Everything a homebuyer would want to know... all in one place.

Mortgage Calculator - Buyer Steps - New Construction Info - Tips & Tools - Relocation Guide - Top FAQ's and much more.

Welcome!

Tech issues? Please let me know.

Not sure on this video yet.

Interest Rates

Relocating Info To Know

First-Time Homebuyers Guide

Can You Afford To Buy A Home?

Homebuyer Assistance

Commute Concerns? Watch This!

New Construction Tips

What Is A Mello-Roos Tax?

Pros And Cons Of Mello-Roos

What Is An HOA?

Get Borrow Savvy!

(Say whatever you want right here! Your intro video on your website may be a good video to add as well.)

Ready to discuss your future move? Let's talk! Book an appointment, or reach out to me directly at 209-840-3891.

Buyer Tips & Tools

7 Mistakes When Buying

11 Buyer Tips To Know

7 Pre-Approval Mistakes

New Home Pros And Cons

New Home Obstacles

#1 Reason For An Agent

Why Pre-Owned Is Better

Locking Your Interest Rate

My Tasks As Your Agent

Who Pays What At Closing?

Use My Moving Concierge

Homes For Sale Now!

Top 12 Buyer FAQ's

What’s the initial step in purchasing a home?

The first step in purchasing a home is to get pre-approved. Meet with a lender, mortgage broker or bank to discuss your income, debts, and assets for pre-approval. After reviewing your information, the lender will tell you how much they can lend and at what interest rate.

Get pre-approved also shows sellers you're serious. Sometimes a pre-approval is required to view expensive residence, but it also speeds up the offer process once you select a home.

What are my options if my offer is turned down?

If your house offer is rejected, here are 3 immediate actions that can be taken:

-Increase your offer: If the seller rejected your offer because it was too cheap, consider boosting it.

-Ask for a counteroffer: The seller may reject your offer, but still be willing to negotiate by offering an alternative. This lets you change your offer or negotiate closing date or repairs.

-Keep looking: If the seller won't negotiate and you won't raise your offer, you can look elsewhere.

How does my agent get paid when buying a house?

Real estate agents receive a commission from sellers, usually a percentage of the sale price. The seller and buyer share the commission negotiated by the seller before listing the home.

Best part? Most buyers don't pay their agent directly. However, the commission is included in the home's sale price.

What is a buyer’s market?

Buyers' markets are opposite sellers' markets. Supply over demand creates a buyer's market, providing buyers a negotiating advantage. More than a 7-month supply indicates a buyer's market and property value decline.

Common buyer's market causes:

-Lots of homes for sale

-Recessionary economy

-High mortgage or interest rates

-Mortgage approval issues or tighter lending constraints

-New home construction overexposure

What is a seller’s market?

In a seller's market, inventory is fewer than 5-6 months, hence prices rise. The low availability of properties on the market keeps housing prices rising.

Common seller's market causes:

-Home inventory shortages

-Economic growth and job creation

-Low mortgage or interest rates

-Reduced lending regulations or simpler mortgage financing

-Slower new construction homebuilding

What does "Days on Market" (DOM) mean?

The "Days on Market" is the number of days a property has been listed on the local multiple listing service. It starts the day the home is listed and will accumulate until the seller has accepted an offer and signed a contract.

Knowing the DOM for a home is critical to your negotiating power.

Why? Because the number of days a home spends on the market directly affects the price of a home. This information can be used to the buyer’s benefit to negotiate a lower price.

What does "contingent" mean when selling a home?

Contingent means that one thing must happen before another. Real estate deals fall through if the seller or buyer don't meet specified standards. Contingencies, or contract “clauses,” safeguard any party from not obtaining funds, an inspection, or a variety of other possible situations that may arise,

What does "appraisal" mean when buying?

Your home's value is estimated by an appraisal. The appraisal is completed by an appraiser who gives the lender or bank confidence that the property is worth a given amount. After the buyer and seller agree on the price, an appraiser performs a home appraisal to make sure the loan is justified and supported by the value of the home.

What does "fair market value" mean?

The fair market value is the price a buyer will pay and the seller will accept. Homes don't always sell for fair value.

If a buyer really wants a property or a bidding war breaks out, a buyer may offer more than the list price or fair market value.

What is an earnest money deposit?

After agreeing on pricing, the seller collects earnest money from the buyer and this money is called the earnest money deposit. This ensures that the buyer is sincere and not just negotiating deals with other house sellers.

Earnest money typically ranges from 1-3% of the sales price depending on the market. The buyer will get their earnest money back if the seller backs out. The buyer will lose their earnest money if they back out under certain conditions.

The earnest money deposit will go towards the closing costs the buyer is responsible for.

What's the difference between the list price and the sale price?

A list price is how much the seller lists the home for, which is also referred to as their “asking price.” The sale price is the amount of money the home actually sells for.

What is title insurance?

Title insurance protects homeowners from allegations made by previous owners, such as unpaid taxes or unfair contractor compensation. Title insurance covers legal bills and title disputes during your homeownership.

Two types of title insurance exist: Selling a home normally requires lender title insurance. The lender is protected from housing claims with this type.

Owner title insurance is optional, but paying this one-time price will protect you from title issues for as long as you own the home.

Not sure about where to move? Check out my relocation pages!

Ave. Home Value:

$433,000

Population: 219,396

Livability Score:

66 out of 100

Ave. Home Value:

$583,000

Population: 86,928

Livability Score:

65 out of 100

Ave. Home Value:

$632,000

Population: 33,670

Livability Score:

54 out of 100

Ave. Home Value:

$759,000

Population: 97,328

Livability Score:

64 out of 100

Ave. Home Value:

$430,000

Population: 321,819

Livability Score:

61 out of 100

Ready to discuss your future move? Let's talk! Book an appointment, or reach out to me directly at 209-840-3891.

Want to keep up with my latest videos? Check out my YouTube Channel offering tons of content on Central Valley cities, and buyer education.

What Our Clients Say...

Andre is truly the best real estate agent I've met and an all-around fantastic person! After meeting many agents over the past year, it was a breath of fresh air to have someone who is truly on your side. It seems like every other agent just says "yes" to anything and doesn't actually listen to you. Andre always provides an honest opinion and helped us out in the following ways:

-Extremely attentive. His attention to detail was outstanding and noticed many faults with the listing that I would not have noticed. He helped us choose the best home by ensuring there were no major faults in the property we were selecting.

-Always available. Andre was always willing to make time for us and was willing to speak with us at any time of the day. A purchase this large comes with stress that can only be relieved when your questions are answered.

-Industry experience. His experience allowed him to quickly understand other selling agents and know when they were not willing to offer us a fair deal.

-Excellent negotiating skills. He was able to get us an excellent deal on a property that was thoroughly reviewed by both ourselves and Andre. Not only were we confident that he helped us select the property in the best condition, but we knew he negotiated the best price for us.

I would highly recommend allowing Andre to help you out. He is not like the rest, and really does make you feel like he's on your side.Thanks for your help Andre :)

Nick M.

Andre was so attentive to my needs in this transaction. He kept me apprised of what was going on every step of the way. Andre helped me to get a great deal on the property. He listened to my concerns and addressed them every step of the way. I highly recommend Andre to anyone who's in the market for a new home.

Laura S.

I can’t speak highly enough about Andre. After working with him I can tell why he had been referred to me. He was patient with us every step of the way despite the delays on our end. The entire process was seamless and as efficient as they come. Andre's communication was top notch in keeping us in the loop and was always available and responsive for our questions. He negotiated a great deal for us and I can’t recommend him enough.

Jennifer S.