Assuming you’ve already gotten your finances ready, figured out how much you can afford, chosen an agent and gotten pre-approved for a loan, the next steps in the typical home purchase process will be: making a purchase offer and having a contract executed, reviewing disclosure documents, getting an appraisal and inspections done, getting a full loan approval from your lender, doing a final walk-through, reviewing the closing statement, and then going through the actual closing.

The list price of a home is always negotiable. Before you jump into the negotiation process, however, you should do your research first – of the local market, the seller’s particular circumstances, and so on. A good real estate agent will accomplish this and more for you.

We sell properties using Warranty Deeds (the best type of deed), therefore we guarantee that all properties have a free and clear title with no liens or encumbrances. We also guarantee that property taxes and association fees (if any) are current.

From start (searching online) to finish (closing escrow), buying a home takes about 10 to 12 weeks. Once a home is selected an the offer is accepted, the average time to complete the escrow period on a home is 30 to 45 days (under normal market conditions). Though, well-prepared home buyers who pay cash have been known to purchase properties faster than that.

GCP uses the Escrow process wherein the buyer and the seller deposit funds and relevant documentation with a neutral third party, which holds them in trust until all the conditions of the sale are fulfilled. This allows for a more seamless sale and minimizes risk for both parties. Escrow opens once both parties have signed the purchase agreement and delivered it to their escrow holder along with the escrow instructions. A good faith deposit (earnest money) or initial down payment is typically delivered at the same time. The escrow holder will then process the escrow according to instructions.