Chances are, if you’ve made it this far you’ve already seen some houses. You’ve looked at listings online, maybe through a syndicated listings portal or the San Diego MLS consumer site. You may even have used a mortgage calculator to get a rough idea of your monthly payment obligation. You’ve done some due diligence but you still have a ton of questions. Where to next?

• Find a buyer’s agent you’d like to work with
• Find a lender you’d like to work with

Selecting an agent

Your home purchase will be one of the largest financial transactions of your life. Your buyer’s agent will be there to see you through the whole process, from shopping for houses to making the offer and getting through the escrow paperwork. Because buying a home in San Diego can easily take several months it’s crucial that you and your agent have a solid working relationship. Ask your friends for referrals or talk with the agents holding open houses in your target neighborhoods. Pick two of three of your favorite agents and set up meetings so you can get to know us better. Go with the agent that you are most comfortable with: you’ve got a long road ahead and you want to have someone you trust by your side.

 Lenders

You may have noticed that we agents are quick to recommend our favorite lenders to prospective clients.  As with you and your agent, a good working relationship between your agent and your lender will help ensure a successful transaction. If a prospective buyer isn’t already working with a lender their agent will recommend one or two, usually someone the agent has worked with in the past and trusts to provide top-notch service. But you don’t have to stick with the lender your agent recommends: interview a few and pick the one you think will do the best job for you.

Next: A step-by-step look at the buying process