Sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled PBS program in the drab, grey fields of irrational paranoia, fear and anarchy, but I have an important message for you: IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD. WE ARE NOT IN A HOUSING CRISIS. We are not about to be in one either! I know what you're thinking, "Oh, but Kristin, you're a REAL ESTATE agent. Of course you would tell us we're not in a housing crisis... You just want my $%#^@ MONEY!" No. I want you to be happy. And happiness comes from being educated by the facts. With knowledge comes power and confidence - not this fear bullcrap. Let's get rid of this fear thing. It never does anyone any good … [Read more...]
How To Buy A House (In A Nutshell)
November 4, 2015 By
How to Buy A House...in a Nutshell! A simple Step-By-Step process for buying a house...it's not so hard...OK it's really harder than it looks but that's why they invented real estate agents! But seriously, there are 5 basic stages to buying a home here in Arizona: Get yourself a purchase contract Open escrow Do your due diligence Order up an appraisal (your lender to do this!) Closing time (where you write a BIG check!) Check out the video for details. And as always, if you have questions, you know where to find me! Kristin LaVanway 480-282-7464 kristin@hereinphoenix.com … [Read more...]
Termites! A Horror Story…
April 6, 2010 By
Still wondering if you should spring for that home inspection? If this story doesn't convince you, nothing will...although termites are generally a very treatable problem here in Arizona, in this case, there was a perfect storm of conditions to create a huge termite problem. It was a beautiful home and we never imagined it had such extensive problems. Since bank-owned listings come with no disclosures, it's up to the buyer to uncover problems with the condition of the home. … [Read more...]
Phoenix Real Estate FAQs – 3-26-2010
March 27, 2010 By
In this episode of Phoenix Real Estate FAQ's Dean Ouellette and I ponder the answer these questions: * What's a better value...resale or new build? * When do I get the keys to my new house? * How many houses should I look at before I put in an offer? * Who should be present at a home inspection? Thanks to Sasha Lopez for keeping us on track! … [Read more...]
Phoenix Real Estate FAQs – 3-12-2010
March 12, 2010 By
Dean Ouellette, the Tempe Short Sale Guy , joins me as we ponder the answers to: * Is it a good time to buy a house? * Do I need a home inspection if I am buying As-Is? * Can my Realtor give me the lockbox codes so I can check out a house? * Why do short sales take so long? Thanks, Sasha (Speilberg) Lopez for keeping us on track! Send us your questions...we'd love to hear from you... … [Read more...]
When Should You Get A Home Inspection? Always!
May 18, 2009 By
A professional home inspector should be one of the first people you call when your offer to purchase a home has been accepted. A home inspector will go over your home with a fine tooth comb and provide a detailed report on the condition of the home. He will check the condition of your roof, your AC unit, your electrical and plumbing systems. Your inspector will check for structural problems, and code violations. Some inspectors even do thermal imaging scans to check for hot spots or leaks that may indicate major problems with the home. In our Arizona contract, you are entitled to a 10-day period to conduct any inspections you deem … [Read more...]
