Guide on Finding a Home in Los Angeles
Newspapers
Comprehensive real estate listings are often found online through the city’s most popular newspaper and magazines, e.g. LA Times (see website below) for sale and renting. Less up-to-date and less practical are the hard copies themselves, even though listings are available every day.
Paper lists are available from most real estate offices and some local free paper newspapers occasionally list properties for sale big time realtors like Century 21 provide free print listings in racks at the entrance of large supermarkets.
Online
The internet has, for the most part, taken over as the number once source for real estate information.
Los Angeles Times Real Estate section list properties on the newspaper’s website. You can then choose from the sub-categories of New Homes, For Sale by Owner, Rentals, etc. There you can refine your search by area, price, and number of bathrooms and bedrooms. http://www.latimes.com/classified/realestate/
Los Angeles.com provides a popular real estate section for buyers and renters, and even lists foreclosures. http://www.losangeles.com/realestate/
Zip Realty is another resource for property searches. http://www.ziprealty.com
Realtors
Hundreds of real estate agents compete in LA’s boulevards. You can walk-in to any agency that has advertised properties or contact some of the larger companies listed below. Relohomesearch provides information on properties and agents. http://www.relohomesearch.com
Prudential
1714 Hillhurst Ave,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 671-1200
http://www.prudentialcal.com
Century 21,
249 S Mednik Ave, Los Angeles,
Los Angeles, CA 90022
(323) 261-9900
http://www.century21.com
Hollywoodland Realty Co.,
554 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 469 3171
http://www.hollywoodlandrealty.com
Commission:
Real estate agent’s commission fee for home for sale is 3 – 6% and home for rent is 2.5 – 3% in general. Negotiating, especially on more expensive properties, can reap some rewards in today’s shaky market.
Terms of Service:
Real estate agents on the most part provide their own transport if the client (very unlikely) has no means of transport, depending on clients, agents, and property location in LA’s sprawl. Most realtors are reliable and you can count on them to represent you and your needs fairly. Recommendations from friends or colleagues are one of the best ways to ensure you find a reputable and trustworthy realtor.
The government of California’s Department of Real Estate website provides consumer advice, mortgage information, glossary of real estate terms, and information for homebuyers, agent license exam information, and information on complaints procedures.
DRE – http://www.dre.ca.gov
