Glendale Real Estate Podcast with Nate Martinez

Is It Time for You to Downsize?

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:20:00 -0700

Today I want to go over the subject of downsizing. Ask yourself this: What is the right size for the next 10 years of your life?

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There are many people in our country reaching retirement each day. A significant number of these people have homes that are much larger than they need. To help people determine whether it’s time to downsize or not, I like to ask the question, “What is the right size for the next 10 years of your life?” There is a lot to think about and discuss on the subject of rightsizing, which is why I’d like for you to join us for our next seminar. This upcoming event will take place on November 15th at the Arrowhead Country Club, and I hope to see you there.

Is all that extra space truly necessary?

One thing to think about when you’re considering downsizing is the size of your current home and how that size affects its maintenance. Once the kids are out of the house, is all that extra space truly necessary? My team and I can help you determine what your options are moving into the future. Whether you choose to live in an active adult community or simply wish to move into a smaller home, you can learn more about your options at our seminar. An attorney, title person, stager, professional photographer, and myself will all be present and ready to help. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Why Hasn’t Your Home Sold Yet?

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 14:13:00 -0700

Selling your home isn’t easy, but we can make it easy.

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Did you know that 14,904 homes sold yesterday in this country? If your house is on the market and wasn’t one of those sales you need to be asking, “Why not?” This data comes straight from the National Association of Realtors. With 14,904 home sales on average each day, there are plenty of opportunities out there. Over my 31 years of experience, I’ve realized that whether your home sells or not isn’t because of a bad location or in poor condition. It’s the price. It always comes down to the price. Marketing will help a home sell faster, but the best marketing in the world won’t sell an overpriced listing.

If your home isn’t selling, check the price first.

Last year in Maricopa County, there were 88,000 home sales. With over 35,000 Realtors in the Valley, that means each of them only sold two on average. Our team doesn’t settle for average. Our agents average 24 home sales per year, ranking us #1 in Arizona and in the top 50 nationwide. We have many great ideas about how to sell your home but if your home isn’t selling, the first thing you should look at and the first thing we will look at is its price. If you have any questions for us or need help properly pricing your home, don’t hesitate to reach out and give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

Does It Really Matter Which Realtor You Hire?

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 08:13:00 -0700

Hiring the right Realtor makes a big difference in the success of your home sale or home purchase.

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Does it make a difference which Realtor you hire when you decide to buy or sell a house? Absolutely.

First of all, there are more than 37,000 Realtors right here in the Valley ready to serve you.There are more than 4,200 real estate offices, as well. Last year, 88,000 homes sold in the Valley, and that was done by our own real estate population. If you do the math, that’s only an average of 2.4 transactions per agent.

When you’re searching for a Realtor, make sure you’re looking for the best in your area.

Think about it—if you were to hire a surgeon to perform an operation on someone you love, would you select one who does a couple operations a year or one who does hundreds?

In my 31 years as a Realtor, I’ve experienced many different types of transactions. Some of them are easy; some are very challenging. Between each Realtor, there are also differences in their education level and commitment to the job. I’ve been a full-time agent for all of my 31 years in the business, and I’ve helped more than 5,000 families buy or sell a house in the Valley.

When you’re searching for a Realtor, make sure you’re looking for the best in your area. If you have any questions about hiring the right Realtor or you’re considering buying or selling a home, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to helping you.

The Difference Between Pre-Approval and Pre-Qualification

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:21:00 -0700

How well do you understand the difference between pre-approval and pre-qualification?

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Do you know the difference between being pre-approved and pre-qualified?

It’s actually more simple than you might think.

When it comes to pre-qualification, nothing has been truly verified. All it means is that you, the buyer, have spoken with a lender about your finances.

With a pre-approval, everything is taken care of.

Things like income and debt will have been discussed at this point, and the lender will issue a pre-qualification.

A pre-approval, however, is quite a bit more involved. When you are pre-qualified, credit and financial documentation has actually been pulled and looked into.

At this point, the buyer’s done a full-blown credit report and have had their income verified. With a pre-approval, everything is taken care of and there’s no guesswork. If you have any questions about the difference between these two processes or you're thinking of buying or selling a home in our market, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'd be glad to help.

What Are the Benefits of a Home Warranty?

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 07:59:00 -0700

When buying a house, I recommend very highly that you also get a home warranty. There are a couple of important reasons why.

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Having a home warranty in place is one of the most important aspects of buying a house, next to the home inspection. What are all the benefits of having a home warranty?

It guarantees you’ll be free and clear of any additional out-of-pocket costs for the next 12 months after you buy the house. Many things can go wrong inside a house with all the plumbing, heating, cooling, air conditioning, and electrical systems. If something does go wrong, your warranty is there to protect you. For a $60 deductible, they’ll cover anything you want for that 12-month period.

You can keep your home warranty
indefinitely if you like.

Home warranties are renewable, so you can keep yours indefinitely if you like. They’ve helped many clients of mine over the years—both buyers and sellers. I also have home warranties on all the properties I own, and whenever something goes wrong, one quick call to the home warranty company saves the day.

If you buy a house with us and we can’t get a home warranty negotiated in the purchase contract, we’ll buy one for you.

If you have any questions about the benefits of a home warranty or you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

Reasons a Home Warranty Is Important

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 11:15:00 -0700

When you list with us, we offer a home warranty free for six months. There are a few reasons why having a home warranty is important.

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When listing your house, there are a few reasons I recommend you get a home warranty.

One of the primary reasons I recommend this is because when you list your house with us, you get free coverage for the first six months of warranty.

We do this so that if anything happens, you won’t have to worry. Having a home warranty isn’t just a good preventative measure, though—it also helps with the inspection process.

When you have a home inspection company come in to examine the items on your property prior to a buyer seeing the home, you’ll be able to fix any issues on your own terms. If you catch problems before a buyer is able to find them themselves, the process becomes much easier and can often be less costly.

If you have a warranty and anything breaks in your home, you’ll only pay a small deductible.

Another good reason to have a warranty is because we advertise to the buyer that there will be a year of warranty in place at close of escrow. This offer gives buyers a sense of assuredness. It lets them feel confident that they will be able to enter your property without fear of problems.

Also, if you have a warranty and anything does break in your home, you’re only going to pay a small $59 deductible to have it repaired.

For example, let’s say the compressor on your air conditioning suddenly stopped working. With as hot as our summers are, that sort of issue would be a pain both physically and financially. Without a home warranty, that kind of repair could cost thousands.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

A Seller's Guide to Multiple-Offer Situations

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 10:56:00 -0700

As the seller in a multiple-offer situation, you are ultimately in control. Here’s what you need to know.

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There are a few things that sellers need to know about handling multiple-offer situations.

When your property receives multiple offers there’s no doubt that you are ultimately in control. However, there are still some important steps to follow.

First off, your agent should be contacting the buyers’ lenders to make sure that their finances are in order.

Make sure that you are looking only at the strongest buyers

This will make sure that you are looking only at the strongest buyers, who will be able to close on time.

Using a multiple counter offer sets each buyer on a different stage. Ideally a buyer’s offer should meet your goals as well as theirs. You should also remember the following tips in your multiple counter offer.

Go with the buyer who puts the most amount of earnest money down, shorten the period for the response time, and also remove any contingencies.

If you want any more information or have any other questions, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

3 Ways to Get Your Offer Accepted

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Mon, 3 Jul 2017 12:42:00 -0700

Getting an offer accepted in this market isn’t easy. Here are three ways you can help your offer stand out.

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In today’s market we are finding that sellers are consistently receiving multiple offers. When this happens, the sellers are going to have the luxury of choosing the offer that meets their needs. That’s an important thing to remember when making an offer yourself. Here are three ways to make sure your next offer meets the seller’s needs:

1. Get pre-approved. This shows the sellers that you are serious about buying. It also allows you to quickly make an offer once you find a home because you are already approved.

A pre-approval shows you are serious.

2. Write a good offer. Expect to pay full price or better to win in this market. Limit that inspection time, increase your earnest money deposit, and be confident that it’s the strongest offer possible.

3. Write a letter to the seller. If you write a compelling letter to the seller that tells them why you love the house so much, it can create an emotional connection. If you’re neck and neck against another buyer, this could be enough to put you over the edge. Recently, one of our buyers won out in a multiple offer situation with the help of a custom video.

If you have any other questions for us, don’t hesitate to reach out and give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

What Are the Pitfalls of Pricing Your Home Too High?

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 12:03:00 -0700

Overpricing your home can cause you a lot of headaches as a home seller.

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If you’re a home seller, pricing your home too high can cause major pitfalls for your sale.

One of the biggest challenges you’ll come across if you do this is your home will spend a longer time on the market. In a hot market, homes usually sell in a matter of weeks, so if a house has been listed for a period of 30 to 60 days or longer, buyers will start to wonder what’s wrong with it. At that point, they’ll come in with an extremely low offer to offset your days on market.

Pricing your property properly is critical as a home seller.

Realtors will also use your overpriced home to justify the value of other listings in the community. The last thing you want for your home is for it to be the one that causes other homes in your neighborhood to sell quickly and for top dollar. This is why properly pricing your property is critical as a home seller.

If you have any questions about how to price your home or any other real estate topic, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to help you.

Don’t Skip the Home Inspection

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Thu, 1 Jun 2017 11:51:00 -0700

Why should you have a home inspection before closing a property?

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Home inspections are one of the most important parts of buying a house. There are many reasons why, but the most important is to look for any deal killers.

Your inspector will focus on things like mold, a leaky roof, or plumbing problems. You don’t want to waste your time negotiating for cosmetic issues like dings on the wall. The home inspection is done to unveil any issues that would cost you tens of thousands of dollars in repairs after closing on the home.

When you hire a home inspector, make sure that they have a lot of experience. Ideally, your inspector will carry some type of liability insurance, as well as omission insurance.

The home inspection reveals any major issues with the home before you become the owner.

Home inspections are a big part of the real estate transaction. In Arizona, you have 10 days from the time your contract is accepted to complete the inspection. Once the inspection is complete, the seller has five days to respond to any of your repair requests.

If your home inspection reveals too many deal killers or the seller is not willing to negotiate, you also have the option to walk away from the deal.

Whether you are buying a resale property or a new construction property, I absolutely recommend that you hire a home inspector. I’ll explain more about home inspections on new homes later. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. I would be happy to help you!

Inspections Are Essential for Every Home Purchase

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Wed, 17 May 2017 12:38:00 -0700

Should you hire a home inspector even if you’re building a brand-new home? Absolutely!

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If you’re in the market to buy a new construction home, you may think that a home inspection will be unnecessary because you are the first person to live in the home. While it is true that you'll be the first person to live in that home, home inspections are still necessary for any kind of home purchase.

I bought a new home a few years ago and ended up finding many things wrong with the home while it was being built. I had to call some things to the attention of the contractor. In Phoenix, contractors usually hire subcontractors for all phases of the construction, including the foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, and roof.

The biggest problem with subcontractors is that many of them are unskilled. In the past we had professional carpenters building these homes; today you may have someone building it who has only been on the job for a few months.

Lumber quality has been causing problems as well.

Lumber quality is another thing that can cause problems when buying a new home. In my home, they had to replace 52 pieces of lumber after constructing the frame because the wood was split, cracked, or warped.

Hiring a home inspector during the process will give you great peace of mind. They will come out to the build site several times during the process to ensure that everything is being constructed properly. Right before closing, they will do a final inspection and catch anything else that might be wrong. One year after closing escrow, it’s a good idea to have them come out again to make sure everything is holding up correctly.

If you have any questions for me about home inspections or anything else about real estate, give me a call or send me an email. I would love to hear from you soon.

What Does the Phoenix Market Look Like Right Now?

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 06:53:00 -0700

Most of Phoenix is in a strong seller’s market right now. Homes are moving quickly and sellers are fetching top dollar for them.

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We’re getting closer and close to summer here in Phoenix, so I thought it would be a good time to give you an update on our real estate market and what exactly we are seeing out there.

One thing we’ve been keeping an eye on lately is our extremely low levels of inventory. Homes under $200,000 are being bought up within days and the $200,000 to $400,000 market is very active as well.

The luxury market (homes priced over $1 million) is a little different. In that market, we have a 1.5 to two-year supply of homes. This segment is more of a buyer’s market, but everything priced below it is a strong seller’s market.

Waiting to buy could end up hurting you in this market.

If you’re a seller with a home worth $400,000 and under, now is one of the best times to put your home on the market that we’ve seen in awhile. If you’re a buyer in this market, things may be competitive, but homes are only going to get more expensive from here. Interest rates are expected to go up in 2017, and waiting until they do could cost you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your loan.

If you have any questions about the market or if you just want to have a conversation with me where we can talk more about your needs, give me a call or send me an email. I’m glad to help in whatever way I can.

How We Plan on Donating $100,000 to Charity in 2017

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 11:33:00 -0700

One of our goals in 2017 is to give back, and here’s how we plan to do that.

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Today, I want to talk to you about charitable contributions.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve had the great pleasure being able to donate a portion of our team’s earned commissions to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Our office is involved in a lot of different charities—each agent has their own pet charity, if you will.

In addition to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, we’ve gotten involved in the last year with a group called One Life Fully Lived, which is a group that reaches out to young adults and high school-aged kids in an effort to give them some guidance on their futures. We’re also a contributor to the Singleton Moms Foundation.

This year, our goal is to give back.

One of our initiatives in 2017 is to give back. My goal is to donate $100,000 to charities. Instead of us picking a charity that we think is good to donate to, we will ask our sellers which charities they’re fond of and make donations to those charities in our clients’ names.

If you have any questions or you know some worthwhile charities that could use some help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. We’d love to speak with you.

Don’t Wait Any Longer to Sell Your Home in 2017

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Fri, 3 Mar 2017 12:36:00 -0800

If you’ve considered selling your home in 2017, I have four urgent reasons you should get off the fence and onto the market.

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If you’ve been thinking about selling your house, I have four reasons why you should absolutely do it in 2017.

The first reason you should sell your home right now is that mortgage rates are still low. Today, rates are at around 4%, but the NAR, Zillow, and other publications have stated that interest rates will probably climb to about 5% by the end of the year. With interest rates currently low, buyers can afford more house, which puts you in a better position to sell your home.

Second, inventory is low and buyer demand is high. This combination of supply and demand provokes multiple offers on homes, which is great news for the seller as multiple offers result in top dollar for their home.

With interest rates currently low, buyers can afford more house, which puts you in a better position to sell your home.

Third, home prices have gone up. Over the last year, the NAR stated that homes prices rose by 6.8%. High home prices combined with low inventory creates a perfect storm for sellers.

Lastly, the job market is improving nationwide, which means the economy is improving. This in turn is causing people to feel more comfortable making bigger purchases such as cars and homes.

If you have any questions about the four reasons you should sell your home in 2017 or have any other real estate-related questions, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

A Great Opportunity for Local Business Owners

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 08:59:00 -0800

One of my goals in 2017 is to have a deeper connection with local business owners. To do that, I want to connect you with my database of past clients.

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If you are a local business owner, I’d like to help you out by getting you more customers. I’ve been in the real estate business for over 30 years and have helped over 6,000 people buy a house in the Northwest Valley.

With a large database of great past clients, I’d like to see if I can connect them to your business to help it grow. I’d love to sit down for breakfast, lunch, or coffee with you and learn a little bit more about you and your business.

If it seems like a good fit, I’ll put your business in the referral directory I send out to all my past clients. I can then refer them to use your services and vice versa.

If it’s a good fit, I’ll put your business in my referral directory.

One of my goals in 2017 is to have a deeper connection with all of you and make you part of my life by helping you grow your business. If you have any questions for me or you’d like to have lunch, don’t hesitate to reach out. Just give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Why Now Might Be a Better Time to Sell Than Spring

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 13:07:00 -0800

Listing your home now might be a better idea than waiting until spring. Here’s why.

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Is now a better time to sell your house than waiting until spring?

With the interest rate hike that we just witnessed, buyers are entering the market now instead of waiting until spring to purchase a house. Not only that, but our current inventory is extremely low, and the demand from buyers is extremely high.

Now is the right time to sell your house.

This makes our current market the perfect place to possibly get top dollar in a very short amount of time.

If you have any questions about current interest rates or what our market inventory looks like, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to speak with you!

The Impact of Rising Interest Rates in Our Phoenix Market

info@NatesHomes.com (Nate Martinez) — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 14:14:00 -0800

Interest rates are predicted to rise this year, so today I want to illustrate what impact that has on you as a buyer.

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What’s happening with rising interest rates in our current market?

In November, they were holding steady at 3.8%. That means if you borrowed $200,000 at that time, your monthly payment would have been roughly $931.

As we move into the first quarter of 2017, prices have gone up. Interest rates have gone up as well. Hypothetically speaking, if the price goes up $10,000 on that $200,000 house and interest rates rise from 3.8% to 4.8%, your monthly payment would increase to $1,105. That’s $175 more you would have to pay each month.

The Federal Reserve tells us that we will probably see additional increases in rates this year, so the sooner you can jump into the market and buy a house, the better off you will be. This is because your purchasing power as a buyer diminishes as rates rise.

The sooner you can buy a house, the better.

For example, at a 3.75% interest rate, your monthly payment for a $300,000 house would be $1,389. If that rate rises a quarter of a point, the amount you could qualify for drops by 2.5% to $292,500, and your monthly payment would increase to $1,396. If the rate rises a full percentage point, the amount you could qualify for drops by 10% to $270,000, and your monthly payment would increase to $1,408.

After a certain point, we should see a leveling off of the increase in home prices we’ve been experiencing here in the Phoenix area.

If you’re in the market to buy or sell a home, please feel free to reach out to me by phone or email. I’d be happy to help!