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BUYING IN SCOTTDALE
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| Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) (National Designation) Select 2% of REALTORS® who are specifically trained and accredited for knowledge and understanding to successfully represent clients when purchasing a home. Relocation Specialist is part of this designation. |
What to expect when buying a home in Arizona:
- Relocation Package - Barbara will provide you with a relocation package which includes information to
help you quickly familiarize yourself with the area, schools, Arizona taxes, and other reference material
including the Arizona Department of Real Estate Buyer Advisory.
Order your relocation package from Barbara today.
Buyer Advisory The Arizona Department of Real Estate provides a comprehensive reference guide for home buyers. It may answer many of your questions about purchasing a home in Arizona.
- Financing - The first step for finding a home is to obtain a Loan Status Report (LSR). The LSR indicates to a seller that you the buyer are qualified to purchase a home within a specific price range. The LSR gives you credibility with the seller and saves you a lot of time when financing your new home. With Barbara's extensive professional network, she can recommend qualified Arizona licensed lenders. Your lender can help to smooth out your transaction, or can cause problems depending on how they work. It is critical you and your lender are in tune with each other. Your lender needs to have the business acumen, knowledge and skills to recommend appropriate loan programs for you and your specific needs. You are of course free to select your own lender. Remember the interest rate is dependent on your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and general financial state.
Learn more about your credit score
- Prioritize Desires - It is important for you to prioritize what you want and what you need in your new home so that Barbara is able to find you potential homes which best fit your needs and wants. Her process provides a way of thinking through and prioritizing these requirements so she may assist you in finding the home that is a great fit for you and your family.
- Location Considerations - If you are changing locations within the Phoenix metroplex or moving here from outside of Arizona, Barbara can help you with choosing a location to meet your needs. Whether your focus is on minimal commute time and distance, business activities, schools, special needs, or recreational interests, Barbara will provide you options and explain their trade-off's.
- Preliminary Property Review - In order to make the best use of your time and energy, Barbara goes the extra mile to evaluate potential properties for you ahead of time. She will show you only those homes which closely match your specified criteria, focusing on the available options, the current housing market conditions and local specifics.
- Professional, Organized Property Tour(s) - Barbara will organize a professional property tour to make the best use of your available time and focus. She will provide you a color bound book and an electronic copy with the relevant data on each home including detailed home features, the current owner's mortgage commitments, the location in the subdivision, as well as the current listings and recent sales. Barbara also provides a comprehensive comparison of all the homes on our property tour. This professional package allows you to have a complete picture of the homes for your consideration. Multiple property tours may be needed to find you just the right home!
- Property Selection - After viewing properties, and you have narrowed it down to a specific home, Barbara will provide a more detailed analysis. This way you have the information to confirm your choice.
- Comparable Market and Home Analysis - Once you have selected a potential home, Barbara has the resources and knowledge to provide you a very detailed comparable market and home analysis. She researches the subdivision, city, zip code and area with a focus on your specific criteria including commute time, schools, businesses, amenities, and recreational facilities. Her analysis includes financial details, which illustrate the market valuation and market trends related to the specific property. Barbara's goal is for you to be comfortable with your home selection on a personal and value level.
- Negotiations Strategy - Congratulations, you have selected a home! The residential real estate paperwork for purchasing a home can be overwhelming! Luckily, Barbara is an experienced professional and will guide you every step of the way through the paperwork process, from how to create your purchase offer all the way to getting the keys to your home! Barbara has many years of extensive contract negotiation expertise, she can help you to plan your negotiation strategy, explain your options and professionally represent you during the negotiations.
- Submitting Your Offer - After creating your negotiation strategy, Barbara will guide you through the paperwork process to complete your initial offer. She follows up every step of the way to keep you informed of progress.
- The Negotiations - This step of the home purchase process can make or break your transaction. Having someone such as Barbara represent you who has lots of negotiations expertise, is professional and has the ability to keep the communication moving along is key to your successful home purchase. Barbara has negotiated on behalf of first time home buyers all the way up to a $1.5B contract. She has the experience, communication skills and caring to professionally represent you during the negotiations for your next home.
- Accepted Offer - Congratulations, the major hurdle has been reached - you and the seller have an agreement in terms to purchase a home! Barbara makes sure you have the paperwork, understand the next steps and your options.
- Earnest Money - In Arizona, it is typical for a buyer to provide earnest money to the seller. These funds are provided to the Title/Escrow company right away after the accepted offer. They are held by the title company until the closing of the transaction. These funds can be applied to your closing costs, the down payment, or other options as part of the transaction.
- Open The Escrow - The title and escrow company can make a big difference in your transaction. Barbara will recommend professional, experienced Title Officers to spearhead your transaction through the escrow process. A professional, experienced Title Officer works as part of your team with your Loan Officer, and Barbara to complete your transaction. This team looks for potential roadblocks, challenges and other activities which could derail your transaction. Having a team with tight communication can typically keep your transaction running smoothing all the way to a successful close of escrow.
- More Data For Your Decision: Four areas are key to understand during your inspection time frame - Inspections, HOA and CC&Rs, Appraisal and Financing. Any of these can bring up potential concerns. Barbara can help you understand your options with each and walk you through the process with a focus on your goals of purchasing your home.
- Inspections - You need more data on the home and its current condition - home and termite inspections are a great way to evaluate the home and its current condition. Barbara will recommend licensed, insured, proficient home inspection services. Home and termite inspections are visual evaluations of the major systems of the home. Barbara recommends you attend the home inspection to gain first hand knowledge of the home. It is great opportunity to ask questions of the home inspectors.
- Home Owner's Associations and CC&Rs - Most subdivisions in the Phoenix area have Home Owner's Associations and accompanying CC&Rs (covenants, conditions and restrictions). It is key you understand these rules for living in the area and make sure they are acceptable to you and your family. The restrictions can include vehicle types (some areas do not allow commercial vehicles in front of the home), number and type of pets, age and familial restrictions ładult communities˛, type of landscaping, and external home features such as paint colors. The HOA fees vary depending on the community and subdivision. If you prefer to have a home without an HOA, Barbara will focus on those home which meet your needs.
- Appraisal - As part of the mortgage loan qualification your lender will require an appraisal of the property. Your lender will select the professional appraisal. Barbara will help to coordinate the appraisal, and provide market data related to the appraisal if needed.
- Finalize Financing - With the AAR (Arizona Association of REALTORS® Purchase Offer, the buyer is required to have their financing including loan approval three days before the COE (close of escrow) date. Barbara will be periodically checking in with your lender to ensure your loan approval process is moving forward. As a reminder you will need to obtain home owners insurance. For your convenience, Barbara can recommend licensed professional Arizona insurance agents.
- Buyer Requested Home Repairs - Buyer Inspection Notice Seller Response (BINSR) - In Arizona, the buyer can formally request the seller repair specific items as a condition for the buyer to purchase the home. Barbara will walk you through the BINSR process, communicating your selected repairs to the sellers' team, negotiating the points on your behalf and typically coming to agreement with the seller on the repair list. The agreed repairs are completed before close of escrow.
- Home Warranty - As with all homes, things can break or prematurely ware out. To protect your interests and minimize costs you can choose to purchase a home warranty. They are offered for a period of one year at a time. They have a nominal deductible for each occurrence. Most of todayŚs buyers choose to obtain a one-year home warranty.
- Final Walk-Through - As the home buyer, you will be conducting a final walk-through. You will be confirming the terms of your purchase agreement, including but not limited to making sure large appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers are in place. This is usually done prior to your loan being funded.
- Close of Escrow - You will not be alone at close of escrow. Barbara will attend your close of escrow with the Title Officer, and in many cases your Loan Officer as well. Your team will help you complete your transaction. In Arizona your transaction is funded by the lender (approves the money for your home loan), and then the title company records the transaction with the county assessors' office. Once your transaction is recorded Barbara can give you the keys to your home!
- Follow-up - Barbara will be checking in on you to see how things are going in your home. If you need anything from her, she is just an email or phone call away Barbara is here for the long haul with you and your family. Every time you have an interest in purchasing or selling property, have Barbara lead your team again!
