Let Me Be Clear! WARNING, WARNING! Something unclear is about to be spoken leaving the listener CONFUSED (Photo: Robin Higgins, Pixabay)
In real esate we need to be clear when we talk about real estate terms and write, otherwise we can confuse people. Clear things can become blurry.
Make yourself clear (Photo: by Kalhh, Pixabay)
“Let me make myself clear”, it seems like everyone says this today. Why? Do they assume you are not telling the truth in the first place? Or….are we just bumbling fools that mess up everything we write or say.
In Real Estate there are hundreds of acronyms. Sure Realtors, loan officers and escrow officer know what most of them mean. However, the home seller and home buyer (the most important person) in a real estate transacton may not.
FHA Loan- Federal Housing Administration backed loan can be 3.5% down
BINSR- Buyer Inspection Notice and Seller Response
SPDS- Seller Property Disclosure Statement
COE- Close of Escrow
PreQual- Lender Pre-qualification of Buyer showing Seller that Buyer can fund
Well it used to be that people made mistakes when they said things by either speaking too fast or putting emphasis on their syllables incorrectly. Oh well…
We all thought auto correct on our text messages and emails and letters would help us stay out of trouble. Well…..apparently not…read on.
Does AUTO CORRECT and Voice Dictation seem like a great process in theory but do you spend more time correcting the auto correct and sometimes strange or even “embarrassing” words go out in your texts and emails? The dictation typo is a new American phenomenon. (Photo: OK from Pixabay)
How Does Auto Correct Work?
Think of Auto Correct as this: There is a little elf in your phone working VERY HARD to correct your messages but is in fact quite drunk.
Do you need help in selling or buying a home so that little elf does not mess things up? Have you noticed some Realtors say they will “Sell Your House For More”? What on earth does that clearly mean and for more than what? What everyone needs is a “Clear REALTOR®” that speaks in human terms and not with hyperbole or conflicted meanings. Give me, Jeff Masich, REALTOR a call to help you get it done!
Meet Jeff Masich REALTOR® Phoenix Metro Area including Scottsdale
Here is a FREE MLS Search and your very own MLS Search Portal for homes for sale in Arizona. Jeff Masich would be pleased to help you find Arizona Homes For Sale and the right home at the right price!
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Is this really a challenging question? You love Garden Gnomes you say. OK many of us do. Do you go to them for REAL ESTATE advice?
You may have questions about real estate and seek out some of the wisest and oldest truths, such as:
1. Where do I find the best home to buy?
2. Should I start with a “lowball offer”?
3. Do I really need to spend money on an inspection?
4. Should I wait to buy a home until the market is better than now?
You have these questions and not sure whom to ask? You could ask me as your personal REALTOR®…“OR” you could ask the usually friendly, reliable but sometimes erratic and misunderstood “Garden Gnomes”.
You prefer to start with the garden gnomes this time, you say? OK, OK. Your REALTOR® is probably busy and the Garden Gnomes are sitting around outside, in where else, your garden. Wisdom awaits (maybe)…
Ask the garden gnomes for real estate advice? You could and give your REALTOR® the day off
Walking into the garden, the apparently friendly but lethargic gnomes meditate and answer your questions about the best real estate wisdom. They do appear friendly sitting around observing, but you notice although they are pleasant they do not interact much. Not enough empathy perhaps? When you think about it they are kind of stiff and rigid.
The Garden Gnomes provides answers with their real estate advice as follows:
1. Buy worst home in the best neighborhood
2. Always make a “Lowball” Offer first
3. Save Cash for a home inspection and use your buddy
4. Don’t buy home now, wait for market to be better
Some of the garden gnomes answers are apparently proponents of “Old Real Estate Advice”, but is that advice FABLE or TRUTH? Some of the garden gnomes old real estate advice SEEMS wise but things are not always what they seem. What seems like TRUTH may actually be a FABLE.
Ask Your REALTOR® , ME!
OK, maybe you should ask your REALTOR® which is me instead of the Garden Gnomes. I am pleased to help you and represent YOUR best interests after all. So here is MY ADVICE:
You may want to take some of the Garden Gnomes old home buying advice “lightly”. Some of these home buying “tips” may fall into the category of an “old wives tale” or may be true with a “grain of salt”. What am I saying? Be careful of some traditional home buying advice.
Buying a home is a major life decision, and for many people, it is the largest purchase they will ever make. Therefore, as a home buyer, it is important to carefully consider all advice that you receive in light of current market conditions and your own needs, circumstances, and desires. Inevitably, you may receive some advice that is simply not right for your situation.
If you hear these common and often offered real estate tips offered by the Garden Gnomes in particular, it may be best to take them lightly:
1. Buy the “worst” house in a great neighborhood. This advice is based on the old real estate adage of “location, location, location.” The logic is that if a house needs fixing up but is in a desirable area, its value will increase with time and some improvements. This may be true in some situations, but unless you are looking for an investment property, it is probably ill-advised to buy a home that you don’t like or that doesn’t suit your needs. In addition, if your budget does not allow for renovations immediately, you may feel stuck living in a “fixer upper.” As you begin your home search, have a clear idea of your deal breakers and avoid properties that do not meet your minimum requirements—even if you like the neighborhoods in which they are located.
Sometimes, buying the wost home in a great neighborhood means one is doing home repairs “forever”!
2. Start with a lowball offer. All buyers seek to negotiate the lowest possible price on a property, and some use the strategy of making a very low offer at first in order to gauge how much the sellers are willing to drop their price. While this may be effective when the sellers are desperate or the current real estate market is a “buyers’ market,” lowball offers often come across as insulting. This could set a hostile tone for the negotiations or cause the sellers to refuse to even extend a counteroffer. If you like a house, offering a fair price in light of its condition, the current market, and your financial situation may result in a better outcome.
A lowball offer could anger the seller causing them to not counter and Buyer saying “Forgive Me” to buy their dream home that may slip away to another Buyer that offers the true “market price”.
3. You don’t need a home inspection. Some buyers hear that forgoing the home inspection is an acceptable way to save money—but it could end up costing them far more in the long run. By waiving the home inspection, you essentially sacrifice the right to request that the seller make additional repairs besides what they agreed to when the initial contract was signed.
Inspection by Public Domain Pictures, Pixabay
Often, the costliest problems are those that are not visible to the naked eye, such as flaws in a home’s foundation. Therefore, hiring a licensed inspector is an essential way to ensure that you will not soon be facing major repairs—or at least give you a chance to negotiate with the seller to either make repairs or lower the price.
4. Don’t buy a home now, WAIT when the real estate market is better—prices will come down soon. The economy is cyclical and average home prices fluctuate over time. However, waiting for a downturn when you are otherwise ready to buy a home could be a mistake. Your window of opportunity may close. For example, your employment situation could change during a recession, thus weakening your purchasing power, or you may currently be wasting money paying rent. If you are financially and emotionally ready to purchase a home, it may be best to act swiftly, regardless of the current market.
Waiting (Photo Pexels, Pixabay) for home prices to come down may be bad decision
If one waits and waits for the market price to change, that dream home may not be available later. Timing the market for the absolute lowest price is difficult. The bottom line? Real Estate prices will go UP, UP, UP (yes, with some short term dips from time to time). If you plan to live in the home, the price will go up (it has for the past 125 years) so you might as well buy now.
Sources of some material: realtor.com & cheatsheet.com
Meet Jeff Masich REALTOR® Phoenix Metro Area including Scottsdale
Here is a FREE MLS Search and your very own MLS Search Portal for homes for sale in Arizona. Jeff Masich would be pleased to help you find Arizona Homes For Sale and the right home at the right price!
Press FREE MLS Search to search for homes for sale in Arizona
Go WEST YOUNG MAN! It is an old old statement. However, many people are still taking the advice and buying homes and moving to the Sun Belt states and will continue to HEAT UP during 2025 in real estate. Arizona is one of the predicted HOTSPOTS this year. Folks seem to be tired of the cold winters and constant talk of global warming. How do we know this? They are moving from colder states to the warmer states and not the other way around. (Primary image by Vicki Hamilton, Pixabay)
The National Association of Realtors is calling for metro Phoenix to be one of the top 10 housing markets in the U.S. in 2025, based on economic and demographic data.
Per Snejan Farberov in Realtor.com January 6, 2025, “The Sun Belt continues to heat up while economists anticipate a modest improvement in the housing inventory on the national level amid gradually decreasing mortgage rates and an easing of the lock-in effect, two U.S. regions continue to outperform the rest of the country.”
Some are moving by vehicle and other by horse (Photo: Pixabay)
A closer look at the data shows that of all the largest metro areas, Colorado Springs, CO, is leading in existing-home sales count, with a 27.1% increase year over year, followed by Miami (+24%) and Virginia Beach, VA (+23.4%).
“The markets we’re forecasting to lead the country in home sales in 2025 are markets that have better recovered to their pre-COVID-19 levels of home sales, and we expect them to hold that momentum in the year ahead,” according to the Reator.com Top Housing Markets for 2025 report.”
What about Phoenix Arizona Metro In 2025?
Phoenix Metro will be a “Hotspot” for Real Estate in 2025 (Photo, Pixabay)
“Metro Phoenix Housing Isn’t Headed for a Bust” per Catherine Reagor in the Arizona Republic on December 26, 2024 and follows:
“Buyers looking for deals on houses will be disappointed to know metro Phoenix’s housing market isn’t heading for another bust.
Home sales and prices have been down a bit or flat for the past few months, but that’s typical for the holidays, say housing analysts.
The Valley’s strong population, job and income growth are driving its economy and making economists and market watchers optimistic about its housing market.
Why Phoenix metro isn’t heading for a bust?
Metro Phoenix ranked No. 3 for population growth in 2023, adding more than 92,000 people. For 2024, it’s on track to add almost 80,000 new residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Due to corporate expansions, including Taiwanese Semiconductor’s move to the Phoenix area, 55,000 jobs were created during the 12 months that ended in October 2024. That is on the heels of 70,000 new jobs in 2023, according to the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
The Valley’s median household income climbed to $88,900 in 2024, reports the Census Bureau. That’s up from $60,000 in 2017.
What should I do in 2025?
What does this all mean. Don’t wait to buy a home, prices will only go up in 2025. Even if mortgage rates are not what you want them to be (currently about 7%) one can always refinance the rate later on. Mortgage rates are much closer to all time lows than they are to all time highs. Renting only leads to future rent increases and no building of equity through pay down on mortgate and future appeciation on the home. Buy your home and start building wealth now.
If you want to sell or buy your home in Arizona, I can help you as YOUR REALTOR®.
Phoenix Metro Area including Scottsdale
Jeff Masich, REALTOR® discusses living and buying a home in Phoenix metro area and Scottsdale
Meet Jeff Masich REALTOR® Phoenix Metro Area including Scottsdale
Here is a FREE MLS Search and your very own MLS Search Portal for homes for sale in Arizona. Jeff Masich would be pleased to help you find Arizona Homes For Sale and the right home at the right price!
Press FREE MLS Search to search for homes for sale in Arizona
Your sweetie says, “Buy me a Scottsdale, Arizona Home on a Golf Course Lot” They go together, don’t you think? You say OK, I will call my REALTOR®, Jeff Masich call/text 480-342-6500. If you are ready for the relaxation, beauty and play golf when you want, you can give me a call also.
Here is your list UPDATED DAILY for Scottsdale golf course homes for sale on the MLS listed by all brokers. Check here for pictures, prices and details of single family detached homes, condos, townhomes and patio homes on golf course lots. Golf, sunsets, cacti, patio looking on the fairway now we are talking. Like golf course water views? Also, for a variation, check out Scottsdale waterfront homes for sale. Call/Text me Jeff Masich 480-242-6500 as your Buyer’s REALTOR® for any homes listed on the MLS.
Scottsdale Arizona Golf Course Homes UPDATED DAILY on MLS
Scottsdale Golf Course Homes for Sale (all types) for a FULL PAGE view of detached homes, condos, townhomes and patio homes. Create your own Free Arizona MLS SEARCH PORTAL and filter and create and save your own searches.
Or, after playing golf, get out of the heat and dive in at your own pool at home in Scottsdale. Live in Scottsdale, Arizona one of the best cities to live in the US. To see pool homes for sale in Scottsdale with pictures, prices, details and map locations.
Other Categories of Scottsdale Homes For Sale Today on the MLS from YOUR Scottsdale Neighborhood Buyer’s REALTOR®- UPDATED DAILY
