Area Real Estate News & Market Trends

You’ll find our blog to be a wealth of information, covering everything from local market statistics and home values to community happenings. That’s because we care about the community and want to help you find your place in it. Please reach out if you have any questions at all. We’d love to talk with you!

Feb. 14, 2022

For Sale By Owner

When it comes to selling a home, it's easy to get confused by the number of things you need to get done and have in place for the process to go through properly. Today, we're throwing out some pointers to get you on the right track to selling your home.

Preparing the house: Curb appeal of the house plays a crucial role in the selling process. Before the "FOR SALE" sign even goes up the house must ready. Proper repairs of any damage will make the property more attractive to buyers. Renovation of your home also has an impact on what kind of buyers you will attract and how quickly your home sells.

Home Marketing: To draw the right buyers it is important to create a marketing plan to get your listing in front of as many eyes as possible. Print advertising, open houses, and social media are a few ways to get the word out. With the right realty team, you may be able to have them help you with or completely take care of these tasks altogether, giving you more time to devote to your move.

Quick Fact: did you know that the cost of your Realtor© can often be added to the asking price?

Deciding on when to sell: One of the most important factors in getting the best price for your home is to know the local market. The optimum selling season will likely vary depending on the area, so researching this will help you maximize your sales price. The time of the market is different in every state. In Payson, Arizona the best time to sell your home is generally April through November.

Pricing your home: The price of your home is determined by a lot of factors. Because of the current market in Payson, you might not realize how much your house is actually worth. Check out websites like paysonguy.com and Zillow to find the closing prices of homes in your area to get a ballpark estimate. A reliable Realtor© is essential to ensure you get the most for your property. Getting your sale price correct is critical to getting “top dollar”!

Appraisal: If a loan is required, then so is an appraisal. Depending on the loan type, this will determine what will be required. VA, FHA, USDA, conventional, or cash, all will require different approaches and requirements.

Inspection: Home and termite inspections are a common piece of a purchase contract. After your home is inspected, buyers often request repairs or ask for a reduction in the sales price in lieu of repairs.

Paperwork and Disclosure requirements: Just like every buying and selling process in real estate, the escrow process requires the signing of paperwork to be completed by both the buyer and the seller.

Additional Tips to Help You Through the Process:

When you have a buyer interested and you receive an offer, be sure to request proof of funds so you don't tie up your property only to find that the buyer can't close escrow.

Ask yourself these questions: How much earnest money should I require? Can I keep earnest money if they don't close on time? Am I covered if the buyer discovers mold? Termites? An airport nearby? Liens or taxes? If they don't have an unrepresented buyers form?

Buyers can hold the seller accountable for up to 5 years!

Disclose, disclose, disclose. Be sure to disclose everything you know about the property in writing. Realtors© are armed with the forms to protect their sellers!

Make copies of all “signed” documents.

Be ready to negotiate with buying Realtors©.

•Will you offer a commission, for example 3%?

•Are you prepared to negotiate with a professional who has learned the ins and outs of the Arizona purchase contract?

Be very careful when selling “by owner”!

Make Your Life Easier

Besides taking the confusion out of documents and details, a Realtor© also acts as a buffer between you and potential buyers, protecting you from a plethora of legal issues and uncomfortable negotiations.

Be very careful when selling “by owner” as a plethora of issues can come up! But fear not, your local Payson Guy team is here to help at every turn. Call us any time to help! 928.978.2838

Dec. 23, 2021

Winterizing Your Home in Rim Country

If you're new to Payson, you may be surprised at the sudden shift in weather here. While we enjoy mild temperatures most of the year, it will dip down abruptly and sometimes severely in the winter months. If you come from the Midwest or northern Minnesota, then this isn't even considered cold to you so read no further.

But if you're from the Phoenix area, freezing nighttime temps may sneak up on you and you're home. It's important to safeguard your house against the winter elements, and we're here to help!

Pipe Down

Sometimes it's hard to believe our pipes are in jeopardy when the sunny winter days here continue to warm us up by noon, but the plumbing needs some attention to protect it from the freezing nights.

Pick up some piping insulation available at hardware stores like The Home Depot and Ace Hardware and wrap vulnerable pipes in your home, especially ones that are exposed outside your house.

Keep the Home Fires Burning

Okay, you don't really want to leave unattended fire, but you want to have some heat in your house if you go out of town for Christmas. If you plan on visiting loved ones for a few days, it's a good idea to set the thermostat to the mid 60s while you're away to prevent pipes freezing.

Get Your Mind in the Gutter

No, it's not what you think, but we do need to get down and dirty with cleaning. Gutters need to be cleared of leaves and other debris to keep them functioning properly. If gutters are plugged, it increases the chance of ice dams building up.

Ice dams are created when melting snow can't drain off the roof, causing large, potentially dangerous icicles to build up underneath the gutter. Ice dams can also cause water damage inside the house if melting ice and snow pools behind the ice dam and eventually seep in through cracks in the roof.

Filling in the Blanks

Before the snow arrives, it's a good idea to touch up the roof. Even if your roof isn't old, the Arizona sun is harsh on tiles and shingles, causing cracks to form. Some caulk goes a long way to preventing leaks and other damage.

There are a variety of caulking options. Dicor Lap Sealant is a fast and effective way to seal up stubborn cracks. Whatever you use, make sure you apply it to a dry surface on a sunny day to ensure proper drying.

All the Trimmings

Tree limbs can become hazardous if they hang over your roof or car. In the rare times Payson gets a blizzard, oak limbs often break off all around town, sometimes causing major damage to roofs or vehicles.

For safety and the health of your trees, trimming back some branches and limbs can save on unforeseen costs and make your yard a safer place.

Winter Ready

Prepping your home for the winter months not only provides a safer environment but can save money in the long run through preventative maintenance. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!

Posted in DIY, Home Improvement
July 31, 2017

Curious About Local Real Estate?

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Curious about local real estate? So are we! Every month we review trends in our real estate market and consider the number of homes on the market in each price tier, the amount of time particular homes have been listed for sale, specific neighborhood trends, the median price and square footage of each home sold and so much more. We’d love to invite you to do the same!

Get Local Market Reports Sent Directly to You

You can sign up here to receive your own market report, delivered as often as you like! It contains current information on pending, active and just sold properties so you can see actual homes in your neighborhood. You can review your area on a larger scale, as well, by refining your search to include properties across the city or county. As you notice price and size trends, please contact us for clarification or to have any questions answered.

We can definitely fill you in on details that are not listed on the report and help you determine the best home for you. If you are wondering if now is the time to sell, please try out our INSTANT home value tool. You’ll get an estimate on the value of your property in today’s market. Either way, we hope to hear from you soon as you get to know our neighborhoods and local real estate market better.

Posted in Market Updates