Downtown Los Angeles Lofts
If you’re buying a condo or loft for sale in DTLA, here’s a list of common real estate terms you need to know first. Common Real Estate Terms Active Listing An active listing is a home that’s for sale because it doesn’t have an accepted offer. Bidding War A bidding war occurs when two or […]
When you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you need to know a few real estate terms. Here they are. 3 Terms You Need to Know Before You Buy a Condo or Loft Active listing Contingencies Disclosures Active Listing An active listing is one that’s actually for sale. You can make an […]
When you’re looking for a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, pretend you have kids – even if you don’t. Here’s why. Why You Should Buy a Loft or Condo Like You Have Kids Even if you don’t have children, you have to think long-term. But we’re not talking about your long-term. We’re talking […]
If you’re like most people who want to buy a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you know that you’ll need a mortgage loan to do so. But these three persistent credit myths could be hurting your chances of qualifying for the best terms and rates. 3 Credit Myths That Might Hurt Your Chances […]
If you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you probably already know you need an earnest money deposit – but what is earnest money, and where does it go once you buy the home? Let’s Talk About Earnest Money This guide covers: What is Earnest Money? How Much is an Earnest Money […]
If you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, some of your money – including your earnest money deposit – will be held in escrow. But what is escrow, and how does it work? What is Escrow, and How Does It Work? Escrow is a secure place to store an earnest money check, […]
When you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you’ll have a home inspection. The inspection is one of the most important parts of your transaction. Here’s why. What is a Home Inspection? A home inspection, performed by a legitimate home inspector, is an essential part of buying a new place to live. […]
When you buy a condo for sale in DTLA, you’ll hire a home inspector to check things out before you sign the dotted line. But what does a home inspector look for? You might be surprised. What Does a Home Inspector Look For? Home inspectors look at about 1,600 items around your future living space. […]
If you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, here’s what you need to know about house-hunting before you start looking. 3 Things You Need to Know About House-Hunting Online photos can be deceiving Buying a home takes time and patience You might have to make some trade-offs Online Photos Can Be Deceiving […]
If you’re looking for a home before the holidays, there’s still time – and you might even still have time to unpack before you welcome carolers to your front door. Sure, the process of buying a loft or condo in DTLA can take a long time… but with these tips, you can purchase a home […]
If you’re buying a condo for sale in DTLA, you’ll have to be part of a condo owners’ association – and condo owners’ associations have rules, called CC&Rs, that you have to follow. What Are CC&Rs? CC&Rs, short for covenants, conditions, and restrictions, are rules that you have to abide by when you live in […]
If you’re buying a condo for sale in DTLA, one of the first things you should ask is what the building’s rental policy is. Here’s why. Finding Out About a Condo Building’s Rental Policy Most people prefer to buy a condo that’s predominantly owner-occupied. That means most of the units are occupied by their actual […]
When you’re buying a condo for sale in DTLA, there are 7 questions you need to ask before you make an offer. 7 Questions You Need to Ask Before You Make an Offer on a Condo This isn’t a complete list, and your Realtor® can help you decide whether a particular condo is right for […]
When you’re thinking about buying a condo for sale in DTLA, it pays to work with a Realtor® who specializes in them. Here’s why. Why You Need a Realtor Who Specializes in Condos Buying a condo is a lot different than buying any other type of property. It’s vastly different from a single-family home, a […]
If you’re thinking about buying a condo for sale in DTLA, you have to ask yourself if it’s the right choice for you – and here’s what you need to consider. How to Decide if a Condo is Right for You Before you make such a big purchase, you have to decide whether a condo […]
If you’re buying a condo for sale in DTLA, you need to know that financing one is a lot different from financing a single-family home. Even if this isn’t the first condo you’ve purchased, here’s a quick refresher that can help you understand how financing a condo is different from financing a single-family house. How […]
Buying a condo or loft for sale in DTLA, for most people, means taking out a loan and sitting down at the closing table… and paying closing costs. But what goes into closing costs, and how much will they run you on closing day? What Goes Into Closing Costs? Your closing costs include several fees […]
If you’re thinking about buying a condo or loft for sale in downtown Los Angeles, you need to ask yourself these three questions: Can I come up with a down payment? What does my employment history look like? What’s my credit score? Putting Up a Down Payment Unless you qualify for a VA loan (only […]
If you’re like most people buying a loft or condo in downtown Los Angeles, you know you’ll need a mortgage loan to get the cash – but in order to do that, you have to have the right debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. But what is DTI, and how can you figure out what yours is? […]
If you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you know that you’ll need to come up with a down payment – but what happens if it’s not the full 20 percent most lenders want? You’ll have to buy mortgage insurance. But what is mortgage insurance, and how much will it cost you? […]
If you’re like most people buying a condo or loft in DTLA, you want to know how much home you can afford. One way to figure it out is to get preapproval from a lender; that way, you’ll know how much you’re likely to get approved for. But there’s more to it than that. Just […]
If you’re thinking about buying a condo or loft in DTLA using a VA home loan, here’s what you need to know about qualifying. VA Loan Requirements The VA has very specific requirements on who can qualify for this type of loan. Here’s a quick run-down – ask yourself these questions: Are you active duty? […]
When you buy a condo or loft in downtown Los Angeles, there are a few things you can do to reduce your closing costs. Here they are: Compare the costs between lenders Evaluate your loan estimate Negotiate fees with your lender How to Reduce Closing Costs on a Loft or Condo in DTLA Compare Costs […]
When you’re buying a condo or loft in DTLA, you’ll have a few choices on what type of mortgage loan you get. For some people, fixed-rate is the best choice; for others, adjustable-rate is best. But what are the differences? Here’s what you need to know. What is a Fixed-Rate Mortgage? In a fixed-rate mortgage, […]
If you’re buying a condo or loft for sale in Little Tokyo, you’ll probably need a mortgage loan – most people do. The first step in your home search should be getting preapproval for that loan. Here’s how. How to Get Mortgage Preapproval From a Lender After you’ve shopped around for the best rates and […]
If you’re buying a condo or loft for sale in Little Tokyo, it’s a good idea to gather as much information as you can – and these three tips for homebuyers are a good start. 3 Tips for Homebuyers in Little Tokyo First things first: Call a great Realtor® who can help you through the […]
Most people buying a loft in DTLA have to crunch some numbers to figure out how much home they can afford – even if they’re currently renting, because owners incur different costs than renters do. So how do you estimate how much house you can afford? How to Estimate How Much House You Can Afford […]
If you’re buying a DLTA loft or condo for sale, you’ll most likely need a mortgage loan – and you’re not alone. Most people don’t have enough cash sitting around to buy a home with no mortgage. One of your options is an FHA loan. What is an FHA Loan? An FHA loan is a […]
If you’re like most people buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you know you’ll need a mortgage – but what kinds of options do you have? Today we’re talking about conventional loans. What Are Conventional Loans? A conventional loan is a loan made by a lender to a borrower. It’s not backed […]
If you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DTLA, you’ll probably need a mortgage – most people do. And that means you need the best possible credit score; that way, you’ll qualify for the best rates and terms. In order to raise your credit score, you have to first understand it. But what […]
If you’re buying a loft or condo for sale in DLTA, you know that your credit score is important – but what credit score do you need to buy a home? Here’s the scoop. What Credit Score Do You Need to Buy a Home? It’s really important to check your credit score before you start […]
If you’re buying a loft for sale in DTLA, your lender will require an appraisal – but what is an appraisal, and why does the lender want one? What is an Appraisal in Real Estate? A home appraisal is an unbiased estimate of a home’s fair market value. Your lender will require it because it […]
If you’re buying a DTLA condo for sale, it’s a good idea to check your credit before you start applying for mortgages. That’s because the higher your credit score is, the better interest rates you’ll qualify for – so it pays to see exactly where you stand. But where do you start? How to Check […]
If you’re buying a condo in DTLA, you’ll most likely have to buy title insurance – but what is it, and why do you need it? What is Title Insurance? Title insurance is something that buyers have to purchase, and it all starts with a title search. During a title search, a title company looks […]
When you’re buying a condo in DTLA, you can – and should – shop around for the best possible mortgage rates. But can you really negotiate with a lender? Negotiating Lower Mortgage Rates For most people, buying a condo involves getting a mortgage loan. Like any large purchase, you should shop around so you get […]
When you’re buying a condo for sale in DTLA, you’ll probably see real estate listings for “short sale” properties – but what are short sales, and should you think about buying one? What is a Short Sale? A short sale occurs when a condo owner who’s financially unable to pay his or her mortgage strikes […]
When you’re buying a condo for sale in Los Angeles, you’ll most likely have to be part of a homeowners’ association. (Learn about HOAs here.) Before you buy in a particular building, though, you need to: Become familiar with the HOA’s rules Decide whether you can live with the HOA’s rules Determine how much the […]
When you buy a condominium, you’re obligated to join the community’s homeowners’ association, or HOA. But what is an HOA, and how does it work? What is an HOA? A homeowners’ association is a group of individuals – usually elected – who charge you a set fee for membership. That fee then translates into grounds […]
If you’re like many people, you’ve heard of VA loans – but what are they, and who can use them? What is a VA Loan? A VA loan is a loan that’s guaranteed by the U.S. Veterans Affairs – it doesn’t actually come from the VA. Having the VA’s guarantee on these loans allows lenders […]
