For buyers
Know what you can buy before you fall in love with a house
A clear process, a realistic budget and someone who understands both the property and the loan behind it.
The process
How buying actually works
Six steps from thinking about it to holding the keys. Most of the stress in a purchase comes from not knowing which step you are on.
Get your financing sorted
Before you look at a single house. Knowing your real number changes what you look at and makes your offer credible when it counts.
Define what you are actually looking for
Areas, size, schools, commute, and which of those are true requirements versus preferences. This saves months.
See homes that fit
Harry sets up the search, flags what is worth your Saturday and tells you when something is not what the photos suggest.
Write an offer that gets taken seriously
Price is one part. Financing strength, contingency periods, timelines and terms often matter as much to a seller.
Inspections and due diligence
General inspection, plus whatever the property calls for. This is where you learn what you are really buying and where leverage exists.
Appraisal, loan and closing
The lender does its work, conditions get cleared, documents get signed and recorded. Then you get the keys.
Before you search
Three things worth doing first
Get a real number, not a calculator number. An online affordability tool does not know your debts, your credit profile or how a lender will treat your income. A proper review takes one conversation and changes everything downstream.
Separate needs from wants. Almost every buyer starts with a list that no house in their budget satisfies. Deciding early which items are genuinely non-negotiable is what keeps a search from dragging on for a year.
Understand the whole payment. Principal and interest is only part of it. Property taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance and any HOA all show up every month. The mortgage calculator on the pre-approval page includes them.
First-time buyer?
Harry works with first-time buyers constantly, and the reviews that mention him most warmly are usually from people buying their first home. Expect questions answered without impatience and no assumption that you already know the vocabulary.
There is no penalty for asking something twice.
Move-up or downsizing?
Owning while buying is a sequencing problem, and the order you do things in has real financial consequences. Harry will map out the options, including what happens to your financing in each one.
Timing the market
Buy now, or buy later?
Waiting for a better rate can cost more than it saves once you account for appreciation and the equity you build in the meantime. Here is a worked example on an $800,000 purchase.
Buy now, refinance later
$800,000 today at 6.5%, refinanced in 2 years once rates ease to 5.5%
Wait 2 years, buy then
Same home, purchased after 2 years of 3.5% annual appreciation, at the same 5.5% rate
Example only, based on an $800,000 purchase at 6.5% today versus the same home two years later at 5.5% after 3.5% annual appreciation. Your numbers depend on the property, the rate environment when you buy and your loan program. Harry will run this exact comparison for your actual price range.
Common questions
What buyers ask most
Less than most people assume. Conventional loans can go well below twenty percent, FHA lower still, and VA can be zero for those who qualify. Under twenty percent usually means mortgage insurance, which is a real cost but not always a reason to wait. Harry can run your specific numbers.
Yes. A pre-approval tells you what you can actually buy and tells sellers you are real. In a competitive situation, a strong pre-approval can matter more than a few thousand dollars in price.
For a buyer, typically around two to five percent of the purchase price depending on the loan, the lender and how much is prepaid at closing. Harry will give you an estimate specific to your purchase so it is not a surprise at signing.
You have options: ask for repairs, ask for a credit, renegotiate the price, or walk away if you are still inside your contingency period. Almost every home has findings. What matters is which ones are structural, expensive or safety related.
Then the lender will only lend against the lower value. You can cover the gap in cash, renegotiate with the seller, challenge the appraisal with better comparable sales, or cancel if your contingency allows. Harry has handled all four.
Yes, though it takes more documentation and a lender who understands self-employed income. This is exactly where Harry's financing background helps, because how your income is documented can change what you qualify for significantly.
Client reviews
Buyers Harry has represented
Reviews left on Google by people Harry has worked with.
“Harry did an excellent job of helping me through my first experience of buying a home. From start to finish, he was almost readily available to answer any questions I had and consistently went out of his way to make sure I felt very comfortable. As most know, purchasing a home is a very difficult and stressful process, but Harry helped to soothe any anxiety I had along the way. Would definitely recommend Harry and his team!”
“I highly recommend working with Harry!! He was truly exceptional! I met him at an Open House in the city of Northridge. I was a lil hesitant as I was just “browsing” but after a detailed conversation, so much knowledge and patience on his part, we went from “browsing” to soon to be home owners!!! After speaking with his lender we wasted no time and Harry focused on the importance of my choice in school district. Not only did we find a house, we found the home we will be creating memories in for the years to come!”
“Harry was AMAZING to work with! When no other local lenders would work with me, Harry took the time to listen to me, hear my story, and was willing to work with me in purchasing a property in another State. He was creative and supremely knowledgeable in his field. There was never a time that I didn't feel that Harry had my best interest at heart. His calm demeanor helped keep me focused on the task at hand. Harry helped me purchase the property of my dreams and I would work with him over and over again.”
Want to know what your budget really buys right now?
Send your criteria or book a call. Either way you will get a straight answer about the market you are shopping in.