Select & Consult A Realtor
A Realtor can help you find a house, efficiently and quickly. When selecting an agent, you goal should be to find the best real estate agent available who is not only knowledgeable about the area you would like to live in, but also who's style best fits your personality. Once you have selected an agent, he or she will sit down with you to determine your real estate needs. Now is the time to determine a "wish list" in regards to the type of home you want. Your agent will help you start with a general idea of what you're looking for, and get it down to specific features you desire. This will help you when it comes to actually viewing the properties.

Get Pre-Qualified For A Loan
It most cases, you will need to get a loan for the purchase of your home. In your initial discussions, your real estate agent can help you determine roughly how much you can afford. However, for a more detailed discussion on this you should go through the pre-qualification process with a mortgage broker or bank. The pre-qualification process allows the loan agent to determine exactly how much of a loan you qualify for. Remember there are many types of loans, so you should make sure your loan professional finds a loan that suits your needs.

Visit the mortgage calculator section of the site to get a quick idea of how much you can afford.

View Properties
Now it's time to go find your property. Based on the criteria you developed in the beginning, your agent will start to look for properties through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and through their contacts. As you start to view properties, you should discuss with your agent what you liked and disliked about each property. This will help you refine your "wish list" based upon what is actually available on the market. In addition to going to Open Homes, your agent will be able to set up private showings of properties. As the house search progresses, your agent can help you with valuing the available properties, ensuring you get good value on the home you eventually buy.

Remember, your home search may be a short one or it might be a long one. Don't get discouraged if it takes awhile to find your house. You should talk with your real estate agent frequently to revaluate your search.

Making An Offer & Negotiation
You've found a property that you like and fits within your criteria and price range, now it's time to make an offer. Once you have determined how much you are willing to offer, your real estate agent will write up an offer and then present it to the buyer or their agent. After reviewing your offer, the seller may decide to decline your offer, accept it as is, or provide you with a counter offer. If the seller provides a counter offer, they are changing the terms you initially presented with terms that are acceptable to them. At this point you the buyer can either accept the terms or present another counter offer. Ultimately, it is the decision of both sides (buyer & seller) as to what is acceptable to them. Once both parties have agreed upon the terms, the offer has been accepted.

Escrow, Inspections, & Loan
Once your purchase contract has been accepted, escrow will be opened. Escrow is an impartial third-party who holds and releases funds to other parties only after specific instructions have been met. These instructions are agreed upon by all parties involved. Title companies are used to handle most escrows in California. As part of your purchase contract, you will be required to deposit earnest money with the title company.

During this time you will also need to perform any inspections on the property. Such inspections typically include a general property inspection, and a pest (termite) inspection. Remember that in your purchase contract you probably specified the number days you have to perform these inspections (typically 7 - 15 days).

Additionally, during escrow you will be finalizing your loan. This will involve getting any necessary paperwork your lender may require from you. The lender will also require an appraisal for the property you are purchasing. Once the lender has all of the documentation they require, an underwriter will review it.

Closing
Once all inspections have been completed and all loan documentation has been submitted, it is time to close the transaction. The closing involves signing the mortgage loan documents, the seller executing the deed to the property, and the collection and disbursement of funds. The closing agent will record the necessary instruments to give you legal ownership of the property.

Additionally, you will be signing your loan documents at the closing. The closing agent will make sure that all necessary loan papers are signed and recorded, and funds are properly accounted for and disbursed. The closing agent will forward the signed loan documents to the lender for their final review.

Congratulations, The House is Yours
All of the hard work by yourself and your Realtor have paid off. Once the deed has recorded, it's time to get the keys to your new house. With a little planning ahead of time, your move doesn't have to be as stressful as you think. Whether you decide to move your belongings yourself, or use a moving company, decide well in advance of getting your keys.