Scottsdale Arizona Real Estate News & Listings Presented By RE/MAX Excalibur

7262 W GARDENIA Avenue, Glendale 85303

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:28:15 GMT

A real gem worth your consideration. Job relocation forced owners to sell their dream home. From the moment you walk-in, Sellers TLC is noticeable. Den/Office and powder room with tile floors on the first floor along with Great room, dining, large kitchen all with Hickory wood floors complete the main level. Step outside to spacious well manicured green grass yard with plenty of patio surface for your entertaining needs. Built-in barbecue with flagstone counter & a concrete seat wall is easy access for cooking without missing the party. All bedrooms upstairs and very spacious multi-purpose room - for media, playroom craft area, make this a perfect home for the Arizona lifestyle.

5333 W DESERT COVE Avenue, Glendale 85304

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:32:31 GMT

You won't want to miss this great opportunity. So much to tell- Block construction with stucco block wall around the back yard. 2011 both the roof and the HVAC were replaced. Insulation improved to 46 R-Factor. No carpeting throughout; either concrete or tile floors. Arizona room is not part of the sq. footage sited in tax records. Family rm with eating area and breakfast bar open to kitchen. Dishwasher was removed from cabinet and not replaced. GE Electric range replaced in 2009. Large indoor laundry - shown as ''other'' in room sizes. Hot water heater replaced in 2009. Kitchen & laundry afford easy access to 2-car garage. Spacious south backyard w/covered patio. 6-ft metal gate on east side leads to concrete slab for a storage unit. 6-ft gate on west side leads to enormous parking sl

21206 N 62ND Avenue, Glendale 85308

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:00:45 GMT

Golf course lot- Fantastic Upgrades with Remodeled Kitchen in 2007- Sparkling Pool and Built In BBQ Entertainment Area - Large Master Down -Freshly painted Three Bedrooms Upstairs Plus a Loft - 3 Car Garage - Cul de Sac. Owner started remodeling Master Bedroom, needs flooring completed.

15835 N 23RD Place, Phoenix 85022

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:12:07 GMT

Great home for the price. Square footage does not include the step down (19x8) open extension of the great room. Built in entertainment center features multiple lighted niches - seller has three tvs great for watching all your programs simultaneously. Corner wood burning fireplace in the great room. Custom breakfast bar in the kitchen faces the tv area of the great room. Spacious backyard, with large pool and plenty of space for entertaining or just enjoy privacy with mature vegetation along the perimeter. Large laundry, Hot water heater and storage pantry off the living room.

7602 N 69TH Place, Paradise Valley 85253

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:14:33 GMT

What a wonderful opportunity for a fabulous home meticulously remodeled for today's lifestyle.Open but defined areas for formal dining, wine room, living rm- full entertaining bar, family rm & kitchen with large walk in pantry-includes second side by side refrigerator freezer. Guest Powder room leads to the East wing which contains two en-suite bedrms with a teen room/lounge or game room in the center. West wing is 4th en-suite bedroom and master wing with 2 closets, second washer-dryer- coffee bar- steam shower dual vanities and more. Outdoor paradise w/pool-spa rooftop patio w/fireplace, and incredible grounds leading to full guest casita and space beyond manicured lawns sizeable for tennis court.Multiple outdoor living areas with 2 fireplaces. Must see!

511 W 13TH Street, Tempe 85281

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:14:33 GMT

Prepare to be charmed! Vintage 1950's home has many touches of early Tempe woven in with green ideas of modern living. Bamboo, wood laminate and ceramic tile floors blend with the open, large rooms and abundant natural light. Block construction painted interior walls give a feel of old adobe. Living room has a 6x9 window, 8 1/2 ft celings in a 22x14 space for versatile use. Indoor spaces blend w/ serenity of the outdoor living- covered patio, Koi pond, abundant trees and shrubs. A rare wooded, irrigated spacious lot in the heart of Tempe less than 1/2 mile from ASU campus. The kitchen is quaint with original dble sink with drain boards, Tappan gas range and artfully painted metal cabinets. Tiffany-style ceiling light & a wood corner table-bench dining area complete a vintage kitchen.

3634 W RANIER Court, Anthem 85086

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:16:01 GMT

Looking for a great value in Anthem? You found it on Ranier Ct. Spacious Living/Dining room greet you at first entry.Occupant has made this the ultimate game room. A cozy family room with fireplace and laminate wood floors is adjacent to casual diningand great cook's kitchen making this floorplan ideal for Arizona lifestyle. Master and three more bedrooms upstairs; don't overlook a dualcomputer work station. Master Bath has spacious closet, garden tub and separate shower. And if you like living in a resort, step outside to the patio,expansive lawn, pool and spa. An umbrella in the shallow end gives you a shady retreat from the summer sun. garage is equipped with work bench and cabinets. Plantation shutters on first floor front room windows. Don't miss virtual tour.

5817 E WALTANN Lane, Scottsdale 85254

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:08:01 GMT

Great remodel 2005-2006. Charming curb appeal welcomes you to this inviting home with Southwestern touches throughout. wood beam ceiling in family room with corner fireplace. Anderson Arcadia doors. windows replaced 2005. Cooks kitchen-Knotty Alder cabinet doors. Master suite on east wing; updated bath. Access from master to backyard-patio & pool. Three guest bedrooms and bath on the west wing. One bedroom is currently an office with gorgeous built in two person desk, cabinets, large closet (11 ft. length), & sliding doors to back patio and pool. Backyard is a true AZ paradise with grass lawn, diving pool (filled and needing repairs), covered patio, paver seating areas, citrus trees, and two wide side yards with RV gate. Dont miss this one. Built-up roof replaced with foam roof 2006

9444 87TH Street, Scottsdale 85258

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:50:16 GMT

Ready to relax and enjoy your Scottsdale winter vacation? Landlord is including pool and yard maintenance along with bi-weekly house keeping services. Just bring your tooth brush and enjoy this two bedroom and a den spacious winter home with enclosed patio, and West facing pool adjacent to the Mt. View park.

3103 E DELTA Avenue, Mesa 85204

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:50:16 GMT

What a great opportunity in East Mesa Two of the four bedrooms have their own bath- hall bath shares with other two bedrooms. Living room is spacious. Kitchen separates living room on the east side and dining and family room on the west side. Good size laundry has a utility sink and overhead cabinets. kitchen has a breakfast bar at counter height. Kitchen counters are a handsome stone-like tile.

Gayle Henderson PC CDPE answers a question about Short Sales

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:08:00 GMT

Q: I am facing financial crisis and yet I haven’t missed any payments. My house isn’t worth as much as I owe on it and I want to buy something else, smaller, lower mortgage and move into it before I try a short sale. Is that a wise thing to do?

A: This is an excellent question and one I am faced with regularly these days. Sellers who accomplish what you just suggested, perhaps unknowingly, may bring themselves more troubles further down the road. Here is the typical scenario, the homeowner sees that sometime in the near future, maybe a matter of a few months, their funds are going to run out and they will no longer be able to continue to support the costs involved in their current home. They may or may not try to sell the home during this period, but are unable to do so because they owe more than the value of the current home. In what they may feel is prudent financial planning, they find and purchase a second home in which they close escrow, move into the new home and then the following month, they cease paying the mortgage on their prior residence and try to enter into a short sale on that prior residence. With the tightening of lender qualifications and the need to disclose all assets and support the purchase of the second property which they plan to make their personal residence, the first question that begs answering is that if there were enough actual assets to qualify for the purchase of the second home and carry both, then how can a hardship be documented for the first lender in the first home to accept a short sale. Short sales are not meant to be a creative alternative to financial planning to rid one of higher debt in order to buy a smaller lesser property at a much lower interest rate and leave the first lender to absorb the loss of the loan and the cost of the sale. This is the same logic or lack thereof that led to “don’t show , don’t tell” in stated income or no income, no job verification loans that contributed to the financial crisis that we currently experience. This is the reflection of it’s always “someone else’s responsibility, not mine” logic. Be wary of this thinking or anyone suggesting that this is a legitimate way out of your financial crisis. The consequences could be ominous. The lender on the first property could deny your request for a short sale. The lender on the second property could allege mortgage fraud and third, the homeowner, his mortgage broker and the real estate brokers could be subject to the scrutiny of ongoing HUD investigations. Make sure your financial plans, assets, purchases and sales are 100% transparent and full disclosure with no exceptions is the rule. This is not an additional financial and legal challenge that any homeowner would welcome.

Opinion by Gayle Henderson PC CDPE, RE/MAX Excalibur Realty. 602-850-4335. www.azavoidforeclosurenow.com

A Q&A with Gayle Henderson PC : Relocating from Arizona but Upside Down on Your Mortgage?

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:46:00 GMT

Q: I bought my home in 2005 at a high point in the market. I need to sell my house in order to take a job in another state. The company that is hiring me doesn’t give relocation benefits and I am concerned that I can’t afford to sell. There isn’t enough equity to pay off the loan, let alone the cost of the sale. Do you have any suggestions for me?

A: You are certainly not alone in your dilemma and yet there are several options, some easier than others. First, consider renting the home for enough to cover the mortgage and include the cost of landscape maintenance, pool maintenance and even housekeeping services every other week. These added services, which the rent might cover, will help give assurance that the property will be appropriately maintained during tenancy. Look into paying for a home warranty on the property. In the rental agreement, request the tenant will pay for the first $45.00 of repairs covering the cost of the service-call per trade. The home warranty company will assume the remainder of the repair or replacement cost. However, make sure to research home warranty companies. Get referrals from neighbors, friends or your REALTOR who helped you buy the home three years ago. Although your REALTOR may not routinely handle rentals, most will take care of their clients’ needs by offering the home for rent in the Multiple List system, conducting appropriate credit checks and making the move-in and move-out walk through and inspection as part of their fee for service. In today’s market, where so many people are not able to qualify for a loan, the demand for good rental property is increasing weekly and rents are escalating, making it more likely that you will cover your current carrying costs. Even if it doesn’t quite cover your costs, consider that shortfall as a forced savings or investment into your home for future gain when you sell. Getting a good tenant who has the potential of staying in your home for a year or two may allow you to ride out this roller coaster real estate market. You can then consider selling in a couple of years when the market has stabilized and appreciation will make it more profitable to sell. In the meantime, you will probably have to rent in your new destination. Though you will lose certain tax benefits on your current home when it becomes a rental, you will also gain benefit from other tax deductions exclusively designed for investment properties. In upcoming entries, I will note some of the other options if converting your current home to a rental property is not feasible.

If you have any questions, please call Gayle Henderson PC 602-850-4335 or gayle@azmovingplan.com RE/MAX Excalibur Realty

BUYERS! Learn About the FHA Streamline 203 (K) Limited Repair Loan

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:32:00 GMT

As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act, July 30th 2008, a new program was outlined called the FHA Streamline 203 (K) Limited Repair Loan. For those of you who have fallen in love with a home that may need some TLC, and are considering an FHA loan, this may be a perfect opportunity to get the home of your dreams! Buyers can finance up to $35,000 over the purchase price of their home for home improvements like flooring, paint, remodeling. They can receive these monies before they even move into the property. To learn details, visit the HUD information on the FHA Streamline 203 (K) Mortgage page. Talk to a lender familiar with the FHA loan requirements and various programs available. If you need a referral, give me a call! Gayle Henderson PC RE/MAX Excalibur 602-850-4335.

RE/MAX International CEO, Margaret Kelly appears on NBC Today Show

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:25:00 GMT

I wanted to share with my clients and friends this live interview at the NBC studios in New York for the NBC Today Show. The CEO of RE/MAX International, Margaret Kelly discussed two topics with Al Roker, "Selling a House in Today's Market" and "Existing Home Sales Data from the National Association of Realtors." Margaret Kelly reiterated what I have been consulting my sellers to do in this current real estate market and even used one of my long held phrases, "this real estate market is both a beauty contest and a price war". However, I always follow up that statement with.. you better be good at both! In fact, I brought up this topic during the RE/MAX International Convention in Las Vegas Spring 2008, while on a luxury home marketing expert panel with Laurie Moore Moore of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. The statement continues to hold true and for the sellers that truly embrace the concept, I find their homes sell quicker and for more money.

Houses are still selling in the Phoenix and Scottsdale real estate market. It is the sellers that are willing to be aggressive and stay on top of the market that find success. Please take a moment to view the interview below and feel free to give me a call if you have any questions, comments or concerns about any of the topics covered.

Gayle Henderson PC RE/MAX Excalibur Realty 602-850-4335 gayle@azmovingplan.com

Is the Real Estate Market in Phoenix Going to Get Better this Fall?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:14:00 GMT

That question is difficult to tackle as it almost forces the experts to look forward , as if they had a crystal ball and tell us what our future is going to look like. Yes, they can have opinions based on their vast experience, however you can find more diversity than consensus in the opinions you seek. The long hot days of summer are drawing to a close and with it many homeowners are looking for the magic answer to sell or not to sell, to try to buy or not to buy. Late July saw a rapid decrease in oil prices and the promise of more to come. This will certainly influence food and durable goods prices in the coming months which in turn will positively impact consumer confidence. In recent discussions with economic experts it was clarified that consumer confidence or lack thereof is considered a trailing indicator, not a leading indicator. The level of confidence rises and falls as a result of the economic factors that impact their daily lives. Consumer confidence is a reaction to the current economic picture. As the energy, food prices and banking issues are resolved, consumer confidence will then improve. Buyers are on the sidelines. It has been the Sellers that have gone away by ignoring the signs that this market is a new market, it is the only market we have to deal with right now and requires laser sharp pricing and beauty makeovers regardless of the price. Put yourself in the eyes of the Buyer who might have 100 homes in a relatively small geographic area to sort through. With the benefit of photos and the often omitted virtual tour, they can zero in on the picture perfect home that is move in ready and outshines all the competition. Believe me that property sells in this market, if priced to reflect VALUE. Starting this month, the various economic watchdogs will be hosting a variety of Economic Forecast breakfasts and luncheons that the business sector eagerly awaits. This will begin to give us a look at a recap of our year and a cautious look to the future in 2009. Please look for my Economic Snapshot, usually published and mailed annually in February. This will represent a composite of these various meetings of some of the Valley’s best economists. Remember as you move forward with your real estate plans, VALUE and BEAUTY are the two most important components in a Buyer’s mind today.

If you have any questions or comments, give me a call at 602-850-4335 or gayle@azmovingplan.com Gayle Henderson PC RE/MAX Excalibur

New MLS system is Rolled Out in Arizona Allowing Better Real Estate Service

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:15:00 GMT

Change is a natural process we go through in life and with the advances in technology, we seem to have to go through change more frequently. More often than not, change tends to not be a smooth transition from old to new, but usually well worth the pain and struggle!

This week, our Arizona Multiple Listing Service changed new providers for our listing property database to FlexMLS. As a REALTOR, I am very excited to put the system into play with so many additional features and benefits that I can offer my clients; both sellers and buyers. For my buyers, I can now search by added fields like foreclosure and bank repo properties, more specific number of garages for my car enthusiasts, and no more tight 'area' criteria. Now, we can draw an area on a map and the system will pull up all the listings within the radius that I drew. For my sellers, I can easily conduct market analysis and neighborhood analysis searches that I was limited in doing before. I can showcase our listings even more by adding unlimited photos, documents like plat maps, floorplans, feature lists, etc. Buyers and agents can quickly view a satellite image of the property to see the lot size and location.

As a real estate professional, I am always excited to implement advancement in technologies into my business and am really excited to be able to take my business to a new and higher level of client service! If you would like me to set you up on any automatic searches where you can receive new properties via your email, just let me know! Gayle Henderson, RE/MAX Excalibur, 602-850-4335, gayle@azmovingplan.com

Attention Sellers! Are you in the Market or merely on the Market?

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:51:00 GMT

I was recently showing homes between $600,000-900,000 in several valley areas: Mesa, Chandler, and northeast Phoenix. Over a period of three weeks, the buyer and I spent two to three days per week exhaustively combing through the inventory. It didn’t really take much time to see which Sellers understood the current condition and which were still tied to expectations of an earlier heated market of several years ago. Those that were grossly overpriced really stood out and awkwardly so. Upon telephone inquiries to Listing Agents, we quickly saw that the Sellers Agents also had an uphill battle convincing the Seller that this is not a market to test or wait and see unless you want to wait and see prices level even more. Some areas are stabilizing and properties are selling in reasonable days on market. The ability of all agents to access an archive history of a property is very telling. Long days on market usually reflect unrealistic price expectations. One MLS printout with REALTOR remarks: “no low ball offers”, prompted my telephone inquiry to the Lister. “Low-Ball offers is very subjective.” I submitted. “What exactly are you trying to say?” The Lister went on to quote several neighborhood sales, with which I was familiar. The conversation revealed that the Seller through the Listing Agent was counting on an appraiser looking at six-nine month old sales in the immediate neighborhood, and hoping that the more recent bank-owned sales would not be considered. Just to confirm my understanding, I phoned a very well-known and respected Appraiser for his opinion. Quite simply, the current lender requirement is: no sales older than three months, consider everything similar within at least one mile, include at least one pending and give full weight to any bank owned property sales, as it is a true reflection of the current market. Our offer was presented, along with a letter of introduction of the prospective Buyer and their quality as a buyer, and a copy of the current market analysis that we used to determine the offer. My Buyer is under contract on that home, the Seller was able to sell in less than 60 days at “fair market value”, and is currently under contract on their replacement home. Both the Buyer and the Seller have their attention on getting settled in their next home and getting on with their lives; a win for everyone. If you have any questions on entering the Phoenix real estate market, give me a call, Gayle Henderson PC RE/MAX Excalibur, gayle@azmovingplan.com or 602-850-4335.

Summer is here and critters are near in our Desert Oasis!

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:42:00 GMT

As our temperature rises, it seems like we are seeing more and more of our desert critters emerge. Many of my clients come to me and ask what they can do to prevent an unwanted encounter with a scorpion or snake. My answer is always to call my good friends at "We Seal It". I have had them come out and 'seal' my homes over the years and they do an amazing job! They have a program known as "Desert Proofing the Home" where they go through your entire home inside and out and seal the property where insects might sneak in. This includes light fixtures, vents, screens, walls, pipes and more. If you want to learn more information, visit http://www.wesealit.net or call them at 602-866-3560. If you are like me, you love the desert but may not appreciate all the critters that go with it! Give "We Seal It" a call. Gayle Henderson PC RE/MAX Excalibur. 602-850-4335. (Gayle Henderson is in no way affiliated with the We Seal It company, and do not guarantee their services. However, they do. They provide a 5 year warranty.)

Are you itching to buy a home in this great market but need your home sold first?

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:21:00 GMT

I hear from a lot of people these days that have their home on the market that they are anxious to take advantage of the prices on the buy side and are frustrated that their home has not sold. Remember this is a price war and a beauty contest and you need to be good at both. I say that often and I say it loud.

I will assume you have done all those things to make your home shine and jump through hoops to make sure you are show ready whenever a prospective buyer wants to see your home. So, the only thing left is pricing. Have you asked your listing agent to take you out for an afternoon to look at your competition? And I don’t just mean you look at homes in your neighborhood. If your listing agent is also working with buyers in your price range they will know where buyers are looking besides your neighborhood. Take this task seriously and make your evaluation of which home represents the best value in the mind of the buyer. Ask yourself, would I buy my home at this price? The only way you can truly answer that is to know what your competition offers. What attracts you to the home you have in mind you want to buy? Make that list. Does your home fit that same criteria for someone who is thinking about looking to purchase your home? If you keep coming back to the same argument that you need to break even in order to sell, then you might try some different calculations. Ask yourself, how much under normal market price am I going to be able to get my next home? How much under normal market price can I sell my current home and still make that up and more on the purchase? Whether or not a seller is breaking even is not a primary concern to the prospective buyer. In the current market, with a heavy inventory of homes for sale, value, condition, and location, in that order, are the only things the buyers have on their mind. This is not an easy market to navigate through as a seller or buyer and yet if you are up to the task, you can truly make an incredible investment that doesn’t come along very often. If you hav any questions, please give me a call at 602-850-4335. Gayle Henderson PC RE/MAX Excalibur.

Shred the Past Party a Success!

Mon, 19 May 2008 16:23:00 GMT

Thank you for all coming to shred your old files and receipts at our office on Saturday! We had a great time catching up with everyone and hearing about your lives. If you didn't get a chance to come on by... we plan to make this a yearly event so feel free to plan on next year! I also want to thank you for your kind donations to our charities: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Children's Miracle Network and the Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation. We appreciate your support! Once again, thank you for coming! Gayle Henderson. RE/MAX Excalibur. gayle@azmovingplan.com