The California Condo Buyer’s Pre-Offer Checklist
A free pre-offer checklist for California condo buyers. The red flags to look for in the HOA, the questions to ask before you fall in love with the unit, how to read a reserve study, and the non-warrantable loan programs that close deals when conventional financing fails. Sent straight to your inbox.
What's inside this playbook:
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1
The Buyer’s 12-Point Inspection
The questions to ask the HOA, the documents to request, and what to look for in each one. Before you write an offer.
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2
How to Read a Reserve Study
The single document that tells you whether the building is financially healthy. What percent funded means, what the 30-year forecast tells you, and the numbers that should make you walk.
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3
The 9 Red Flags That Should Make You Pause
Pending litigation. Special assessments coming. Investor concentration. Hotel-style operations. SB 326 still not done. The patterns that turn a great-looking unit into a deal that won’t close.
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4
The 2026 Rule Changes (What They Mean for Buyers)
Why a building that worked last year might not work today. The dates that matter (August 3, 2026 and January 4, 2027), and how to time your offer accordingly.
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5
Non-Warrantable Financing Options
If the building doesn’t qualify for conventional, FHA, or VA, you still have options. Real loan programs, real down payments, real closings. Plus when it makes sense to walk and when to push through.
A self-employed buyer came to me after two lenders said no. The buyer was qualified. The property was fine. The other lenders just didn't know how to structure the file. We did. The buyer got the home.
About Daryn Fillis
Certified Mortgage Advisor and Branch Lead at NEO Home Loans in Los Angeles. Eighteen years building businesses before mortgages, including running a company as CEO in Mexico City. I've sat in your seat. Self-employed buyers are most of who I work with.