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Kristin Graziano Group

Park Scottsdale Experts

8 Things That Suddenly Change When You Become a Homeowner

November 30, 2020 By admin

Home ownership is a big part of the American Dream. It’s also a rite of passage, and millions of people go into their careers and family lives picturing the day when they can finally own a place of their own. When that day comes, it can be quite an experience. Signing the paperwork and getting the keys to your new place is one of the most exciting feelings in the world.

But it’s what comes after that can feel a bit strange. When you become a homeowner, you not only get to see your name on a deed, you also get to experience some of the things that only other owners get to experience.

Here are eight things that suddenly change when you become a homeowner:

1. You start having conversations about being a homeowner with other homeowners

“Yeah, we redid the kitchen first, but the bathrooms weren’t too bad. I’d like to add a deck but the nursery needs some attention next.”

2. All of a sudden you have to buy all the things every homeowner is required to have

You spend so much time at Home Depot buying tools and lawn equipment, people begin to think you work there…

3. You quickly learn how handy you are (or are not)

How’s the saying go? Is it “measure once, cut twice”, or “measure twice, cut once”?

4. You start to notice every little flaw around the house

I swear they said it was “smudge proof”…

5. You want to buy nice furniture, instead of cheaper, disposable stuff

Bye bye Ikea.

6. You begin to take special note of what’s happening in your neighborhood

Is that a “for sale” sign being put on the Jones’ lawn?!

7. You identify a favorite room

A place you could spend all day in if you could…

8. You’re proud to tell people that you just bought your own place

“Yes, I actually just bought a place. It’s near the park. No, on the far side, next to the baseball field. I really love the neighborhood so far.”

No matter how many of these things sound familiar, there’s no denying that becoming a homeowner changes things—and usually for the better!

Filed Under: Articles, Home Ownership, Mortgages, Scottsdale Real Estate

Buying A Home? Make Sure You Understand What Home Insurance Does—And Doesn’t—Cover

November 30, 2020 By admin

Getting homeowners insurance when you purchase a house is a non-negotiable. But while standard home insurance policies provide a high level of coverage and protection, they don’t cover everything—and in order to protect your home (and your investment), it’s important to understand what potential issues might fall outside your home insurance umbrella.

A recent article from realtor.com outlined the surprising things home insurance doesn’t cover, including:

  • Floods. While home insurance typically covers water issues like burst pipes, if your home is flooded due to a hurricane or excessive rain, most standard home insurance policies won’t cover the damage. In order to get coverage, you’ll need to purchase additional flood insurance.
  • Earthquakes. Similar to floods, most standard home insurance policies don’t cover earthquakes—so if you want coverage, you’ll need to buy a separate earthquake insurance policy.
  • Renovation damage. If you’re doing major renovations on your home—like gutting the interior or replacing the roof—most home insurance policies won’t cover the damage. If you want to protect yourself in the case of damage caused by the contractor, you’ll need to purchase a renovation policy.

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’re thinking about buying a home, it’s important to understand the limits of your home insurance policy—and that you purchase additional coverage when necessary to protect your home.

Filed Under: Articles, Home Buyers, Home Ownership, Remodeling & Renovations

Painting Your Home This Winter? Here’s What You Need To Know

November 29, 2020 By admin

This winter selling season is gearing up to be one of the most active in recent years; inventory is low, demand is high, and homes are selling quickly and profitably in markets across the country.

But even though the current market is favorable to sellers, you still want to do everything you can to make your home as appealing as possible to buyers. And when it comes to improving your home before listing, there are few projects that make as big of an impact—for as low of a price tag—as painting.

A fresh coat of paint can completely change the look and feel of your house—and make it a much more attractive property to potential buyers. But if you’re going to paint your house in the colder months, there are a few things you need to know.

A recent article from realtor.com outlined the key things homeowners should know when painting their homes in the winter, including:

  • Paint dries faster in the winter. Many people think that the summer heat makes interior paint dry faster. But if you live in an area with humid summers, the opposite is actually true. There’s less humidity in the winter—and the less humid the air, the quicker your paint will dry.
  • Crank up the thermostat while you’re painting. The cold air outside can cause a drop in temperature in the interior of your home—and even if your thermostat reads 65, the temperature of your walls may actually be much colder. In order to paint interior walls, the temperature needs to be above 60 degrees—so make sure to crank your thermostat well above 60 to ensure your walls are warm enough to paint.
  • Use speciality paint. If you’re going to be painting your home’s exterior during the winter, make sure to use paint and primer that’s specifically formulated for colder temperatures.

Filed Under: Articles, Community, Home Decor, Home Ownership, Remodeling & Renovations

Multiple Offers! Now What? 

October 5, 2020 By admin


We have seen it time and time again – the first open house and the doors are steady with buyers! An hour goes by and the offers start arriving. It’s normal for Sellers to feel anxious and excited – and ready to accept an offer the moment it comes in! As your agents, we’ll go over each offer together and help you make the best possible decision.  It’s more than top-dollar when reviewing offers. Whether you are entertaining two offers or 12 offers, the concept of how to decide is the same. 

Together we will discuss each offer, and we’ll provide our professional guidance throughout the decision process. 

  • Offer Strength – How close to the asking price? What is the amount down?
  • Financial Terms – What are their financing needs? Is it all cash?
  • Contingencies – Does the buyer need to sell their home first?
  • Closing Terms – Does it match your closing date desire?

Unique circumstances are bound to happen in every real estate transaction. We’re ready to advocate for you. We’re ready to work with the other agent on your behalf. We are ready to help you complete your home purchase or sale. Are you ready to take the next step? 

To start your home search or learn your home’s value Give us a call and let’s get you going in the right direction! 

 

Filed Under: Articles, Home Buyers, Home Ownership, Mortgages, Scottsdale Real Estate, Selling a Home

Median Listing Price In The US Hits All-Time High

September 26, 2020 By admin

Most people want to list their home for the highest price possible when they sell their house. While a seller can always decide to list their house for as much as they want, ultimately, the market dictates how much it will actually fetch from a ready, willing, and able buyer.

Well, it looks like it’s a great time for any seller who wants to try and list their house for the highest price possible.

According to realtor.com’s August 2020 Monthly Housing Trends Report, the median listing price in the US increased 10.1 percent year-over-year in August. That’s a substantial increase from the 8.5 percent year-over-year growth seen in July—and the first time that listing prices have seen double-digit growth since 2017. And that 10.1 percent growth took the median listing price to $350,000—the highest on record.

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? With listing prices at an all-time high (and buyer demand at a high to go along with it), it’s an incredible market for sellers—so if you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now is a great time to make a move.

Filed Under: Articles, Home Buyers, Home Ownership, Mortgages

Waiting For Mortgage Rates To Go Lower? That’s Unlikely, Says Freddie Mac

September 26, 2020 By admin

Mortgage rates have continued to drop in recent months, hitting new all-time lows seemingly every week. And while the average mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage is currently (for the week ending September 3, 2020) under 3 percent, the consistent downward trend could have buyers holding out, waiting for rates to drop even lower.

But according to Freddie Mac, mortgage rates are unlikely to drop much further. “Mortgage rates have remained effectively flat or at near record lows for the last month,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist, said ,” in a recent press release. “However, there are some interesting compositional shifts as the 10-year Treasury rate has increased modestly over the past month while mortgage spreads have declined. Spreads may decline even further but the rise in Treasury rates will make it difficult for mortgage rates to fall much more over the next few weeks.”

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’ve been holding off on buying a home in hopes that mortgage rates will drop even lower, it looks like that’s unlikely—so now is a great time to make a move and lock in a mortgage at these historically low rates.

Filed Under: Articles, Home Buyers, Home Ownership

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What Our Clients Say

Highly Likely To Recommend   

Kristin was phenomenal to work with to sell my home. She was communicative, knowledgeable, and understood the market. We were able to sell my house above what I initially thought it would go for, in a shorter time frame than I expected, and the process was about as painless as possible. I will absolutely be recommending her to anyone I know moving to Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

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Kristin and her team sold my home in Park Scottsdale in the very short time and helped us find a new home. Kristin and her team was remarkably responsive, attentive, and supportive. She is so knowledgeable and experienced in providing realistic information which helped us to plan and prepare to sell our home. Aaron was very professional and looking in our interests as a customer. He always responded to our texts and phone calls promptly and answered to our questions and concerns. My husband and I highly recommend Kristen and her amazing team. Thank you Kristen and Aaron!

Fabulous Team That Knows Park Scottsdale   

Kristin and her fabulous team sold my home in Park Scottsdale in the exact time frame I had hoped for. From start to finish, Kristin was remarkably responsive, attentive, and supportive. She is so knowledgeable and experienced!! She provided realistic information which helped me to plan and prepare to sell my home. I am extremely happy to have chosen KGG and couldn't be more pleased and satisfied with the results.

AMAZING!   

Kristin and her team are amazing! They did a great marketing and negotiating the sale of our home. I highly recommend using Kristin when you sell your home, I would recommend her to anyone.

Kerri Was What We Needed   

Kerri is an excellent agent who is responsive, experienced & kind. She made the home buying process very easy. She is an expert in the Scottsdale area & works with a team therefore she or team member was quickly available to help us with whatever we needed.


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