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After you apply, your lender will evaluate your credit, assets and income and give you a preapproval letter stating how much you’re approved for. Based on your preapproval letter, your real estate agent can help you find homes within your budget. Before jumping into your home search and the homebuying process, the first step in the timeline for buying a house is to determine how much you can afford. You may have saved enough for your down payment, but don’t forget to account for closing costs, taxes, insurance, and any other unforeseen expenses that may arise when buying a house.
What about finding a buyer?
There are also options for those who are looking to buy a house with no money down. Start the journey with confidence by knowing what to expect every step of the way. When you exchange contracts – you’re legally bound to buy the property. With housing being so expensive right now in California, homelessness is widespread.
Save for a down payment
Experts seem to agree that the actual house hunt is the lengthiest step in the home buying process. You can spend 1 – 6 months searching through listings for the right home, sometimes longer. You could shorten the time you spend searching and narrow down your options by knowing ahead of time what you’re looking for in a home.
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Manage your money when living paycheck to paycheck
While the inspectors and appraisers are busy with their work, your agent (or in some cases your attorney or loan processor) will order a title search and title insurance. In real estate, a title refers to the legal ownership of the home. A title search is done to ensure that the seller can transfer property ownership to you free and clear. Title issues can arise if there are any outstanding judgments or liens against the current or previous owners for things like unpaid child support or owed taxes. If potential issues are found, then the seller would be responsible for resolving those before the sale can move forward. First, we’ll ask you about your income and assets and do a soft credit pull (don’t worry, this won’t affect your credit score).
Choose A Lender and Get Preapproved For A Mortgage
Depending on whether there’s any disagreement over settling the estate, or if it’s especially large, the entire process may take anywhere from months to years. Buying a home for the first time is one of life’s sweet milestones. In Southern California, home to 27 of Zillow’s 100 most expensive U.S.
Money worries

They’ll also calculate your debt-to-income ratio to determine the risk level of approving you for the loan. While this process usually takes around 10 to 15 days, it may take longer depending on your financial circumstances. The specific closing costs will depend on your loan type, your lender and where you live. Most homeowners will pay for items like appraisal fees and title insurance.
Of course, if you think you have your ideal lender, it may be a false economy to switch to another just because of a preapproval fee. Still, choose a lender that’s comfortable working with a borrower like you. Some specialize in people with great credit scores, high savings, and sound finances.
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Your real estate agent can tell you what’s common in your market. Your earnest money deposit goes toward your down payment and closing costs if you buy the home. If you agree to the home sale and later cancel, you’ll typically lose your deposit. When you’re ready to start house hunting or if you’ve found a home you want to buy, it’s time to get preapproved for a mortgage.
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steps to buying your own home
You should do a final walk-through of your new home before you close, even if you’re 100% committed to the property. This time allows you to check and make sure the seller has everything as it should be. When you receive your inspection results, review each item line by line and look for major issues. If a home has a serious health hazard (like lead paint or mold), ask the seller to correct the problem before you close.
If, for example, you’re self-employed, have a low credit score, or have money in your bank that doesn’t obviously come from legitimate sources, you’ll be asked for more documents or to provide explanations. And your preapproval letter could take days or even weeks to arrive. After an offer is accepted, it’s time to apply for a mortgage. You typically have 45 to 60 days to fulfill your purchase contract—so you will need to act fast, locking in your interest rate and giving your lender time to order a home appraisal. Come to closing day prepared with your government-issued ID and any requested documents.

Mortgage lenders will request a credit report and, based on the information found, will use your credit score and financial history to qualify you for a home loan. It’s important to be one step ahead of them and know where you stand. Before you begin the home buying process, you want to make sure you’re actually in a position to take on all that buying a house entails. That’s why the first step is to check your credit score and review your finances. These articles are for educational purposes only and provide general mortgage information. Products, services, processes and lending criteria described in these articles may differ from those available through JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.
If you’re buying a house that’s for sale by owner (FSBO), your agent will negotiate with the seller directly. If your seller rejects your request, it’s up to you to decide how to proceed. If you have an inspection contingency in your offer letter, you can walk away from the sale and keep your earnest money deposit. The average down payment on a new home in California was $103,000 in the spring of 2022. That’s a staggeringly high sum if you’re on a tight budget, but you probably don’t need that much cash to buy a place here.
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