How to Buy a House in California

Buy a home in California using these effective strategies

A thorough, practical guide to every aspect of buying a house, How to Buy a House in California will help you make informed decisions that can save you thousands of dollars. With this bestseller in hand, you'll learn how to:

. choose a house and neighborhood
. find the right agent
. get the most up-to-date information on mortgage options and rates
. take advantage of creative financing strategies – from seller financing to government loans
. figure out how much down payment you can afford
. make an offer and negotiate with confidence for the best price
. buy a new house in a development
. inspect a house for physical problems and environmental hazards
. juggle buying and selling houses simultaneously
. successfully go through escrow

This edition is completely updated to reflect a new housing market. You'll get the most up-to-date information on how to perform effective research before you decide on the price and terms of your offer. Plus, you'll get the lowdown on the ever-changing process of securing financing successfully.

Ralph "Jake" Warner,widely recognized as a pioneer of the do-it-yourself law movement, Warner founded Nolo with Ed Sherman in 1972. He began publishing do-it-yourself law books written by him and his colleagues after numerous publishers rejected them. Warner holds a law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley and an undergraduate degree from Princeton.

Ira Serkes is a local Realtor with RE/MAX Real Estate (www.berkeleyhomes.com) and a Certified Residential Specialist. He and his wife, Carol, specialize in helping home buyers and sellers throughout the east bay. He is a founding member of The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and author of Nolo's How to Buy a House in California and Get the Best Deal When Selling Your Home - San Francisco Bay Area Edition from Gabriel Publications. Serkes is also a graduate of Realtors Institute (GRI), a Certified Internet Real Estate Professional (e-Pro), a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) and one of only 4,000 U.S. an Accredited Buyer Representatives (ABR).

George Devine is a licensed real estate broker and a widely respected educator in the real estate field. He holds a B.A. from the University of San Francisco, and an M.A. from Marquette University, and has pursued additional studies at San Francisco State University, Seton Hall University, Fordham University, New York University, the University of California at Berkeley and other academic institutions. Currently, he teaches real estate at the McLaren School of Business at the University of San Francisco, where he was named the Outstanding Adjunct Professor. For several years, George wrote the popular "Real Estate Handbook" column in the weekly Real Estate Guide section of the San Francisco Progress. He is the author of For Sale By Owner in California and co-author of How to Buy a House in California.