From the Trenches

Phoenix not in Top 10, but investors still buying here

In The News

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Inman News reports on “The 10 Best Markets for Real Estate Investors” and here’s some takeaways from that report: Tucson is in the Inman “top ten” best real estate markets for investors, but Phoenix is not. Investors usually pay cash for homes (61% compared to just 20% of owner-occupant buyers who pay cash Most investors [...]

5 June 2011 Read the full article →

Buy a home for 1% cash down

Buyer Help

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Although most of the low-down and no-down payment purchase programs are long gone with the financial crash of 2008, we do have 1 lender who has 1 loan program that’s a 1% cash down payment program. Here’s an example of a recent client of mine who used this program. Home purchase price – $85,500 Seller [...]

7 January 2011 Read the full article →

How long does a short sale take? Part 2

In The News

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First, read this recent post with an eye-catching visual about how long short sales really take. For even more commentary about how long short sales take, see the comments in this blog post about short sale processing time on the weblog REO Insider. Most comments written by Realtors, and other industry insiders. In short, (as [...]

20 September 2010 Read the full article →

Got Lead Based Paint?

Photoblogging

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We stumbled across this beauty the other day – it’s a bank-owned REO listing, built in the early 1970s, and it doesn’t look like the prior owners had updated anything since the first few years they were there! But here’s the catch:  most buyers (almost all buyers) in this price range are going to either [...]

27 July 2010 Read the full article →

Fabulous, but too far out. . .

Phoenix By Area

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Recently a client and I exchanged emails about her housing options that reminded me of one of most enduring metro Phoenix’s real estate truisms:  fabulous is often also too far out (geographically speaking). Since metro Phoenix has always had room to grow, geographically, it generally follows that the newer, fancier, nicer houses that many 20-something, [...]

26 July 2010 Read the full article →

Owner Will Carry – a “sign” of the times

Mortgages

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Saw this today while out & about.   A sign sellers are pulling out all the stops to get their best offer? A sign lenders’ underwriting guidelines have become too restrictive? Probably a bit of both… Your hoping the sellers have a good understanding of the risks involved Realtor, Chris Butterworth Chris Butterworth is: Realtor. [...]

22 April 2010 Read the full article →

Great photo idea

Op Ed

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This is a great solution to the perennial problem in Real Estate Photo Taking 101 – the photographer usually can’t get a good shot of the bathroom without appearing in the photo, in the mirror. Photo credit to Sheryl & Kenneth Lloyd of Realty Executives, for the home at 3220 E Carol Avenue in Phoenix. [...]

20 April 2010 Read the full article →

90 Day Fix and Flip Rule

Buyer Help

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You know how fix and flipping works in a cynical world, right? Basically. . . . investors buy a craptacular house at foreclosure auction or elsewhere and do no substantive repairs. They slap a thick coat of paint on everything and install cheap new carpet, then resell it as “Remodeled!” with a seriously  jacked up [...]

1 April 2010 Read the full article →

More Bad MLS Photos

General Musings

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Wow! You mean that stuff on the counter comes with the house? Cool! Heather Barr is a Realtor and a happy workaholic. She eats more than someone her size ought to be able, and is a runner as a consequence. Her TiVo’s full of spy thrillers, police procedurals and Whedonesque sci-fi.

18 March 2010 Read the full article →

Oh I’m SURE I Can Get a Mortgage!

Mortgages

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I often lack words to describe to my clients exactly how mind-bogglingly fast the world of mortgage lending is changing lately. Home buyers not only need good credit, a steady income, and piles of documentation to back all that up.. . . . .   you need to be aware that loan guidelines change near-daily. Yep. [...]

5 March 2010 Read the full article →

Bidding Wars and No-Brainers

Buyer Help

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In yesterday’s post I promised 1 sure-fire way to avoid the stress of getting embroiled in dealing with a so-called bidding war. It’s bonus day here at The Phoenix Agents; here’s 2 ideas. Option One – Make your best offer right out of the gate Are you willing to pay $176,500 for that home that [...]

4 March 2010 Read the full article →

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