Buying a home can be one of the most substantial investments of your life. Not only is this a large investment you are purchasing but you are choosing a place to live and raise a family and establish your well being.

If you prepare yourself for your home buying experience, the less chaotic and unruly the buying process will be. Our goal is to provide you with all of the tools needed to purchase your new home in an easy to understand fashion without overwhelming you with all of the legal nonsense, besides that is what we are here for.

To begin the home buying process, we will get you started by creating your own custom MLS search. This will allow you the ability to browse the entire local MLS listings database offering you thousands of homes, including virtual tours, pictures, maps, and much more!

Next, we will schedule an appointment to sit down with you and discuss your specific needs as well as get you pre-approved. Buyers who have been pre-approved have their offers taken more seriously. We also find that our experienced lenders often have ways of helping you save on your monthly payment as well as help you qualify for higher mortgage amounts with the same monthly payments. Once we have provided the groundwork, you will be more confident acquiring the financing you need.

Now that you are pre-approved with financing we are ready to take the next step and schedule showing appointments to view the homes that you are now qualified to purchase, no more worrying about whether you can qualify for the home when you find the one you love or worse losing it to another buyer because you were not pre-approved first.

When we find the rignt how, we are ready to write your offer and negotiate on your behalf, always positioning for you and thinking of your needs first. Many home buyers, including first-timers, are eligible for 80-90% financing. Investment homes usually require more money down. In some cases you may be able to borrow more than 90%, but the lender may require that you purchase PMI (Property Mortgage Insurance). Borrowing more money may result in a higher interest rate. We suggest you consult our lenders to determine which mortgage programs are available to you. By making your commitment to work with us exclusively as your Buyer's Agent, we will keep your needs in mind at all times. We will let you know first when the property you are looking for is available, do more research on properties you may be interested in, and be ready to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision. Usually, this is at no additional cost to you, the Buyer, because the Seller is paying our commission. Executing a Buyer/Broker Agreement has become standard practice for our preferred clients, and we can only make this commitment to a limited number of clients. When you contact Seller's agent whose name is on the listing, remember that this agent has an agency agreement with the Seller, and is committed to doing their best to help the Seller. Additionally, statistics from the National Association of Realtors® notes that consumers bypassing buyer's representation had a tendency to pay a higher sales price since the listing agent could NOT legally negotiate on their behalf. To see a list of current properties for sale all you need to do is email us your specific criteria such as location, price range, size and price, and we will conduct a specific search based on your criteria for the best homes from all the local Realtors® for you. Of course, if you decide that you want search yourself online, you can see all the local MLS listings on our Property Search page.

Absolutely! whether you want to look in the evenings or weekends, just call and let us know what is the best time for you and we will be sure to accommodate you. If you are visiting from out of town and would like to plan a weekend in the East Bay, let us know when you will be visiting and we will prepare a relocation package for you. The best time to buy is dependent upon when it is best for you to make a move, and also when it is financially advantageous to you. There are good reasons to buy when the market is hot, and also when the market is slow. A slow market is often referred to as a buyer's market, and for good reason. Buyers have the opportunity to see a home more than once before deciding to purchase it. If the purchase price is lower, you will establish a lower basis for property taxes. If you have a strong equity position in your home or investments, a down market is a good opportunity to increase your leverage to own a larger home or more properties. There are many opportunities that you can take advantage in different markets, and at different stages of your life. We will be happy to discuss these options with you so that you can make the best decisions. The definitions and criteria are different between a lender and the IRS.

Lender's definition: Provided that this is your only home in the East Bay area, and if you can or have qualified for the mortgage without using the rental income that the home produces, then your East Bay property can be categorized as a second home. On the other hand, if you need the rental income from the home to qualify for the mortgage, or if you already have a second home in the East Bay area, then most likely your home will be classified as an investment property.

IRS definition: The IRS breaks it down into two categories: The first category is "second home as a vacation property", and is applied if you rent your home for less than fifteen days out of the year. Here you can deduct mortgage interest and property taxes, however you may not deduct your operating losses, repairs, or depreciation. The rental income your home produces for up to fourteen days is tax free.

The second category is "second home as a rental property", and is applied most often. In this category you may not personally use the property for more than fourteen days per year, and the property is available for rent during the remaining time. The time you spend maintaining the property and preparing your home for rental does not count towards the fourteen days. Here you can deduct your homes depreciation, repair expenses, and operating losses. However, if your income exceeds $100,000, you should consult with your tax adviser for details. There is no one who knows the market better than us and we will work hard and provide you with the necessary tools to help you learn and understand the market as well, so you can make an informed decision. Our primary goal with each and every potential client is to develop a strong relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

You have our commitment to provide you with sound advice and provide you with information to make a well informed decision about your home purchase. We don't believe an agent has to be forceful, cruel, or hostile to be successful in this business, just honest, straightforward, and hardworking. We prefer to build a trusting relationship, and have become friends with many of our client; and to us there is no higher compliment.

Start looking into your real estate options. Contact us now!

• Getting Started on Buying a Home
• Buying a Bank Foreclosure
• 100 Most Common Home Buyer Questions
• Finding the Best Mortgage
• Glossary of Real Estate Terms