Thorne Home Blog | Marin County, CA

This is probably the most common first-time homebuyer question and it’s probably the question no one really wants to ask out loud. Google search! The term escrow describes the period of time between offer acceptance and when you actually get your keys. This period of time is usually somewhere around 30 days, but it could be faster or shorter depending on the specifics of your situation. This is where the escrow company holds your initial deposit - usually 3% of the purchase price in Marin County, and this is when the appraiser provides the appraisal report, and your lender analyzes your paperwork and gives final approval of your mortgage loan. If you have an inspection period written into your offer, you’ll also use this time to perform all your investigations of the property. This often includes a general home inspection, and a pest inspection (or wood-destroying organisms inspection). Sometimes the seller provides these reports up front so you can review them before placing the...

You may know the most obvious reasons to choose the right mortgage broker. These include getting the lowest interest rate, working with someone who is professional, creative and someone who keeps up with the available mortgage options. These are important factors for your financial future and for your overall escrow experience, which is not to be undervalued. The escrow experience can be highly stressful and overwhelming, so working with an organized broker who is ahead of the potential processing hiccups will be your saving grace. All that said, you will also need a mortgage broker who fits the criteria for getting your offer accepted. In competitive multiple-offer situations, every term in your offer matters. This may be a surprise to you, but sellers and listing agents look for offers with pre-approval letters from certain lenders. Consider being a seller and what you would want from an offer. You would want a sure thing! And that translates into the following: A Quick Close of ...