Become an informed buyer before purchasing your home.
Decide what neighborhood you wish to live in.
Select a local, professional real estate agent that specializes in the area you want to live in. Most importantly select an agent you trust. (See Selecting Your Agent)
Pre-qualify for a loan with your own bank or a mortgage broker to help ascertain your price range. (See Mortgage Rates)
With the help of your agent decide your needs and wants such as location, architectural style, size, and other special requirements.
Begin viewing homes. Most of the homes will have been previewed by your real estate agent to assure that your time is not wasted with inappropriate properties. In California, real estate agents have access to all properties for sale. Communicate and be candid with your real estate agent about your likes and dislikes of the homes you visit.
Frank Langen and Isabelle Mizrahi are experts in understanding your wants and needs quickly and will only call you when the appropriate homes come on the market. Sometimes the perfect home comes up in a week and other times it takes a little longer. (SeeA Happy Ending)
After finding the right home you and your agent will prepare an offer. This deposit receipt or purchase agreement is a binding contract when accepted by the seller. However, under most circumstances there are contingencies such as physical condition of the home, obtaining clear title, and obtaining your loan.
Your agent will present your offer to the seller with the seller's real estate agent present. Negotiations begin.
When you and the seller have agreed on all the terms you will be ready to open escrow. (See Life Of An Escrow)
During the escrow period you will have your inspections, complete your loan process, check for clear title and insure the property. (SeeThe Home Inspection)
At the close of escrow your real estate agent will help coordinate such necessities as utilities name changes, transferring of keys and garage door openers.