Over-Pricing a Home - A Hidden Danger of MLS Search

Most Sellers are familiar with the standard warnings about over-pricing a home. Long days on market, few if any showings, etc. But in the Digital Age, there’s a hidden danger of over-pricing that Sellers are not aware of: The dynamics of buyers using price ranges in MLS Searches.

Home buyers all search online and use parameters to refine their search. The most important and sometimes the ONLY criteria they use is a price range. Common ranges are $100K to $150K, $100K to $200K, etc., etc.-- we know this. But here’s where it can get interesting: If a Seller over-prices a home and it tips into a higher price range by just a little, the home will compete with far superior properties. And that's not good.

As an example, let's say that a realistic asking price for a particular 3/BR 2BA 1995 home is $285K. That puts it in a favored buyer MLS search range of $200K to $300K where it belongs and will compete nicely for buyer attention. BUT, the Seller wants to give it “wiggle room” (which, at the suggested $285K asking probably already has “wiggle room” built in)-- but Seller wants to list it for $305K. What could it hurt? In truth, a lot.

Now, it will fall in the $300K to $400K+ MLS price range where it ends up alongside other homes that are larger, newer, on larger lots, and will look “chintzy” by comparison. It doesn't measure up. More than likely it won't make the “cut” when buyers select homes to visit because, compared to the other homes, they perceive that it lacks value. It is not representative of homes in that price range.

So, pricing a home correctly isn’t only important in generalities. In the Digital Age where perception many times is truth, it’s vital.

The Best Home Loan & The Best Kept Secret

The Best Home Loan for You

How do you decide? Do you go to your bank? Do you talk to friends/relatives? Do you look online? You may be missing the one BEST resource for a home loan, the person you’ll be working with most closely throughout the home buying process: Your Realtor.

Sure, he/she is the one who’ll find homes, show you homes, write and negotiate your contract, and take you through all the many moving parts of the transaction. But, when it comes to finding the best financing resources, the person whom you’ll be working most closely with, your Realtor, is the best place to start. To find the best home loan for you. Why is that?

The Best Kept Secret

Experienced Realtors (the good ones) work with lenders all the time. They are in constant communication with lenders throughout multitudes of transactions. They have developed a vast list of lender resources who are tried, tested, and trusted. After discussing your situation with you, a good Realtor will know what you need, and which lenders will be best suited to those needs.

Realtors build relationships with lenders, and that’s no small thing. It’s perhaps the most crucial part of buying a home- getting the right loan. The best home loan for you. What your Realtor can do for you is suggest lenders who:

• Have competitive rates
• Have numerous lending lines
• Understand the local market
• Are creative finding special programs
• Work with challenging credit scores
• Are responsive and good communicators
• Work closely with your Title Company
• Stick to closing timelines
• Have offices near you

So, when looking for the best home loan for you, use the best kept secret: Your Realtor.

Buyers: Snooze, you lose. Why it's important to make a decision!

We KNOW buying a White Mountains AZ home or cabin is a BIG decision! But, you've looked online into the wee hours of the night for weeks or even months. You've narrowed down your list of homes to the nearly "perfect for you" candidates and engaged a REALTOR. You're serious. You've blocked out your valuable time for showings and spent that time carefully exploring every nook and cranny of homes. And, you finally found the best match, but... You need to "sleep on it". You need to go back home and mull it over. Okay, but consider this:

If YOU love it, chances are somebody else or a few somebody elses loves it too! Competition for well-priced cabins and homes in the White Mountains of AZ is ALWAYS stiff. They literally fly off the shelves. So, the "old school" rule of thumb (which advice well-meaning friends, relatives, co-workers may have offered you-- or you employed many years ago) of waiting and watching for price reductions, or of offering 20% or so under asking is like, so 80's! Honestly.

So, you need to be Prepared for Success. We will honestly counsel you on a home-by-home basis because we know this market. After all, we're handling calls and emails from prospective buyers every day. So we have more than just a hint about buyers and their objectives. We KNOW what's hot, we KNOW where the market is NOW, and where it's heading. Remember, you just don't hire us to negotiate on your behalf, per se, you hire us to get you the home you WANT!

15 "Facts" About Homebuying That Are Pure Hogwash

Increasingly in this Uber-Information Age, opinions are being treated as if they're actual facts. This linked article wipes out many common myths about homebuying while being extremely entertaining at the same time. A little humor with a big dose of The Truth doesn't hurt!

15 BS Facts About Homebuying That Everyone Thinks Are True by the courtesy of Frederick Real Estate Online

Independence Day Thoughts to Ponder - Happy 4th of July!

America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact - the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality. ~ Adlai Stevenson

Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood -- the virtues that made America. ~ Teddy Roosevelt

Equal rights for all, special privileges for none. ~ Thomas Jefferson

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved. ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. ~ Robert Kennedy

Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS… ~ Thomas Paine

White Mountains AZ Current Real Estate Market Report

Click to Hear the Market Report April 1 - June 15, 2015

Bruce and Pam with West USA Realty - Pinetop AZ, present the current White Mountains AZ Real Estate Market Report. The report is a breakdown of residential properties sold between April 1, 2015 and June 15, 2015. Also included is a breakdown of residential listings currently for sale and how they compare to the previous time period.

These statistics are useful to both buyers and sellers; but, talking to us about what they actually can MEAN to you is vitally important. Give us a call and learn how your objectives fit into the current market and make a truly INFORMED decision about buying or selling!

White Mountains AZ Summer Home Market is Open!

Summer is finally here and there's a bumper crop of White Mountains AZ Homes for sale! The weather is gorgeous-- a great time for buyers to come and pick up some really great summer deals on beautiful homes. Vacation home sales are flourishing all over the nation, and the White Mountains of AZ is no exception. We've got near perfect year-round weather, a multitude of outdoor activities, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

Come up on a weekend and visit the Show Low Farmers' Market & Art Walk for locally grown produce, baked and canned goods, and local arts & crafts. Experience our down-home friendly area, meet some local folks, and you'll know you've found a "Little Piece of Heaven" in the White Mountains!

So, check us out. Give us a call and make an appointment to go shopping for your White Mountains AZ Home!

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!