Marc_ely

We are coming over to south OC next week to checkout my job offer and also hopefully to checkout different areas for rental (up to a year) and then maybe buying.

The range of properties and areas etc is pretty mindblowing when you look on Zillow and Trulia. I could spend weeks drawing up short lists.

I have some really basic questions that I can't find answers to...

Are houses on Zillow/Trulia listed just with one realtor? Or do houses list with multiple realtors?

Can you arrange viewings of occupied places easily like in the UK? Or do you have to wait for open days?

Can anyone recommend a realtor that would setup some viewings for rentals and purchase places?

Thanks
Marc

Havnfun

Hi Marc,

The properties on Zillow/Trulia are listed with just one Realtor. Right now the inventory in Orange County is very low. Viewings can usually be arranged but there are some that are only doing showings on one day (usually due to being tenant occupied).

Where in Orange County are you looking? I am a Realtor in Orange County. I live in Mission Viejo and work in the surrounding cities. I worked with another BE Expat from London who rented a house in Laguna Hills last June

Dawn

Pulaski

I can't answer all your questions, but the process for selling houses is very different from the UK, and as far as I'm aware, there is no such thing as multi-agency in the US, and the buyer's agent does all the leg work, taking you round to see properties. The buyer's agent will set up times to see properties and coordinate with the seller's agent and the occupants (if any) to arrange access, which is typically by use of a key secured in a mini safe locked to the door knob. So what you need is a good buyer's agent.

Bob

I've seen a few places for sale/rent listed with multiple agents, so it does happen, but it is rare as you probably have to pay the other agent even if they don't find you a renter/buyer.

Either way, do want a decent agent to help you out if you're on a short time frame as most people just won't bother deal directly with you unless you're on the ground running as places can and do go very quickly.

joto

I'm here right now looking at properties to buy. If you see something you like, snap it up pronto with a good offer and at least a pre-approval letter. There was one place we liked, and it had 6 offers on it, but I don't know if they were below asking price or above (probably). I don't know what the rental market is like, probably very similar. Properties don't last on the market very long if they are worth having, which a lot of them are. Good luck in your search.

Michael

All houses listed on Zillow/Trulia are from the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) database which contains about 99% of all relator sold houses in the US. Any real estate agent from any relator can normally show any house listed on the MLS.

Usually there is a lock box installed outside the home that the real estate agent can access to get the key to the front door. In most cases, the real estate agent will call the home prior to showing the home and ask if it is ok to show the home. If no one is home, normally they can immediately go to the home and use the lock box to get into the premises unless that is forbidden by the homeowner or there isn't a lock box.

If you have children, check the schools that the children will be attending based on that address prior to making an offer. The following is a map of the ranking of schools in California. Click on the symbol for more information.

http://schoolperformancemaps.com/ca/...59903%2C11%2C1

The seller usually pays 100% of the real estate commission (both buyer and sellers commission) in the US. Usually the buyer and seller agents handle the closing along with an escrow/title company so most people do not hire a real estate attorney. Generally the selling agent choses the escrow/title company but as a buyer, you can reject their choice (seldom occurs if the escrow/title company is a major title company).

After a 5 year slump in the California housing market, housing prices have again started rising during the last year and in many areas near large cities, the housing market is now hot causing multiple biders on good properties.

Phoodilicious

In our experience moving to OC last April, places advertised for rent (we didn't want to buy initially until we got settled and knew the area and also worked on getting a US credit history etc) went very quickly.

Landlords and agents were not really interested in showing us places internally in early February (when we did our "look see" trip) as unless we wanted to sign a contract then and there and pay for the house to stand empty until we made the physical move (2 months later) then there was no point as the place would be long gone by then.

What we did in the end is used the look see trip to identify the cities/neighbourhoods and even streets that we liked. Doing this enabled us to rule out some places pretty easily without having to disturb the homeowner/tenants. Having spent two days travelling around looking at actual addresses (I set the sat nav to do a round trip of up to 25 addresses each day) we were much more informed and able to drill down to exactly where we wanted to be (taking commuting time to Irvine etc into account as well).

Towards our actual move date we then started in earnest finding the MLS listings available and then move-in date availability. Our agent set us up with an online site that was constantly updated of all the MLS listings that fitted our criteria. We set up appointments to view the day after we arrived and we stayed in a hotel for the first couple of weeks (with our pets). Once we knew which place we wanted we were prepared to sign a contract then and there which worked well in helping negotiate.

Good luck in your search!

Mummy in the foothills

I'd do serviced apartments for a few weeks (lots more room than a hotel) and look at rentals from there, that way you won't be rushed into renting somewhere you don't care for and get locked in for a year.