Margaret,

I would be glad to explain the California buying process to you. I was a teacher before I became a Realtor and so I truly enjoy educating people on the process. You can contact me through my website below. I have helped many Canadian citizens that had lots of questions about our market as well, and were also first time buyers here.

Sat May 10 2008, 07:38

Hi Margaret:

As I said in my first response to your inquiry, I would be happy to assist you in your search for a desert property. Please call me so we can get started. Together we'll find your desert dream home. I work with many new home buyers from the United States as well as foreign countries.

Carolyn Voet, ePRO
Committed to Excellence
Windermere Real Estate
Indian Wells
760/200-4815
www.carolynvoet.mywindermere.com
MailTo:cvoet@sonic.net

Tue May 6 2008, 16:23

Hello Margaret! The BEST answer I can give to you is to contact Heath Hilgenberg at this website.

Tue May 6 2008, 15:37

Hi Margaret,

When you get a chance, take a look at my website and if you like what you see, contact me and I'll be glad to help you. With the dollar how it is now there are plenty of people from outside the US buying property here and many have no experience. I've worked with a lot of Canadians that are in the same situation as you. Good Luck!

Sincerely,

Sheri Dettman

Tue May 6 2008, 15:22

Hello: My wife and partner, Claudine, is a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS). If you would care to contact her, please go to one of her two websites: www.claudinereal.com orhttp:// www.claudineinternational.com She can help you in either Palm Springs, CA or put you in touch with another CIPS in Palm Springs, Florida. Give her a try.

Tue Apr 29 2008, 18:03

Hello Margaret:

Thank you for your inquiry from Liverpool regarding real estate in the Palm Springs area and what the buying process looks like.

In case you aren't already familiar with the Coachella Valley, there are several cities in this area starting with Palm Springs and moving east you have Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta & Indio.

The first important decision you will make is the choice of a real estate professionsal. When I work with prospective buyers, we have several avenues we use to find homes. To begin, we talk to each other and I find out what the buyer is looking for. If the buyer is visiting the desert, we look at new or resale homes on the market, we find properties in their price range and if they have a specific area in mind, we look at homes there. If a buyer is just beginning their search from home and they have a computer, I set them up to have access to all the listed homes for sale on our multiple listing service if they would like to do some searching on their own. In addition, once I have an idea of what a buyer is looking for and a price range, I will also begin searching for them and will send them flyers with pictures and descriptive information about homes of interest to them so they can begin to see what is avilable and make decisions about where they want to look once they come to town to begin their search for a home.

The choices are many: Single family homes, condominiums, gated or non-gated developments, golf course communities (you don't have to play golf to live in one and sometimes they have the best views) personal likes and dislikes.

Since you asked about the buying process, I am describing the basic process to you below in case you are not aware of what is required by the State of California.

When you are ready to make an offer to purchase a home you have found, your real estate agent prepares and you sign a residential purchase agreement which is the device used by the buyer to make an offer on a home. That purchase agreeement is then given to the seller's agent to present to the seller, or sometimes the agent the buyer is working with will present the offer to the seller.

The seller then either: (1) accepts the offer; (2) makes a counter offer back to you; or (3) the seller can reject your offer in total. The process is a give and take between the buyer and seller until an agreement is made by both parties.

After an agreement to purchase is agreed upon by both the seller and the buyer, the buyer then has a certain amount of time to provide financial information, get loan documents in order if not paying cash, get a home inspection by a qualified home inspector, do a home walk-through to examine the home more closely, get a copy of homeowners association documents,if there is a HOA, so they can look at the annual financial statement as well as minutes from the meeting of the last 12 months, have a title search performed to make sure there are no unpaid taxes, assessments or liens on the home, as well as other things required by the State of California when purchasing a home. The seller also has some requirements to fulfill in the way of full disclosures about the property and pest inspections, etc.

All the while, you are being guided through this process by the agent you have chosen to work with to insure a smooth buying experience.

If the buying process goes smoothly, then based on the agreed time limit between buyer & seller for the buying process to work it's way to a conclusion (35-45-60 days, etc., - called the escrow period), the escrow is closed and the buyer receives a deed to the home and that deed and the new owner's name along with descriptive information about the property purchased is recorded at the county recorder's office, which is Riverside County for our desert communities.

Working with a local realtor gives you the advantage of having an expert who is familiar with the new home developments as well as the resale properties for sale in this area.

If you would like me to set you up to access all the properties for sale in the desert cities, please email me your email address and I'll send you the instructions for accessing the information. Additionally, if you would like me to begin providing you with home information, just send an email to cvoet@sonic.net and we can get started.

It is a great time to be a buyer in the desert and it would be my pleasure to help you find your perfect desert retreat. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Carolyn Voet, ePRO
Committed to Excellence
Windermere Real Estate
Indian Wells
760/774-6510 (cell)
www.carolynvoet.mywindermere.com
MailTo:cvoet@sonic.net

Sun Apr 27 2008, 16:10

Hi there Margaret, I am an ex pat working and living in So California, about 1.5 hrs from Palm Springs. We have an office in Palm Springs where I visit frequently to see the best homes available for my client. I have sold and helped many Ex Pats homes in Southern Cal. Please visit my site and check out the testimonials section. There are many differences to purchasing Real Estaate in California than the UK.
I can help you with this. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call me
Kind Regards
Michael Barron
michael-barron@sbcglobal.net

Sun Apr 27 2008, 14:43

Margaret,
What a great advantage you have right now! I am sure your post will have plenty of responses from many Realtors in the Palm Springs area. I have sold several properties to UK citizens here in Central Florida and there are some details that should be worked out in advance of a purchase. There are also significant differences in how the offer process is done from what you are accustomed to.

Good news...there is no Gezumping (spelling?) . I love that word!

There are Realtors with CIPS designation which means they have been specially trained to work the international market and presumably they can guide you through the process.

Barbara

Sun Apr 27 2008, 14:18