Buying Desert Properties: FAST FACTS

Aug. 8, 2019

Tips From The Experts: Never Completely Turn Off Your Home Air Conditioning System

People ask us all the time what they should set their thermostat at when they're away from their desert homes.  USA TODAY must have been getting the same question because they recently posted this video. To view it, please click on the image above or visit: Tips ...

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Jan. 16, 2019

Mortgage Rates Hit A 9-Month Low - A Good Time To Buy?

  

MarketWatch’s Andrea Riquier reported in a recent MarketWatch article that according to mortgage liquidity provider Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rates averaged 4.45% in the week of January 10th (the lowest rate since April 2018). At the same time, 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rates averaged 3.89% and 5-year ...

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Jan. 9, 2019

How Do California Renters View Homeownership

 

According to data from the California Association of Realtors® 2018 State of the California Consumer Survey, despite affordability challenges, California renters continue to hold home ownership in high regard and aspire to purchase a home eventually. 

What do California renters feel are the advantages of homeownership:

  •     ...
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Dec. 11, 2018

Home Buyer Essentials

According to the California Association of Realtors® and Porch, the home services platform, the top 5 essential amenities that home shoppers say are must haves are:

  1. 82% of home shoppers say central air conditioning or heating is a must have;
  2. 58.5% of home shoppers say that a private patio ...
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Nov. 26, 2018

One Cool Thing: How Important Are Highly Rated Schools To Home Buyers

We all know that good schools can be very important to home buyers.  But how important? According to the National Association of Realtors® in looking at consumers of all ages and income levels…

  •         47% consider highly rated schools to be very important;
  •       ...
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Aug. 14, 2018

What People Want In Their Dream Home

According to a recent survey, 64% of Americans say that they’ll be able to own or rent their dream home within their lifetime. What are they looking for in their American dream home?

  • 60% want a newly built home
  • 15% say being near good schools is important
  • 11% want to ...
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June 28, 2018

Majority of Residents In HOAs Think Their HOA Protects Home Values

According to Community Association Research, a staggering 69 million Americans live in 342,000 common-interest communities. The majority (90%) of these owners think that their Home Owners Association (HOA) protects their investment and enhances property values.  In addition, 73% of owners feel that their community managers provide support ...

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May 8, 2018

Impact Of Mortgage Interest Rates On Monthly Payment And Qualifying Income

This Interest Rate Impact chart from the California Association of Realtors® (CAR) shows how changes in interest rates increase both the monthly loan payment but also the amount of income required to qualify to purchase a home.  As an example, for a home priced at roughly $551,000 ...

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Aug. 27, 2017

What To Know About Buying Real Estate In The U.S.

If you are living outside the United States and interested in purchasing real estate in the United States, you're not alone. According to the National Association of Realtors® 2017 Profile of International Activity in U.S. Residential Real Estate, between April 2016 and March 2017, foreign buyers and recent immigrants ...

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Sept. 28, 2012

Are Low Ball Offers a Good Idea?

Are Low-Ball Offers A Good Idea?

A low-ball offer typically involves a contract submitted to a seller where the price proposed by the purchaser is 25% or more below list. Low-ball offers increase sharply when there's a glut of properties available, asking prices are out of sync with local ...
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