemplifies this mantra without exception. Jennifer started in real estate 20 plus years ago in the Bay Area, and never quit.
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Realtor® 408.835.4119 jennifer@compass.com DRE 01325650 She loves seeing great families find the right home, and wonderful agents expand their real estate acumen and experience. An adrenaline junkie, Jennifer has sought out and excelled at every possible extreme sport, from racing dirt bikes to competitive boxing, ice skating to skydiving, she has done it all. Her motto “Don’t eff it up!” pretty much sums up Jenn’s leadership style. Funny and full of love, this bad ass hugger makes long lasting connections with her clients and team members alike.
Andrew Oldham Team Leader / Attorney Originally a real estate lawyer, Andrew’s 40 years of real estate experience makes him uniquely able to tackle any real estate problem. From legal expertise, to escrow and title specifics, to brokerage, Andrew has done it all and he loves doing it, for his clients and his team. Before starting the Oldham Group, Andrew had a long career as a real estate litigator, and real estate entrepreneur. After passing the bar, his real estate law career took off and he spent years in escrow litigation as a freelancer and salaried lawyer. In the nineties, Andrew founded a real estate company called
Realtor® 408.393.0773 andrew.oldham@compass.com DRE 01207289
eHome. eHome took advantage of
When he’s not assisting clients and agents, or
burgeoning internet technology, and
working with Compass to help them improve
found a home for real estate there.
their tools and resources, Andrew loves
They raised 30 million in capital and
walking Asilomar beach with his wife and
were the first to make the MLS searchable for clients, not just agents, and expanded to three states.
business partner, Jennifer and their adorable Boston, Abby. Andrew prides himself on being a kind, and loving person first and foremost, and second (but just barely) an excellent real estate professional.
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Testimonials We are so grateful that we found The Oldham Group! Since our first contact, we were working with friends that really understood our needs and desires. It was because of their relationships in the community that we were able to find and purchase our dream home off market. We absolutely recommend them for all your real estates needs. I'm a first-time buyer, and very nervous, so the Oldhams solid expertise and confidence were a big help to me. I had a million questions about the fine print as we went along, and they were always there to walk me through things step-by-step in a video call. I really appreciated their firm guidance when I felt unsure, felt secure in their knowledge of the details, and always felt that they were in my corner. They knew just when to act and how to proceed at every turn, and got me a fantastic deal. They were also a joy to talk to, warm and funny and supportive and full of great anecdotes and insights, able to put me right at ease. I'd fully trust them again and would like to thank them for everything. Jennifer Oldham and the entire Oldham Group team is your best bet for finding and snagging the best house in a competitive market. In this day and age, buyers have many tools at their fingertips. We can set up custom searches and see listings as soon as they’re on the market. A realtor has to be so much more than a listing machine, and that’s Jenn, Andy and their team. They bring so much to the table, from escrow expertise, to off market homes, to a complete grasp of real estate markets around the Bay Area, and central coast. They have the knowledge, tenacity, and spitfire gumption to close any deal and get you into the house that fits. Period. Plus, they are kind, generous with their time, and have a team who reflects those same ideals. To make a long story short, working with Jenn and Andy at the Oldham Group will always be the right decision, and I would recommend them to anyone who needs a real estate professional.
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Why Get Pre-Approved Pre-approval is different from pre-qualifying, as it is a full loan approval instead of an opinion letter. It is recommended to get pre-approval before looking at homes. Finding out what you qualify for will help you look in the right price range
Determining the Right Price Range The first step in buying a house is to determine the price range that is right for you. You will need to consider how much you are prepared to invest in your home and how much you will need to borrow. You should also consider how much property taxes and insurance will add to your monthly mortgage payment.
Pre-Approval for a Loan
Determining Cash You Will Need You will need enough cash to cover both your down payment and any closing costs associated with the purchase. Closing costs vary significantly based on the terms of your loan but are generally 1% to 2% of the purchase price.
to obtain the proposed
Determining Additional Costs Your Compass agent will help estimate your purchasing power and your carrying costs, but it is highly recommended that you discuss your cash needs and tax ramifications with an accountant and/or financial advisor.
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An offer is given greater consideration by a seller if it is accompanied by a preapproval letter from a reputable lender or a local mortgage broker. This assures the seller that you will be able financing and will not tie up the property needlessly. Lenders will inquire about the following six critical factors: 1. Income 2. Savings/capital/investments 3. Credit history 4. Debt level/ratio 5. Employment history 6. The value of the property you wish to purchase
Things you should NOT do when applying for a home loan Below are a list of things to steer clear of when seeking to obtain financing for a home. The following items may be detrimental when trying to move forward with the loan process
DON’T buy new furniture or major DON’T buy or lease an auto before you apply for a home loan Lenders look carefully at your debt-toincome ratio. A large payment such as a car lease or purchase can greatly impact those ratios and prevent you from qualifying for a home loan. DON’T move assets from one bank account to another These transfers show up as new deposits and complicate the application process, as you must then disclose and document the source of funds for each new account. The lender can verify each account as it currently exists. You can consolidate your accounts later if you need to. DON’T change jobs A new job may involve a probation period, which must be satisfied before income from the new job can be considered for qualifying purposes.
appliances for your new home If the new purchases increase the amount of debt you are responsible for, there is the possibility this may disqualify you from getting the loan, or cut down on the available funds you need to meet the closing costs. DON’T run a credit report on yourself This will show as an inquiry on your lender’s credit report. Inquiries must be explained in writing. DON’T attempt to consolidate bills before speaking with your lender The lender can advise you if this needs to be done. DON’T pack or ship information needed for the loan application Important paperwork such as W-2 forms, divorce decrees, and tax returns should not be sent with your household goods. Duplicate copies take weeks to obtain, and could stall the closing date on your transaction.
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Escrow Escrow: What is it? Escrow is the period of time between your offer being accepted and your purchase being finalized. Escrow is a deposit of funds, a deed or other instrument by one party for the delivery to another party upon completion of a particular condition or event. Why Do I Need an Escrow? Whether you are the buyer, seller, lender or borrower, you want assurance that no funds or property will change hands until ALL of the instructions in the transaction have been followed. The escrow holder has the obligation to safeguard the funds and/or documents while they are in the possession of the escrow holder, and to disburse funds and/or convey title only when all provisions of the escrow have been complied with. The escrow officer is a neutral third party and does not represent any one party. Your title company will provide you with a preliminary title report for the buyer to be made aware of any encumbrances on the property. Your title company also provides title insurance to ensure delivery of clean title.
How Does Escrow Work? The principals to the escrow—buyer, seller, lender, agents—cause escrow instructions, most usually in writing, to be created, signed and delivered to the escrow officer. If a broker is involved, he will normally provide the escrow officer with the information necessary for the preparation of your escrow instructions and documents. The escrow officer will process the escrow, in accordance with the escrow instructions, and when all conditions required in the escrow can be met or achieved, the escrow will be “closed.” The duties of an escrow holder include: following the instructions given by the principals and parties to the transaction in a timely manner; handling the funds and/or documents in accordance with the instruction; paying all bills as authorized; responding to authorized requests from the principals; closing the escrow only when all terms funds in accordance with instructions and provide an accounting for same: the Closing or Settlement Statement. The escrow officer can ONLY take instructions from all parties in agreement. No one party in the transaction can soley give instructions. The escrow officer does not represent any one party— they are a neutral 3rd party in the transaction.
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Escrow How Long Does Escrow Last? This is determined on a case by case basis and will be written into the offer. Generally, 30 days is common. However, in some cases, you (or the seller) may need more time. In some cases, it is shorter, for example with an all cash deal. Who Chooses the Escrow? In the Bay Area, it is usually the buyer’s choice, as the buyer pays the escrow fees. The selection of the escrow holder is normally done by agreement between the principals. If a real estate broker is involved in the transaction, the broker may recommend an escrow holder. However, it is the right of the principals to use an escrow holder who is competent and who is experienced in handling the type of escrow at hand. There are laws that prohibit the payment of referral fees; this affords the consumer the best possible escrow services without any compromise caused by a person receiving a referral fee. What Happens During Escrow? The escrow period gives all parties involved the time needed to comply with the terms of the offer and prepare to transfer title from the seller to the buyer. During this period, you do several things, all of which your agent will help you with:
01 You put down a refundable deposit of 3% of the purchase price which is held by the title company
02 Your lender processes your loan and will ask you for various information needed to approve you
03 You review and sign disclosures
04 You do your due diligence on the property, and remove your contingencies by the deadlines you requested in your offer
05 You have any inspections you wrote into your offer done
06 The lender orders an appraisal for the property
07 You sign all loan and title documents when they are ready
08 Closing happens a couple days after you sign documents
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Our Exclusive Pre Advantage Private Exclusive
Coming Soon
A Private Exclusive listing is an off-market home that can be shared by a Compass agent with their Compass colleagues directly. Property details aren’t disseminated and won’t appear on public home search websites. Listing your home as a Private Exclusive allows you to control what information is shared — while still getting exposure to top agents at Compass.
Compass Coming Soon gives us valuable opportunities to market your property while building anticipation among potential buyers and pressuretesting our pricing strategy — all without accruing days on market.
compass.com/private-exclusives
compass.com/coming-soon
2–3x
More views by consumers and agents*
7%
Fewer days on market vs. listings that go straight to active**
~19%
More traffic at an open house*** Compass Coming Soon and Private Exclusives are subject to local MLS restrictions and not available in all markets. Local policy definitions may restrict how Private Exclusive listings can be shared between agents,
Data refers to a comparison between MLS and Compass Coming Soon listings vs. listings that go straight to active. *Viewership sourced via Compass.com 1/2020–8/2020.
even within the same brokerage. Where the programs are available, pre-marketing and listing strategies are independently determined by the client. Compass does not recommend one particular strategy or guarantee results.
**Days on market sourced via Compass.com 1/2020–7/2020. ***Open house traffic sourced via Compass.com 1/2020–9/2020.
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The Compass Advantage Compass takes a tech-driven, personalized approach, combining a collaborative agent community, in-house creative agency, and the industry’s most tenured leadership team.
$35B+ Sales volume in 2022*
3,800+ Number of agents
280+ Number of employees
3
Amazing partners
Alain Pinel Realtors Pacific Union Paragon
*Source: Broker Metrics. Residential sales for eight Bay Area counties from 11/1/20 - 10/31/21.
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Our mission is to help everyone find their place in this world.
Simone McCarthy
Jennifer Oldham
DRE# 02137539 650.380.3062 simonemccarthy@compass.com californialiving.me
DRE# 01325650 408.835.4119 jennifer@compass.com californialiving.me