Home Buying Process

1. Find a Realtor That You Can Trust. make a commitment to them in writing (see Buyer Agency, Buyer Broker Agreement) to work with them.  Working with 5 agents at the same time does not help you to get a home.  They all use the same multiple listing service.
2. Make a list of what you desire in a property.  Then, meet with your real estate professional and discuss your real estate plans and goals. 
3. Get Pre-Approved For A Home Loan. Your Realtor can refer you to someone that their past clients have worked with successfully.  You can also find lenders online.  I have referrals of good lenders that are ethical and base their business practice on integrity. 
4. Preview Properties with your real estate professional.  Evaluate the neighborhoods and the outside of the home from the curb.  Do you like the area, the home from the curb and inside?  On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 meaning that you love it and 1 meaning that you don't like it, how would you rate it?  Use this rating system and it will save you a lot time. 
5. Write an Offer to Purchase (You will need to write a deposit check payable to your real estate professional's real estate company). this check will most likely be held until your offer is accepted.  These funds are applied to the down payment at closing.  After acceptance, the deposit check will be given to the escrow company.  
6. The seller will review your offer.  Then, they have the option to accept your offer, counter it or reject it.  Your Realtor's skills will come into play to assist you every step of the way during this process.
7. Accept the contract once you and the seller have agreed on the terms of the contract.  The contracts along with your deposit check will be taken to an escrow company to start the escrow of your purchase.
8. Do Your Home Inspections of the Property, review and sign all disclosures documents from the seller.  Your Realtor® will assist you with these documents. You may ask the seller to repair items that the home inspector has found.  Since all property is sold in "as-is" condition, the seller, according to the purchase contract is not obligated to fix anything.  But, talk to your agent and see what they can do to get some of these items fixed, if any.
9. Your lender or mortgage company will order an appraisal and gather any additional documents from you to get your loan completely processed.  When your mortgage professional calls for a document, attempt to get it them as soon as possible.  After your property's appraisal is finished, the bank will issue final written loan approval.
10. Your Escrow Officer or Loan Consultant will contact you to sign your loan documents.  Make sure to bring your identification card (i.e. driver's license) with you.
11. Within five days before your property closes escrow, you and your Realtor will walk through the property to see that it is in the same condition as it was when you first saw the property.   
12. The Grant Deed is submitted by the escrow company and recorded at the county recorder office.  When they receive confirmation that the deed has been recorded, the escrow company will close the transaction.
13. In Southern California, most of the time, the buyer receives possession (the keys) of the property 3 days after the close of escrow. Why 3 days? This entitles the seller time to move after escrow closes. They may be buying another property and every needs to be coordinated on with the next home.  Your Realtor® will be with you every step of the way to insure everything goes smoothly.  Please be patient.