I love wine. This is not news to those who know me. I love trying new wines, visiting wineries and orchestrating wine pairings. Over the years of some unfortunate purchases of cases of desert wine I have developed the three winery rule. That means that no matter how tempting I will not purchase any new wine if I have already visited three wineries on any one day. The reasons for this are pretty obvious. After three wineries our judgment begins to become impaired. The tasting, sights and sounds become blurred and what looks and tastes like a good idea can prove to be poor choice for your lifestyle.
The same can be applied to house hunting. When looking for a home try to limit your previewing to a few homes a day and in the same area. Take notes and get a feel for the community. Take some pictures, if you like the home talk to the neighbors. Savor the process and with the help of a knowledgeable agent you will find the perfect match for you and your family.
Note: Speaking of wine be sure and check out Hawaiian coffee and wine shop in Prescott Lakes. Clyde Woods has done a phenomenal job of assembling terrific reasonably priced wines from some of the finest boutique wineries in the world.
Mar. 18, 2008 - Taking your instincts to the next level
Your instincts may be good but a coach can help
Our two collies Spencer and Linus just completed their first day of herding school. It is truly a thing of beauty to watch these animals perform the tasks that they were created for. Collies are herding dogs and they didn't need any encouragement to understand that they were there to round up the sheep. What they did need was direction and instruction from the teacher in best technique and most efficient movement in herding the livestock.
It is like that in many areas of our lives, including Real Estate. You may have good instinct for bargains and an understanding of the contract process but having a knowledgeable agent to help facilitate the deal and guide you through the tumultuous market conditions can make the difference in how well you play the game.
Mar. 14, 2008 - Take time to prepare for home purchase
February was quite a month in Real Estate. We are feeling the full effects of reduced loan options for buyers and widening gap in knowledge of lenders keeping up with current market conditions and loan products. It is more critical than ever to get pre-approval for your loan and to understand what type of home your loan allows. Remember, with the sluggish market conditions you have the ability to get everything done before you begin to look for houses. There are many bargains right now and in order to take advantage of them you want to have your agent negotiate from a point of strength, which means approved financing through a knowledgeable lender.
FHA loan has made a tremendous resurgence for the entry level buyer with little money to put down. Here is a link to FHA guidelines but check with your lender for specifics to your situation.
Mar. 10, 2008 - FHA Increases Loan Limits for Prescott
FHA Loan Increases for Prescott Arizona
FHA has increased the loan amounts for homes purchased in Prescott.
New limits are:
$390,000 for a single family home (previous $271,000)
$499,250 for a two family home (previous $347,000)
$603,500 for a three family home (previous $419,400)
$750,000 for a four family home (previous $521,250).
This is great news for those looking to purchase with a low down payment (FHA currently requires a 3% down). Check with your local lender to find out details. If you don't have a lender familiar with FHA you won't do much better than Laurie Moore of Guarantee Mortgage.
If you are looking to see limits outside of Prescott check out the HUD FHA limits page.
Dishing it up- information and opinons on market trends, issues, technology and advances in Real Estate and related industries by Vicki Brannock, e-pro, ABR.
Comments are Encouraged! Please note comment area below each post.
RSS Blog Feed
.JPG)