Buyer resources

What to consider while buying a home in California

Buying a home is a serious venture. It can be a real joy or a real headache. The house is not only where you live — it is an investment in the dwelling, the location, and what you do next.

The questions that come up first

When you start looking at homes for sale in the Inland Empire, the same questions come up for nearly everyone:

In what area can I find a home that suits how I actually live?
What will the monthly payment be once taxes, insurance and dues are in it?
How long does the process take from offer to keys?
What do I need to have ready before I start touring?

None of them have a single answer, and anyone who gives you one without asking about your situation first is selling rather than advising.

Before you negotiate

Buying a home is one of the largest purchases most people make. Two things are worth settling before you start negotiating.

Keep your enthusiasm to yourself. If a seller or listing agent can see how badly you want the property, they are in a stronger bargaining position than they were a minute ago. Be interested; do not be desperate.

Know your real number. Not the price you can be approved for — the payment you are comfortable making once property taxes, insurance, HOA dues and maintenance are in it. Those are the costs that turn a good purchase into a tight one.

On mortgages

There is more than one kind of loan, and it is worth understanding the differences rather than taking the first one offered. Fixed-rate, adjustable, FHA, VA and jumbo all suit different situations, and the right answer depends on how long you plan to stay and what your income looks like over that period.

Send me the playbook.

Buying or selling — tell us which and we'll send the right one. No generic drip campaign.

Licensed in California, serving Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties, with a focus on the Inland Empire.