Scottsdale Real Estate Blog - News & Articles

Don't Blame Investors for Declining Prices

I rarely cite other blog posts even though I read quite a few and many of them are good.  But I usually have enough to write about so don't need to talk about other people's blog posts.  However, once in a while I find a gem that moves me.  I recently read a post about Real Estate Speculators Establishing Bottom-dollar Price for Lender-Owned Homes in Phoenix written by Greg Swann of Bloodhound Realty.  That's not even the whole post title.  Of all the good blog posts I read, why would I share one talking about the Phoneix market, since I work in North Phoenix?  I don't think this particular agent works in my area so I'm not worried about it.  Phoenix is huge!  

The inventory of available properties far outweighs the number of available buyers.  And…

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Monthly Scottsdale Real Estate Newsletter

I  haven't posted for a while because we've been busy with our monthly real estate newsletter.  We have been experimenting with different formats and have been forming a team of different real estate service providers that are sponsoring the newsletter titled Classic Dream Team, Eye-on-the-Market News.

This month's issue has our Featured Scottsdale real estate Listing and a list of market statistics for six of the areas we serve (Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, North Phoenix, Paradise Valley), comparing home prices from 2006 to 2007 and showing the increased or decreased percentages.

We also have a new feature called Ask The Experts titled "The Math Might Be in Your Favor."  We have much more information and it's not just real…

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More Scottsdale Short Sales Coming Up on the Market

I work with a lot of buyers and even I am amazed at how many Scottsdale homes for sale are coming up that are short sales.

What is a short sale?

So many buyers have heard the term but don't know what it means.  A basic definition is that a short sale is where a bank/mortgage provider agrees to consider allowing the property to sell for less than what is currently owed on the mortgage.  These are also referred to as pre-foreclosure sales as the seller is trying to avoid foreclosure by attempting to sell their property.  I have heard of some areas such as Florida where short sales are accepted even when owners are current with their mortgage payments.  Normally, the homeowner has to prove why they can no longer afford the property and fill out a form…

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Mortgage Rates Lowest Since 2004

I just read an article by Inman news explaining how the mortgage interest rates fell this week to lows we haven't seen since 2004.  That's great news for Scottsdale home buyers who are indecisive about buying now or waiting until later.  With the recent special Fed rate cut, buyers may think it's best to hold out for even lower rates.  That could be a risky gamble.  I'll explain why.

Although I am starting to get more buyers than I can handle, they are passing by decent properties and insisting on viewing everything on the market in their price range.  I can't blame them, although I saw a few Scottsdale homes for sale I'd purchase in a minute if I were looking.  But today's buyers think there's something better out there, or they're waiting for better…

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Will 2008 Be Great for Scottsdale Real Estate?

It's very confusing to decipher the current real estate market with the mix of press currently out there. First off, I had a record year in 2007, while many other agents are thinking of leaving the business and a lot have left or will soon.  I'm shocked at some of the long-established offices that are closing.I've had my best year, many have had their worst. I have an idea why that is.

Yes, sales were down last year. But they were down from record years. 2007 was not the slowest year for property sales, there have been many years that had fewer sales than 2007.So why are so many feeling like it was the worst year in history for real estate sales?

In my opinion, the old 80/20 rule exists even more today than before.  20% of agents/brokerages are…

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NAR Disallowing Use of MLS on Agent Web Sites

Recently I received a "cease & desist" letter from my local real estate board.  I received copies of my offending real estate website pages that have links titled "MLS Search".  Now our National Association of REALTORS (NAR) has made an addition to our Code of Ethics preventing us from using the term on our sites.  A majority of agents don't really understand the big picture because many do not have websites and for many that do, they don't understand that having a website is one thing, having an Internet presence is quite another.

How do we achieve an Internet presence?  By doing search engine optimization to allow our sites to appear at the top of search engines when people search specific real estate terms, or keywords, like Scottsdale MLS or Cave…

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Is the Scottsdale Real Estate Market Really Slowing Down?

I have been reading headlines referring to the slowdown of the real estate market in Scottsdale and surrounding Phoenix area. I wrote another article about the downturn of the Scottsdale real estate market.  It is actually affecting most of the nation. The party is certainly over.

First off, most buyers have made their purchasing decision within the past 5 years when interest rates were at record lows. I personally believe these low interest rates will cause buyers to remain in their homes longer than usual because it will be difficult to give up those low rates unless they absolutely have to move because of a job change, growing family, downsizing, divorce, etc. This will affect the real estate industry years down the road.

There is always a…

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Two Popular Real Estate States for Baby Boomer's Second Homes

Two Popular States for Baby Boomer's Second Homes

Florida, the Sunshine State

Moving to Florida, the "Sunshine State" is a dream come true for many retirees, families, and singles. With tropical weather in most parts of this giant peninsula and miles of sandy beaches, it's easy to daydream a new life in Paradise. As the third most populous state, the dream is a reality for more than 16 million residents. If you're wondering how to pick out your dream property in Florida, keep reading the tips below.

I thought my parents would surely retire to Florida since that is where we took all of our annual vacations. We went to Sarasota for many years and went to Bradenton a year or two also since one of my best friend's Grandmother had a house there and my…

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Is Real Estate in Scottsdale Slow?

I'm sure you've read about the market slowing down.  A lot of what we read is using national statistics and you need to do some local research if you're really interested about the market in your area.

While many agents have been complaining about the slow market, I am heading for a record year.  I believe my real estate presence with my Scottsdale real estate site is bringing me net-savvy buyers and sellers and agents that do not have a real estate website are still relying on the old-fashioned methods of marketing.

However, as local as real estate is, even putting all of the areas together won't give you the exact market your specific town might be in.  There is also a different market between single-family vs. condos and townhomes and price range…

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But It's a Dry Heat!

You have to be careful about how you talk to my Mom. She’s very opinionated and demands respect, but she can also be hurt easily. But after hearing her broken record over and over during phone calls, “but it’s a dry heat…” I couldn’t take it any longer. I replied, “OK, Mom, I get it! It’s a dry heat. Enough already!

A coaster set we just had to buy

As little interest as I had in Arizona, another reason was the high temps. Let me state that I am always cold. I love warmth. In the summer here in Chicago I only use the a/c if it’s really hot and humid, or if it’s warm and humid (which makes it feel hotter than it really is). A 90-degree day in Chicago is extremely hot because there’s usually high humidity in the air.

So when I’m hearing temps of…

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