Originally published April 2020. Updated May 2026 to reflect the current rate environment, new California first-time buyer programs (CalHFA MyHome + Dream For All), and tighter disclosure / escrow timelines.
Whether This Is Your First Home or Your Tenth, You Are in the Right Place
The fundamentals of buying a house in California are the same in 2026 as they were six years ago. The numbers, programs, and timelines around the fundamentals have all moved. This guide walks you through the whole process the way I walk my clients through it, with the 2026 details baked in.
Getting Started: The 2026 Rate Environment
2020 buyers were closing loans in the high-2% range. 2026 buyers are operating in a meaningfully higher-rate market, with 30-year fixed conventional rates sitting in the high 6s to low 7s for most of the year. That single change reshapes how every other step of the process plays out:
- Pre-approval matters more than ever. A two-percentage-point swing on a $500,000 loan is roughly $620 a month in interest. The price range you qualified for in 2020 is not the price range you qualify for today, so do not anchor on old numbers.
- Buy-down credits and seller concessions are negotiable again. In a balanced or buyer-leaning market, sellers will frequently contribute toward a permanent rate buy-down (paying discount points up front) or a 2-1 / 3-2-1 temporary buy-down. Bring that up explicitly in your offer.
- Assumable VA and FHA loans are worth checking on every listing. A home where the seller has a 3.25% VA loan you can assume could save a qualified buyer hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of the loan. Most listings do not advertise this clearly. We always check.
For the most current rates I am seeing this week, our Buyer Cost Estimator pulls live national averages and lets you plug them into a real California cost sheet (taxes, insurance, HOA, PMI, the works).
Step 1: Talk to a Lender Before You Talk to a House
Speaking with a lender first is non-negotiable in 2026. Sellers receive multiple offers on most well-priced homes, and a pre-approval letter is the first thing a listing agent will ask for when you put in an offer. Cash buyers proceed differently, but for everyone else, the lender call comes before the house-hunting call.
The lender will look at three things:
- Income (W-2, 1099, self-employment, retirement, rental, etc.) Two years of consistent income is the standard guideline.
- Credit (the FICO score the lender pulls, not your Credit Karma number, which is generally 20-50 points more generous).
- Debts (everything on your credit report plus child support and alimony, but not utilities or streaming services).
The lender will also help you choose between loan programs. The 2026 stack:
- Conventional: 3-5% down for first-time buyers, 5-20% for everyone else, no upfront mortgage insurance fee, PMI drops off automatically at 78% loan-to-value.
- FHA: 3.5% down, looser credit requirements, but carries upfront and monthly mortgage insurance for the life of the loan unless you refinance out.
- VA: 0% down for eligible veterans and active duty, no monthly PMI, funding fee can be financed in. The single best loan available in California.
- USDA: 0% down for buyers under income limits in eligible rural areas, including most of the Antelope Valley.
- CalHFA: California-specific first-time buyer programs (see next section).
California First-Time Buyer Programs (CalHFA, MyHome, Dream For All)
If you have not owned a home in the last three years, you may qualify for California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) assistance. These programs change yearly and the available funding moves quickly when it opens, so check the current status with your lender as one of your first conversations.
- CalHFA Conventional / FHA / VA: Below-market interest rates for first-time buyers who meet income limits. Pairs with the down-payment-assistance programs below.
- MyHome Assistance Program: A deferred-payment subordinate loan up to 3% (conventional) or 3.5% (FHA) of the purchase price, used for down payment and closing costs. No monthly payment; repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage. This is the workhorse program for AV first-time buyers without a down payment.
- Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan: Up to 20% of the purchase price (max $150K) as a 0% interest second loan in exchange for a percentage of the home''s appreciation when you sell. Funding opens in waves, has been oversubscribed every round, and is awarded by lottery. Income limits apply. If you are a first-generation first-time homebuyer, you go in a smaller pool with significantly better odds.
- School Teacher and Employee Assistance Program (School ECA): Stackable with the above for public-school employees.
Stacking is allowed. A common 2026 stack for a CalHFA-approved buyer: CalHFA conventional first + MyHome 3% second + Dream For All 20% third = 23% effective down with no cash out of pocket. Not every transaction qualifies, but I have closed several in 2025-2026 with exactly this structure.
One EXTREMELY Important Warning (Same in 2026 as 2020)
Once you are approved, do not open any new credit cards, get a loan of any kind, finance a car, finance furniture, or co-sign for anyone. Do not close existing credit cards either. Any change to your credit between approval and closing will trigger a fresh underwrite, and I have seen people lose their home over a $400 mattress purchase that bumped their debt-to-income ratio by 0.5 percentage points. Call your lender before you swipe.
Step 2: Picking the Right Property
Once you know your real budget, the four things to filter on, in this order, are price, area, amenities, timing. The 2026 update is that "area" matters more than ever because school zoning, commute time, and HOA rules vary widely block-by-block in the Antelope Valley. Two of Mike''s most-used tools help here:
- Compare up to three properties side-by-side with the Property Comparison Tool. It runs net equity, monthly payment with full California tax + insurance estimates, total cash needed, and exports a visual infographic you can take into your living room and review with your spouse.
- Map your real commute time to work, school, gym, and daycare with the Drive Time Calculator. Especially valuable for Plant 42 aerospace commuters and Edwards AFB families who want to see exact gate-to-gate timing.
Timing. California escrows are typically 30-45 days from offer acceptance to close. VA loans run 45-60 days due to appraiser scheduling. FHA and conventional run 30-40. Cash deals can close in 7-14. If you are in a tight orders window (PCS to Edwards, e.g.), use the longer end of the range as your planning estimate; never bank on a 21-day close.
Step 3: Once Your Offer Is Accepted
This is where it gets real. The first thing that happens: escrow opens, and you write three checks (over the course of the deal):
- Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) within 3 business days of acceptance, to the escrow company. Typically 1-3% of the purchase price. Refundable while you are still in your inspection contingency window.
- Home inspection and any specialty inspections (roof, septic, pool, foundation, sewer scope). Inspections in the AV start around $400 in 2026 and scale up for larger homes. These are not refundable.
- Appraisal ordered by the lender. Conventional and FHA appraisals are running $650-$800 in 2026; VA appraisals are $900-$1,100 and take longer.
The balance of your down payment and closing costs is wired or cashier-checked to escrow about a week before closing.
California Disclosures You Will Receive (And Need to Read)
Within the first week or two of escrow you will get a stack of disclosures from the seller. Skipping these is the single most common buyer mistake. The key documents:
- Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS): The seller''s written answers about the condition of the property: defects they know about, repairs they have done, neighborhood issues. Required by California Civil Code 1102. Read every line.
- Seller Property Questionnaire (SPQ): A more-detailed version of the TDS, also required for most California residential sales. Often contains the most useful information about how the home actually lives.
- Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) Report: Third-party report stating whether the property sits in a designated flood zone, earthquake fault zone, fire hazard severity zone, dam-inundation area, or Methamphetamine-Contaminated Property Cleanup zone. The AV has significant overlap with very high fire hazard severity zones, which can trigger insurance availability issues. We always pre-check this before recommending an offer in higher-risk pockets.
- Preliminary Title Report: Lists every recorded item against the title (mortgages, liens, easements, CC&Rs, tax assessments). You want to read this once for clarity and once for surprises.
- HOA Disclosures (if applicable): Articles, bylaws, CC&Rs, recent meeting minutes, reserve study, financial statements, and the 12-month special-assessment disclosure. If the HOA is underfunded or has a pending special assessment, you want to know before you remove contingencies, not after.
- Mello-Roos / Special Tax Disclosure: Many newer AV subdivisions carry Mello-Roos assessments that can add $1,500-$4,500 per year to the property tax bill. The seller is required to disclose; the listing agent should provide the official Mello-Roos disclosure.
Step 4: Inspections and the Request for Repair
You have 17 days from offer acceptance (the California Residential Purchase Agreement default) to complete inspections, review disclosures, get your appraisal back, and submit a Request for Repair if there are items you want the seller to address.
The seller is not obligated to fix anything, but in a balanced or buyer-leaning market in 2026, most sellers will negotiate. Common outcomes: seller credit at closing (preferable for you since the cash hits your settlement statement), seller-completed repairs before close, or a combination. I draft these requests strategically. Asking for every minor cosmetic item is the fastest way to get a "no" on the items that actually matter.
Step 5: Contingency Removal
This is the inflection point of every escrow. After your 17-day inspection period ends, the seller can require you to sign an Active Removal of Contingencies form, stating that you have completed inspections, reviewed disclosures, received your appraisal, and are satisfied. Once you sign, your earnest money deposit is at risk if you do not close.
The 2026 update: most sellers are more willing to grant 21-day or 25-day inspection windows than they were in 2020-2021. Ask. The two-week buffer matters when you have busy schedules and a backlog of contractor estimates to gather.
Selling Before Buying? Contingent Offers in 2026
If you already own a home, the question is whether to sell first (rent and move twice) or buy first (carry both mortgages, even temporarily). Our Contingent Sale Calculator runs the side-by-side: monthly payment exposure on both homes simultaneously, total cash to close on the new home, and whether your debt-to-income ratio still qualifies you with both loans on your credit report.
2026 buyers in the AV are increasingly bridging the gap with a HELOC against their current home, then selling 30-60 days after the new purchase closes. Whether that works for you depends on your equity, your lender, and your appetite for short-term debt. We will walk through the options with you and your lender together.
Step 6: Loan Documents, Final Walkthrough, and Funding
Signing loan documents: Takes about 90-120 minutes. You sit in front of a notary (often at escrow), sign 60-80 pages, and have one last chance to confirm the payment amount, interest rate, and closing costs on your final Closing Disclosure. The Closing Disclosure is delivered to you at least 3 business days before signing per federal TILA-RESPA rules.
Final walkthrough: 24-72 hours before close. We walk the house one more time to confirm the seller has not removed anything they agreed to leave, that no new damage has occurred, and that any negotiated repairs are completed.
Funding and recording: The lender wires funds to escrow once your signed loan docs are reviewed. Escrow disburses to the seller and submits the grant deed to the County for recording. You officially own the home the moment the County records the deed in your name. We celebrate that. I usually take a photo of new buyers in front of their new home, which most of my clients still have framed somewhere a decade later.
After Closing
We stay in touch. I help my clients with contractor referrals, refinance timing, appeal of property tax assessments, neighborhood questions, and (when life changes) their next move. Buying a home is a single transaction. Owning a home is a 5-15-year relationship with your Realtor.
If you are starting your home search and want a clear, honest read on what is possible in today''s market, text or call me directly at (661) 733-2196. The first conversation is always free.
Frequently Asked Questions: Buying a Home in California (2026)
How much do I need for a down payment in California in 2026?
The minimum varies by loan program: 0% for VA and USDA, 3% for conventional first-time buyer programs, 3.5% for FHA. Stacking CalHFA''s MyHome and Dream For All can push your effective down payment to zero out of pocket on qualifying purchases. The down payment is not the only cash you will need: budget another 2-3% of the purchase price for closing costs unless you negotiate a seller credit.
How long does escrow take in California?
Standard California escrow runs 30-45 days from offer acceptance to close. Conventional and FHA loans typically close in 30-40 days. VA loans run 45-60 days, primarily due to VA appraisal scheduling. Cash deals can close in 7-14 days. Tight orders windows (military PCS, e.g.) should plan to the longer end of the range and never bank on a 21-day close.
Is now a good time to buy a home in the Antelope Valley?
"Good time" depends on three things: your job and income stability, your ability to absorb a higher monthly payment than 2020 rates allowed, and your time horizon. If you plan to stay in the home five-plus years, the long-term math still favors buying over renting in the AV. Rates are higher than 2020, but home prices have grown more slowly than national averages and there is more inventory and more seller flexibility than in 2021-2022. Talk to a lender first, see what you actually qualify for, and judge from there.
Can I get a home with no money down in California in 2026?
Yes, in three common scenarios: (1) VA loan for an eligible veteran or active-duty service member; (2) USDA loan for income-eligible buyers in eligible rural areas (most of the AV qualifies); (3) CalHFA MyHome plus Dream For All stacking for first-time buyers. You will still need cash for inspections (~$400-$700) and the earnest money deposit, but the down payment itself can be zero.
What is the Natural Hazard Disclosure and why does it matter in the Antelope Valley?
The Natural Hazard Disclosure (NHD) is a third-party report stating whether the property sits in any state-mapped hazard zone (flood, earthquake fault, fire severity, dam inundation). Significant portions of the Antelope Valley are mapped in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, which affects homeowners insurance availability and pricing. The NHD must be delivered to the buyer before close. Read it before you remove contingencies.
What is a Transfer Disclosure Statement (TDS)?
The TDS is a California-mandated form (Civil Code 1102) where the seller answers specific written questions about the condition of the property: defects they are aware of, repairs and additions made, neighborhood issues, environmental concerns, and HOA disputes. The Seller Property Questionnaire (SPQ) is a more detailed companion form. Both should be reviewed carefully during your inspection contingency period.
Should I sell my current home before buying my next one?
It depends on your equity, your monthly cash flow, and your tolerance for carrying two mortgages briefly. Our Contingent Sale Calculator models both scenarios side-by-side. Common 2026 strategies: HELOC against the current home to bridge the down payment, contingent offers with a "kick-out clause", or selling first and renting briefly. I will walk through all three with you and your lender before you make a move.