7-Day Plan — Day 6 of 7
Build your buying team
Who do I actually need, and what questions should I ask my agent, lender, or inspector?
Direct answer
Buying a home usually involves a lender, a real estate agent, a home inspector, an insurance provider, and a title/escrow company. This page focuses on how to evaluate each one — not on recommending specific people. Interview more than one before committing to any of them.
Still deciding between loan types before you shop for a lender? Compare loan options first — it changes what "the best rate" even means for your situation.
Why this matters
Each role protects a different part of the deal
It's tempting to go with whoever's recommended first — a friend's agent, the lender a listing agent suggests. That can work out fine, but each professional here has a distinct role and, sometimes, a distinct incentive. Knowing the difference is how you catch a conflict of interest before it costs you money, not after.
Evidence
Who does what
- Lender / mortgage broker
- Originates and prices your loan
- Real estate agent
- Represents your interests in finding and negotiating a home
- Home inspector
- Independently assesses the property's condition
- Insurance provider
- Prices your homeowners policy — shop this separately
- Title / escrow
- Verifies clean title and handles the closing transaction
Step by step
How to evaluate, not just hire
The lender-comparison step below assumes you've already read Day 3 — getting 3 pre-approval quotes on the same assumptions is what makes them comparable.
- 1
Ask how your agent is compensated and who they represent
Some states require disclosure of who an agent legally represents in a transaction — ask directly if it's not clear.
- 2
Get 3 lender quotes on the same assumptions
Same loan amount, same term, same rate-lock period — otherwise you're not actually comparing anything.
- 3
Verify your inspector's credentials independently
Ask for a sample report and references, not just a license number.
- 4
Shop homeowners insurance on your own
Don't default to whichever provider is easiest — Bay Area fire-hazard zones can swing premiums a lot between insurers.
Checklist
Questions worth asking each professional
- Lender: What's the total cost including points and fees, not just the rate? How long is the rate lock?
- Agent: How are you compensated, and who do you legally represent in this transaction?
- Inspector: Can I see a sample report? What's excluded from a standard inspection?
- Insurer: What does this policy exclude — specifically fire and flood, given Bay Area risk zones?
Caveats: this page doesn't recommend or refer specific lenders, agents, or inspectors — it's meant to help you evaluate whoever you're considering, not to be a lead funnel.
Next
Day 7: Become search-ready
Bringing the last six days together into one plan you can actually act on.