Rudy Flores is a Real Estate Strategist and Realtor® with Coldwell Banker West, and he works with the Patti & Jeff McKelvey Team. On this site, he helps people buying their first home in San Diego County understand each step before they take it.
A first purchase comes with new words, new forms and a lot of dates. Rudy explains them in plain English. When a question belongs with a lender, an inspector or an attorney, he’ll say so and point you there.
What Leases and Permits Taught Him About Buying a Home
Rudy came to home sales after about 12 years in telecom real estate, where he secured locations for cell sites. The work came down to two things: negotiating a fair lease, then getting the city or county to sign off. Both skills come up in a first purchase more often than you might expect.
That background is handy for a first-time buyer. San Diego County has 18 incorporated cities plus unincorporated areas, and each one has its own zoning code and permit process. Maybe you’d like to finish a garage or add a backyard unit someday. Rudy can look up the zoning and help you ask the city for the home’s permit history before you make an offer. In California, the seller’s Transfer Disclosure Statement includes questions about unpermitted work. Rudy will go over those answers with you.
The lease work carries over to your offer, too. After the inspection, a buyer can ask for repairs, a credit, a lower price or nothing at all. Rudy helps you weigh what’s reasonable for that home. He also films and edits his own listing and neighborhood videos, so you can get a look at areas on his YouTube channel, @RudyFloresPlata, before you tour.
How Buying Your First Home With Rudy Works
- Start where you are. Take the four-question Home Strategy Quiz or book a 15-minute call. He reads each quiz answer personally, whether you’re just curious, saving up or ready to look.
- Talk to a lender. Pre-approval and rates come from a lender you choose. Down payment help comes from public programs, so ask a lender approved for the one you want. Rudy explains how the pre-approval and any program rules fit into your search and your offer.
- Tour and compare. You’ll see several homes and note the trade-offs. For a home you like, Rudy can check its zoning and any overlays, such as a coastal or fire zone. If there’s an association, keep in mind that its rules can be stricter than the city’s.
- Make an offer and use your contingency time. California’s standard purchase contract commonly sets about 17 days for inspections and financing. Rudy reads the inspection report with you and helps you decide what to ask the seller.
- Finish escrow and get the keys. Your lender orders the appraisal, and escrow handles the funds and paperwork. Rudy keeps you posted on each step until the deed is recorded and the home is yours.
License and team
Rudy is a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker West and works with the Patti & Jeff McKelvey Team. You can confirm his California real estate license, CalDRE #02257808, with the California Department of Real Estate license lookup. The responsible broker is Coldwell Banker West, CalDRE #01481919.
Questions about working with Rudy
Can Rudy tell me how much I can borrow?
No. Rudy is a real estate agent, not a lender. A lender reviews your finances and tells you what you may qualify for and at what rate. Rudy can help you get ready for that conversation and show how it fits into the rest of the process.
Do I need to be ready to buy before I contact him?
Not at all. This site has a 12-month plan for getting ready, and you can start with a single question. Rudy will meet you at whatever stage you’re in.
Why do permits matter if I’m not planning to remodel?
Work done without permits can show up in the seller’s disclosures. If it does, ask what it would take to legalize it and factor that into your offer. Rudy helps you spot those questions early and take them to the right office: planning for zoning and building for permits. He isn’t an attorney, architect, engineer or contractor, and no one can promise how a permit will turn out.
Keep exploring
- Home Strategy Quiz — Four quick questions; Rudy reads every answer himself.
- Book a 15-minute call — Pick a time that works for you.
- Videos — Market notes, listings and neighborhood clips.
- Ask Rudy — Answers to real questions, and a form to ask your own.
- Our local sites — The team’s sites for each part of San Diego County.
Talk to a lender. Rates, loan programs and approvals come from lenders, not from websites or real estate agents. Talk to your own mortgage broker, or use our preferred lender, Point Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #231073), at (619) 475-4095. You are always free to choose any lender you like, and you can verify any lender’s license at nmlsconsumeraccess.org.
Company names describe Rudy’s past professional experience only and do not imply affiliation with, or endorsement by, any of them. Rudy is a real estate agent, not a lender, attorney, tax professional or contractor.
