The Arizona Department of Real Estate’s (AZRE) website is a consumer tool with link after link of invaluable information for the home buying or home selling public. It's glossary of real estate terms is not just for Realtors. With roughly 25+ definitions for valuable key terms related to Arizona real estate, it may be in your best interest to take a look at this list when you are in the market to Continue Reading

The benefits of going green when buying your next home really add up. Most of us assume the major benefit of buying a green home is for the cost savings, and while that’s true, it just the tip of the iceberg. There are the hidden personal health benefits for the occupants of a green home. Sustainable design and technologies reduce the pollution of off-gassing and other air quality features. Continue Reading

Credit scores play a big factor in the purchase of a home, so you should periodically check your credit reports if your plans are to buy a home in the near future. A higher credit score qualifies you for lower interest rates, which can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your loan. Even if you’ve always had a history of stellar credit scores, a small mistake made near the time Continue Reading

The Arizona Association of REALTORS® (AAR) Buyer Advisory is a great resource for home buyers to learn about a myriad of topics related to the purchase of residential real estate in Arizona.  It is updated frequently, and just underwent an update last month. Whether you are buying a home for the first time or relocating from another state, this is an invaluable tool to assist you in Continue Reading

When buying a home, a lot of home buyers think that the inspection period is just a routine step in the home purchase process.  They fail to realize it's a critical part of the process, and should be taken very seriously. Did you know that you can inspect a home for just about anything you can think of during the inspection period?  In fact, take a look at Continue Reading

With the advent of smart phones and a mobile app for just about every consumer need, the question pops up: "what is the best app to use while we are out driving around looking for homes for sale?" The answer might surprise you. A buyer can get caught up in the minutia of information using different apps and become overwhelmed rather quickly. One app will tell you the estimated market value is a Continue Reading

When you are purchasing a home, how do you know if there is a lien on the property?  What can a home buyer do to be sure the property they are purchasing has "clear title" (no liens?) First of all - what is a real estate lien?  A lien is an encumbrance on a property to secure a debt that the property owner owes to the person placing the lien. There are many types of liens - Continue Reading

When purchasing a home in Arizona with a financing contingency (i.e. the buyer's offer is contingent upon successfully obtaining a loan), there is a built-in contingency in the Arizona Association of Realtors Residential Purchase Contract that the home must appraise for at least the sales price.  We are often asked by our buyers during the negotiating process, "what do we do if the home Continue Reading

While home buyers never want to be in a position where there are multiple offers on the home they want to purchase, it happens more often than you think.  Apart from the obvious - increasing the offer price - here are a few things a buyer can do to set his offer apart from the others. Sizable earnest deposit The earnest money is an amount of money that the buyer Continue Reading