patrick.net

I'm currently in contract to buy a home and live in Bay Area. I believe many people here have been searching and offering for over a year; unless you were to bid whatever the RE agent says (which is probably going to be high). Go out and look at properties and bid low to get some experience. You're probably going to need to switch agents because they do get frustrated after you lose bids several times because you did not bid what they wanted you to bid. This is of course assuming you are trying to buy in a hot area; which in the Bay Area, it probably will be.

If your low offer actually gets accepted, you can then decide to see if you want it. You can always back out. Keep your own records of what you offered and what it really sold for so you get your feel. I've always hated how it showed the price only after the transaction closed. And even then, the info stays exclusive to RE agents for quite some time before the public can see it.

another website is Trulia i sort of despise it but if you ask the same question there youll probably get some good answers mostly from realtors but they can definitely fill you in on the process.