Contra Costa County is a suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. As of 2000, it had a population of 948,816. The county seat is Martinez. Contra Costa was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 and its Spanish name means opposite coast, because of its location opposite San Francisco, on San Francisco Bay. The county has a total area of 802 miČ and 90% of it is land and 10% of it is water. The most notable natural landmark in the county is 3,849' Mount Diablo, the centerpiece of Mt. Diablo State Park created legislatively in 1921. Mt. Diablo was the birthplace of the world according to local Indian tradition.

Tip #143: Team up with a Real Estate Professional
So why do you need the help of a Realtor®? Well, most Real Estate transactions are very complicated. In most cases, buying, selling or even renting a home requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, multi-page government mandated settlement statements and a lot more. A knowledgeable guide through this complexity can help you avoid delays and costly mistakes. Real Estate has it's own language. If you don’t know a CMA from a PUD, you can understand why it’s important to work with someone who speaks that language and knows the local Contra Costa County Real Estate market.