Sell in Winter and Beat the Competition!

If you want to get to your destination quickly-- you leave EARLY to avoid traffic congestion.

Similarly, selling your White Mountains AZ vacation home or full-time home in the winter, when there are far less homes on the market (less traffic congestion) is a really good idea. You could get to your final destination of a successful sale a lot faster! With less homes on the market, your home can stand out. With smaller competition, homes that might need a little work have fewer homes to be compared to; buyers will be less picky.

There are many more reasons why selling your White Mountains AZ home in winter makes good sense. Remember: If it's not listed for sale it can't sell.

Give us a call and we'll fill you in on the successful strategy of selling in winter and how we can get your home sold before the inventory-choked Spring/Summer market!

The Holiday Season May Be the Best Time to Buy!

Thinking about all that Holiday food? Here's some Real Estate "food for thought". The Holiday Season may not be the time you'd think about buying a White Mountains AZ home-- but that might be the perfect time. You may find advantages that you wouldn't have at any other time of the year.

There are less homes for sale, but those that are still for sale are offered by sellers who definitely want to sell. Think about it. The Holidays are a busy, busy time for most households. So those sellers are probably very serious about selling. They want to sell. That mindset can give you negotiating power. Price reductions or seller concessions may be a distinct possibility for you.

Fewer buyers. While the stores may be jammed with Holiday shoppers, the real estate market isn't. Less competition for desirable homes means that you can pick and choose the perfect home without the fear of aggressive buyers and multiple offers edging you out.

And all the other "moving parts" of a transaction-- i.e., lenders, appraisers, inspectors, escrow companies, aren't all that busy. You could speed through your real estate purchase faster than at any other time during the year.

If you're considering buying a White Mountains AZ Home during this Holiday Season, check in with Bruce & Pam Wachter - West USA Realty, Pinetop. We're happy to answer any of your questions about the Holiday Season real estate market in the White Mountains!

Don't Let "Hobgoblins" Spook You About Buying a Home!

Fall is here! Days get darker, there’s a chill in the air, and Halloween, that spooky-scary day is almost here! With that in mind as you consider buying a home this fall, here’s a thought: Don’t let real estate agent trolls and hobgoblins scare you with tales of how tough, bad, dark and uncertain buying a home is, and that only they are smart enough to help you because they’ve dealt with “horror” a lot. Well, gee. These scaredy-cats have been conditioned to look at all transactions with fear, uncertainty and dread. FUD. And they’ll put all that stuff on you to “condition” you not to have good expectations. Of them. Or the process. Seriously.

So, banish trolls and hobgoblins! Upbeat and positive agents aren’t clueless Pollyannas who believe in Unicorns. They’re just really good at what they do and get good results because... they expect them! They’re undeterred and unaffected by “bad markets”, “tough credit”, “government meddling”. Those things don’t matter to them. Only things that matter to them are YOU, your life, your goals, and the happy ending they absolutely, positively KNOW they'll get for you!

Escape to Your New Home in the White Mountains of AZ - Where Every Day is a Beautiful Day!

Whether it's a vacation or 2nd home, or full-time living, when you're in the White Mountains of Arizona, every day is a Beautiful Day! Let us help you find Beautiful Days!

White Mountains AZ Real Estate Labor Day Sales!

End-of-summer isn't really the end of the White Mountains AZ Real Estate Market-- but a lot of sellers think it is! And so, buyers can scoop up some really great deals as sellers reduce asking prices and/or offer some great incentives to move a property before colder weather sets in.

If you'd like to spend the upcoming Holidays in a new vacation or second home in the White Mountains, give us a call or Look at Listings Here. From a cozy and affordable Vintage Cabin in Pinetop to big Country Club cabins Gated Pinetop Country Club Cabin, there's something for every taste and every budget-- and prices are dropping!

So, call us and come on up! The weather's glorious, and the prices are spectacular!

Pinetop AZ Cabin for Sale - Vintage Cabin in the Heart of Pinetop AZ - Video

Looking for an affordable White Mountains AZ getaway cabin? One that also has great seasonal rental possibilities if you so choose? This darling vintage Pinetop AZ cabin is situated on a large tall-pine lot, fully fenced (bring your critters), room to park your RV, your boat, with wraparound and covered decks you'll enjoy immensely. The locale is heavily forested with dense trees, pretty cabins. 2BR/1BA down, fireplace, and a large loft that can sleep six. Furnished for turn-key possession.

Be there for the fall/winter holidays! Close to great restaurants, shopping, the casino, the ski resort, and high country lakes, streams for fishing, camping, horseback riding, golf, ATV-ing-- any outdoor adventure you can think of! Asking $129,000.

From Simple to Spectacular - There's a White Mountains AZ Vacation Home for Everyone!

No matter what your lifestyle or budget, the White Mountains of Arizona has a vacation or 2nd home you'll love!

A modest "base camp" headquarters or a cabin for big families, a cozy getaway for small families, or just you in a Park Model in tall pine-- we'll help you find your perfect cool mountain getaway here in the White Mountains!

The White Mountains of AZ is one of the Southwest's most popular 4-season regions. It's a big (but small) area, generally meandering along Highways 260 and 60 from Heber to Alpine for several miles on each side. So you need to know that you have many location choices! No matter where you are, you're always within striking range of beautiful lakes, golf, fishing, camping, hiking, ATV-ing, horseback riding, skiing. You name the adventure or sport and we have it!

All you want is a place of your own to make vacation memories. Big, small, or inbetween; bunk-beds in a loft, or huge master suites, wrap-around decks or small porches-- the White Mountains of AZ has your vacation or 2nd home waiting for you!

It Doesn't Matter Who or What Your Babies Are . . .

Skin, fur, feathers, scales, leaves-- it doesn't matter! They're all your babies. And they LOVE you!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Is Fear of Rejection Keeping You from Buying a Home?

Is worrying over the mortgage process keeping you from buying a new home? Is fear of rejection, or worries about how difficult you believe the process is, stopping you from moving forward? It's not as bad as you may think, and we can help you greatly.

Here are a couple of buyer misconceptions according to a survey by OmniTel on behalf of LoanDepot:

Most potential buyers overestimate the difficulty of qualifying for a mortgage. Only 18% say it's easier to get a mortgage today compared to a year ago, and 43% incorrectly say it's harder. The February 2014 Ellie Mae Origination Insight Report found today's average mortgage application approval rate is 55.3% compared to 49% in 2012!

Buyers are also confused about credit scores. 50% don't know what minimum FICO score is required to qualify for most loans; while 18% think they need a minimum FICO score of 680 to 770+ to qualify. Truth is 33% of closed loans in Feb 2014 had an average FICO score of less than 700.

Misconceptions aside, what can really help buyers calm their fears is to work with us on their next or new purchase. We've developed relationships with "trusted lenders". That means that WE trust them, and so can our clients. We've seen what they can do many times-- they're known quantities to us. Remember, we, as Realtors are valued customers of mortgage brokers/lenders. We are REPEAT BUSINESS. A borrower may do business ONCE with a mortgage broker/lender, but we do a lot of business with them-- they've got a proven "track record" with us. They want to make us AND our clients happy every time.

We have several lending resources available for our clients; ones that are tried and tested and have made the cut. Nice people, dedicated professionals who handle our clients with care and sensitivity, keeping us firmly in the loop. It makes all the difference in the world, and will banish your "fear of rejection" for good!

More Than Just "Curb Appeal" - The 360-Degree View!

From the "For What it's Worth" department: According to MSN, today's developers/builders in response to consumer preferences are realizing that ALL elevations of a new home must be appealing, not just the front elevation. So, they're working on the sides and the back views to achieve a pleasing 360-degree view.

But what about existing homes? According to MSN and Jim Wentling of James Wentling, Architects in Philadelphia, there are several things homeowners can do to enhance the 360-degree views:

• Add side or wrap-around porches, or both. Make sure if a house faces the street on two sides that both look good. You can wrap a front porch around to one or both sides of the house to create architectural interest depending on the style of your home and the amount of available space.
• Use the same siding materials on all elevations of the home. An attractive siding, cultured stone or brick veneer used not only on the front elevation but also on the sides and back of the home makes it look less like a movie set and more like a complete house.
• Create a pent roof on one side of the house. A pent, or shed roof, has a slant on only one side and is a great way to create architectural interest on an otherwise bland side of the house.
• Add a sunroom. It may seem like an interior improvement, but think, too, how a sunroom enhances the back or side of your home from the outside.
• Relocate or add replacement windows and exterior doors. Breaking through walls to add new windows and doors can get pricey. However, like a sunroom, a well-placed bay, bow or picture window — or a bank of windows — does more than just improve your indoor living space.
• Build a covered or screened-in back porch with a gabled roof. A back porch will certainly increase the size of your home's rear, but it's an elegant addition you won't be at all ashamed to show off.

Keep a few things in mind if you are thinking of these or other improvements for your home:
• When making additions, be sure the roof line is considered from all sides.
• If you have a house that faces the street on two sides, it needs curb appeal on both.
• Finally, consult with an expert designer and architect to make sure you can achieve the overall effect you expect.


Exerpts from MSN Real Estate

Top 10 Improvements Sellers Can Make That Add Value!

In the White Mountains AZ real estate market, #10 (a fireplace) is probably a lot higher on the list! In the White Mountains of AZ, our vacation and 2nd home buyers really, really want the mountain lifestyle feel that a crackling fire imparts. Whether it's wood-burning or gas, a fireplace adds important ambiance in our AZ mountain market!

But these Top Ten Improvements all are very useful food for thought for White Mountains AZ real estate sellers who want to maximize attractiveness AND sales $$. If you've already got a fireplace, think about pulling up that wall-to-wall carpeting and replace it with a hardwood floor! Looking at these guidelines as to what percentage of buyers think are important, and how much more they'll pay-- you'll find one or two ideas that you can manage!

And when you're ready to sell your White Mountains AZ home, we're excited to see it, list it and sell it!

Over-Pricing a Home Builds False Expectations - Dreams to Nightmare

We're not talking about "wiggle room", we're talking about crazy not in your lifetime pricing. Wild over-pricing by 10s of thousands of dollars, maybe even 100s of thousands. Not only does the home not sell on the first go-round, the sellers, having been convinced that SOMEONE will buy the home at the unsupportable price, get fixated on the number FOREVER. When the home doesn't sell, they may hear that "It's the market"; or "The market will come back". Which further serves to set the crazy price in their minds FOREVER.

So, they take the property off-market for a year in "reasonable" (in their minds) belief that during the interim the price-point somehow becomes supportable. They've been led to BELIEVE that. And they start calling around looking for another listing agent in the belief that a change could add to their success. Many listing agents will tell them the truth: Not possible. How crushing is that? It's horrible.

As real estate agents we want to "Make Dreams Come True". But the foundation for a dream has to be reality-based or it's fiction, a fairy-tale. A dream based on false hopes can turn into a nightmare.

5 Reasons to Buy White Mountains AZ Homes in the Spring!

Thinking about buying a White Mountains AZ home? Well, SPRING into action now and beat the crowds!

Spring is a smart time to start shopping and start buying homes and real estate in the White Mountains, so why wait? Everyday new listings are coming out and getting snapped up by smart buyers getting great deals. Transactions are moving fast, so you can be in your new White Mountains AZ home in plenty of time to enjoy our glorious summer months!

So, call us now and Get Moving Now!

What's Better Than Getting a Gift from Happy Buyers?

It's always wonderful to get a gift from happy buyers-- and we're always honored and very grateful for their thoughtfulness.

But what really makes us happy is THEIR happiness in their new home. Seeing them (and sometimes many relatives) joyfully busy in the new home, the home filled with music, laughter, warmth and wonder, means everything to us. When we meet the buyers to give them their keys and they're ACTUALLY (not literally or figuratively) jumping up and down in happy anticipation of stepping through the door... It reminds us of what we really do. That we're not just dealing with a transaction, we're dealing with hearts, hopes and dreams.

When real estate agents market to buyers "We make your dreams come true" or something similar, it's vital to remember that that may be EXACTLY what we're doing. So we dearly cherish buyers' dreams because their hearts are all wrapped up in them!

Get a Real Estate Agent with a Positive Attitude!

It's tough to talk about the destructive power of negative thinking/negative attitude without being negative!

So let's be positive and say that having a positive attitude, expecting positive and successful results is a really good thing for all of us. And it's an especially good thing in a Real Estate agent-- something real estate buyers and sellers should look for in their agent(s). Optimism and a positive attitude, positive thinking.

A cheerful, optimistic, experienced AND self-assured agent who keeps his/her eye on YOUR prize moves forward on your behalf with confidence and the firm BELIEF that everything will be well. That everything will turn out beautifully. And you know what? It usually does. Just ask us!

What Does the Number of Years of Real Estate Experience REALLY Mean?

"Real" real estate experience is transactional experience; i.e., the number of varied and different sales has an agent accomplished during years in business. The more sales, the more "transactions", the more experience. There's the "80/20" rule that generally says that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. In real estate that rule is: 94/6. Six percent of Realtors do 94 percent of the business. It's also a fairly well-known statistic that the majority of "active" real estate agents nationally only sell 3-4 homes a year. A majority are part-time.

So, when a Realtor tells a prospect s/he has X# of years of experience, ask to see some sales data. It's a tough and demanding business. If an agent or agents can make it working full-time, 24/7 (we do), that says a lot. A lot about their vast experience. With a combined 25 years full-time and vast transactional experience in this profession, you can count on our level of experience.

We Sincerely Appreciate Referrals!

Refer family or friends or clients wanting to buy or sell White Mountains AZ real estate with complete confidence. We'll make them happy and you a hero!

Retire to Arizona - In the Beautiful White Mountains of Arizona!

Retire to Arizona in the beautiful White Mountains of Arizona! Enjoy your retirement in on of the nation's most gorgeous areas. Strong community values, a peaceful lifestyle with as many activities as you want including golf, a casino, ski resort, 100's of miles of U.S. Forest to explore, hiking, camping, the best fishing in the Southwest-- all await your retirement in Arizona's White Mountains. The White Mountains is located approximately 170 miles northeast of Phoenix and has a regional airport for your convenient travel. We are a four-season area with cool summers and mild winters-- just perfect in every way!

Call or email us to discuss why retirement living in the White Mountains of Arizona can be your best choice for your retirement to Arizona.

White Mountains AZ Real Estate Winter Sale! Big Savings!

Now's the best time to scoop up the best deals! Prices are reduced, and choices are VERY good. Give us a call or drop us an email and we'll fill you in on why Winter is a great time to buy homes and cabins in the White Mountains of Arizona!

Why Buy a White Mountains AZ Home in the Winter

Enough said!