Buying a New Home in California? Here are 3 tips to make you a stronger real estate buyer.

You're getting ready to drop some serious cash on your next dream home. There's a ton of moving parts! And you know what? That contract - it may as well be written in Greek.

Hey - I'm Rebecca Larson with Your Home Legal. Check out these three tips when you buy your next home.

Number 1: Know what you qualify for!

There's nothing worse than getting online and going and finding that dream house. You love it! It looks great. The schools are great. The neighborhood is great....only to find out later that you don't actually qualify for it.

There's nothing more empowering as a buyer to know exactly what you can afford so that you can be laser-focused on finding that dream home.

Number 2: Know the Expenses!

You know you're going to have to put down an earnest money deposit and you know you're probably going to have to bring some money to close, but do you know what that really includes?

You're going to have an appraisal, a credit report fee, your home inspection fee, and the thing that everybody forgets to budget for - your mover! Don't forget to budget for the mover!

Number 3: Consult with a real estate attorney.

Ideally, you'll want to start this process before you even put an offer on a property. Your Home Legal, APC provides collaborative legal services to work with you, your mortgage broker, and your escrow team to make sure that your rights are protected.

You should really enjoy the process of buying your dream home.