We recently moved to the U.S. from abroad and are in the very early stages of buying our first home. We are focusing on the Cupertino / Saratoga area mainly for strong public schools for our young children.

We’re feeling quite overwhelmed with the process—especially with the number of agents, differing advice, and unfamiliar U.S. real estate practices. We would ideally like to do more ourselves, but as new immigrants with small children and limited experience here, we don’t currently have the time or confidence to navigate everything independently. So we’re trying to educate ourselves quickly and avoid mistakes.

Our situation:

• First-time home buyers in the U.S.
• Budget: up to $2M
• Looking for 3 bed / 2 bath or larger
• Focus: Cupertino / Saratoga school districts
• Prefer safe, family-friendly neighborhoods (gated communities if possible, not required)
• Open to houses or townhomes in good school zones

What we’d really appreciate advice on:

• How to choose a strong buyer’s agent (what actually matters in this market?)
• Any realtor recommendations or red flags in Cupertino/Saratoga
• Any lenders you’ve had good experiences with recently
• Common first-time buyer mistakes in the Bay Area
• Anything we should be especially careful about as newcomers to the U.S. system

We’ve spoken with a couple of agents so far:

• One offers flexible commission options
• Another is fixed at 2.5%

We also had a question: is a 2.5% buyer agent commission standard for this area on homes around $1.5M–$2M, or is it typically negotiable? It feels high in absolute dollar terms, so we’re trying to understand what’s normal and how buyers usually structure this.

Any honest advice or personal experience would be hugely appreciated. We’re trying to avoid costly mistakes and make informed decisions.

Thank you in advance.