Strategies that work in California’s unique market.
Looking for a house in the Golden State? How to Buy a House in California will show you how to get a house you can afford and will enjoy living in for many years.
With this bestseller in hand, you’ll learn how to:
- choose a house and neighborhood you’ll love
- select and work with a knowledgeable, hard-working agent
- qualify for the best mortgage
- figure out how much down payment you can afford
- make an offer and negotiate a good deal
- compete in multiple-bid situations
- inspect a house for problems and hazards
- buy and sell houses simultaneously, and
- get through escrow successfully.
This edition is completely updated with tips on how to deal with increasing prices and tightened lending practices.
Not a California resident? Check out Nolo’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home for information on buying a home in your state.
Cuprins
1. Describe Your Dream Home
2. How Much House Can You Afford?
3. Narrowing the Affordability Gap:How to Afford Buying a House
4. Raising Money for Your Down Payment
5. Working With Real Estate Professionals
6. How to Find a House
7. New Houses, Developments, and Condominiums
8. Financing Your House: An Overview
9. Fixed Rate Mortgages
10. Adjustable Rate Mortgages
11. Government-Assisted Loans
12. Private Mortgages
13. Obtaining a Mortgage
14. Buying a House When You Already Own One
15. What Will You Offer?
16. Putting Your Offer in Writing
17. Presenting Your Offer and Negotiating
18. After the Contract Is Signed: Escrow, Contingencies, and Insurance
19. Check Out a House’s Condition
20. Legal Ownership: How to Take Title
21. If Something Goes Wrong During Escrow
Appendixes:
A. Welcome to California
B. Real Estate Websites
C. Planning Your Move
D. Worksheets
Index
Despre autor
Ilona Bray is an author and legal editor at Nolo, specializing in real estate, immigration law, and nonprofit fundraising. She is coauthor of Becoming a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Immigration Made Easy, Nolo’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home and numerous other top selling books. Bray’s working background includes solo practice, nonprofit, and corporate stints, as well as long periods of volunteering, including an internship at Amnesty International’s main legal office in London. She received her law degree and a Masters degree in East Asian (Chinese) Studies from the University of Washington. Bray also blogs on Nolo’s Immigration Law Blog.