Buying a Home
You stop guessing at what a house is worth, and you stop losing offers you should have won.
The number on the listing is not the point
Bay Area pricing is not what most people think. The list price is often a strategy rather than a value. Sometimes it is deliberately low to create competition. Sometimes it is aspirational and far too high.
Anyone taking those numbers at face value will either overpay or miss real opportunities, and that is the single biggest reason good buyers keep losing.
What I actually do for a buyer
On anything you are serious about, I pull what genuinely sold nearby and tell you where I think this one trades. Then we talk about terms, because in a competitive situation the deposit, the contingency lengths and the closing date frequently matter more than the final number on the price.
Every disclosure package gets translated into plain language. What is normal for a house of that age, what is a real problem, and what merely sounds expensive. In English or Russian.
And I will tell you when a house is wrong for you, even when saying so costs me the deal.
How it runs
Seven steps, written out in full on the How I Buy page. It starts with the difference between what a lender approved you for and what you can actually carry, and ends with a warning about wire fraud that you should genuinely read.
Before showings we sign a California Buyer Representation Agreement. It sets out what I do, how long it runs, and how I am compensated. That compensation is negotiable and agreed between us.
Where I can help
Five counties: Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Contra Costa.
The county changes the buying question
In San Francisco, the first property question may be whether you are buying a condominium, TIC or single-family home. Hills, parking and microclimate can change the buyer pool within a short distance. The list price is also especially likely to be a competition strategy rather than a literal value.
In San Mateo County, the choice begins with bay side or coast side. The bay side is tied to Caltrain and the 101 corridor between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The coast side offers a different climate, pace and route over the hills. Those homes should not share one comparison set.
In Santa Clara County, a school attendance boundary can move demand more than square footage. Equity compensation may also affect what a lender counts and what funds are available for the purchase. Both need verification before an offer depends on them.
Alameda County divides into the inner East Bay, the 880 corridor and the Tri-Valley. BART, ferry service and the 880, 580 and 680 routes create different searches inside one county. Contra Costa asks the clearest commute-for-space trade, with BART access, inland heat and possible special assessments all tied to the exact address.
The buying process stays consistent. The information does not. We choose the county logic first, then compare the property only with homes that solve the same problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I need for a down payment?
It depends on the loan and the property type, and anyone quoting you a single figure without knowing your situation is guessing. What matters more is the monthly number you can carry comfortably, which we work out first.
Do you charge buyers a fee?
Compensation is set out in the Buyer Representation Agreement we sign before showings, and it is negotiable and agreed between us. It is not standard or fixed, and I will walk you through it before you sign anything.
Keep exploring
Ready to make your move with Kate Fomina?