Category: Buying A Home

Your inspection contingency period is your time as the buyer to perform all the due diligence required to move forward comfortably with the sale. In our current market in Oakland and the East Bay, it’s common for this contingency to be waived, yet I don’t recommend it. The contingency period protects you and allows you to back out of a purchase should troubling information about the home be raised. Timing In fast-paced markets like ours, this period may last anywhere from zero days up to 14 or so after entering into a contract to purchase. Because timing is tight, due

Many clients ask whether they should work with multiple lenders when planning on purchasing a home. My advice is that, like most do with real estate agents, interview a handful but choose to be loyal to and work with one throughout the process. Speed The reality of the market in the East Bay is that the strength of your lender impacts the strength the offers you make on properties. A strong lender can make the difference between acceptance and not. This is because the lender is the primary factor in how long it takes to close. For most sellers, time

In Oakland, Berkeley, and surrounding areas it is very common in our current market for the seller to provide inspections to all prospective buyers. Sellers do this to provide transparency into the condition of the property and attract offers without an inspection contingency. And in many cases it works.  When sellers provide a complete disclosure packet, buyers are more likely to accept the condition of the house without performing their own further inspections. I see buyers waive further inspections even when the seller’s report specifically says to have a specialist look at something (a foundation, for example).  It is my

Three digits. They may be all that is standing between you and your own home or continuing to rent. Known as your “credit score,” those digits reflect how risky it will be to lend you money. The score may also impact other aspects of the homebuying process as well.   How your credit score is calculated The road to your credit score, also known as a FICO® Score, begins with the credit reporting agencies. Known as “the big three,” they include Equifax, TransUnion® and Experian®. The information the agencies collect ends up in the hands of the Fair Isaac Corporation

Most homeowners can clearly recall that moment it became clear that they could, and would, buy a home. Ditching the landlord is a dream of many and when you can see that dream – grasp it – it’s intoxicating. It’s easy to jump right into the process and let the cards fall where they may, but it’s not wise. There’s a system to buying a home, and those that are successful follow the steps. Before you jump online to look at homes for sale, start with the basics: the 3 basic things you need to buy a home in Oakland.

There are two phases of the home selling process that throw most homeowners for a loop: The home inspection and the appraisal. Both can have a major impact on the home’s market value and, thus, how much money can be realized from the sale. Repairs suggested on the home inspection report can be negotiated between the buyer and seller. While both can break the sale, the appraised value isn’t something you can negotiate. This is why it’s so important to work with a real estate agent to determine the current market value of your home. Then, do everything you can