Real Estate Services
San Bernardino County Real Estate Services manages a wide range of real property functions for County government and other governmental agencies, including leasing, property management, acquisitions, appraisals, relocation assistance, surplus property sales, and capital project management. This article explains which Real Estate Services function handles each type of request, who the department serves, how County leasing and property transactions work, where to review space needs or County property offered for sale, how government agencies can use acquisition and appraisal services, and what vendors should know before pursuing County project opportunities.
Real Estate Services Department
The San Bernardino County Real Estate Services Department, commonly identified as RESD, is the County organization responsible for providing professional real estate expertise to San Bernardino County government and other governmental agencies. Its work is structured around public-agency property needs rather than ordinary residential or commercial real estate transactions for individual consumers.
This distinction is one of the most important points for users to understand before contacting the department. RESD states that its services are specifically provided for San Bernardino County government and other governmental agencies. Members of the general public and nongovernmental organizations seeking ordinary real estate services are outside that service scope.
For government clients, however, RESD serves as a centralized source of real property expertise. Its functions cover leases and licenses, property management, property acquisition, appraisal, relocation assistance, surplus property disposition, and project management. The department also works with County facilities and capital projects, which means users should identify the type of transaction involved before choosing a division or online page.
Who RESD Serves
RESD primarily works on behalf of San Bernardino County departments and other governmental agencies. Its real property agents and managers provide technical and administrative services that government clients can use at different stages of a real estate or facilities project.
A government agency needing office space, for example, may work with the leasing function. An agency preparing to acquire land for a publicly financed project may need acquisition, appraisal, relocation, escrow, or document services. A County department improving a County-owned facility may instead work with Project Management.
Because these functions are separate, a request should be directed according to the underlying property activity rather than simply being sent to the department without identifying the issue. This reduces the risk of confusing a lease inquiry with a property acquisition, a surplus sale with a lease opportunity, or a construction procurement question with a general real estate request.
Leasing and Acquisition Services
The department organizes major transaction work through Leasing and Acquisitions. This area covers two broad categories: Leasing and Property Management, and Acquisitions and Dispositions.
Leasing and Property Management handles agreements involving revenue leases, expense leases, licenses, and use permits. Acquisitions and Dispositions handles real property acquisition, appraisal, eminent domain matters, and the sale of surplus property.
These categories may sound similar because both involve County property interests, but they serve different purposes. A lease normally concerns the right to occupy or use property for a period of time. An acquisition or disposition involves obtaining or transferring a real property interest. Users should therefore identify whether they are dealing with occupancy, use, purchase, sale, appraisal, relocation, or another property right before proceeding.
Leasing and Property Management
The Leasing and Property Management function supports County and governmental agency property needs through professional real estate services. RESD states that its real property agents can step in at different stages of a development or leasing program or complement an agency's existing efforts.
The division's work includes contracts involving revenue and expense leases, licenses, and use permits. This makes the leasing function relevant to several different situations, including a County department needing space from a private property owner and a party seeking information about leasing County-owned property.
County Space Requirements
RESD maintains information about space that San Bernardino County needs. Property owners who believe a site may satisfy a County space requirement can review the department's current needs and follow the instructions associated with the applicable request.
The County Space Needed page displays current space requirements in a searchable format. The information may include:
The sequence number for the space requirement.
The posting information.
The requested area or city.
The amount of square footage needed.
The proposed lease term.
The anticipated occupancy date or proposal due information.
Agent or comment information associated with the requirement.
Property owners should use the details shown for the specific requirement rather than assuming that a generally suitable building will meet the County's needs. Location, square footage, term, occupancy timing, and other instructions can vary from one requirement to another.
RESD also advises that space-needs information is subject to change. A property appearing to match a County requirement should therefore be evaluated against the current posting rather than an older copy or previously viewed version.
Submitting a Space Proposal
When a property owner believes a site may satisfy a County space requirement, RESD directs the owner to download the documents associated with the space need and follow the included instructions for submitting a proposal. The reference material does not establish one universal proposal procedure for every requirement, so applicants should rely on the instructions tied to the specific opportunity.
This is especially important because a space request can contain requirements that are specific to the agency, property type, location, term, or proposed occupancy schedule. A proposal prepared for one County need should not automatically be assumed to satisfy another.
Board Approval Matters
A proposed lease is not final merely because negotiations have occurred or because a property appears suitable. RESD expressly states that all lease transactions are not final until the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approves a lease contract.
Property owners and other participants should therefore distinguish between an active proposal or negotiation and an approved County lease. Until the required approval occurs, the transaction should not be treated as final.
Future Leasing Opportunities
RESD also allows interested parties to request contact when the County issues Requests for Proposals or Solicitations of Proposals for space needs. The leasing information directs interested parties to contact the department to be added to its mailing list.
This mailing-list function is relevant to owners or representatives who want notice of future County space opportunities rather than information about only one current requirement. It should not be confused with a proposal submission. Being placed on a notification list does not replace following the documents and instructions for a specific County request.
County-Owned Property Leasing
Leasing can also operate in the opposite direction. A person or organization may have property that the County could be interested in leasing, while another party may be interested in leasing space owned by the County. RESD directs users with these situations to the leasing information and its related FAQ material.
The key distinction is ownership and transaction direction. Offering private property to the County is different from seeking to occupy County-owned property, even though both matters fall within the broader leasing area. Identifying which situation applies helps the department route the inquiry appropriately.
Property Acquisitions and Dispositions
The Acquisitions and Dispositions function handles government real property acquisition, relocation assistance, appraisal work, and disposition of surplus property. San Bernardino County is described by RESD as a prequalified public agency under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 and has maintained that status since 1972.
RESD is also certified to perform contract work for government agencies in California. This makes the acquisition function relevant not only to internal County needs but also to other governmental agencies seeking public-sector real property expertise.
Real Property Acquisition Work
For government-financed projects involving the acquisition of real property, RESD can provide several related services. Its acquisition work includes:
Preparing offers.
Negotiating sales.
Opening escrows.
Preparing and executing documents.
Providing litigation support.
These functions show why users should not treat an acquisition as a single administrative step. A public acquisition may involve valuation, negotiation, escrow, document preparation, relocation considerations, and, in some circumstances, litigation support.
Government clients should identify the stage of their project when seeking assistance. A project still in initial valuation may require different work than one already moving toward an offer, escrow, or document execution.
Relocation Assistance Services
RESD's acquisition capabilities also include relocation assistance associated with government real property projects. The department identifies several types of relocation-related work:
Field surveys.
Project maps.
Displacement overviews and budgets.
Supplemental housing inventories.
These services are part of the department's government acquisition responsibilities and should not be confused with general housing assistance. They relate to relocation work connected to governmental real property acquisition activities.
Appraisals and Valuation Services
Appraisal is a major component of RESD's acquisition and disposition work. The department states that its appraisal staff includes state-certified General Appraisers, California Real Estate Brokers, and professionals with senior designations from relevant appraisal and right-of-way organizations.
RESD can perform valuation work from an early study used for project budgeting through narrative appraisal reports associated with eminent domain matters. Its services can also include expert witness testimony in several jurisdictions.
Types of Property Valuations
The department identifies a range of appraisal assignments available to its government clients, including:
General real property appraisals.
Partial acquisition valuations.
Easement valuations.
Temporary right-of-way valuations.
Capital site valuations.
Surplus property valuations.
Rental and market studies.
The distinction between these valuation types can matter considerably. Valuing an entire property is different from valuing only part of a parcel, an easement, or a temporary right-of-way. Government agencies seeking appraisal support should therefore identify the real property interest involved rather than requesting a generic property value.
County Property for Sale
RESD maintains an official County Property for Sale page for surplus property opportunities. Users interested in purchasing County property should rely on the information associated with the particular listing and the assigned agent.
The sale listing can present information such as:
Sequence number.
Date posted.
Property address.
Assessor Parcel Number, or APN.
Property or transaction type.
Minimum bid or auction date information.
Assigned agent and related comments.
The APN and street address should not be treated as interchangeable identifiers. The street address describes the physical location, while the APN identifies the parcel for assessment and property identification purposes. When both appear in a listing, users should review them together to avoid confusing one property with another.
Sale Information Can Change
RESD states that property-for-sale information is subject to change. Anyone considering a listed property should therefore use the current official listing and the information supplied by the assigned agent rather than relying on an older advertisement, saved page, or prior transaction schedule.
The same approval principle that applies to County leases also applies to sales. A sale transaction is not final until the Board of Supervisors approves a sales contract. A listing, bid, auction activity, negotiation, or other preliminary step should not be interpreted as final County approval.
Selling Property to the County
A property owner may also contact Real Estate Services when interested in selling or donating property to the County. This is separate from purchasing property that the County has declared available for sale.
Users should keep the direction of the transaction clear: the County Property for Sale listings concern property being offered by the County, while an owner seeking to sell or donate property is offering property to the County. Mixing these two transaction types can lead to contacting the wrong agent or using the wrong information.
Project Management Services
Real Estate Services also includes Project Management, which designs and constructs projects included in the County's annual Capital Improvement Program and completes improvements to County-owned facilities. The goal of this work includes creating accessible and safe environments for County departments and members of the public using those facilities.
Project Management performs work throughout the project life cycle. Its responsibilities include preparing bid packages and bid advertisements, negotiating and administering design and construction contracts, inspecting work, and managing construction from conceptual estimates through occupancy.
This function should not be confused with private building permitting, private land-use planning, or zoning services. Project Management is an internal service for County government and does not provide project management services to the general public.
County Construction Opportunities
Businesses interested in County design or construction work must register as vendors in the County's Electronic Procurement Network, known as ePro. Registration allows vendors to receive bid-opportunity notifications, view bid documents, and respond electronically.
Vendor registration also requires selection of commodity codes that correspond to the business's products or services. Project Management identifies several categories that may be relevant to its projects, including professional architectural services, architectural and engineering services, building construction, maintenance and repair, general construction, trade construction, consulting, and professional engineering services.
A vendor should select codes that match the services it actually provides rather than choosing unrelated categories simply to receive more notices.
Bid Documents and Requirements
Registration is only one part of the process. Vendors should review each project's bid documents to determine the requirements that apply to that solicitation. Project Management specifically advises businesses to review applicable State or Federal Prevailing Wage determinations when required by the bid documents.
If a company is selected for a project, additional documentation is required to complete the contract award. The examples identified by Project Management include:
W-9 documentation.
A Direct Deposit Agreement.
Insurance specified in the bid documents.
These items are associated with the contract-award stage and should not be treated as a substitute for reviewing the solicitation itself. Individual projects may contain their own licensing, meeting, bid, insurance, or other requirements in the official bid documents.
Projects Out for Bid
The Projects Out for Bid page provides information about County capital projects and procurement opportunities managed through Project Management. The page can include project numbers, ePro bid numbers, descriptions, locations, pre-bid meeting information, bid closing information, required contractor licenses, and other project-specific details.
Businesses that want to be added to a bid-holder list and receive notifications of future amendments or addenda must log in through the County's ePro system. A vendor that has not registered in ePro may still be able to view bid documents through the ePro bid link identified for the project.
Pre-Bid Meeting Records
Project Management does not maintain a comprehensive plan-holders list. For projects involving a Pre-Bid Meeting or Job Walk, however, the attendee list is posted to the Projects Out for Bid area within one business day of the meeting.
This distinction is useful for contractors trying to locate project-participant information. A Job Walk attendee list is not the same thing as a complete plan-holders list, and Project Management does not represent it as one.
Project Numbers and ePro Numbers
Users reviewing project listings may encounter more than one identifier. A County project number identifies the underlying project, while the ePro number identifies the related procurement entry in the electronic purchasing system. Contractors should preserve the correct identifier when reviewing documents or following a specific solicitation so they do not confuse separate projects or bid records.
Bid closing dates, pre-bid meetings, contractor license requirements, and other conditions can also differ from one project to another. Older project listings should not be treated as evidence of current deadlines or current opportunities.
Common Real Estate Mistakes
Many avoidable problems come from using the right County department for the wrong type of transaction. RESD's structure makes several distinctions especially important.
Public Versus Government Services
RESD is not a general real estate agency for private buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, or other members of the public. Its primary customers are San Bernardino County government and other governmental agencies. A private party's interaction with RESD is generally tied to a County transaction, such as responding to a space need, reviewing County property offered for sale, offering property to the County, or participating in a County procurement opportunity.
Lease Versus Property Sale
A County space requirement is not a property-sale solicitation. Space Needed postings concern County leasing requirements, while County Property for Sale postings concern County property that may be sold. Owners responding to a request for leased space should follow the applicable leasing proposal instructions rather than the property-sale process.
Listing Versus Final Approval
Another common mistake is assuming that publication, negotiation, bidding, or selection makes a transaction final. RESD states that lease contracts and sales contracts are not final until the Board of Supervisors approves the transaction. Users should keep that approval requirement in mind throughout County property dealings.
Current Versus Older Information
Space needs and property-sale information can change. Project bid records can also contain dates and requirements specific to an individual solicitation. Users should work from the current official County information associated with the exact property, space request, or project rather than relying on a previously saved page or details from another transaction.
Real Estate Versus Permitting
Project Management's responsibilities concern County capital projects and improvements to County-owned facilities. Its work does not make it the public contact for private building permits, planning, or zoning matters. These are separate functions from the County's internal real estate and capital project services.
Preparing a County Property Inquiry
The information a user should have available depends on the type of real estate matter. RESD does not prescribe one universal intake checklist in the supplied material, but its online systems show which details distinguish one transaction from another.
For a County space requirement, users should identify the specific posting and review its area or city, square footage, term, occupancy or proposal timing, and agent comments. For County property offered for sale, users should identify the listing, address, APN, transaction type, minimum bid or auction information, and assigned agent. For a Project Management procurement, businesses should use the correct project number and ePro number and review the specific bid documents.
Government agencies requesting acquisition or appraisal services should identify the type of property interest and the stage of the project. A request involving an easement valuation, for example, differs from a full acquisition, a rental study, a temporary right-of-way valuation, or surplus property disposition.
Keeping these identifiers and transaction types separate makes it easier to communicate with the correct Real Estate Services function and reduces the chance of relying on requirements that apply to a different property or project.
Real Estate Services Offices
San Bernardino County Real Estate Services Department
(909) 387-5000
Vendor Support Help Desk
(855) 800-5046
Real Estate Services FAQs
Where should I go for building permits, planning, or zoning questions?
Real Estate Services Project Management is not the public-facing office for building permits, planning, or zoning. The County directs these questions to its Land Use Services Department. If you are unsure whether your issue belongs with Project Management or another County department, review the official Project Management FAQ before pursuing a County construction or property-related request.
Does Project Management maintain a bidder or consultant list?
No. Project Management states that it does not maintain a list of potential bidders or consultants. Businesses seeking County work should instead use the County's procurement process. Vendor registration and procurement information are referenced through the Project Management page. This distinction matters because asking Project Management to add a company to an internal bidder or consultant list will not place that business into the County's procurement notification system.
When are Real Estate Services offices open?
According to the official Real Estate Services contact page, the department's offices are located at the County of San Bernardino Government Center in downtown San Bernardino and are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Users planning an in-person visit should check the County website for current notices that could affect normal operations.
Can another California government agency request specialized real estate work?
Yes. San Bernardino County states that its acquisition staff is certified to perform contract work for government agencies within California. Depending on the project, available expertise can include acquisition work, relocation assistance, appraisal assignments, surplus-property disposition, escrow-related tasks, document preparation, and litigation support. Government agencies considering these services can review the official Acquisitions and Dispositions information to determine whether the County's capabilities fit the scope of the proposed project.