Thursday, June 20, 2013

5 TIPS FOR BUYING A HOME


Looking To buy A Home? Here are Essential Tips To Make The Process a Smooth One.


Get your finances in order.

Start by getting a full picture of your credit. Obtain copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you find. Next, find a suitable lender and get pre-approved for a loan. This will put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house.





Find a house you can afford.
As with engagement rings, there’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to buying a home: two-and-a-half times your annual salary. There are also a number of tools and calculators online that can help you understand how your income, debt, and expenses affect what you can afford. Don’t forget, too, that there are lots of considerations beyond the sticker price, including property taxes, energy costs, etc.
Hire a professional.
While the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings and resources, many aspects of the buying process require a level of expertise you can’t pick up from surfing the web. That’s why you’re better off using a professional agent than going it alone. If possible, recruit an exclusive buyer agent, who will have your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.








Do your homework.
Before making a bid, do some research to determine the state of the market at large. Is it more favorable for sellers or buyers? Next, look at sales trends of similar homes in the area or neighborhood. Look at prices for the last few months. Come up with an asking price that’s competitive, but also realistic. Otherwise, you may end up ticking off your seller.
Think long term.
Obviously, you shouldn’t buy unless you’re sure you’ll be staying put for at least a few years. Beyond that, you should buy in a neighborhood with good schools. Whether you have children or not, this will have an impact on your new home’s resale value down the line. When it comes to the house itself, you should hire your own home inspector, who can point out potential problems that could require costly repairs in the future.
Diane Neslund, CEO l  Distinctive Showcase Properties, is an experienced real estate professional with 20+ years experience.  Having served hundreds of clients and helping them in the process and dream of home ownership.  Diane KNOWS the market in the Scottsdale, Arizona, region.  Give her a call to discuss your plans to sell and list your home, gather information, and find out what Diane Neslund can do to get you the best market price with the least time on the market!  Call 480-948-6600.  













Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Phoenix Valley Home Prices Continue To Climb

PHOENIX -- Home values across the Valley continue to climb.
A new report from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University revealed this week that the median single-family home price in Maricopa and Pinal County has risen to $175,000.
The median home price has increased approximately 30 percent since March of 2012, and the momentum is expected to continue until at least June.
The median price of a condo or townhouse has reached $116,000, which is approximately a 43 percent increase from March of last year.

Mike Orr, director of the Center for Real Estate Theory and Practice at the W.P. Carey School of Business, said a lack of homes for sale is helping drive up prices.
“The number of active single-family listings has been dropping fast and went down another four percent from March 1 to April 1,” Orr explained. “Fewer than 12,000 single-family homes were up for sale (without an existing contract) on April 1, and 80 percent of those were priced above $150,000, making it very tough to find properties in the lower price range.”
With buyers having a tougher time finding a great deal, many investors are starting to lose interest in the Phoenix market.
The percentage of homes purchased by investors dropped from 29.2 percent in February to 27.1 percent in March, which is the lowest it’s been in several years.
Another interesting wrinkle in the Phoenix real estate market; the population is growing at a faster rate than new homes are being built.











Between 50,000 and 60,000 people are expected to move to the Valley in 2013, but only about 12,000 new single-family homes are expected to be built.
Looking to see what your home is worth?  
Let Diane Neslund Help you get the most value from your home sale when you list with her. Give her a call at 480-948-6600













Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Upbeat Buyers Push Prices Higher

Spring home buying activity picked up in May with home prices growing 1.3% over the previous quarter and soaring 8.2% annually, Clear Capital said Tuesday.
The yearly and quarterly gains are the result of market momentum and a low price floor, the data firm added.
"May home price trends confirm the recovery continues to mature," said Dr. Alex Villacorta, vice president of research and analytics at Clear Capital.
He added, "While there’s no questioning the validity of the recovery at this point, performances at the local level remained mixed when considering strength, sustainability and relative positions to 2006 prices."
At the metropolitan level, price trends remained mixed, a reminder that the recovery is locally driven.
Las Vegas takes the lead in the home value recovery, with yearly price gains of 27%. Phoenix, on the other hand, saw gains of 25.7%, putting Vegas ahead of the Arizona metro area for the first time since April 2012.
If you are ready to list your Scottsdale or Phoenix home, give Diane Neslund a call at 480-948-6600.  Lets evaluate your area and price your home for minimum days on the market and maximum sale price!  Distinctive Showcase Properties is an Innovative Company that has "redefined" real estate services by combining expert home for sale preparation services, furnishing packages, staging and design advise, to impressive online & offline property marketing  Our unique approach empowers the process for buyers and sellers to the best results.  Distinctive Showcase Properties KNOWS Real Estate.
Here to Help,

Diane Neslund l CEO l Designer l Realtor
Tel: 480-948-6600
Scottsdale, AZ