The Great SoCal House Hunt step-by-step guide
- 1
Before starting your home buying search, experts say you should figure out much you can borrow — and whether a smaller mortgage would be wiser.
- 2
Most people don’t buy a home with a 20% down payment. Here’s how you can put down less and get more help with down payment and closing costs.
- 3
A mortgage will be the largest sum of money you ever borrow. How do you find a good lender? What is a conforming loan? What’s a rate lock? We explain.
- 4
Home-scrolling is a special kind of pastime in Southern California. Save your precious hours with this rundown of popular real estate search sites.
- 5
Agents have expertise, tactics and contacts that newbie buyers need, and they’re everywhere — even on TikTok. How do you choose the right one for you?
- 6
Here are some open house dos, don’ts and red flags — with a handy checklist to remind you what to ask and look out for.
- 7
Five homebuyers tell us how they chose which neighborhood to commit to in Greater Los Angeles — no small feat.
- 8
Here are some tips to make your offer stand out from the rest and help you win (or bypass) the bidding war.
- 9
“Buyer interest” letters are common in ultra-competitive housing markets like California’s, even though they raise questions of discrimination.
- 10
After the seller accepts your offer, you enter one of the most confusing and nerve-racking processes in the home-buying experience: Escrow.
- 11
Many people underestimate the cost of the home-buying process and owning a home beyond the mortgage. Closing costs are a big one.
- 12
Uncommon ways to buy a home
