Looking for a great lender and real estate agent for a first time buyer

[Siddhanth Maheshwari]

Hey Biggerpockets team,

My friend and I are booking to buy our first properties (one condo/townhome each). We are looking for recommendations for good agents and lenders that can work with first time buyers.

Currently we have narrowed down to Hayward, Fremont and Concord based of our budget of 800k to 1 mil for a 3 bedroom apartment/townhouse. However, we are not that familiar with these areas and would love for any insights on these areas. Also, are there any others in the bay that are recommended in this price range?

What are some important questions/concepts we should focus on when buying a personal property? Till now we have looked only at new constructions. 

Regards,

Siddhanth