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Kristin Graziano Group

Park Scottsdale Experts

Are we heading for an early Spring?

February 14, 2020 By admin

Here comes an early spring! A  recent article on CNBC suggests spring will arrive early this year—at least when it comes to the housing market. In fact, some are speculating that January was very well the new April.

What’s causing this already-busy buying season to kick off ahead of schedule? Low inventory and rising home prices are spurring house hunters to come out of hibernation months before they previously would have.

With that in mind, whether you’re buying or selling, or both, it’s time to get moving. The following checklists will help you prepare yourself or home property so don’t get left behind!

Getting Ready To Sell

If you’re hoping to put your place on the market and capitalize on those early bird buyers, you want your property to be in the best possible shape. That means you’ll want to tackle the following tasks:

Clean: Scrub like you’ve never scrubbed before! Some recommend hiring a cleaning service as new eyes will find old stains and smudges you no longer even notice.

Paint: Nothing brightens up a room like a fresh coat of paint. Don’t forget the moldings and trim. Buyers notice every detail.

Declutter: You’re going to have to pack up anyway, so why not do it sooner rather than later? As you go through each room, start storing non-essential items that you plan to take with you to your new address. If you find items you no longer want or need, donate them or try to sell them online for a quick influx of cash you can spend on your new place.

Tackle repairs: Take care of anything that would pop up on a home inspector’s report. Chances are you’ll need to fix it before you move, so why not do it now and enjoy these improvements for as long as you remain in the home?

Work on your curb appeal: Your home’s exterior is what’s going to make that all-important first impression on buyers. If your lawn boasts more weeds than grass, your shrubs are dead, and your fence is falling apart, you can count on that prospect driving on to the next house.

Find the right real estate agent: Often sellers want to hire the agent who says they’ll list the property for the highest price. Or, they’re tempted to select one who’s willing to take the lowest commission. But, really, you want an agent with a track record of success who is familiar with the area and comparable listings, and has a marketing plan that will help you realize the maximum value. A sky-high listing price sounds great, but not if it takes you three years to sell, right?

Preparing To Buy

If you’re ready to purchase a new home, there are several things you can do before you hit your first open house to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

Clean up your credit: Your credit score not only impacts your ability to secure a mortgage at all, but it will also determine the interest rate you’ll pay. If you’re worried about your credit score, start working toward raising it by paying all your bills on time and making sure your balances are low. Check your credit report by contacting the three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. You’re entitled to a free report from each agency once per year. If you spot an error, having the report amended will boost your score.

Pro tip: Speak to an experienced mortgage professional. Sometimes they can advise you on what (and what not) to pay down or off, in order to improve your credit score.

Save for a down payment (and then some!): Being able to put 20% of the purchase price down at your closing isn’t necessary, but it could help you in terms of better rates and overall monthly payments. It can also help you to avoid paying for private mortgage insurance (PMI). It’s also wise to save for emergencies because once you’re in your new home you never know what may suddenly need repair.

Get pre-approved for a mortgage: Getting preapproved lets sellers know you’re the real deal. And, it let’s you know what you can afford, so you focus on the right price points, and can choose the perfect one to go after with confidence.

Rather than just prequalification, which is more like an estimate of what you can borrow, a pre-approval means the loan is much more likely to get through underwriting once you get a home under contract, because the lender has already assessed your credit, income, debts, and assets.

Plus, if you find yourself competing for a property, being able to tell a seller you’re pre-approved can give you the advantage you need against others who are not.

Do your due diligence: Think you’ve found an area you like? Check out neighborhoods at different times of day, and be sure to notice traffic patterns. For example, is the home you like on a street drivers use to dodge traffic on Main Street. Will you encounter school drop-off or pick-up congestion that will make getting in or out of your driveway a hassle? How about early morning church bells or that fire house whistle? Consider all these factors, and anything else that may appeal to you, or bother you personally, as you’re driving past potential homes.

Find the right real estate agent: Whether this is your first or fiftieth home purchase, it’s still wise to enlist the help of a buyer’s agent. After all, it doesn’t cost you anything out of pocket typically, and a good agent will help you by sharing their inside knowledge not only of the neighborhood, but also help establish what’s a good value in your price range.

At KGG we arrange showings on your behalf and they may also be able to alert you to red flags you’d otherwise miss while touring properties. We are seasoned experts and are happy to refer you to other pros you’ll want on your side, such as home inspectors, attorneys, and lenders.

Whether you’re planning on selling, buying, or both, you may be competing with plenty of other buyers and sellers once Spring is in full swing. So, taking care of the items listed above can help you get the edge you need. Especially with the Spring real estate market getting it’s own head start!

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: buy a home, coming soon home, getting a house ready to sell, home for sale, home purchase, home sale, ready to move, ready to sell, real estate, scottsdale

5 Expert Tips For Protecting Your Home While Away on Summer Vacation

May 31, 2019 By admin

Summer is one of the most popular times of the year for vacations (thanks to the kids extended time off from school). But unfortunately, that also means it’s a prime time of year for home invasions and burglaries.

A big part of the uptick in crime during the summer might have to do with the increase in empty homes thanks to summer vacations. But as long as you take the steps to protect your home, you can avoid coming home to an unfortunate situation.

Here are five ways to protect your home while you’re off enjoying your summer vacation:

1. Install An Alarm System

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Obviously, the best way to protect your home from potential burglars is by installing an alarm system. Just the threat of an alarm system (like a sign in your yard or a sticker on a window) can be enough to deter potential burglars.

When you install an alarm system, the company equips all potential entry ways with alarms. If someone tries to enter the home while the alarm is enabled, the alarm will ring until someone disables it with a code. If the alarm isn’t disabled, the alarm company will immediately notify both you and the authorities and send police to investigate the break-in. Some alarm companies also install cameras at the entrances which you can connect to your phone, giving you the ability to check in on your property while you’re away on vacation. Check in with local alarm companies and get estimates; companies will often offer incentives like discounted rates or free installation in order to get your business.

2. Pay Someone To Mow The Lawn

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If you’re going to be traveling for an extended period of time, make sure you hire someone to mow the lawn. An overgrown lawn is a visible indicator that no one’s in the home and can attract unwanted attention.

Have someone mow the lawn on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. And as an added bonus, since someone is taking care of maintenance, you don’t have to worry about coming home to a nightmare of lawn to deal with after your vacation! If you hire someone you know and trust, you might also ask the person taking care of your lawn to do a quick walk-through of the home and make sure everything is in working order. If you have a maintenance issue inside the home while you’re gone, the person can bring it to your attention before it gets out of hand.

3. Don’t Forget About The Mail

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Before you leave for your vacation, put a hold on your mail with the USPS. An overflowing mailbox isn’t ideal for a number of reasons; first off, it’s a sure sign that your family is away. And on top of that, an overflowing mailbox increases the chance that something might fall out and get lost in the shuffle.

Protect your home (and your mail!) and put a hold on delivery until you return from your vacation.

4. Set Timers

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Nothing says “empty house” like a home that stays dark for 12 days straight. Setting timers on your electronics, including lights and televisions, can give the illusion that people are occupying the home even when you’re miles away enjoying your vacation.

You can pick up timers at any hardware store (or on Amazon), plug them into your electronics, and program them to turn on and off at specified times.

5. Be Cautious on Social Media

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When you’re on vacation, you want to share all your fun photos and status updates of the fun time you and your family are enjoying. But it’s important to be cautious on social media.

Publicly posting you’re on vacation on social media can let the wrong person know that you’re not currently occupying your home.

Make sure that your social media accounts are set to “private” before sharing any of your vacation updates; that way, the only people who see your updates are people you know and trust and you avoid broadcasting to the world your home is unoccupied.

You deserve a vacation. Just make sure you follow these tips to protect your home while you’re off enjoying your time off.

Filed Under: Articles, Community, Home Ownership Tagged With: alarm, coming soon home, goal setting, home protection, real estate, vacation

12 Things To Do BEFORE You List Your Home

January 17, 2019 By admin

This helpful info graph we created will have you getting your home ready to sell in no time. When you are ready call us we can help, it’s what we do.

Filed Under: Articles, Selling a Home Tagged With: coming soon home, getting a house ready to sell, home for sale, ready to move, ready to sell, real estate, sell your home, seller check list

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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.

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