Question 1

What is free offer submission, and how does it work in California?

Accepted Answer

Free offer submission means you can prepare and submit a purchase offer on any CRMLS-listed home in California without paying anything upfront. Enter the property address, fill in your price and terms through our guided wizard, and upload proof of funds and a pre-approval letter if financing. A licensed California agent at Hippo Realty reviews the offer and delivers it on official C.A.R. forms. Buyer agent commission is negotiable and is agreed in writing before proceeding. Commission is due only if your purchase closes, and seller payment may be requested subject to agreement.

Question 2

Is it really free to submit an offer? What's the catch?

Accepted Answer

Yes — offer submission is completely free, with no per-offer fees or subscription. If a purchase closes, Hippo Realty receives the buyer agent compensation agreed with you in writing. Commission is negotiable, not a fixed platform rate. We can request that the seller cover it, but seller payment is not guaranteed; any amount you may owe is clarified before proceeding. If no purchase closes, no commission is due.

Question 3

Why is buyer agent commission negotiable, and how do we agree on it?

Accepted Answer

There is no universal buyer agent commission rate. At Hippo Realty, you can discuss compensation based on your needs, service scope and transaction circumstances. The agreed amount or rate and payment responsibility are stated in the signed BRBC before proceeding. A lower negotiated fee may reduce the seller-paid compensation requested in your offer, but any savings or closing-cost credit depend on the transaction terms and lender requirements; no fixed savings amount is promised.

Question 4

Which homes can I make an offer on?

Accepted Answer

You can make an offer on any home listed on CRMLS (California Regional MLS), the largest MLS in the United States covering Southern California — including Irvine, Newport Beach, Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Diego areas. Simply enter the property address or MLS number on our homepage. If a listing can't be found automatically, you can enter the property details manually and we take it from there.

Question 5

What are the steps from address to submitted offer?

Accepted Answer

Five guided steps: (1) Buyer information — your legal name, phone, and how you'll hold title; (2) Price and financing — offer price, earnest money deposit, financing type, and down payment; (3) Contingencies and dates — loan, appraisal, and inspection contingency periods plus your target closing date; (4) Documents — upload proof of funds and, for financed offers, a pre-approval letter (saved to your profile for reuse); (5) Review and submit. Before your first offer you'll e-sign the BRBC (Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation agreement) once, and then a licensed agent reviews everything before it goes out.

Question 6

Does a licensed agent actually review my offer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every single offer is reviewed by a licensed California real estate agent before it is sent to the listing side. The agent checks your terms for completeness and competitiveness, prepares the offer on official C.A.R. standard forms, and delivers it professionally to the listing agent. You can track the status of every offer in real time — Pending Review, Sent for Signature, Submitted, Accepted, or Rejected — and you'll receive an email whenever the status changes.

Question 7

What is the BRBC and why do I need to sign it?

Accepted Answer

The BRBC (Buyer Representation and Broker Compensation agreement) is a written buyer representation agreement that describes the services, duration and broker compensation. Hippo Realty commission is negotiable, but the official signed BRBC must state the specific amount or rate and payment responsibility — not merely the word negotiable. This platform asks for an electronic acknowledgment before your first offer; your agent then prepares the official form for signature before delivery. Later offers are covered only within the signed agreement’s scope and term.

Question 8

What documents do I need to submit an offer?

Accepted Answer

Two documents: a proof of funds (a recent bank or brokerage statement showing you have the down payment and closing costs) and, if you're financing, a lender pre-approval letter. Cash buyers only need proof of funds. Both are stored securely in your buyer profile, so future offers are prefilled automatically — you can even keep multiple versions of pre-approval letters for different loan amounts and choose which one to attach to each offer.

Question 9

How fast can my offer be submitted?

Accepted Answer

The online wizard takes most buyers about 10–15 minutes to complete. Once submitted, your offer enters review immediately, and in most cases it is prepared on C.A.R. forms, sent to you for signature, and delivered to the listing agent the same day. In a competitive Southern California market, that speed matters — you can find a home at an open house in the afternoon and have your offer in the listing agent's inbox that night.

Question 10

Who pays the negotiated commission — me or the seller?

Accepted Answer

Commission and who pays it are separate negotiations. With your agreement, we can ask the seller or listing broker to cover the agreed buyer agent compensation in the offer. They may accept, decline or offer partial payment. Any uncovered amount you may owe depends on your signed BRBC and transaction documents. We clarify payment responsibility with you before proceeding; free offer submission does not mean the seller is required to pay your commission.

Question 11

Can I submit offers on multiple homes at the same time?

Accepted Answer

You can prepare and submit offers on as many properties as you like, free of charge — many buyers in competitive markets write several offers before one is accepted. Your documents and buyer information are saved after the first offer, so each additional offer takes just a few minutes. We do recommend discussing strategy with our agent if you plan to have multiple offers active simultaneously.

Question 12

Besides commission, what other costs should I budget for when buying in California?

Accepted Answer

Typical buyer closing costs in California run about 1–3% of the purchase price and include escrow fees, title insurance, lender fees, appraisal, inspections and prorated property taxes. Your earnest money deposit (commonly 1–3% of the price) goes into escrow after acceptance and counts toward your down payment. Separately budget for any buyer agent compensation you are responsible for under your signed agreement. Commission is negotiable, but savings or credits are not automatic and depend on the final terms and lender rules.

Question 13

Is Hippo Realty a licensed California brokerage?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Hippo Realty (河马地产) is a licensed California real estate brokerage based in Irvine, Orange County (530 Technology Drive, Suite 100, #263, Irvine, CA 92618). All offers are prepared and delivered by licensed California agents on official C.A.R. standard forms, and we serve buyers across Southern California with bilingual (English and Chinese) support.

Question 14

What happens after my offer is accepted?

Accepted Answer

Once your offer is accepted, escrow opens and your agent guides you through earnest money, inspections, disclosures, appraisal and loan approval, contingency removal and closing. Commission is negotiable; the full-service scope and compensation are set out in your signed representation agreement, rather than tied to a fixed percentage. Confirm the agreed services and payment arrangements with your agent before proceeding.

Question 15

Do you support Chinese-speaking home buyers?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. The entire platform is bilingual (English / 中文), our agents speak Mandarin, and we have deep experience helping Chinese and Chinese-American buyers navigate California purchases — including foreign-national loans, proof-of-funds requirements for overseas assets, and WeChat-based consultation. Scan the WeChat QR code in the footer to reach us directly.

Question 16

What if my offer is rejected? Do I owe anything?

Accepted Answer

You owe nothing. Rejected offers cost you $0 — no fees, no penalties, no obligations. You'll get an email notification with the outcome, and you can immediately start a new offer on the same property with adjusted terms or move on to another home. Your saved documents make every subsequent offer faster.

How it works & FAQ

How it works

Find your home

Build your offer in ~15 minutes

Licensed agent review

Same-day delivery

Full service, negotiable commission

Frequently asked questions

The Basics

The Offer Process

Costs & Savings

Trust & Support

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