Information for Buyers

Welcome to my page just for Buyers! If you are interested in buying a home in San Francisco, follow these five steps to get yourself ready:

1. Request your free San Francisco Home Buyer's Guide. This guide will give you an overview of the home buying process, outline points of San Francisco and California property law, and provide many other pages of detailed information that I've compiled specifically for buyers.
2. Make a Wish List (and a Reality List). Whether it's your first home or your fifth, write down a 'Wish' list of everything that you've always wanted in a home. Then, make a separate 'Reality' list of all the things you really can't do without.
3. Decide Which Neighborhood(s) You're Interested In. San Francisco has a number of distinctive neighborhoods -- use this web site to scope out the pros and cons of each area.
4. Get Financing. The most effective strategy is to figure out how much you can afford, and then get pre-approval before you even start looking.
5. Find a good agent. The right agent is someone who you'll like to spend time with, and who you can trust.

Free Reports

Automated MLS Search. Sign up for daily e-mails that inform you of new listings that meet your criteria.

The Roth REport. Subscribe to Andrew's monthly newsletter about the state of the San Francisco market.

Recent SF Home Sales. Check out the properties that have recently sold in your favorite San Francisco neighborhoods.

Reference

Transaction Flow Chart. See what happens during a typical home purchase.

Andrew's Frequently Asked Questions. Check out an FAQ of questions that Andrew has been asked by his clients.

Glossary of Real Estate Terms. Translate Realtor jargon into English.

Advice for Buyers

Escrow Do's and Don'ts A handy guide for buyers and sellers.

Buy Before Sell? Should you sell your existing home before purchasing a new one, or vice versa? Discover the pros and cons of each scenario.

The Ten Biggest Home-Buying Mistakes. Before you buy, read this article to make sure you're not committing any of the most common home-buyer's mistakes.

Eight Tips for Protecting Yourself When You Buy a House. This article includes some more good tips for home buyers.

Tenancies in Common. Figure out whether this popular method of co-ownership makes sense (cents?) for you.

Helpful Web Tools

Search the San Francisco Multiple Listing Service. Use this public web tool to view all the properties in San Francisco that are currently on the market.

Zephyr MLS Direct. Become a San Francisco MLS power-user with this private, clients-only web tool.

ZephyrSOMA/SOBE. Visit this link to learn about new construction, upcoming properties, and regional trends in this dynamic, changing area.

Bay Area Home Sale Activity. Check out the latest monthly statistics for home sales in the San Francisco Bay Area.

SocketSite.com. Peruse this blog to stay up on SF real estate gossip, including notable listings and new developments.

Zillow.com. Use this handy website to find out how much a property is worth based on other homes the area, as well as how the value of a property has changed over time.

"We've dealt with many real estate agents, and Andrew is the best we've ever
worked with..."

-John Forbes and Shirlee Smith