It’s tempting to skip the final walk-through when buying your home, but as a Realtor, I view a final walk-through a crucial step in the home buying process. Final walk-through’s assure you that the property you are purchasing is in the agreed-upon condition.

Why Do a Final Walk-Through?

Final walk-throughs are not a home inspection or a time for negotiations. Instead, the final walk-through allows us to address common issues such as:

• If the current owner is on schedule to move out
• That the property is in the same condition it was when shown
• That any repairs required have been completed

Vacant Home or Occupied? 

For homes that are vacant or still occupied, final walk-throughs are vital.

If the seller has moved out of the home, and it is now vacant, problems may have risen while the home was vacant. Leaking faucets causing flooding or other plumbing problems could have occurred, and a final walk-through will help catch the problem before closing.

On the other hand, if the sellers haven’t moved out yet, make sure the seller is present during the final walk-through. Sellers will be able to explain details about the house that the buyer may need to know, especially tricky pool heaters, access to attics, funny light switches, and sprinkler timers.

Additionally, the final walk-through is a time to compile a list of companies that have serviced the house in the past.

I like to schedule final walk-throughs at least 4 – 7 days before closing, as this is often enough time to resolve any outstanding issues before paperwork must be signed. (The walk-through itself may happen within 24 hours of closing.)

Checklist for the Final Walk-Through

• Electrical: Check the home’s electrical system by turning on and off every light switch and checking the electrical outlets. A great way to check the outlets in your home is to bring a phone charger and plug in your phone to ensure the outlet is functioning correctly. Also, check to ensure the garage door, security system, and doorbell are in working order.
• Doors and Windows: Open windows and doors to check latches and locks. Make sure your home is secure.
• Plumbing: Flush toilets, run faucets, and check under sinks for leaks. Make sure the bathrooms are free from water damage and that the sinks and bathtubs drain properly.
• Heating and Air Conditioning: Whether it is freezing or hot outside, test the heating and air conditioning.
• Appliances: Test the oven, dishwasher, open the fridge and freezer, and don’t forget to turn on the washer and dryer.

I’m dedicated to protecting my clients from the beginning through the end of the home buying experience. If you want to work with someone who pays attention to the details, give me a call today.

Have you decided to start hunting for a home? Congratulations! Now that you’ve decided to start looking, now lies the question, “How do you plan on finding the home you want?”

Studies report that 49% of home buyers use the internet to find a home, 31% use a real estate agent and 7% look for ‘For Sale’ signs and ‘Open House’ signs in yards. Those numbers reinforce that there are a variety of sources to find a home. However, if you want to hunt for a home like a pro, here are some simple tactics that will make your experience much more efficient, pleasurable, and likely to land you a home you want to buy.

House Hunting Tactics

1. Know what you can afford. How can you begin to look before you know what you can buy? A price range usually narrows the field considerably. If you need help determining how much you can afford, ask an agent to help you work through that math. Getting pre-qualified with a mortgage company can also help you find the answer to this question.
2. Know where you want to live. Seems obvious, right? However, each neighborhood offers its own flavor of amenities and schools. Understanding things like walk scores, commute times, and the quality of the school district can have a significant impact on your choice. The Prescott Quad Cities has numerous subdivisions, and to learn about each community, visit our town information pages here: Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, or Dewey-Humboldt.
3. Know what type of home you want. How much room do you need? What do you envision for your future? Do you love gardening, or would you rather never worry about a lawn? Do you work from home? Do you want a historic home? Is a new construction your dream? First, know what you can afford, nut then look at each of your desires and priorities.
4. Give yourself plenty of time at showings. You may have an urge to see as many homes as you can in a single day or weekend, but feeling the crunch of the clock can keep you from thoroughly inspecting the house and getting a feel for the property. Open drawers, cabinets, and walk around the yard area as well.
5. Sign up for property alerts. Homes pop up on the market all the time, and you will want to know when they do. Sign up on our website to receive alerts when a home that meets your parameters becomes available. Enter your search criteria, and after viewing the results, select ‘Save Search’ and enter your contact information. Taking this step may give you the competitive edge you need to secure your home.
6. Tell friends and family what you’re search criteria. One of the best times to find your home is before it’s on the market. Friends, family, work associates, and their network of friends may know someone who’s thinking about selling just the sort of house you want. Ask around!

Starting the home searching process is an exciting time. If you have questions, ask me, remember, Real Estate is my specialty. I am more than happy to help you work through this process with you. Contact me today about your home search!

Home buyers often do not realize how complex and competitive the lending process can be. For many (especially first-time buyers) there’s only a hazy idea of “the bank” approving or denying them a mortgage. Understandably, many consumers are not educated on how to shop for a loan or that investing a little time upfront can result in profound savings, and a sense of satisfaction instead of disappointment.

Articles are popping up, statistics are rolling in, and we are finding that homebuyers are regretting their mortgage. According to the Wall Street Journal, “in a recent survey, 21% of home buyers regretted their choice of lender,” and for first-time home buyers, 27% regretted their choice of lender (The Wall Street Journal). Another article states that after a survey from Zillow, it was reported that “17% of young homebuyers regret their purchase” and that “more than a fourth have regrets about their mortgage, saying they rushed through the process” (The OCR) .  .  . We want to help you avoid this disappointment.

How to Look for a Lender

Nerd Wallet has provided a short article that helps you hunt for the best mortgage lender. Here are five tips they suggested:

Get your credit score in shape: The lower the credit score, the higher interest rate on your loan. Elevate your credit score by paying off paying off high-interest debts and lower your overall debt. Also double-check to make sure your credit report is accurate and error free.

Know the mortgage lending landscape: Understand the common types of home lenders, such as: credit unions, mortgage bankers, correspondent lenders, saving and loans, and mutual saving banks.

Get preapproved: By getting a mortgage preapproval, you will have an edge when bidding against other buyers.

Compare rates from several lenders: Search the best mortgage rates online. Once you have several quotes, compare the costs, and you can use your research to negotiate for the best mortgage rate.

Ask the right questions: After you have compared rates, ask for referrals from friends, family members, and look up online reviews and independent rating agencies to learn about the lenders merit. Then when it’s time to meet, ask questions such as:

• What is their method of communication?
• How long does their preapproval, appraisal, and closing take?
• What lender fees are there?
• What are the down payment requirements?

Warning Signs of a Predatory Lender

1. Big Fees
2. Penalties for Paying Off Early
3. Inflated Interest Rates from Brokers
4. Steering and Targeting
5. Adjustable Interest Rates That “Explode”
6. Promises to Fix Problems with Future Refinances
7. Repeated Refinances That Drain You
8. Not Counting Taxes and Insurance

For more information on each of these warning signs, refer to Responsible Lending’s article on this topic.

Looking for a mortgage broker to help you navigate the lending process? I’m happy to refer a few. Get in touch today!

Christina Chintis

602-799-1979

Moving isn’t cheap. And really, it shouldn’t be. If it is, you might find out how expensive it can get when all of your valuable possessions have been destroyed in the move! Whether you’re hiring a company to help you relocate, or you’re planning a DIY (Do It Yourself) adventure, keep these handy tips in your pocket to protect your goods.

Use the right-sized boxes. Small boxes are ideal for heavy, dense objects like books, while larger ones are preferable for lighter items such as pillows and comforters. A large, heavy box is more likely to split or crush other items, so keep an eye on each boxes’ size-to-weight ratio.  A good rule to implement, the heavier the item, the smaller the box.  TIP:  To keep costs down, Craigslist, Facebook Swip Swap, and Facebook Garage Sale Groups offer boxes at great prices, sometimes even free.

Remember the tape and markers.  Purchasing ahead of time one or two tape guns with plenty of rolls of packaging tape will make for a smoother packing process.  Multiple permanent markers also need to be on the shopping list.  Having these supplies ahead of time will make the process go much faster.

Fill until it’s still. If a box is rattling around, you’re risking damage. Fill in the empty space with towels, padding, or other cushioning items to isolate the valuable contents from stop/start or shaking motions.  One client shared with me that they never pack a box of only towels, they set the towels aside to use as packing material.

Pad and side-load dishes. Place bubble wrap or packing paper between dishes and wrap bundles of four or more with extra padding. Be sure to pack dishes on their sides, not flat. This will mitigate the hazard of shattering from accidental side impact! Padding in the bottom and top of the box will provide an additional layer of insurance, too.

Don’t flatten out your flat-screen. Spend the money on a special packing box for your flat-screen LCD and/or plasma TV. Having the original shipping box is best, but an aftermarket die-cut, foam-supported kit will save you the hundreds (if not $1000+) in replacement costs. (Also: Don’t lay the TV flat or stack any boxes on top.)

Tape in the reinforcements. Taping all the way around the top and bottom edges will provide additional support to the areas where most of the load is distributed.

One box, one room.  Pack the same room in the same box.  It is best not to mix or co-mingle your rooms.  This will make unpacking easy.

Keep tiny things with big value to yourself. Anything that’s small and irreplaceable should be set aside and kept with you during the move. This might be your grandmother’s heirloom necklace, vital financial/legal documents, or special family photo collections.

I love the excitement of my client’s move.  It is important that all of their items get there in one piece. Hopefully these moving tips will help that happen.  Need an agent to help you find that perfect home for your valuables? Get in touch with me today! 

Christina Chintis

602-799-1979

Every month you pay the rent, you’re probably thinking, “I wish this money was going into my future.” For a lot of would-be first-time home buyers, it’s the down payment which makes home ownership seem impossible. Climbing the “down payment mountain” isn’t impossible. Like any major challenge, it’s all a matter of breaking your big, hairy, audacious goal down into practical steps.

Here are some tips to conquer saving for a down payment:

Find out where your money goes. You can’t start saving if you don’t know where you’re spending. For a month or two, track each expenditure, no matter how small. Get an objective picture of where you’re spending the cash.

Get specific about how much you need to save. Even if you’re not 100% sure what your down payment needs to be yet, it’s good to start doing a little math to figure out how much you need to save. Pick a dollar amount and a timeline to hit that dollar amount. For example, a $25,000 down payment in two years comes to $1,041/month. Sound unrealistic? Either scale down your home desires to something smaller or scale up your timeline. If you can wait three years, that monthly savings goal drops to $694/month.

Determine the big moves you can make. If you’re in a three-bedroom apartment and can stomach the idea of scaling down to a one bedroom, how much would you save in rent? What about going from two cars down to one? If you can make it work, these sacrifices will have a huge impact on your savings goals.

Setup a separate savings account. Don’t let your dream home money mingle with your regular checking or savings account. Establish a high-yield savings account with a credit union or money market account to protect and build your stash. It’s important to have a separate account with a “hands off” attitude.

Pretend you already have a house payment.  Once you determine the approximate amount of what a new house payment would be, start making that payment now.  Instead of paying the bank, pay your savings account.  This trick is two-fold.  It will help you accumulate a down-payment faster, and it will ensure that you are able to afford the amount of the new house payment.

Mind the risky investment schemes. Once you have a little momentum, you might be tempted to take some of that cash and invest it in order to make it grow faster. Be very prudent about this, as investing in stocks, startups, or high-yield funds can easily decimate your savings. Be conservative.

Of course, it’s important to know how much home you want to buy when you’re saving up for your down payment. I’m happy to give you an idea what homes are selling for in your area.  In the meantime, check out the various neighborhoods in the Prescott Quad City area, we have a list of current homes for sale in each area. Feel free to get in touch any time if you have questions,  Contact me at (928) 710-0521.

Christina Chintis

602-799-1979

There are numerous rollercoasters in life, and buying a home can be one of them.  But, when done correctly, the rollercoaster doesn’t need to be as big as California Screamin’, it can be more like the curvy track at the County Fair.

As a realtor, my goal is to save buyers and sellers pain and stress.  When it comes to buying a home, there are myths about the home shopping experience that must be addressed. These few tips, plus several other tricks that I have up my sleeve, will help you make a successful home purchase . . . one that you won’t need to take Dramamine for!

3 Big Myths About Home Shopping

Myth #1: “That house has been on the market so long I bet we can easily work the seller down.”

Maybe, but not necessarily. Days on the market, also abbreviated as DOM, is the time between when a home is listed on the MLS and when it is sold or taken off of the market.  In Prescott in the Spring of 2019, a house was on the market for an average of 116 days.  There were times in the past that the average days on the market was much lower, and times when it was a little higher.  A home on the market for 100 days isn’t necessarily going to go for a ‘bargain’ just because of the days on the market.   Exceptionally high days on market could mean almost anything. The seller could be unrealistic about their price. The seller may not be particularly motivated to sell for emotional or other personal reasons. This is when you need to rely on the experience and training of your realtor to negotiate on your behalf.

Myth #2: “I want to look at foreclosed homes because they’re a real bargain and the banks need to unload them.”

Unfortunately, there are several reasons a home may arrive in foreclosure.  It could be a death in the family, illness, or divorce.  Once the home is in the hands of the banks, the rules of negotiation change.  Banks, like entrenched sellers, don’t always make decisions which seem rational based on obvious information. You can have a hard time divining the reason a bank chooses to reject an offer for a foreclosed or distressed property.  Rejection may be based on financials which seem counterintuitive. The truth is, many distressed sale transactions can be longer and more stressful than regular sales.  If you are looking for a bargain or a fixer upper, contact me and I can set up a personalized search that will alert you when inventory meeting your criteria becomes available.

Myth #3: “I liked this house a lot, but with this market, I bet it will still be there if I decide to buy it.”

It’s very, very painful to see a client love a home but fail to make a move to purchase that home. If you fell in love with it, why wouldn’t someone else? Just because a property has been on the market a little while doesn’t mean it will stay on the market. Ask yourself, if you don’t make an offer on a home, are you comfortable losing this home?

My job as an agent is to represent your interests and do my best to protect you along the way. If you’re pursuing a home purchase in the near future, please contact me today at (928) 710-0521. There are many other ways I can lower your stress and help you find a great home.

Christina Chintis

602-799-1979