Scottsdale Real Estate Blog - News & Articles

Assessed Value vs Market Value of Your Scottsdale Home

Understanding a home’s true market value is about more than pictures, software assessments, and price-per-square-foot. Whether you’re a current homeowner thinking of selling or are house-hunting, it’s crucial you understand what factors affect home valuation. By partnering with a local market expert, Scottsdale home sellers will avoid pricing their house out of the market (the kiss of death in real estate) and buyers will ensure they get a good deal on their next home.

So, how do you accurately calculate a home’s value? After all, the value a home that is assessed by its town and county and the one it’s given when it’s listed are often dramatically different from one another. Which one is accurate and what does it all mean? Read on to learn more.  …

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Top 5 Home Design Trends of 2017

You can usually spot new design trends by looking at new construction, especially new subdivision models.  Most builders keep themselves up-to-date with current decorating styles.  One builder I met said they will build one spec home using a cool tone (grey) and the next one with a warm tone (beige).

The current trends are all about utilizing rich color, maximizing texture, and creating comfortable interiors you can’t wait to relax in. Use these trends to get inspired to makeover your home’s interiors and create spaces you love that also appeal to your personal style. Remember, if you plan to sell in the next few years, you may want to avoid doing anything dramatic and instead incorporate small changes that would appeal to buyers.  We plan on…

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5 Tips to Increase Your Scottsdale Home’s Value Up to 28%

Great curb appeal not only makes your home the star of the neighborhood, it can also improve its value and help you sell it for more. Whether you’re thinking of listing your home or just want to make your home the envy of your neighbors, here are several ways to increase your home’s curb appeal.  Download a pdf here.

1. Make your home’s exterior look like new.

For many potential buyers, the condition of the exterior of a home can offer clues to the condition of the interior. The first place to start when boosting curb appeal is the exterior of your house.

Paint.  Paint is the best way to make your home appear newer. While you can paint your home yourself, if it’s large or more than one story, consider hiring a professional.   FHA financing,…

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How Will Higher Interest Rates Affect the Housing Industry?

Interest rates keep going up on a day to day basis.  As I'm writing this, rates are above 4%.  We haven't seen that figure in a while!  

So before anyone panics, I'd like to go down memory lane to when I purchased my first house.  We were given a 10 year mortgage at 10.5% interest with a 20% down payment (the 3 bedroom, 1 bath single level home on a crawl in in a Chicago suburb called Evergreen Park cost $18,000).  We made it into a cute little dollhouse.  We didn't balk at 10.5% interest - those were the going rates.  But look at that low price!  In only about 3 years we sold it for $47,500 - those were the days.

I remember when the market went wild when rates fell to 8.5%.  It was definitely a seller's market at that time.  It was difficult for…

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All About Buyers and Sellers in 2016 - Infographic

Here is an infographic of some real estate buyer and seller profiles of 2016 that I thought many people would find interesting.

Home Buyers

Age

Nothing really shocking to me about buyers.  It is interesting to see how the average age has changed since 1981.  I bought my first house in 1976 at the age of 22.  That house cost $18,000 and it didn't hit me at the time but instead of a 30-year mortgage, we were given a 10-year mortgage!  We were happy with our 10.5% interest rate.  I still drive past that house whenever I'm in the area.

Marital Status

I normally work with married couples but I do get single buyers.  In fact, I worked with a couple this past year (they never did buy, but that might be good) that had just started dating and I…

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Generational Real Estate Trends for 2016

Below is an infographic from the National Association of Realtors®

As a baby boomer, I get confused about the generations that have followed me, so I'm going to list them:

• The Lost Generation - born 1890-1915 - I don't remember this generation, but my grandparents were in it - both are gone
• The Interbellum Generation - born 1901-1913 - I didn't realize generations could overlap
• The Greatest Generation - 1910-1925 - more overlapping - my parents were in this one
• The Silent Generation - 1923-1944 - my parents were also in this one
• Baby Boomers - 1945-1964 - My husband and I are in this one
• Generation X - 1961-1981 - My daughter & one son are in this generation
• Generation Y - Millenials - Gen Next - 1975-1995 - more overlapping…

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7 Things That Can Turn Buyers Off

I just read an article online regarding 7 things that can turn buyers off when viewing homes for sale. Sometimes sellers don't want to believe their agents when they try to tactfully explain these things to a seller when taking their listing. I'm going to review the 7 things in this article in my own words:

1. Pets - I just showed a Scottsdale home to buyers yesterday and no one from the listing brokerage mentioned the huge dog (looked like a mastiff) that was in a big cage in the empty dining room.I jumped when I entered the room and saw him. He didn't bark and barely moved, but this could have scared other agents and buyers right out of the house. He was a formidable though gentle giant who surely was not a watchdog but for his imposing size. There…

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Six Seller Pricing Mistakes

I just read a similar article in Inman News (you need a subscription), so I decided to put my own spin on it. Pricing is one of the most important factors in getting a home sold.  You'll hear location is #1, and that is also important, but homes sell all over - on busy streets, near train tracks, etc. They sold because they were priced correctly for their negative locations. The same goes for a home that needs a lot of work - if it's priced correctly for its current condition it will sell.

Setting Price Based on Active Listings vs. Sold Listings

I always have to remind Scottsdale real estate sellers that appraisers put the appraised value based on listings that have already sold and closed within the last 3 months (preferred, although they will go…

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Answered: Your Most Burning Questions About TOP HOMEOWNER TAX DEDUCTIONS THAT DECREASE YOUR TAX BURDEN

Top Tax Deductions for Homeowners to Reduce Your Tax Burden

It is impossible to avoid paying taxes without getting in trouble with the IRS, and we must all contribute our fair part. Paying your fair share, on the other hand, should not be an undue hardship. Because you pay both income and property taxes as a homeowner, your tax burden is twofold. Take advantage of these homeowner tax deductions to reduce that load and increase your tax savings. You can put your tax savings toward bills owed, home maintenance, saving toward an investment, or something fun.

Using Your Tax Deduction to Improve Your Home

Many people don't seem to have enough money to keep their homes in tip-top shape. Home maintenance is very important to keep larger repair…

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What's "In" and What's "Out" in Real Estate Today

This is yet another "Throw-back Thursday" post that I originally wrote on December 22nd, 2005.  What is written here is the same as today in 2015.  This is based on an article I read and is as follows:

I’m not sure if I agree with all of the findings of the article put out by Broker Agent News, but see if you do.  The article stated that smaller square footage is in.  Not in my Scottsdale homes area.  Hardwood floors out?  Another one I question, although the article talked mainly about laminate wood grain flooring.  Today's laminates are very nice and sometimes I can't tell the difference!  Gas grills that use a tank?  These are usually not left with the home since they are portable.

Awnings were mentioned as being "out."  Although there might be…

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