ServicesBuyer Representation
Buyer Representation in Burbank
We represent you on the purchase side. We read the seller's disclosures line by line, help you pull the property's loss history and real coverage quotes, and negotiate repairs or credits from what the inspection actually found, before your contingency deadlines close.
What buyer representation covers
A purchase in California runs on a contract with fixed deadlines. Under the standard purchase agreement you usually have about 17 days to finish inspections, review disclosures and decide whether to move forward. Once those contingencies are removed, walking away can cost you your deposit. Our job is to use that window well.
We put most of the effort into the parts buyers tend to underrate: the Transfer Disclosure Statement, the termite report, past losses reported on the property, and whether you can cover it at a premium you can carry. Water damage, an old roof or a prior fire loss can change what a carrier will offer. We help you document what the inspector found and explain how claims and coverage work. We are not your adjuster or your insurance agent, and we will say so plainly when a question belongs to them.
We work from our office in Burbank, or by phone and video if that suits you better.
What we do for you on a purchase
- Disclosure review
- We go through the Transfer Disclosure Statement, the seller's questionnaire and the natural hazard report with you. Gaps and vague answers, like an unexplained repair to a wall or ceiling, go on a list of written questions to the seller.
- Loss history report
- Carriers share records of past losses through a CLUE report, and the seller can order one. We ask for it early so a past water or fire claim shows up before you commit, not when a quote comes back.
- Coverage quotes during contingency
- Coverage has tightened across Southern California, and some buyers end up on the California FAIR Plan with a separate policy for the rest. We push you to get real quotes inside the contingency period so the yearly cost is known.
- Inspection follow-up
- When the general inspector flags a sagging roof deck, galvanized supply lines or a cracked sewer lateral, we help you bring in the right specialist and keep photos and reports organized.
- Repair and credit negotiation
- We write the request for repair from the documented findings, asking for fixes, a credit or a price change depending on what makes sense for the defect and your loan.
- Deadline tracking through closing
- We track every contingency date, the appraisal and the final walkthrough with escrow so nothing lapses by accident.
When it makes sense to have us on your side
The disclosures mention past water damage
A line like "leak repaired 2019" deserves follow-up. We want to know whether a claim was filed, what was replaced and whether moisture is still present.
The house is older or raised on a foundation
Many Burbank houses date from the 1920s through the 1950s, which can mean original cast-iron drains, knob-and-tube wiring or unbraced cripple walls. Each one affects premiums and repair cost, so each one needs a clear answer.
You are not sure the property can be covered
If a carrier has declined to quote, or the premium came back far higher than expected, we help you understand why and what documents might change the answer.
You need to sell before you can buy
Buying and selling at the same time means two sets of deadlines. Our Seller's Agent and We Buy Houses for Cash pages explain how we can handle the other side.
The deadlines feel rushed
If you are about to remove contingencies without the reports in hand, talk with us before you sign.
What affects the cost of buying
Our compensation is set in the written buyer agreement you sign before we tour houses, and it is negotiable. Sometimes the seller agrees to cover part or all of it. Beyond our fee, these are the items that most often move your total cost.
Seller concessions
Whether the seller pays toward our compensation or your closing costs depends on the market and the offer. We negotiate it as part of the deal, not after.
Inspection scope
A general inspection is the start. Sewer camera work, roof, foundation or mold specialists add cost, and older houses usually need more of them.
Annual premium
A past claim, an aging roof or high wildfire exposure can raise premiums or push you to the FAIR Plan plus a separate policy. That ongoing cost belongs in your budget from the start.
Repairs you take on
Defects the seller will not fix become your cost after closing. Documenting them early gives you leverage for a credit instead.
How a purchase works with us
- 1
Getting started
Your budget, loan type, timeline and must-haves come first, whether we meet at our office or over phone or video. Before we tour anything together, California requires a written buyer agreement, and we walk through it with you, including how our pay is set.
- 2
Touring and offer
We tour properties with you and pull disclosures and reports before you write an offer where we can. Your offer sets the contingency periods, so we choose them on purpose.
- 3
Inspections and coverage
Inspectors go through the house while you collect insurance quotes and the loss history. We photograph and log defects so the repair request rests on evidence.
- 4
Negotiate, then remove contingencies
We present the repair or credit request, work out a response with the seller's side, and remove contingencies only when you are comfortable.
- 5
Closing
We confirm agreed repairs at the final walkthrough, check the closing statement against the contract and stay in touch with escrow until the deed records.
Questions buyers ask us
How do you get paid when I buy?
You and we agree on our compensation in writing before we tour houses, and the amount is negotiable. The seller may agree to pay some or all of it, and we often ask for that in the offer. Whatever the seller does not cover is your responsibility under the agreement, so we go over it up front.
Can you help me check a house's loss history?
Yes. We ask the seller for the property's CLUE report, which lists losses reported in recent years, and we compare it with the disclosures. If water or fire damage appears, we help you find out what was repaired and whether permits were pulled. Questions about your own future coverage go to your insurance agent.
What if the inspection finds damage?
We document it with photos and the inspector's report, bring in a specialist if needed, and decide with you whether to ask for repairs, a credit or a lower price. If the problem is too large, you can usually cancel within the contingency period. We will not tell you a defect is minor when it is not.
I have a place to sell first. Can you help with both?
Yes. We can represent you on the sale, or make a cash offer on the property you own now through our Guarantee cash offer program. We have closed more than 100 cash offers, so we can explain how that timing fits with a purchase.
Do I have to meet you in person?
No. Many buyers start with a phone or video call and come to our Burbank office only to sign. We still tour properties with you in person, including in nearby cities such as Glendale and Pasadena.
Talk through your purchase before you write an offer
Share the kind of place you are after and when you hope to move. We will lay out the deadlines, the reports worth ordering and the coverage questions to settle before you commit.