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The article focuses on types of fixed rate mortgages available for house buyers in California. Some of the advantages of fixed rate mortgage include an established amount of payment which does not increase and saving on interest costs. It outlines some of the factors to consider when purchasing a fixed rate mortgage including down payment, private mortgage insurance, points and interest rates and prepayment penalties. Information is presented on the length of the mortgage and the payment schedules.

The article discusses how house buyers in California can deal with problems that may occur during escrow. It presents information on a remedy when the seller decides to back out from the purchase agreement. It relates how to evict a seller from the property when he or she refuses to move out even though the house has been sold. It offers advice on dealing with a defect in the property such as a basement that floods in a heavy rain.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to taking title or documented legal ownership of the property before escrow closes on the house. It discusses how an unmarried person can take title. Some of the ways by which two or more unmarried people who purchase a house together can take title including joint tenancy, tenancy in common, partnership or as community property if the purchasers are registered as domestic partners.

The article focuses on financing the purchase of a house in California. Some of the things that can determine whether a house buyer can get a favorable mortgage loan from lenders include making a large down payment, excellent credit history and when the property is worth more than the loan amount. Information is presented on the standardized loans from the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) or Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) or Freddie Mac. It discuses the fixed rate mortgage and adjustable rate mortgage (ARM).

A variety of information about the unique aspects of life in California for house buyers who are new to California is presented, including climate and geography, natural hazards and crime.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to checking the condition of the house through inspections before finalizing the purchase. It traces the history of house inspections in California. Tips on examining the Transfer Disclosure Statement from the seller are outlined. It relates that sellers are required to indicate whether the property is in an earthquake fault zone or a seismic hazard zone. Sellers are required by state law to disclose any death that occurred in the property in the last three years.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to dealing with escrows, contingencies and insurance after the offer to purchase the house has been accepted. It outlines the steps involved in opening an escrow account. It discusses how a house buyer can remove the contingencies contained in the contract and letting the escrow holder know that they have been removed before the finalization of the purchase. Tips on obtaining a hazard insurance, a title report and a title insurance are outlined.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to presenting their offer to the seller and if needed, negotiating the price and other terms. It relates how the seller or agent may respond after the buyer notify the seller of his or her offer. It offers tips on hiding the eagerness of the buyer to buy the house. It presents strategies that buyers can adopt when buying in a competitive market.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to putting their real estate offer in writing. It discusses the clauses found in a California purchase agreement such as opening section, financial terms and occupancy. It offers money-saving tips for choosing the exact closing date for escrow. Information is presented on creating supplementary documents that are part of the agreement.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to determining how much to offer for a house and the terms to include in the offer. Information is presented on the contract to transfer ownership. Some of the factors to consider when deciding the actual offer include the advertised price of the house, the amount that the buyer can afford and prices for comparable houses. It relates some ways to make the offer attractive for sellers, including scheduling a speedy closing and showing good financing prospects.

The article offers a guide for homeowners who plan to sell their house before buying another. It highlights the problem of buying a new house first and then selling the old one. Information is presented on the strategies to adopt in a housing market favorable to sellers or in a market favorable to buyers. It recommends using the same real estate agent to sell the current house and buy a new one to save money on real estate commissions.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to obtaining a mortgage loan. House buyers are advised to gather information on mortgage rates and fees online or through the local newspaper. It outlines the advantages and disadvantages of working with a loan broker to obtain a mortgage. It recommends interviewing a number of lenders to get the best deal and identify the loans appropriate for the buyer.

The article focuses on mortgage loans provided by private sources. Some of the advantages of private mortgages include low interest, flexible repayment structures, saving on private mortgage insurance and minimal red tape. Tips on getting a loan from friends or relatives are outlined. Information is presented on second mortgages wherein the seller will finance at least a portion of the purchase price themselves.

The article focuses on government-assisted mortgage programs available for home buyers in California. It describes the mortgage loans from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) available for men and women in the military service and to veterans with an other-than-dishonorable discharge. It discusses the downsides of the loans from the Federal Housing Administration. Information is presented on the mortgage loan from the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).

The article deals with adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) to finance the purchase of a home in California. It is advisable to choose ARM over fixed rate mortgage when the buyer needs money for other purposes and when the buyer plans to move or refinance in the next three to five years. Information is presented on the loan and payment caps under ARM.

The article offers a guide for home buyers in California to buying a new house. It outlines some of the disadvantages of buying a newly built house in California. Tips on choosing a dependable and trustworthy real estate developer are presented. It discusses how developers can help a buyer in arranging a loan for purchasing a new house.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to finding a house that matches their ideal house profile. It outlines some of the factors that affect the prices of houses, including job layoffs and interest rates. It presents a list of the best Web sites that offer house listings on the Internet. It suggests checking the real estate classified ads. House buyers are advised to visit Sunday Open Houses.

The article offers a guide for home buyers in California to working with real estate agents and brokers to find a good house. The steps that home buyers must take in hiring a real estate professional are outlined. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of working with a real estate professional. Information is presented on how to hire and pay an exclusive buyer's agent.

The article offers a guide for house buyers in California to raising money for down payments. Some of the agencies offering low down payment mortgage plans include the Federal Housing Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the California Housing Finance Agency. It describes the FannieNeighbors and the community Home Buyer's Program, two of the low down payment plans available for home buyers. It offers tips on choosing a private mortgage insurance (PMI) policy.

The article explores some ways by which one can overcome the home ownership affordability problems in California. It explains why some people should settle for renting and avoid stretching their finances just to own a house in California. It outlines some of the strategies for buying an affordable house, including saving money for a house purchase, buying a less desirable house than they really want and buying a house at a probate sale.

The article offers a guide for house buyers to determining how much they can afford to pay for a house in California. It suggests comparing one's monthly carrying costs plus monthly payments on other long-term debts to one's gross (total) monthly income. It discusses how mortgage loan application can be affected by credit scores. The steps in preparing a family financial statement are outlined to help determine the purchase price a home buyer can afford.

The article offers a guide for home buyers in California to ensuring that they will purchase a house that they will enjoy living in. It emphasizes the importance for people seeking to a buy a house to identify the house features most important to them. Tips on establishing the priorities that would govern decision-making of whether to buy a house or not. The steps in creating a house priorities worksheet are outlined.

An introduction for the book "How to Buy a House in California," is presented.