Buy a home
Your next home is out there. Let’s make it yours.
In Orange County and LA, good homes get multiple offers. The right lender makes yours the one the listing agent trusts, and gets you to closing on time, or early.
Why buyers choose TW Team
Your offer is only as strong as the lender behind it
Here's what most first-time buyers don't know: when a seller weighs two similar offers, their agent calls the lenders. A pre-approval from a team known for closing on time, with underwriting already done, beats a pre-qualification letter from an anonymous call center, every time.
That's why our clients keep winning homes in competitive Southern California markets. One client put it plainly in their Google review: "We walked away from a slightly better offer from another bank to keep working with Taylor… On top of all that, we closed early."
We're a local Orange / LA County team, powered by Lower's technology, and we've spent 20 years building the reputation your offer borrows on day one.
The buying journey
From first call to keys, here's the road
Step 1
Get pre-approved
Apply online in minutes or call us. We verify income, credit, and assets so your budget is real, not a guess.
Step 2
Shop with confidence
You'll know your exact price range and monthly payment before you fall in love with anything.
Step 3
Make a winning offer
We call the listing agent, vouch for your file, and back your offer with a lender they can trust.
Step 4
Close on time, or early
Our processing team drives your file daily. Clients regularly close ahead of schedule.
What you'll actually need
Qualifying is more flexible than you think
The biggest myth in home buying is that you need 20% down and perfect credit. Neither is true. Conventional loans start at 3% down, FHA accepts credit scores most banks turn away, and VA and USDA loans need no down payment at all for eligible buyers.
What lenders actually look at is the whole picture:
- Credit score. 620+ opens conventional options; FHA can work well below that. Higher scores unlock better rates, 740+ gets the best pricing.
- Debt-to-income ratio. Your total monthly debts (including the new mortgage) generally should stay under about 45% of gross income.
- Down payment & reserves. Gifts from family and down-payment assistance programs count. We'll document them properly.
- Stable income. Two years of history is the norm, and if you're self-employed with strong deposits, ask us about non-QM options.
Not sure where you stand? That's literally what the first phone call is for. We'll run your numbers against every program we offer and tell you honestly what works, and if the smartest move is to wait and build credit for six months, we'll tell you that too.
Buying in Orange County & LA is its own sport
Coastal California pricing means jumbo territory starts sooner than most people expect. It also means sellers can be picky. Local experience matters here: we know which programs work for which neighborhoods, how to structure an offer for a fast escrow, and what listing agents in this market want to hear from a lender.
And because we're powered by Lower, one of the country's largest home-finance platforms, you get daily-priced, genuinely competitive rates along with the local accountability of a team with 450+ five-star reviews and a 5.0 rating on Google.
The TW edge
In this market, the winning offer isn't always the highest, it's the one the listing agent believes will close. That belief is built file by file, closing by closing, for twenty years. Your offer borrows it on day one.
Buying FAQs
Questions every buyer asks us
How much do I need for a down payment in California?
Less than you think. Conventional loans allow as little as 3% down, FHA requires 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can be 0% down for eligible borrowers. On a $700,000 home, that's the difference between saving $140,000 and $21,000. Family gift funds and assistance programs can count toward it too.
What credit score do I need to buy a house?
Conventional loans generally want 620+. FHA can go lower, often into the 500s with a larger down payment. The higher your score, the better your rate: 740+ typically gets the best pricing. If you're close to a threshold, we'll tell you whether it's worth a few months of credit work before applying.
What's the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval?
A pre-qualification is an estimate based on what you tell a lender. A pre-approval means we've actually verified your income, assets, and credit, so sellers can take your offer seriously. In a competitive market, that difference decides bidding wars.
How long does it take to close?
A typical purchase closes in about 3–4 weeks with us. Our clients frequently mention early closings in their reviews, one loan funded in about two weeks. Speed comes from doing the underwriting work up front, not from cutting corners at the end.
Should I wait for rates to drop?
Nobody can time the market, but you can refinance a rate, and you can't refinance a purchase price. If the monthly payment works for your budget today, waiting often costs more in price appreciation than it saves in rate. We'll run both scenarios with you honestly.
Run your numbers
The moment we work for
Keys in hand. On time, or early.
Your keys are closer than you think.
Find out exactly what you qualify for, in minutes, with zero pressure.
Let's talk it through
Want to go over these numbers?
Call us, or send your info and we'll walk through them with you. A real conversation about your situation, no pressure and no obligation.
Mon to Fri, 8:30am to 7:30pm PST