Eight steps. Real numbers. No jargon. Everything you need from now until keys.
Pull your credit report from all three bureaus. You want a 620+ for FHA, 720+ for the best conventional rates. Dispute errors. Pay down revolving balances. Don't open new accounts.
FHA: 3.5% down. Conventional: 5–20%. Plus closing costs (2–4% of price). Plus 1–3 months of reserves. Plan to bring 5–10% total to the table at minimum.
Pre-approval is more than pre-qualification. You hand over W-2s, pay stubs, bank statements. A lender writes a real letter. Sellers take you seriously. Without it, you can't compete.
Beds, baths, square footage, neighborhoods, schools, commute. Write down what you absolutely need vs what's negotiable. We'll use this to filter every search.
Online photos lie. Always tour in person. Drive the neighborhood at night. Check the schools, the noise, the smells, the traffic. We schedule everything.
Price, contingencies, escrow timeline, earnest money. Strong offers win — and they're not always the highest price. We craft the offer for what the seller actually values.
Get a licensed inspector. Negotiate repairs or credits. Don't waive inspection in a normal market. A $500 inspection routinely saves $20,000 in surprises.
Final walkthrough. Sign at title. Wire your down payment. Get the keys. We coordinate the whole timeline — utilities, movers, locksmith, everything.
Sarah specializes in residential real estate across West Covina and the Inland Empire — combining transparent data with personalized strategy. Every client gets the full picture before making a move.
Two decades of mortgage expertise across Southern California. Fast pre-approvals, transparent rates, and a partner who answers the phone — every time.
