Maricopa Community & Real Estate News

Maricopa / Arizona Realty Network News

Fix and flip homes can be a great deal for all involved – if they are truly “fixed” and not just gussied up and flipped. A good flipper can take a well-worn abode with needed repairs and renovations and turn it into a refurbished home for a new owner, like... Read more
By hal
You’ve found the house you want to buy, put in an offer and earnest money and now are awaiting all the paperwork and approvals. That may include loan approval and inspections in the all-important due diligence period. That’s the time set aside between the offer and the close when everything... Read more
By hal
The kids are gone (or should be) and yours don’t really need an office or hobby room. A smaller place would be easier to maintain, and pulling some equity out of the old homestead offers some appealing options. Is it time to downsize? Whal’s all involved? Here’s a guide. Advantages... Read more
By hal
Looking to buy a home? Getting prequalified for a real estate loan can make the house-hunting process smoother and give you a competitive edge over other bidders. Let's dive into the benefits and steps to get prequalified with your lender. What is Mortgage Prequalification? Prequalifying for a home loan means... Read more
By hal
Over the past decade or so, investors who have stuck with their investments in real estate or the stock market have done exceptionally well, despite some roller coaster swoop-downs. Of course, that’s compared to the Great Recession that preceded that, when both markets had fallen precipitously. Even with some breaks... Read more
By hal
If you’re moving across town or across the country, you may not be as familiar with the local neighborhoods as you would like before committing hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a home there. But the neighborhood is at least as important as the city. Here is a checklist... Read more
By hal
If you’re planning on living in one of Arizona’s two metro areas (Phoenix or Tucson) in a planned community, expect to come under the benefit/headache of a homeowners association, or HOA. Most who do either swear by them or at them. Fans of HOAs like that the neighbors are required... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
Key pollinators in Arizona faced a rough summer, but community efforts can help them thrive. Arizona is home to the second-most diverse bee population in the country, according to pollination ecologist and bee specialist Stephen Buchmann, who said more than 1,300 native bee species live in the state. The desert... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
You’ve been saving up to buy a house for the family, but your credit score is too low, and you have to improve it to qualify for a better loan with a lower rate. Here are 10 things loan originators say can raise that score. Know Your Credit Score Before... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
Homebuilders have discovered that the family pet is a part of the conversation when buyers are shopping for the perfect home. Some have started accommodating that with both with built-in features – like a doggie den inserted into the underside of stairs – or other amenities that pet lovers favor.... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
You’re selling your house and want the world, or at least the neighborhood, to know about it. Your Realtor offers to hold an open house, complete with signs, marketing, invites and maybe even balloons. Good idea? Could be. Open houses certainly let the neighbors know you’re selling, and if there... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
Arizona gets less attention in the annual color fest of autumn than Colorado or Connecticut, when the leaves change into sometimes brilliant colors and then drop to the ground, creating a carpet of beauty. The Grand Canyon State is perhaps the most diverse in climate of them all, though, and... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
We’ve all heard that buying a home will be the biggest financial investment most people ever make, and that’s true. With rare exceptions, homes appreciate, and regardless of what percentage of it is paid off, you get 100% of the appreciation, not the lender. But it’s not the entire picture.... Read more
By Hal DeKeyser
You want your slice of the American Dream, to own your own home, but you can’t come up with a down payment while paying rent somewhere else. Would a rent-to-own property be a good way to accomplish that? In some cases, but probably not in most. There are details and... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
Adding your John Hancock to a real estate contract is a significant milestone in buying or selling a property. With this in mind, it's essential to make sure you fully understand all terms of the agreement before putting pen to paper. Without further ado, here are specific items to look... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
The housing market these days feels like someone rolled a hand grenade in the room and everyone is holding their breath waiting for what happens next. A few buyers have popped their heads up, looked around, and determined that it didn’t all blow up . . . yet, and moved... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
The Scottsdale Digital Real Estate Blog includes a collection of valuable real estate news from elsewhere that you might find interesting, important and/or useful. I will curate these from The Wire each week and post them up here. If you have articles you have found that you would like me... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
Paradise Valley Realtor Racquel Miller is the 2022 Heart Ball Vice-Chair Serving her community is nothing new to Paradise Valley Realtor Racquel Miller, having working on or chaired fundraisers and efforts like the foundation she and husband Jamir Miller began to help at-risk people. After serving on the Heart Ball Committee... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
One thing that Yvonne McFadden has never been shy about, and that’s trying something new. The Scottsdale luxury Realtor has been a boutique owner, a loan officer, a music maven, a new home presenter, a speaker, a relocation specialist and a real estate agent – some of them at the same time.... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
A trend that has become more predominant in this post-pandemic world (or at least the world in which we're getting used to Covid), is remote working. That has allowed people whose jobs are in cold weather or uncomfortable and expensive urban settings to come to places like Scottsdale and live... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
At first glance, you wouldn't think you would need an inspection on a brand new home. After all, it is brand new, and it's all under warranty. So why spend the extra money to have some outsider or take a look that's something that's brand new and in perfect condition? Yes, it... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
So you found the house of your dreams.  You're going through the mortgage process, and you've had the home inspected. The seller has agreed to certain fixes and later told you they were made. How sure are you that these pictures of in fact been made? In many cases you... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
Planning on selling your home? Here are a few items you'll want to find and save in advance. Anyone who has bought or sold real estate knows the long litany of papers to signs, documents to produce, and contacts to have at hand. You do not want to wind up... Read more
By AZ Realty Network
Have a house you’re trying to unload and wondering which would be the best path to do that? Well, I’ve been a housing investor most my life in journalism, and I’ve been a licensed real estate agent for nearly 20 years, and I’ve bought and sold them almost (almost) every... Read more
By AZ Realty Network