# California Home Buyer’s Guide

A good purchase starts with clear priorities, reliable information and a plan for each deadline. Follow these eight steps to buying a home in California, whether you are nearby or searching from abroad.

Updated: 2026-10-11. Editorial contact: Crown Coastal Homes — contact@crowncoastalhomes.com.

## 1. Define your search and total budget

Start with a short buying brief: preferred locations, intended use, property type, essential features and target timing. Include places you need to reach regularly. Compare neighbourhoods against these requirements before narrowing your search to individual homes.

Budget for the purchase and ongoing ownership. Ask for property-specific estimates of closing costs, insurance, property taxes, any homeowners’ association (HOA) charges and maintenance. Keep room for repairs and moving costs. The [California Department of Real Estate’s homebuyer resources](https://www.dre.ca.gov/Consumers/FirstHomeCalifornia.html) can help you prepare.

If you need a mortgage, speak with lenders early about your circumstances and required documents. For funds held abroad, ask your bank about transfer arrangements and currency costs before committing to payment deadlines.

## 2. Understand who represents you

Before arranging private tours, discuss buyer representation with your agent. Review the written agreement, including services, duration, cancellation terms, compensation and when payment is due. Ask whether the agent or brokerage also represents the seller in a transaction you are considering.

Compensation is negotiable; establish what you could owe and whether any seller contribution has actually been agreed. Keep a copy of everything you sign. [DRE buyer-representation guidance](https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/Advisory_2024_11_14_Changes_to_Buyer_Representation.html) and its [2026 legislative update](https://www.dre.ca.gov/Newsroom/DRE_Updates/2026_05_06_EOY_Bill_Summaries_2025.html) explain this framework.

## 3. Build and test your shortlist

Review current availability with your agent. Compare homes using the same criteria: layout, condition, outdoor space, access, surroundings and likely ownership costs. Request recent comparable sales and an explanation of relevant differences.

If you are abroad, ask Reza about virtual tours. Prepare questions that photographs cannot answer: natural light, storage, street noise, access and visible condition. Request follow-up views of anything unclear. A virtual tour helps you evaluate a property; arrange independent inspections separately.

Agree a communication channel and put appointments in both your local time and California time. If you plan a viewing trip, confirm access before booking your itinerary.

## 4. Make an informed offer

Ask your agent to walk through the proposed price, deposit, included items, closing date and any contingencies. A contingency is a contractual condition; its wording and deadline matter. Discuss inspection, financing and appraisal provisions that are relevant to your purchase.

Understand what happens if a condition is not met, and how deposit treatment depends on the agreement. Read counteroffers carefully. When terms are accepted, create a shared calendar of deadlines and required actions. [DRE: Information for Homebuyers](https://www.dre.ca.gov/consumers/informationforhomebuyers.html)

## 5. Investigate the property and ownership costs

Schedule an independent home inspection promptly. Read the report, ask the inspector to explain findings and arrange specialist follow-up where needed. An appraisal assesses value and serves a different purpose from an inspection of physical condition. Discuss repairs or other responses with your agent before applicable deadlines. [CFPB: Home inspections](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/close/schedule-a-home-inspection/)

Review seller disclosures and relevant property, title and HOA documents. Keep an open-questions list and ask the appropriate professional to resolve each item before making decisions about contractual protections.

Request insurance quotes for the actual property early. Compare coverage, exclusions and deductibles as well as price, and confirm availability. [California Department of Insurance: Residential insurance](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/03-res/res-ins-guide.cfm)

## 6. Coordinate escrow and financing

Escrow is the neutral process for holding and handling transaction funds and documents under agreed instructions. Confirm your escrow contact, outstanding requirements and anticipated closing arrangements. [DRE: Escrow and title](https://www.dre.ca.gov/consumers/informationforhomebuyers.html)

For a financed purchase, respond promptly to lender requests and track remaining approval conditions. Review changes to loan estimates and ask about anything unfamiliar. [CFPB: Getting ready to close](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/close/)

If signing from abroad, ask escrow and your lender which identification, signing and notarisation arrangements they accept. Confirm whether original documents or an in-person appointment are needed, and build those arrangements into the schedule.

## 7. Review documents and confirm payment instructions

Read closing documents before signing. For most home-purchase mortgages, a Closing Disclosure sets out final loan terms and costs and must be provided at least three business days before closing. Compare it with your latest Loan Estimate and resolve differences with your lender. [CFPB: Closing Disclosure](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-closing-disclosure-en-1983/)

Before transferring funds, verify the recipient and instructions by calling a trusted contact on a number established independently in advance. Treat emailed changes as something to verify, including any replacement phone number. [CFPB: Protecting closing funds](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/archive/blog/mortgage-closing-scams-how-protect-yourself-and-your-closing-funds/)

## 8. Confirm completion and plan the handover

Arrange the final walkthrough and raise unresolved issues. Confirm with your agent and escrow when closing is complete and when possession and keys are available under the contract.

Prepare utilities, insurance, access arrangements and maintenance contacts. Keep your signed documents and inspection reports together. If you will remain overseas, decide who will check the property and handle urgent issues locally.

## Buyer questions

### What should I prepare before contacting a California buyer’s agent?

Share your preferred cities, intended use of the property, approximate purchase budget in US dollars and timing. Mention where you live and any viewing-trip dates. You can leave unresolved details open for the first conversation.

### Can I start the search before travelling to California?

Yes. Start with current listings and request a discussion about a shortlist and virtual viewing options. Confirm access and appointments before booking a viewing trip. A virtual viewing does not replace an independent property inspection.

### What is the difference between an inspection and an appraisal?

An inspection evaluates the property’s physical condition. An appraisal assesses value. Discuss any findings and the deadlines in your purchase agreement with the relevant professional before making decisions about contractual protections. [CFPB: Home inspections](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/close/schedule-a-home-inspection/)

### How much does buyer representation cost?

Compensation is negotiable. Review the written agreement’s services, duration, cancellation terms and payment obligations before engaging representation. Ask what you may owe and whether any seller contribution has been agreed; do not assume services are free. [California DRE: Buyer representation](https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/Advisory_2024_11_14_Changes_to_Buyer_Representation.html)

### Do you provide German-language support?

Our German-speaking service is provided by a separate team based in Germany, specialising in German-speaking buyers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. This is separate from Reza’s English-language consultation. Local California representation, services and compensation are agreed before engagement.

### How current are the listings?

CRMLS listing changes through Trestle are scheduled to sync every five minutes with weekly reconciliation. Page caches can add up to an hour of delay. This is a schedule, not a guarantee of current availability. Confirm price, status, photographs and viewing access for the specific property.

For individual ownership, tax, financing or immigration questions, involve appropriately qualified advisers.

[Canada](https://crowncoastalhomes.com/international-buyers/canada) · [UK](https://crowncoastalhomes.com/international-buyers/uk) · [Deutschland](https://crowncoastalhomes.com/international-buyers/germany) · [Österreich](https://crowncoastalhomes.com/international-buyers/austria) · [Schweiz](https://crowncoastalhomes.com/international-buyers/switzerland) · [Contact](https://crowncoastalhomes.com/contact)