Los Angeles buyer guide
Do You Need a Zillow Agent to Use Zillow's Down Payment Assistance in Los Angeles?
The short answer
Zillow’s published requirements as of October 30, 2026 name an FHA loan through Zillow Home Loans and do not list a Zillow agent. The materials do not expressly rule out an agent condition elsewhere (Zillow Home Loans program page and release, checked October 30, 2026).
Justin Borges of The Borges Real Estate Team at eXp Realty (DRE #01940318, (213) 262-5092) can be your buyer’s agent; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing. Zillow’s published requirements name an FHA loan through Zillow Home Loans and do not list a Zillow agent. The materials do not expressly rule out an agent condition elsewhere.
Discuss a limited buyer agreement
Text Justin before you sign anything; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing.
What do Zillow's published requirements say?
As of October 30, 2026, Zillow’s published requirements name an FHA loan through Zillow Home Loans but do not list a Zillow agent as a condition (Zillow Home Loans program page and release, checked October 30, 2026).
California is not on Zillow’s excluded-state list, but neither published source specifically names California as included. Zillow says its loan officer confirms program eligibility (Zillow Home Loans program page, checked October 30, 2026). Ask Justin to help you compare your options and prepare an offer.
Zillow’s release lists no income cap, while buyers still must qualify for the full monthly payment (Zillow release, checked October 30, 2026). The lender decides whether you qualify for its loan and assistance.
How are the lender and buyer's agent different?
A lender evaluates financing and issues loan disclosures. I help you search Los Angeles homes within your budget, discuss comparable sales, prepare an offer and coordinate with the lender and escrow. Zillow Home Loans and your agent can be separate businesses; Zillow’s program page refers to an affiliated business arrangement disclosure (Zillow Home Loans program page, checked October 30, 2026).
| Decision | Who handles it | What to request |
|---|---|---|
| Loan qualification | Lender | Eligibility and terms |
| Representation | You and your agent | Agreement describing services and compensation |
| Offer terms | You, with your agent’s help | Contract and contingencies for review |
| Closing funds | Escrow and lender | Instructions and final figures |
Have a question about your own situation? Text (213) 262-5092
Justin is a licensed real estate agent, not a lender. Compare Loan Estimates from more than one lender, including another FHA option; Zillow’s assistance is tied to an FHA first mortgage through Zillow Home Loans. California buyer representation agreements have a maximum term of 90 calendar days and no automatic renewal (California DRE, Implementation of AB 2992, adopted regulation text, checked October 30, 2026).
Discuss a limited buyer agreement
Text Justin before you sign anything; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing.
What does a buyer's agent do on an FHA purchase in Los Angeles?
Your agent can help you compare Los Angeles homes against your priorities, including commute corridors, condition, and the cash you expect to need. Older houses may raise different inspection questions from newer construction. The agent can arrange access, review available disclosures with you, and help coordinate qualified inspectors. A tour is a chance to identify questions, not a substitute for an inspection.
HUD says FHA properties must meet requirements for structural soundness, safety, and livability (HUD, FHA Myths v Facts, checked October 30, 2026). The lender and appraiser determine financing requirements and the appraisal outcome; your agent can help you understand how those issues affect negotiations and deadlines. Do not assume every home or condominium qualifies for this assistance.
When you find a home, your agent can prepare an offer reflecting the financing you intend to use, help you review contingencies and seller disclosures, and communicate questions to the listing side. You decide what to offer and which terms to accept. The lender decides the loan, while escrow handles closing instructions and funds under the signed documents.
A buyer looking at a hillside house in Northeast LA, for example, may want to investigate access, drainage and insurance alongside the home’s condition. Your agent can identify questions, while an inspector, insurer, lender or other specialist addresses issues within their expertise.
Prefer to learn first? Register for more information. Join the free first-time buyer webinar
How does a California buyer representation agreement work?
California requires a buyer’s agent to enter a written representation agreement as soon as practicable and no later than execution of the buyer’s offer. The agreement must address compensation, services, when compensation is due, and an expiration date within the statutory limit (California DRE, Consumer Alert: Changes to Real Estate Representation, checked October 30, 2026). Read the agreement before signing and ask how its terms apply to your search.
The DRE’s adopted regulations interpret the maximum term as 90 calendar days, prohibit automatic renewal, and require a renewal to be written, dated and signed before expiration. They also create a rebuttable presumption that obtaining the agreement before an in-person or virtual showing is practicable (California DRE, Implementation of AB 2992, adopted regulation text, checked October 30, 2026). Check the version in your contract and ask a California real estate attorney about a disputed term.
A separate NAR practice rule requires an MLS participant working with a buyer to have a written agreement before an in-person or live virtual tour. NAR requires the agreement to state that commissions are negotiable and specify an objectively ascertainable amount of compensation (NAR, Written Buyer Agreements 101, checked October 30, 2026). The association rule and California law are distinct, so ask your agent which rules apply to your situation.
Rather talk it through? Call (213) 262-5092
Justin offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing as an option. Ask to see the proposed scope, expiration, compensation and any circumstances under which you may owe it. A limited agreement can give you a chance to evaluate the working relationship before considering a broader engagement, but its actual terms are the written terms you sign.
Discuss a limited buyer agreement
Text Justin before you sign anything; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing.
What should you ask before signing with an agent?
Before touring Los Angeles properties, ask for the agreement early enough to read it without pressure. Discuss how you will communicate, what help you need, and how a proposed lender fits into the search. The following questions make the conversation concrete.
| Ask about | Question for the agent | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Which homes and services does the agreement cover? | You can see whether it fits your search. |
| Compensation | How much is owed, when, and by whom? | You can budget and negotiate before signing. |
| Term | When does it expire and how can it be changed? | You understand the commitment. |
| Financing | Will you coordinate with my chosen lender? | Offer timing and documentation need coordination. |
| Exit | What happens if either of us wants to end it? | You can review the termination language. |
Ask whether the agent will explain local disclosures and arrange inspections, and who will be your point of contact. California DRE identifies services and compensation as required agreement subjects (California DRE, Consumer Alert: Changes to Real Estate Representation, checked October 30, 2026); review its scope, compensation and expiration before signing.
Ask how the agent handles a listing where the seller offers compensation, and what happens if the amount differs from your agreement. Do not assume the seller will pay your agent or that assistance covers that expense. Your agreement, offer negotiations and closing documents determine what is proposed; seek legal advice if you need an interpretation.
Ready to see what is for sale in Los Angeles? Browse current Los Angeles listings
When you compare agreements, look at which properties and services each one covers, when compensation is due and what the document says about ending the relationship. Those terms help you decide whether the proposed scope fits your search before you sign.
Discuss a limited buyer agreement
Text Justin before you sign anything; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing.
What should you do before making an offer?
Start with your priorities for a Los Angeles home and your comfortable monthly budget. Review your Loan Estimates and cash needed to close. Zillow’s assistance is for the down payment, not closing costs (Zillow Home Loans program page, checked October 30, 2026).
Discuss the home’s condition, disclosures, inspection plan and financing contingencies before signing an offer. California representation agreements describe services and compensation (California DRE, Consumer Alert: Changes to Real Estate Representation, checked October 30, 2026).
Text Justin before you sign anything; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing.
Have a question about your own situation? Text (213) 262-5092
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my existing agent when considering this assistance?
Zillow's published requirements do not list a Zillow agent. You can discuss coordinating the purchase with your existing agent.
Does an agent decide whether I qualify for the loan?
No. The lender determines eligibility for its loan and assistance. Your agent can help you compare homes, coordinate the purchase and prepare an offer.
Must I sign a long exclusive agreement to tour a home?
Ask the agent about the scope and duration of the proposed agreement. Justin offers a limited agreement for a single property or showing as an option. California law and applicable association rules govern when an agreement is required; the actual commitment and compensation depend on the document you sign.
Who pays my buyer's agent?
Compensation is negotiable and should be addressed in your written representation agreement. Ask when it is due, who may pay it, and what happens if a seller offers a different amount. Do not assume a seller or the assistance program will cover the charge. Review the agreement and transaction documents carefully.
Can I use the program for any Los Angeles home?
Do not assume a particular home qualifies. The lender assesses the borrower, loan and property under applicable requirements. Ask Justin to help you compare homes and prepare an offer.
Discuss a limited buyer agreement
Text Justin before you sign anything; he offers a limited agreement covering a single property or showing.
Sources
- Implementation of AB 2992, adopted regulation text, California DRE (dre.ca.gov). Checked October 30, 2026.
- FHA Myths v Facts, HUD, June 2025 (hud.gov). Checked October 30, 2026.
- Consumer Alert: Changes to Real Estate Representation, California DRE, Nov 14, 2024 (dre.ca.gov). Checked October 30, 2026.
- Written Buyer Agreements 101, NAR (nar.realtor). Checked October 30, 2026.
About the author
Justin Borges
REALTOR® | CA DRE #01940318
Justin writes LA Metro Home Finder’s guides to 30+ communities across the San Gabriel Valley, Northeast LA, and greater Los Angeles, and has closed $200M+ in career sales with a 106% average list-to-sale ratio.
Justin has held an active California DRE salesperson license since October 2013. View Justin’s author profile.
This guide is educational and is not legal, tax, title, lending, or insurance advice. Contract forms, statutes, and lender rules change. Confirm the terms that apply to your sale with your escrow officer, title officer, lender, or a California real estate attorney.
