First-Time Home Buyer Tips for Inyo County

Buying your first home in Inyo County is a little different than buying one in a big city. The inventory is tighter, the lots are bigger, the history is longer, and the surprises can be more expensive.

Here's what I tell first-time buyers: start with the title work, not the paint color. Know where your water comes from, whether the access road is actually yours to use, and whether there are any old mining or grazing rights attached to the land. In the Eastern Sierra, those things matter as much as the square footage.

Get pre-approved before you fall in love with a place. Get a local inspector who understands rural properties — wells, septic, propane, and snow load aren't afterthoughts up here. And please, read the title commitment. If something on it doesn't make sense, ask.

A home is the biggest purchase most people will ever make. In a place this special, doing it right means you actually get to enjoy living in it.