Settling down with peace of mind

Kathy’s team is at your service:
Comprehensive analysis of humanities and geographical environment, unlocking school districts, commuting, population composition, surrounding businesses, living environment, etc. in different regions for you
Based on your needs, analyze and recommend cities or regions that suit you
Comprehensively introduce to you the advantages and disadvantages of the house, and comprehensively check for your peace of mind
Interpret various disclosure reports for you in detail and professionally, so that you can buy a house clearly
Provide you with well-founded bid references and act as your representative to communicate and negotiate with the other party
We will provide you with continuous and comprehensive support and services before, during and after the transaction
For more services, your consultation is welcome

Free Consultation

买房无小事

买房坑很多，在这里，我们为您分享最常见的一些买房问题，帮助您成功避坑！如果有您关心而我们没有列出的问题，欢迎Free Consultation！

Is it possible for a minor to own real estate in California?

Recently, I received an inquiry from a client who wanted to understand whether it is possible to purchase real estate in California and have the property recorded under the name of their minor children.

Learn More

How Zillow determines the value of a house? Should I trust the Zestimate?

A few days ago, a client of mine encountered a strange incident. The estimated value of a house on Zillow increased by around 50 to 60 thousand within just one week.

Learn More

Will 2024 Be the Right Time to Buy a House? Insights from Real Estate Experts

Earlier this year, I was frequently asked by clients, "Kathy, with interest rates so high right now, should I wait until next year to buy a house?"

Learn More

Why Full Payment Investment Properties in the Bay Area Might Not Be the Best Choice Right Now

A few days ago, a client from China consulted me, expressing an interest in purchasing an investment property in the San Francisco Bay Area with a full payment of several hundred thousand dollars. However, I advised them against it.

Learn More

Understanding HOA Financials: Avoiding Pitfalls and Preparing for Special Assessments

It's actually not difficult to understand the financial status of a neighborhood's HOA before buying a house.

Learn More

Navigating Flood Risks: Understanding Flood Zones and Potential Hazards in the Bay Area

This rainy season, the San Francisco Bay Area was hit by heavy rains, prompting many buyers to pay special attention to whether a house is located in a flood zone when viewing properties.

Learn More

Navigating "Back on Market" Properties: Tips and Considerations for Buyers

Can these returned-to-market homes be a good catch? In this article, Kathy will discuss the important considerations when buying a "back on market" property.

Learn More

Don’t Overlook the Preliminary Title Report When Buying a Home

The home inspection report is a crucial document for anyone buying a house, but many people often overlook another important document—the Preliminary Title Report. This article will explain why the Preliminary Title Report deserves special attention.

Learn More

How to Avoid Regrets: Key Red Flags in Home Inspection Reports

How can you quickly understand the true condition of a house before making an offer, ensuring you avoid regrets and pitfalls in your home purchase? ？

Learn More

Credit Pull

It is almost inevitable to do inquiries against credit history when applying for a mortgage. And credit score will be hurt for each inquiry. What to do? First, you should know soft pulls won't hurt credit score. There are 2 types of soft pulls: personal inquiry and non-credit inquiry. Personal inquiry is that you see in your credit card website (if they provide credit score) or from platforms like credit karma. But there are rare cases where bank/lender would like to provide it for Prequalification or Preapproval. Second, when applying for a mortgage, no matter how many hard pulls you have, as long as all of them falls in a short term (for example 1 week), they shall be counted as one inquiry. So, when doing real application, better quote several at the same time to get the best rate.

Pre-Approval

Pre-Qualification might be adequate for most areas, but not the SF Bay Area! In the Bay Area, there are lots of cash buyers, if you are not sure to close, why seller would boarder to consider you? When applying for Pre-Approval, make sure how long the lender could close, more than 30 days will result in no consideration from sellers. The shorter, the better. Most Bay Area lenders could make it within 2 weeks. The big four (Chase, Wells Fargo, Pre-Approval, and Bank of America) approval letter are the best, because of their reliability. Of course the requirements would be higher. A Pre-Approval letter usually good for half a year. Not like Pre Qualification，Pre-Approval need underwriting, so give it at least 3 business days.

Inspection

In the Bay Area, there are 3 most seen inspections: general inspection, roof inspection, and termite inspection. And sellers usually having them done before listing. But unless there are problems that need prolonged repairing or severe structural problem, the cost is not so expensive as compared to what buyer usually add on asking price (which is usually $200k+ now). Obviously, seller would prefer to choose those who does not require inspections if seller has 2 offers at the same price. So, lots of buyers are making no-contingency offers. Some sellers do not provide inspections. Buyer needs to consider whether to do inspections. The suggestion is if there are more options, just do it. But if there are limited choice(s), go for it. Anyway, the cost of repairing is not so expensive, but a good home is not so easy to see. If buyer ever does inspections, the suggestions is by doing a general inspection first, and depends on the report decide whether further inspections needed.