Ask The Agents Archives - The Phoenix Real Estate Guy

My Listing Expired – How Do I Get REALTORS to Stop Calling Me?

January 16, 2016 By Shar Rundio

So you had your Phoenix house listed for sale and for whatever reason it didn’t sell. The listing expired, or you decided to rent it, you decided not to move, or for some other random reason the listing was canceled.

BE PREPARED. You might think it is more common to look for new listings, but there’s more to it than that. Listings that didn’t go through turn into a market unto itself. It has been common to observe that tomorrow the calls will start (probably about 7:00am or so) and they’ll keep coming and coming for the next couple days. Hundreds, likely. And you should also prepare your family. Your children, and your parents, and your dog’s previous owner’s cousin’s father-in-law will start getting calls. The agents calling have a polished (or maybe not) script about how your previous REALTOR didn’t get the job done and how they will. They might even have a slick deal to sell your house in so many days or they’ll buy it (have you seen the asterisks on those promises?). They’ll pressure you and tell you that you should go ahead and list with them ASAP.

You should know it’s not your previous REALTOR’s fault. And they can’t do anything about it. It doesn’t matter if your phone number was in the listing or if your REALTOR remembered to remove it. Heck, it doesn’t even matter if they’re calling a REALTOR who had their own house for sale. The agents calling you don’t check the MLS…and frankly they don’t care. They’re purchasing a list of addresses from any number of services who specialize in selling them. And the services will find every phone number that has ever been associated with the home (and then some). And the agents will call. Using auto-dialer systems. The committed ones will knock out 300 calls a day.

“But I’m on the DO NOT CALL LIST.” Bwahahaha…I wish that mattered. Really, I do. I’ve heard many of these agents tout how no REALTOR has ever been fined. And how few businesses have EVER been fined. They know that the DNC list doesn’t have teeth and they’ll take their chances harassing people. Harass 100 people and they’ll get their next deal. Nothing like giving the profession I love a stellar name. {insert sarcasm}

“How do I get REALTORS to STOP calling me?”

You might want to stop answering your phone for a couple of days or switch phone plans. It will just take time. If you’d still like to sell your house, we suggest listing it with someone like one of the Phoenix Real Estate Guy agents. Someone who respects the Do Not Call List and promises not to harass you or your family. If we can help in that endeavor, we’d value the opportunity to earn your business.

As always, if there’s anything I can help with feel free to give me a call at 480.420.4441 or email me at shar@phoenixrealestateguy.com.

What effect will rate hike have on Phoenix Real Estate

December 18, 2015 By Dean Ouellette

Phoenix Real Estate, how will it be effected by Fed Rate Hike to

Could the Phoenix real estate market be in danger of a big shake up? So most of you probably heard by now that The Fed raised rates by .25% yesterday, the first rate hike in almost a decade. But what does that mean to the Phoenix real estate market?

In this edition of #AskphxREguy, we attempt to answer that the best we can.

Yes The Fed raised rates by .25% yesterday, but it is unlikely to have much of an impact on the Phoenix real estate market short term. But we need to be aware of the full story and what is coming down the road.

As Michael Orr of the Cromford Report said, (sorry, this is a subscription based service only), while there is unlikely much impact, any impact will be in an upward movement in mortgage rates, not a downward movement.

If we look back a decade we will see the Federal funds rate went up 4% from 2004 to 2006, but the actual mortgage rates during those times only went up about 1%. (Thanks John Wake for helping us geek out). So you can see there is not always a direct percent-for-percent correlation between the fund rate and mortgage rates.

But one thing we do need to watch out for is what The Fed has signaled is likely coming in the next year. The Fed has signaled that they will likely look at rate increases over the next year. Many experts expect a gradual increase, so likely another .25% every quarter for the next year. So while a 1/4 may not seem like much, when you look at the funds rate being up by as much as 1.25% over the next year, then things can add up.

So what would happen to the Phoenix real estate market if rates were to jump 1/4% because of the Fed rate increase.

The Phoenix real estate market is pretty stable right now. While there is still a very slight advantage overall to the Seller, it is very close to a balanced market. Prices still continue to grow upward in a very controlled and sustainable manner.

If you were currently qualified to take on a $300,000 mortgage, what would happen if rates jumped .25%. The house you can qualify for, keeping the same payment, is not longer $300k, it would drop closer to $290,000. Maybe not a huge change, but it could make the difference between you getting the house you want, in the neighborhood you want.

Now if you do this a few times over the next year, a mortgage rate change of .5% could end up really making a difference in the house you buy.

While we do not believe the rate increase will change the Phoenix real estate market that much in the short term, we do have some concern over what could happen to the market in the next year. So if you are thinking about buying any time soon, you may want to start thinking about it sooner rather than later.

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Phoenix winter energy saving tip infographic

November 30, 2015 By Dean Ouellette

This #AskTPREG question came from someone who obviously is not from around here. The question was, what are the winter electric bills over there in your home in Phoenix.

While we really worry about our electric bills more in the summer than the winter, there are still some things you can do to help lower your energy costs through the help of your local residential and commercial electrician. Visit https://airnowhvac.com/electrical-services for more information. If you need to do some repairs, an aereoquip might come handy to have.

Looking for a reliable and qualified electrician near you to check your home’s electrical systems can be hard. There are a lot of consideration like the price and quality of work you are getting. Well if you are in Brisbane Australia you can always find a trusted electrical contractor through yellow pages or hi pages. Visit barnettelectrical.com/service-areas/oklahoma-city-hvac-services/ and see if they can service your area.

Now, I am assuming you don’t want to buy a new build. New build homes today have much better energy saving features than older houses, but we put together this infographic to provide you some ways to look at winter energy savings. Switch Electrical is the best electrician Worthing has to offer.

Now remember many of these tips will help save money with your summer bill also

Turn the heat down and put on another layer. Or in the summer, turn the AC down and dress cooler.
Low-flow water heads can help when taking a shower and saving on hot water costs and use a rcc7ak water filter reviews say its the best in the market.
Clean the coils and ducts – Pull out that fridge and give the back a good dusting. You should also clean the ducts when you’re at it. You can visit company website to hire professionals. Get a quote at sites like homeserviceheroesfl.com/duct-cleaning/.
Clean your filters – According to experts like Stith Plumbing & HVAC, be it the furnace filter or the AC filter, you should replace it often to maintain comfortable temperature during colder seasons in Cedar Park, TX. While you’re at it, make sure that heating maintenance is not skipped this year, or the year after. If you’re looking for a professional that can do it for you, then visit sites like https://alohaairmemphis.com/heating-services/furnace-installation/ to hire one. Doing it regularly will not only prolong the life of your system but also improve it’s energy-efficiency. If your AC needs some repairs, you can definitely rely on your top rated ac service in Las Vegas. If your furnace needs furnace replacement, tune-up, or furnace repair, ask help from experts. For furnace maintenance, visit Sitton Mechanical / Furnace tune up in Stillwater, OK. If you need more guidance on furnace tune up, visit sites like https://castlehomecomfort.com/.
Caulk the cracks – Look closely at your windows, there is all types of air getting in and out.
Pull the plug – Do you know an appliance not being used, but plugged in is still pulling electricity? If you are having problems with your circuit breakers, you can contact a licensed electrician to check it for you. Also, a simple tune up can help you save lots of energy. Read this Poss Electric: electric panel upgrade article to know more.
Change your bulbs – You are using CFL or LED lights, right?
Check your doors – At night, go outside with the door closed and a flashlight, have someone on the inside, also in the dark check for light as you shine a light around the doors. Often a sweep will help here.

Phoenix winter energy saving tips infographic

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Popular Interior Paint Colors Such As Wood Stain When Selling Your Phoenix Home

August 31, 2015 By Dean Ouellette

Popular Interior Paint Colors

Getting a proper painting service shouldn’t be that hard. Make sure that you get a professional company to do it to get the best bang out of your money. If you are in Brisbane Australia and is looking for a reputable company for dedicated painting services then you can’t go wrong with WARREN and SONS.

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<img title=”Popular Interior Paint Colors” alt=”Popular Interior Paint Colors” src=href=”https://phoenixrealestateguy.com/app/uploads/2015/08/DOuellettePaintingIG-e1441046646761.jpg” width=”100%” border=”0″ /> Brought to you by: <a href=”http://phoenixrealestateguy.com”>Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>

Oak Lawn Painters offers excellent residential and commercial painting services also can help you with other home maintenance jobs such as drywall repair, power washing, wallpaper install and removal and more.

I often get asked, should I paint my house and if so what color?

Paint the house whatever color you find most appealing to you. You can also visit sites like charlottencflooring.com for flooring options for your home. Of course there are really two different scenarios here. First is, you are planning on staying in the house. You can use the infographic above to see some of the most popular colors of 2015 for interior paint taken from https://www.sovchem.co.uk.

Second scenario is you are selling your house. If that is you, then you want to stay with something neutral and avoid accent walls for the most part. If you are to paint the house on your own, you might want to start by buying yourself a drywall stilt to reach high areas.

But my room is so pretty

It may be, but what about that buyer that is 20 years younger than you or 20 years older? What will they think. You may love your kids pink and purple bedrooms, but when the couple with two teenage boys comes through the house all they see is work that needs to be done. You can check out these guys for extra help on home improvements.

And what does the Buyer start thinking about when they see work? How much money can we get off for this? Find the answer reading the Home Remodel Digest news.

That is now what you want a buyer thinking about. You want them thinking about how move in ready this home is with its fresh, neutral paint.

Phoenix home appraisal process, what to expect

August 10, 2015 By Dean Ouellette

If you like this infographic please feel free to tweet, pin, like or share it in any way you want.

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<img title=”Art of the Appraisal” alt=”Home appraisal process” src=”https://phoenixrealestateguy.com/app/uploads/2015/08/DeanOuellette-ArtOfAppraisal-1.jpg” width=”100%” border=”0″ /> Brought to you by: <a href=”http://phoenixrealestateguy.com”>Phoenix Real Estate Guy</a>

I shot this video at a house in Carino Estates that recently went under contract. One of the first steps when a house goes under contract is the appraisal process. Here is what you need to know.

Phoenix Home Appraisal Process

An appraisal is a written estimate of the homes value. While the banks use this number, remember it is only an estimate. If I were to take a property appraiser to look at this same Carino Estates home, it is likely that they would come up with two different numbers. As crazy as it sounds, I have seen two appraisals on the same house in the same week come in as much as 20% off from each other.

So what are they looking for when they do your Phoenix home appraisal?

They are looking at things such as condition of the house, how well it has been maintained, the size of the house along with the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and their design for which we recommend to see the bathroom remodeling waukesha catalog, and garage spaces. What upgrades does the house have since it was first built, what materials are used in the house and what condition is the yard in.

What to expect on appraisal day?

So what should you expect on appraisal day? The appraiser will likely be there for 20-30 minutes. They will take a measurement of the outside of the house for square footage verification and they will take pictures, lots and lots of pictures.

How to prepare for your appraisal

Are you already working with us and have been through our listing process? If yes, then you’re likely have already had a professional stager come in and a professional house cleaning services like Power Washing in Lake County IL. As long as you have not done much, your house should be mostly ready to go. The one thing you will want to do is make sure the house is ready for show. All the lights are on and any repairs or upgrades that you have done, have a copy of the receipts ready to go for the appraiser.

If you have not had your house professionally cleaned and given staging advice, there may be some basics you will want to take care of. First, declutter, second declutter some more, and third, when you are done with that, declutter more. Just like showing the house, you want to get as much out as possible. Think, like a model home.

Any major work you have done to the house, hopefully you kept receipts. If you have, leave a copy of them for the appraiser.

If you have any questions make sure you contact us and we will help you out.