Looking to start with a fixer upper

[Annie Nguyen]

I am looking to make my first RE purchase and this will likely be my primary residence.  I am looking at a couple fixer upper in the SF South Bay Area.  Fixer upper because I don’t need to move in right away and the house is in desired area near my family and within my current budget.  I feel like I need to have a contractor looking at the houses with me and hopefully gives some idea about what I am getting into.  Is that the norm?   Where do I find contractor in the South Bay?   I would greatly appreciate any pointers.  Do contractor help with applying for city permit?   Will I need to hire architect or other people or do they usually work in a team?   Thanks so much!  

[Jabari Bell]

Congrats on the new project. There's no blueprint that states the sequence in which you have to follow. Generally when starting out, it's best to find contractors through referrals from your network; whether this comes before or after buying the property. Finding a GC through referrals is usually backed by honest feedback from a trusted source. It's not always necessary to have them accompany you on showings for properties that you haven't closed on - being that they're commissioned to tailor their services to your project and not the other way around. Most work in a team, but there are some that don't. It can get pricey if you're splitting up rates several different ways.