Blog topic
Straight answers and local guidance from Christine Almarines, REALTOR®, in plain English.
Cerritos, LA and Orange County sellers typically expect around 3% for an earnest money deposit. Inland Empire sellers often accept 1-2%. Why the regional gap exists, and what it means for your offer.
The earnest money deposit isn’t the down payment and isn’t due at closing. What it actually protects, when it’s refundable, when it’s at risk, and why most disputes are really about who understood the contract.
A 1% higher rate costs a Cerritos buyer about $329/month, but it’s temporary. For sellers, a rate buydown often solves buyer hesitation more directly than a price cut. The full math for both sides.
You date your interest rate, you marry your Cerritos purchase price. Why rising rates and a holiday-thinned buyer pool create real negotiating room right now, for both buyers and sellers.
A 1% higher rate adds about $329 a month on a $500K loan – but it ends the moment you refinance. A $20,000 higher price adds less per month and never resets on its own. The real math behind buying now.
You date your interest rate, you marry your purchase price. Why rising rates and a holiday-thinned buyer pool create real negotiating room for buyers ready to move, and what sellers should do about it.
The close of escrow date isn’t fixed – it’s negotiated. What buyers need to confirm with their lender, what sellers need to confirm about their next move, and why mismatched expectations surface late.
Escrow is the neutral third party that holds the money and the paperwork until every condition in the contract is met. What it does, what it means for each side, and what to expect from opening to closing.
The acceptance date starts the clock on nearly every deadline in a real estate contract – earnest money, contingencies, disclosures, close of escrow. Here’s what it means and why day zero has to be documented clearly.
“It comes down to price and terms” gets said in every negotiation. Here’s what each half actually covers, which terms matter most, and why a counteroffer is rarely just one number moving.
Start with a no-pressure conversation and a free home value report.
Or call or text (714) 476-4637
REALTOR® | CA DRE #01412944
CA Real Estate Group | Caliber Real Estate Group
Please fill out the form below and we will be contacting you shortly
with information about your home.