With mortgage rates at near historic lows, now is a good time to buy a home — but it’s also important to be aware of recent trends that are affecting the real estate markets across the state.

What questions should I ask before starting a house search?

If you’re getting ready to start shopping for a home, ask yourself a few crucial questions to make sure you’re on the right track. If you’ve been renting, does buying a home in the near future fit your current lifestyle? How long are you planning to stay in your new home? What personal changes are you going through that may impact whether this is a good time for you to conduct a house search? Can you afford to buy a home right now? If you’ve asked yourself these questions or discussed them with your partner, and all signs point to yes, you’re ready to start talking with a local real estate agent on the Reali team.

Whichhome buying websites are best?

Before you start comparing all of the different home buying websites available, it’s important to understand the difference between buying a home the traditional way and buying a home with Reali. In a typical real estate transaction, the seller will pay a 5-6% commission of the home purchase price to their seller agents. After closing escrow, that agent then splits the commission with the buyer’s agent. At Reali, we knew it was time to do things a smarter way—and make the process better for our customers and agents at the same time. Now when a Reali agent represents you as a buyer, we pass off a portion of the buyer’s agent commission—up to 1% of the home’s purchase price—onto you as a cash rebate after the close. The best part? Our buyers walk away with a new home AND an average of $12,000 back in their pocket. No other real estate website offers you that value or level of transparency.

How does Reali help me buy a house?

Reali has licensed, local real estate agents who specialize in helping everyone, from first-time owners to seasoned investors, buy a house in California. Download the Reali App to browse California homes for sale. When you sign up through our app, we pair you with a local Reali agent and a team of experts to give you comprehensive support throughout the entire home buying process—from open houses and issuing an offer to closing.

Once you create a profile, you can use the app to browse homes, save your favorites, filter based on your must-haves amenities, get pre-approved to find out how much house you can afford, schedule property visits, and even place an offer! Together, we’ll take the steps necessary to help you win your dream home.

Does being pre-approved help me know which houses to buy?

There are several reasons why taking the time to get pre-approved for a loan makes it easier for you to determine which houses to buy in California. Being pre-approved for a certain amount helps you focus your search so that you only consider properties that fit your budget. Plus, you can get pre-approved quickly and easily by downloading the Reali App and creating a buyer profile.

To be pre-approved, you’ll need to verify your income for the last 30 days if you’re on a salary, share your 2-year average if you are self-employed, or show consistency and history if you’re an hourly employee. You’ll also need to submit your credit score, list your assets and let us know how much money you have upfront for a down payment.

Mortgage pre-approval has benefits beyond just giving you a housing price range. As an extra safety precaution, many sellers are also currently requiring buyers to show pre-approval before scheduling an in-person tour. Check out Reali Loans to start your online loan pre-approval process.

How do I find houses for sale near me?

The Reali platform makes it easy for you to search homes for sale by location. Our desktop and mobile apps let you browse listings using various filters, including by region, a specific city, distance (near/far), home size, and type. If you are looking for a particular property style, you can filter by condo, house, townhouse, and multifamily unit. You can add more layers like home size (square feet), lot size (square feet), year built and monthly HOA dues.

Once you’ve determined your broader home detail preferences, the Reali App will make it easy to refine and search by a range of popular must-have amenities, including garage, pool, fireplace, view, gym, air conditioning, laundry, and pet friendly. If you’re interested in filtering only by properties that Reali is listing, you can do so, or you can search by all active listings in our system. You can favorite properties that you really like and share them with your Reali agent, who can help you get additional details or schedule a visit when it works for you.

Ready to find property for sale near you?

Our trusted local market experts will help you identify homes that fit your budget and offer the amenities you’re looking for—without forcing you to spend months and months in a stressful real estate search. If you’re like many of our clients and need help selling your current home, ask about Reali Trade-In, which makes it easy to put your current home on the market while you’re looking for a new one.