Archives for October 2010

High End Appliances by Joe Szabo, Szabo Group Scottsdale Arizona

October 30, 2010 szabogroup

by Joe Szabo, Szabo Group

As you begin your search for new, high-end kitchen appliances you realize that there are many high quality brands of appliances and that the high end models of certain brands of specific appliances are better than others. There are many varieties and options on the market today and choosing the best ones for you can be an overwhelmingly task. Visit Notting Hill Housing for Shared Ownership Schemes and kitchen extensions – kitchen extension designs at Architect Your Home.

The site www.highendkitchenappliances.com is a comprehensive source for comparing brands and specific appliances by price as well as other search criteria.
Within this website you will find a great deal of information and reviews about many of the specific major high end kitchen appliances that you may be searching for. Small Kitchen Designs – Choose by style, price, or product. Make your dream kitchen a reality!

Visit www.highendappliance.com/product/ for other product choices. Their mission is to offer designer kitchen appliances at the best prices.

Frontage offers a range of appliances at

www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2136&itemType=CATEGORY&path=1%2C2%2C130%2C131%2C2136

www.forbes.com has ten high end appliances in pictures at Ten Hot High-End Kitchen Appliances

To save thousands of dollars on a fridge, consider the top-quality brand of a large manufacturer rather than an ultra-expensive refrigerator from a small “prestige” manufacturer, such as Viking or Sub-Zero.

Consider: General Electric’s Monogram line (www.monogram.com), Whirlpool’s Jenn-Air line (www.jennair.com) or the Electrolux brand (www.electroluxappliances.com).

These fridges can cost $2,000 to $6,000 — not cheap, but $2,000 to $3,000 less than you pay for a comparable model from a prestige maker. The styling and features are likely to be very similar to those of the elite brands, but you get far superior reliability. GE, Whirlpool and Electrolux spend much more on product testing than the smaller prestige makers can. – Taken from www.bottomlinesecrets.com/article.html?article_id=49300

The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020 or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com

Types of Granite by Joe Szabo, Szabo Group Scottsdale Arizona

October 26, 2010 szabogroup

by Joe Szabo, Szabo Group

Granite is a popular choice for countertops because of its rich, deep colors and many variations. It’s a tough, durable stone that requires little maintenance.

It has a very dense grain, which makes it virtually impervious to stains, because it has very little porosity. It takes a highly polished finish and once polished it is completely resistant to liquids.

Other benefits of kitchen granite countertops are the mirror-like finish. Granite countertops can resist extreme heat from frying pans.

A granite kitchen countertop is very easy to maintain and care for. For daily cleaning you just wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel with soapy water.

Some other advantages to having a kitchen granite countertop are that they are affordable, beautiful, the stone changes appearance in different light during the day. One thing you have to watch for is than each granite stone is unique. This can mean that the color in the granite can look different from one day to the next depending on the lighting situation. Lighting can cause a reflection in the granite making one color more dominant. So in picking a color it is a good idea to choose from actual slabs not samples. – Taken from www.kitchendesignersideas.com/kitchen_granite_countertops.html

There are more than 1,000 varieties of granite colors and textures. Colors include white, cream, pink, yellow, red, blue, green, gray and black.

To see the range of colors and styles, visit www.marble.com/materials/granite
There are two types of granite styles to consider when choosing countertops. “Consistent” granite has the same pattern throughout each piece. “Variegated” granite has veins that vary from piece to piece. They’re attractive, but the veins make it more difficult to match sections.

Taken from www.ehow.com/about_5087961_types-granite-counters.html#ixzz13T3c9qHo

Why Get Pre-Qualified for Your Scottsdale Home Purchase by Joe Szabo, Szabo Group Scottsdale Arizona

October 19, 2010 szabogroup

When you begin to look at real estate here in Scottsdale, Arizona, you and your realtor should be aware of how much you can afford; or, more importantly, how much a lender will give you to purchase your new home. To take care of this, you can schedule a meeting with a mortgage company professional, free of obligation, to get “Pre-qualified”.

Taking the time to do this will not only keep you from wasting time on homes above your price range, but as we could tell you here at Whitney and Associates Real Estate, most realtors will not agree to show you homes without some kind of formal estimate. You also might be pleasantly surprised that you can afford more than you think with the mortgages available.

It is always helpful for Buyers to ask friends, family, and associates if they can refer a lender, and it is every Buyer’s right to talk to as many lenders as they like. When you set up an appointment, bring as much information about your finances as possible, including your income, any current debts, and the amount of cash you will have for the down payment. It is also very important to be honest in the way you provide your finance information, because after all the documentation is filled out during the actual process, everything will be revealed anyway. Not to mention that if you are pre-approved for the home of your dreams, to be turned down later because you withheld information, it will only be that much more disappointing.

When you meet with a lender, they will also run a credit report, which costs anywhere from twenty-five to one hundred dollars. This will reveal any negative part of your finances, however, some of which can be removed from the report. Hence, it would be best to check your credit on your own first, because any cleaning up can take thirty to one hundred and eighty days. Also, when you do finally get through the process of being pre-approved, you will receive a letter stating the exact amount. It is always helpful to bring this to real estate specialists in Scottsdale, Arizona.

What to Expect at a Home Inspection By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

October 14, 2010 szabogroup

The purpose of a home inspection is to find unsafe, damaged, or incomplete aspects of a home. If such a problem is detected, maybe faulty wiring or signs of mold, the inspector will write up a report describing the problem, and may suggest further evaluation. Here at Scottsdale Real Estate Team and Szabo Group, we feel inspections are very important, as emotions can affect a Buyer who has fallen in love with a potential home, and has a hard time imagining there are any problems. It is also important for a Seller because not only will it offer full disclosure, but also if the Seller repairs the defects ahead of time, it can save money because the price for the home has not yet been negotiated, and these costs can be worked in. Also, this will give the Seller time to find a reasonable contractor, instead of one presented by the Buyer with inflated estimates.

We feel at Scottsdale Real Estate Team, that there are certain things to expect at a home inspection. Whether you are buying or selling Scottsdale Real Estate, a home inspector should report on the condition of the following: the structure and foundation (including walls, ceilings, floors, windows, and doors), interior plumbing, electrical systems, and the heating and air conditioning systems. If your inspector does not include an inspection for things such as mold, radon, and water testing (as many do not), it is a good idea to find an inspector that does, because such defects can be potentially very dangerous and costly.

It is also important to know what not to expect. A home inspection is not an appraisal, and it is not concerned with the value of the home, nor will it pass or fail the home. Do not expect an inspector to tell you what to pay or if it is worth buying. Do not expect to be told how long the appliances left behind, such as the air conditioning, will last. The inspection is concerned with the state of different components of the home at that time, not how they will be looking down the road. Also, keep in mind that often it is not a code inspection, and may not check to see if the building it’s up to current code. An inspection is strictly for the purpose of addressing defects or problematic aspects of the home before the sale closes.

The Scottsdale Real Estate Team offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Scottsdale, Arizona, contact Scottsdale Real Estate Agent Joe Szabo. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers for Scottsdale, Arizona, The Szabo Group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020 or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com for more information.

What is the Difference between a Real Estate Agent and a Real Estate Broker? By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

October 12, 2010 szabogroup

Real estate professionals go by a few different names, but the distinctions between them shouldn’t matter to you as the buyer. The only thing you should be sure of is that the person you are working with is a licensed real estate professional. If you aren’t certain if your agent is licensed you can ask to see their license or call your local state agency to verify they are licensed. Both agents and brokers can help you successfully complete the purchase of your home.

All real estate agents have to take classes and pass an agent’s exam. Brokers must take additional classes and have a specified amount of experience in the field and pass another exam. Brokers have the ability to open, run, and own a real estate office or work independently without an office. The real estate agent works for a broker who is ultimately responsible for that agent’s actions. Many realtors belong to the National Association of Realtors which has its own code of ethics and conduct.

So is it better to work with a broker rather than an agent? Not necessarily. Look at the individual agent’s knowledge and experience and find the person that best fits your needs.

The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Scottsdale, Arizona, contact Scottsdale Real Estate Agent Joe Szabo. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers for Scottsdale, Arizona, The Szabo Group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020 or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com for more information.

What Do I Need to Know about Buying a House that is For Sale by Owner? By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

October 5, 2010 szabogroup

It is important to research any home that you are interested in buying whether it is for sale by owner or a listed property. There are some key points to keep in mind when looking for a home that is for sale by owner.

It is easy to overpay for a home that is for sale by owner. People frequently overpay for these properties. It is difficult to compare one house to another in terms of size and amenities when you can’t view other similar homes in the area. There may be information that the seller is legally obligated to tell you about that can impact the value of your property in the future. For example, the empty lot behind the home will have a section 8 housing project built on it. This could negatively affect the value of your property.

Many people think that the seller of the for sale by owner home will automatically reduce the sale price because they don’t have to pay a commission. While this is a possibility, it isn’t something you should rely on.

Some properties come with problems attached. There are two main reasons sellers sell without a broker and both have to do with money. The first reason is that they don’t want to pay a commission to a broker. The second reason is that prospective agents have told the seller that the house won’t sell for the price they are asking and the seller hopes that he/she can fool the buyer into paying what they are asking. The seller might not know what potential resale problems that property may have. Be sure to research any potential neighborhoods.

Be informed. Make sure you know what it is you want and what you are willing to and able to pay for it. Stay firm. Make sure you get all the proper documents and disclosures in order. Be sure to have a professional home inspection and a final walk-through so there are no surprises when you move in.