You are here: Scottsdale Real Estate » Archives for April 2009

Scottsdale Homes for Sale | What Should I Do?

So you are ready to start looking for Scottsdale homes for sale. Well, the first thing you should do before you shop for your new Scottsdale home is to get a copy of your credit report and credit score! You can obtain a copy of your credit report and score from one or all of the three credit bureaus: TransUnion, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA. 19022,800-888-4213,www.transunion.com; Equifax, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA. 30374, 877-784-2528 ,www.equifax.com; Experian, P.O. Box 2104, Allen, TX. 75013, 888-397-3742 ,www.experian.com.

You may even consider ordering a three in one credit report to see what each credit bureau is reporting about you.

Youll want to review your credit report for any potential problems that will need to be cleared up before you start shopping for your home. You dont want any surprises when you complete your home loan application. So, its important to be proactive about getting your credit report first!

After you have secured your credit report, the next step for you to consider when preparing to purchase a home is to get pre-approved for your home loan. Thats right, get pre-approved for your home loan not pre-qualified, theres a big difference! Getting pre-approved for your home loan means that you have obtained approval from your chosen lender to pay a certain amount for the home you are about to purchase.

Basically, pre-approval means you already have your money for your home purchase and have the ability to negotiate a better deal with the seller because you have the funds to purchase quickly. A pre-qualification doesnt have much clout, because you have not secured approval of your home loan from a lender. A pre-qualification is that you may qualify for a home loan. So, do your research and secure pre-approval of your home loan from a lender of your choice before you start shopping for your home!

As you look for your home, you may want to choose a buyers agent to represent you for your home purchase. Remember, the sellers agent represents the seller and not you the buyer! That means that whatever offers you make or whatever you tell the sellers agent for the most part must be relayed to the seller. For example, if you tell the sellers agent that you could pay up to $200,000 for a particular property but relay a bid of $180,000 directly to the agent for the seller, the agent usually has a duty to tell the seller that you would pay up to $200,000 for their property. This would leave you with no room for further negotiations of the purchase price to the seller.

So, consider getting your own buyers agent that will represent your interests for the home you are trying to purchase. Consider getting a buyers agent that will split or get a portion of the real estate commission for the home sell with the sellers agent so youre not stuck paying a commission fee directly.

If youre interested in purchasing a brand new home, it is recommended that you have your own buyers agent representing your own interests and not the agent who represents the builder! In most cases, you will find that the terms of the contract for the purchase of the new home presented by the builders agent, is one sided and may not protect your interest! So, get an agent that will represent you for your new home purchase. You will find that you may have a better peace of mind during the purchase of your home.

Buyinga home, not just in Scottsdale real estate, is probably the most expensive purchase youll make in your lifetime. Its also one of your bigger investments for your future. So, its important that you do your research before you buy and take precautions that will make your home purchase easy going, less stressful and carefree! So go ahead, get started on your home purchase today!

Anthem Real Estate | Checklist for Home Inspection

If you are buying a home in Anthem real estate, there are many good reasons to hire a professional home inspector to inspect a home you are hoping to buy. Aside from ensuring that the home you are trying to buy is in good shape, the home inspector may be able to give you arguments for a better selling price on the home. Any issues raised during the home inspection can become negotiating points. Home inspectors can help you protect your purchase and may also help you get a better deal. But if you want to make an initial inspection yourself, make sure you have a checklist!

Before you begin your walk-through of the property, make sure you have a home inspection checklist with you. This will help you make a thorough inspection when buying a home in Anthem. A good list may have as many as a hundred items on it. Without this list, you would inevitably forget certain things as you walk through the property.

A good list will be organized by areas of the house. Start with the outside. Walk around the home and look for signs of cracked exterior walls, leaning chimney, damaged roof, unsafe railings, etc. Make sure you take notes. If you see a loose gutter on the side of the house, write it down along with anything else you might notice.

The interior of the home will be separated in areas on your list. These may include plumbing, electrical, heating, basement, finishes, etc. It does not really matter that you are not an expect in various building trades. Just look for things that look off or smell strange. You can point these out when you come back to the property with a professional home inspector for a closer look.

Most home buyers in Anthem real estate will place a condition of home inspection on their offer to buy a property. This is a great way to protect your money and it also leaves some room to re-negotiate the selling price if the home inspection reveal significant issues. Just be careful not to lower your offer too much or you may offend the seller. Most sellers will be willing to negotiate but do not expect to get the too much as the selling price probably reflected the condition of the home in the first place.

In a multiple offers scenario, you may need to have a home inspection done before you present an offer. Some buyers may resent having to spend the money without any guarantee of getting the house. However, on the other hand, you will know right away if there are any issues with the property and will be able to adjust your offer accordingly. If your offer is accepted, you will have one less thing to do to finalize the sale.

You do not need to be a professional contractor to notice that a railing is loose or that the roof is in need or repairs. Learning to do an initial home inspection when visiting potential homes will help you in your search for the perfect home. Walking through a home with a home inspection checklist will also enable you to look past the decor and base your decision to make an offer or not on solid facts rather than first impressions. Beware not to rely solely on your own inspection but to bring in a professional home inspector who will provide you with a written report on the current state of the property.

Looking for Scottsdale Real Estate?

This section is designed to help you understand my commitment to you as a Realtor servicing the communities of Scottsdale, Anthem, Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, Phoenix and surrounding Maricopa County, AZ areas.

I specialize in working with Phoenix, Anthem, Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, and Scottsdale real estate home buyers as well as Anthem, Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, and Phoenix real estate home sellers. I am a designated Anthem Realtor which means I maintain the highest possible standards as a real estate agent.

The Realtor designation means that I am a member of the National Association of Realtors and act according to a specific code of Anthem, Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, Phoenix Realtor ethics which guarantees the optimum level of service for your real estate needs when buying or selling a home, commercial property, or condo, in Anthem, Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Glendale, Phoenix or in surrounding Maricopa County, AZ communities. Next time you need a Realtor, be sure to contact me today.