IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE

PICK A REALTOR THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU

The most important part of finding your new home is finding an agent that is in tune with your needs. Purchasing a home can be a stressful process, it's crucial that you work with someone that you feel comfortable with, that you trust, and that aligns with your real estate goals. 

FINANCING

If you are financing the purchase of your home, getting pre-approved from a lender is essential in your buying process. You will need a reputable, trustworthy mortgage lender. Once finding a lender, you will need to have a downpayment secured or, it can be in a form of a gift from a family member or close friend. Birnbaum Realty has extensive connections in the industry and works closely with Arlo Zoerner from Summit Funding. However, we encourage clients to interview their own lenders as well to insure the perfect fit. 

FINDING A HOME

Searching for a home can be a journey. To start off the process Birnbaum Realty supplies a steady stream of current properties that are on the market for clients to view. All properties that fall within your criteria will be automatically sent via email. We can either set up tours that the brokerage feels meets your needs, or you can send us which properties meet your criteria out of the ones we send, and we will schedule showings upon interest. 

PUTTING IN AN OFFER

Once you find your perfect home a purchase agreement along with pertaining buyer disclosures must be signed and sent to the listing agent. To insure the validity of an offer Birnbaum Realty recommends a personal letter and proof of funds strengthen your offer. 

INITIAL DEPOSIT

Within the original offer, there is an initial deposit. This deposit must be submitted within 3 days of the accepted offer. The check can either be made out to the Title Company and brought in to Birnbaum Realty's office or you can wire the funds directly to the Title Company. The deposit WILL be cashed and put into an escrow account. 

PROPERTY INSPECTIONS

Unless a prior agreement has been made, most property inspections are covered and paid for by the buyer in Solano County. The cost of inspections vary from County to County. In Contra Costa County, it's customary that the listing side will have inspections performed prior to bringing a home on the market.

We have built long term relationships with vendors over the years, that we know are meticulous and thorough. We may recommend certain vendors or inspectors that we know and trust. However, it is ultimately your choice to choose the inspectors.

DISCLOSURES

Real Estate disclosures are a variety of documents pertaining to the subject property that must be reviewed and acknowledged. The execution of these documents verify that you as a buyer have received a copy of the disclosures, and all disclosures pertaining to the property need to be signed before the close of escrow. We believe that an educated buyer leads to a happy buyer, and a happy buyer leads to a successful close. 

The seller has 7 days (unless otherwise agreed upon), to provide you with all disclosures pertaining to the home. 

APPRAISALS

Most loans need an appraisal to confirm the value of a home. If an appraisal comes in under value, then there is room to negotiate (if a seller is willing). In the case the appraisal comes in over the purchase price, then you're purchasing a home with equity already it in!

SIGNING CLOSING DOCUMENTS

Once all contingencies are removed and the lender has delivered loan documents to the Title Company we will notify you to sign your closing documents. 

DO BUYERS NEED TO TAKE TIME OFF WORK?

Home inspections are usually done Monday through Friday and take approximately 2-3 hours. If you are wanting to be present for any of the inspections (which is recommended), then taking time off work may be necessary. Other than that, we can handle everything for you!

HOME WARRANTY AND HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE

Homeowners insurance is paid by the buyer and home warranty’s are usually paid by the seller, if agreed upon. We encourage you to purchase a home warranty to cover miscellaneous appliances, plumbing and electrical systems, and more. We have several reliable companies that we recommend you work with. A standard homeowners insurance policy on the other hand, insures the home's structure and personal belongings in the event of a destructive event.

WHEN DO YOU GET THE KEYS TO YOUR NEW HOME?

Unless otherwise agreed upon between you and the seller, the home will be left vacant for you upon the close of escrow. The day that the house goes on record at the County Assessors Office is the day that you get your keys and are officially the new homeowner.

TRANSFERRING OF UTILITIES

We will send a list of local utility companies prior to the close of escrow so you can transfer all services over to your name.