Where do you want to live ? How much are you willing to pay for your new home. These are really important questions.

Step one is determining how much you can afford!

How much of a loan can you qualify for? Of course some people pay cash for their home but that is actually rare in the Bay Area where homes are more expensive than across the nation.

To determine how much you can afford visit a mortgage broker or bank and get pre-approved. Really get pre-approved; make sure the lender does a credit check and reviews your last year’s income taxes and has a copy of your paystub. We recommend that buyers use a lender who will go ahead and give them approval thru the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or FHA underwriting systems. Pre-Approval is step one.

Step two : Research

So many things can be done on computer these days. We can begin to send you listings in the area you choose immediately. Look at the listings and let us know what you like and what you don’t like. That way we can narrow down your preferences to find your perfect home.

Then the visits. You not only want to visit the home but drive around the neighborhood and if it is important to you, check out the school system. You can even visit Google and type in a zip code and ask for Police Activity.

We want you to be happy when you move into your new home and we want you to be happy when we bump into you at Safeway many years from now!