Archives for April 2016

What Should You Do If Your ARM Is Almost Out Of Time? By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 29, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

If you bought a home with an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) thinking you’d sell the home before the ARM adjusted, you’re not alone. Many people buy homes with ARMs because they plan to relocate or upgrade to a larger home in the near- to medium-term.

But when plans change and you decide to stay, you must know what will happen to your ARM — and what you can do about it. Let’s take a look.

ARM vs. fixed rates

ARMs help your budget because rates on ARMs are lower than they are for fixed loans. For example, today’s rates for a loan on a $300,000 home purchase with 20 percent down are 2.75 percent for a 5/1 ARM versus 3.5 percent for a 30-year fixed. In this scenario, the monthly 5/1 ARM payment ($980) is $98 cheaper than the 30-year fixed payment ($1,078).

This ARM vs. fixed savings is significant no matter what your home purchase price is, and if you are in fact only keeping the home (or the loan) short term, it can be worth it.

How to choose

The best way to determine whether you go with an ARM or a fixed loan is to peg your loan term as closely as you can to your expected time horizon in the home or the loan. Here are a few options to consider:

If you’re buying a home with plans to relocate and sell the home within five years, a 5/1 ARM would be a good option. If you’re planning to move within 10 years, a 10/1 ARM would be a good option. You can also get 3/1 and 7/1 ARMs.
If you plan to pay the loan off within five years and keep the home, a 5/1 ARM would also be a good option.
If you’re going to relocate but want to keep the home, a fixed loan would be a good option.

How your ARM will adjust

If you get an ARM and plans change so that you need to keep the home (or the loan) longer than you intended, your payment will adjust at the end of the ARM’s fixed period.

An ARM is a 30-year loan with a rate that’s fixed for the initial period of the ARM. For example, the quoted rate on a 5/1 ARM will be fixed for that initial five-year period. For the remaining 25 years, it will adjust to a base rate (called a margin) plus the current level of a certain index the loan is tied to.

A common margin for a 5/1 ARM on a conforming loan up to $417,000 is 2.25 percent, and a common index for these loans is the one-year LIBOR which is 1.25 percent as of this week.

If your 5/1 ARM adjusted today, it would adjust to a rate of 3.5 percent, which is the 2.25-percent margin plus the 1.25-percent LIBOR index level as of now, and it will adjust once per year every year after the initial five-year fixed period. The margin will always be 2.25 percent, but the LIBOR index changes in real time, and will be higher if economic conditions improve, or lower if economic conditions worsen in the future.

And finally, it’s not just the rate that adjusts, it’s also your payment. In the initial five-year period, the payment is calculated using the initial rate and a 30-year amortization. After the initial period, the payment is calculated using the margin plus index rate and a 25-year amortization.

Using our scenario above, this means your payment would adjust from $980 to $1,063.

What to do if your ARM is almost out of time

You could argue that a payment adjustment like this would be tolerable if you were keeping the home (or the loan), but this example is only the first adjustment, and it will adjust every year after the initial adjustment, so it’s a lot of risk to take on.

The alternative is to refinance into a new loan, and the same rule would apply for deciding what loan to refinance into: do your best to peg the new loan term to your expected time horizon in the home (or loan) from this point forward.

Rates have been steadily low for the past five years as the economy has been slowly recovering from the economic crisis. If this recovery and economic growth continues, rates have more risk of rising.

As such, if you chose a new 5/1 ARM today, it would be safest to assume that your rate and payment would adjust up in another five years. If this is too much risk for you, the best choice is to take a slightly higher rate and payment now on a 30-year fixed, which gives you the security of knowing your rate and payment cannot change.

Other important facts about ARMs

Keep in mind that the payments above don’t include homeowners insurance and property taxes, which would be the same whether you chose an ARM or a fixed loan. You can run your own fixed vs. ARM scenarios, and the results will show you homeowners insurance and property taxes.

Another point to remember is that ARMs shouldn’t be used to qualify for more home than you can afford. This was a common scenario prior to the economic crisis, when lenders were allowed to qualify borrowers using the lower ARM payment. Now lenders must use the highest-case payment that could occur after the adjustment.

As a final note, if your loan amount is up to $417,000, a 5/1 ARM will get you the best savings relative to a 30-year fixed. If you have a jumbo loan above $417,000, you can also get strong savings using a 7/1 ARM relative to a 30-year fixed, so ask your lender to provide both options.

Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

Why Sharing Your Home Just Got Easier By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 26, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Whether for care-giving, cultural, or economic reasons, more American families are sharing a home.

In 2013, 21 percent of U.S. households were shared, according to a Fannie Mae study — including multiple generations (grandparents, adult children, and their children) or families of the same generation living together.

The low for multigenerational households in the U.S. was 12 percent in 1980, the researchers noted.

Two homes in one

These statistics represent a shift for the housing industry.

A survey by John Burns Real Estate Consulting shows the impact of this trend. Forty-four percent of home shoppers would like to accommodate elderly parents in their next home; 42 percent plan to house adult children.

Home builders are “acting on a clear multigenerational wish list,” reports CNBC’s Diana Olick. Separate entrances, main-floor bedroom suites with private kitchenettes and living spaces, and separate outdoor spaces are priorities. “The idea is that the family can live under one roof, but not entirely together,” she says.

The International Builders’ Show in January showcased homes designed to accommodate more than one family or help homeowners earn extra income. One 5,200-square-foot concept home from Element Design Build featured a separate second-floor unit to accommodate adult children or aging parents.

Another model, from Pardee Homes, a TRI Pointe company, included two guest suites that can be rented on home-sharing sites such as Airbnb. The suites include separate entrances and small kitchenettes.

A TRI Pointe survey found that 35 percent of young adults say they want to be able to rent out space in their homes, at least occasionally. “A lot of their motivation for doing that is to make the financial step of buying their home more doable,” Linda Mamet, vice president of corporate marketing at TRI Pointe, told The Wall Street Journal.

All-in-one mortgage

But they still need a mortgage.

Fannie Mae analyzed household demographic and loan performance data to understand how American households were changing, and whether mortgage lending rules should be adjusted.

Based on the team’s research, Fannie Mae introduced the HomeReady mortgage in January, which lets lenders consider additional income – such as from extended household members or boarders – to help the borrower qualify. HomeReady also allows buyers to put as little as 3 percent down, eliminating the top barrier (along with credit score) cited by many young renters aspiring to buy a home.

“HomeReady challenges tradition by offering an innovative new feature that supports extended households,” says Jonathan Lawless, vice president of underwriting, pricing, and capital markets at Fannie Mae.

Stepping up nicely

Whether it’s a mortgage that considers income in new ways or a layout conducive to taking care of Granny or accommodating renters, it’s clear the housing industry is scrambling to meet the needs of today’s shared households.

“In this industry, when somebody does something successful, everybody jumps in,” John Burns of John Burns Real Estate Consulting told CNBC.

The Pros and Cons of Month-to-Month Leases By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 22, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Navigating the rental market isn’t easy. Between bait-and-switch listings on sites like Craigslist, deceptive landlords, and confusing legal language in lease agreements, finding the right apartment can be a time-consuming, mentally taxing process. But before you even begin your search, you’ll need to determine whether you’re looking for a short- or long-term lease.

Not sure where you stand? Consider these advantages and disadvantages to month-to-month leases — then decide what makes the most sense for your needs.

Pro: You get greater flexibility

If you’re thinking about buying a property in the near future, or moving to a new city, a short-term lease gives you more flexibility and can save you money in the long run. When you sign a 12-month (or longer) lease, you’re legally obligated to pay 12 months of rent even if you decide to move before the lease expires. (Read: breaking a long-term lease will cost you.)

Granted, “some landlords will let you terminate a 12-month lease early if you find a new renter to take your place,” says Joe DeFilippo, a real estate agent and rental specialist with City Chic Real Estate in Washington, D.C.

However, if you want to be able to move on short notice without paying a penalty, a month-to-month rental is your best option. Bear in mind you’ll still need to give the landlord at least 30 days’ notice (or more, depending on the lease agreement).

Con: You pay more in rent

Owners want rental property occupied at all times so they can continually collect rent. But when a tenant moves, finding a replacement can be a hassle — and there’s a chance the unit will be vacant for a while. Therefore, month-to-month renters pay a premium, says Rae Wayne, an agent with The Bizzy Blondes Real Estate Team in Los Angeles.

How much more you’ll pay depends on the market. In Washington, D.C., month-to-month leases cost on average 50 percent more than 12-month leases, says DeFilippo. In Manhattan, landlords usually charge 15 percent to 20 percent more — and rent is high in New York, points out Marin King, an attorney and real estate agent at Keller Williams NYC.

Pro: You can (usually) switch to a long-term lease

In general, if you’re a good tenant, the landlord will be open to you converting to a 12-month lease, but there are some circumstances where that’s not the case. For example, if the owner is planning to make the property their primary residence in the near future, you’ll eventually need a new place to live. Find out what the landlord’s motivation is before signing a lease.

Con: Your rent isn’t fixed

Arguably the biggest benefit of signing a 12-month lease is that you get to lock in your rental rate, which makes it easier to manage your budget.

Meanwhile, when you’re on a month-to-month lease, the landlord could decide to raise your rent on a whim and — depending on where you live — may only need to give you 30 days’ notice.

Pro: Many are fully furnished

Some apartments are specifically designed for short-term renters and come furnished. Residential buildings near universities, for instance, are ideal for summer interns, who are often willing to pay more since they don’t have their own furniture.

The good news: many jurisdictions place a cap on how much landlords can increase rent within a 12-month cycle, so you’ll probably have some protection. But you’re still in a less favorable position than you would be in a long-term lease.

Con: Moving ain’t cheap!

A month-to-month lease might make sense in the short term, but if you start going from one short-term lease to the next, you’ll burn money that you could be saving for a down payment.

Even if you don’t hire a professional mover, your lease may require fees to cover your application, utility transfer, and cleaning. Also, some buildings charge new tenants a move-in fee of up to $500.

Moreover, there may be lag time in terms of your previous landlord releasing your security deposit. “There can be a lot of money in flux during a move,” says King. Not to mention that packing boxes and carrying heavy furniture isn’t exactly a pleasure cruise.

Con: You may have to do some digging

Landlords tend to prefer a long-term lease, since it offers guaranteed income over a set period of time, and reduces the risk of the property sitting vacant in between tenants, says DeFilippo. Hence, you have fewer options if you’re looking for a short-term rental.

It’s a Jungle in There: Tips for Better Under-Sink Storage By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 19, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

When I talk about prime real estate, I’m not talking about a fabulous suburban location for your new home. As a professional organizing expert, I refer to prime real estate as the best storage locations in your home. These are the superior spaces that provide the easiest access.

Topping the list is the cabinet under your kitchen or bathroom sink. Most of us struggle with these spaces because we want to store so much in them that they become overfilled and frustrating to use.

The other sneaky drawback of these ever-so-available cabinets is that they are usually quite deep. On the one hand, it’s great that they’re deep because you can store so much under there. But it’s also annoying, because you can’t reach the back of the cabinet very easily.

When these cabinets are a jungle of items piled or crammed in, we sometimes have to get down on our hands and knees, and practically crawl inside to locate and pull out our squeegee for the shower or our favorite vase.

Not to worry, though — there are fabulous ways to bring order to your cave of cleansers. You can turn it into the serviceable, accessible and organized under-the-sink cabinet you have hoped it always would be.

Entry points

Before you get started on this mini do-it-yourself organizing project, hold off on deciding to install bins, racks or shelves.

Instead, do these tasks first:

Pull out all the items from under the sink.
Wipe down the cabinet, which seems to collect more dirt than three kids playing in a sandbox.
Take a moment to check for leaks, and tighten pipes so any stored items won’t get ruined.
Be sure to group like items together, then check for duplicates. This is not the place to store three identical bottles of glass cleaner. It’s best to just have one sponge, one bottle of lotion, or one can of floor wax stored under your sink. If you have a lot of under-the-sink paraphernalia, relocate the duplicates to a nearby linen closet or shelf in the garage. If you don’t have that extra space, then keep your buying to a minimum.

Hold everything

Next, it’s time to think about your storage options.

Use bins or shower caddies. Consider using small but solid storage bins to keep your bottles, cans, vases, bags and boxes upright. Shower caddies are perfect for this space because they have a handle at the top. If you opt for bins instead, don’t put lids on them — it will be easier and faster to grab what you want from inside. Make sure each caddie or bin is easy to take out of the cabinet and lift up to the counter. This allows you to bring your items up to eye level so you can easily see what you have, retrieve it and replace it.

Get hooked on hanging storage. Try a small over-the-cabinet door towel rack for hanging dishwashing gloves, towels, and wash cloths. Hooks can accommodate these items, too.

Repurpose storage tools from other parts of the house. Many families use a “Lazy Susan” to store salt, pepper and toothpicks on the dining room table or kitchen counter. Considering using this spinning storage unit under the sink, too. A Lazy Susan keeps all your items front and center. With just a spin of the wheel, you can see what’s in the back of the cabinet. No crawling into the cabinet to find what you need! And be sure to use all the space available to you. A spice rack attached to the inside of the cabinet door is a great solution for holding small items like sponges, tools, and plant food (in the kitchen), or hairbrushes, nail polishes, and vitamins (in the bathroom).

Install a pull-out shelf under your sink. With just a bit of effort and a small hand drill, you can easily install metal pull-outs. This is a super solution for both the bathroom and kitchen. One important caveat: Be sure to account for the pipes. You don’t want to have taller items located in the back of the pull-out shelf, because they’ll hit the pipes when the shelf is being pulled toward you — and then everything falls like dominoes.

Congratulations on investing in your prime real estate. It will definitely pay off.

26345 N 88th Way Scottsdale, AZ 85255 | Pinnacle Peak Place Home for Sale – Scottsdale Real Estate

April 15, 2016 Joe Szabo

Welcome to 26345 N 88th Way Scottsdale, AZ 85255 in Pinnacle Peak Place. Stunning European, modern minimalist at Pinnacle Peak Place. This desert oasis on almost a full acre with magnificent, unobstructed mountain views is a sophisticated home designed by world renowned designer Piet Boon. With a contemporary aesthetic and modern comforts, this gorgeous home offers a spacious formal living and dining room with a great room located off the gourmet kitchen.

26345 N 88th Way Scottsdale, AZ 85255 has four bedrooms and 3.5 baths inside the main home, the spectacular owners suite boasts a spa like bathroom with free standing soaking tub, walk in shower, dual floating vanities and large walk in closet. The kitchen is artfully designed with sleek European cabinets and Bosch appliances. A granite waterfall island overlooks the family room with bi fold glass doors leading out to custom designed backyard for true indoor/outdoor living. The resort style backyard, concepted by Bianchi Design, is meticulously crafted and the attention to detail of the flawless outdoor space is an extension of the modern aesthetic indoors.

At 26345 N 88th Way Scottsdale, AZ the spectacular 1000 sq foot pool integrates a baja shelf with chaise lounges and water feature that flows into the glass mosaic spa. An outdoor shower, built in BBQ, putting green, bank seating, artificial grass, and outdoor dining area with a custom retractable awning along with sensational views truly make this a one of a kind space built for sensational entertaining. A spacious detached casita with private patio and separate living area compete this phenomenal home.

For more information about this home or other homes in Scottsdale, please contact us at 480.688.2020!

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Are You Ready for a Hot Seller Season? By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 15, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 1st isn’t just April Fools’ Day, it’s also the start of seller season in the real estate business. Take a tip from a house flipper: If you’re thinking of selling your house, now is the time to get it ready and get it listed. Homes show better in the spring — and you’re more likely to sell your house quickly and at a good market value.

Now, you might be thinking that selling your house during such a competitive season isn’t the best idea. But I’m here to tell you that there’s really no time like the present. You can sell a house in any season; my husband and I have sold in all kinds of markets.

However, even with a lot of competition, spring is just a great time to show off your house’s best assets and really get people to envision themselves living there. All you have to do is follow a few simple but effective tips so you can position your house correctly on the market, save yourself stress and disappointment, retain negotiating power, and not feel backed into a corner.

Pay attention to first impressions

You might be tempted to just pull some weeds and put down new mulch in your yard, but take a look at it and ask yourself if you could do more for your curb appeal. That doesn’t mean that you have to do a ton of landscaping that’ll require a lot of upkeep and watering.

Remember, your buyers are going to be looking at your property with an eye toward maintenance. Here in California, where Tarek and I live, we’ve been having ongoing issues with water restrictions. El Nino is doing its best to refill our reservoirs now, but adding landscaping that’ll require a lot of watering could still be a bad idea for sellers here. A better idea would be to go with low-water grass and drought-tolerant plants.

Think of the climate in your area, and go with low-maintenance plants for your yard. Visit your local garden center and explore using native plants. Then work on sprucing up your front and back patio to show your potential buyers how they can spend their time outside relaxing and/or entertaining friends on a lovely spring afternoon or evening.

If you’re planning on spending money to improve your home to get it ready to go on the market, make sure that you focus on projects like this that’ll really go the distance for you. Take the time to clean up and make your porch and entryway really attractive, because you know your buyers are going to stop there while the real estate agent gets into the lockbox to let them in.

You may not need to replace the front door or buy all new furniture for the porch and patio, but pay attention to all the entry points to the house. Some homeowners are in the habit of entering the house through the garage, so it’s a good idea if the area where home buyers enter the house says “welcome home,” too.

Make it look like a model home

As real estate investors we buy houses that have “lost their pretty,” were badly neglected, or have been abandoned altogether. The houses are empty. So, typically we are not dealing with sellers. However, as real estate agents we have dealt with many sellers. Tarek and I know that the emotional connection to a house can be very strong.

An appropriate mindset is important. It can be difficult, but at some point it’s a good idea to stop thinking of the house as your home, and focus on the business transaction. Getting the house to sell fast is, by definition, the objective of house-flipping. You can take the same tack and do everything you can to get the house ready.

Make a real effort to de-personalize the space. It will be easier for a buyer to see themselves living in the house if it looks like a model home. Do more than just clear clutter. Remove family photos and children’s artwork. Edit your collections, books, closets, cabinets, pantry, and end tables. Try to make the house look as big as possible by making it look as though there is room to spare.

You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money renovating your house if it’s in good shape to sell. When we flip houses, we always pay a lot of attention to the kitchen with an eye for space, functionality, and neutral design choices. Other places that you might want to spend some cash on might be the master bath and living room.

Marketing matters

Unless you get really lucky, your house isn’t going to sell itself. That’s why, whenever we sell a property, we use a simple three-part strategy: pricing, listing, showing. Check out the comparable properties in the area before you set your list price. Visit in person or look online. Make sure that you’re competitive so your house won’t sit on the market going stale before you’re forced to lower your price.

To get more people at your open house, I recommend using an old real estate agent’s trick and listing your property on a Friday before hosting your open house on the following Sunday. That way you can get the longest exposure on the market before your showing.

Then, after your open house, you can compare all your offers on Sunday night. If you’re in a good market, you’ll ideally have multiple competing offers; you might end up selling your house at or above the list price.

If you’re selling in a really competitive market, though, you may need to be a little bit more aggressive than just listing on the MLS, Zillow, and other aggregator sites. When we have a property for sale that has a lot of competition, we’ll often send direct mailers to potential buyers to let them know about the property.

A “brokers’ open,” where we invite brokers and real estate agents to come in and take a look before the advertised open house, can be a good strategy, too. When you do this, you can see what some real estate pros think of the property and some feedback that could help you sell faster.

What if your house isn’t perfect? No house is perfect

Finally, if you’re worried about issues like living on a busy street or having no sidewalks in your neighborhood, don’t be afraid to look on the bright side and highlight the positives.

If your property is on a busy street, maybe it’s convenient to the freeway for a fast and easy commute to work. If there aren’t any sidewalks, you might want to highlight how close it is to a great health club or rec center. If it’s a smaller house, talk about how green and efficient it is.

Do a little work on your property to make it more attractive. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to market it. And always write about the positives in your listings and marketing information.

If you follow this advice, you’ll be ready to take full advantage of seller season. Good luck!

What to Do When a Seller Rejects Your Offer By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 12, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

Searching for a home can be similar to searching for true love. You may meet many prospects before you find the one. And sometimes, you may long for a prospect more than he or she longs for you.

The same holds true with homes. But homes don’t have feelings — their sellers do. And it’s these sellers you must grapple with before making the love connection. If you’ve fallen in love with a home, made the best offer and the seller won’t cooperate, you might find yourself trying to figure out what to do.

There’s no policy or decree that says the seller must accept your offer, no matter how great it is relative to the market. Unlike a retail business that prices products based on inventory levels and market conditions, each seller is independent and has different selling motivations.

Here are three ways to cope with a seller who’s keeping you from your dream home.

1. Don’t waste time over-analyzing the seller

It’s easy to obsess over the possible reasons why the seller rejected your offer. You could spend hours looking up a home’s sales history and tax records, then combining that data with the information you received from the sellers’ agent about their situation or motivations.

Don’t do it. Trying to figure out the seller won’t get you anywhere. Worse, the time spent attempting to get inside the head of someone you don’t know is precious time spent away from your home search. If the sellers “just aren’t that into you,” it may be time to move on. For all you know, like that elusive crush, they will come back once you pull away. Just don’t count on it.

2. Put your best offer on the table

Maybe you haven’t offered the maximum you can afford yet, wanting to keep some room for negotiation. If you find that the sellers aren’t responding positively to your offers so far, it could be a sign that they are not motivated to sell. Just because you’re a real and active buyer wanting to purchase their house doesn’t mean they have to accept your offer.

If they’re not responding, or they come back with a not-so-great counteroffer, cut to the chase. Make your maximum offer immediately and put it in writing. Then, if they still don’t respond, start looking elsewhere.

3. Put the home behind you

Because purchasing a home can be both practical and emotional, it’s easy for a buyer (particularly a new one) to get hung up on one house and have trouble moving on. But this can only keep you from getting the house you want. To be a savvy buyer, consider each experience and the lessons learned. Chalk up unrealistic or unmotivated sellers to experience. Use that to your advantage the next time you make an offer.

At the closing table weeks or months down the road, you’ll likely look back on that home you “had to have” and realize that the home you ended up with is much better in the long run. Never forget that, no matter how much you believe this one was meant for you, there will always be another great house.

March 2016 Paradise Valley Arizona real estate market update – Arizona Luxury Homes

April 12, 2016 Joe Szabo

Happy April! In March the Valley was swarming with visitors and with all of the poor weather conditions around the country more and more people seem to be eyeing the Phoenix area as a possible new home. Let’s take a look at how the Paradise Valley real estate market faired in March. New listings are down 2.2% from February with a total of 91 new listings vs. 93 in February. New contracts and closed sales were both up in March by 37.8% and 10.5% respectively. The median sale is down from $1,320,000 in February to $865,000 in March. March closed with some motivating numbers for both buyers and sellers! During these up and down activity months it is more important than ever to consult a real estate professional that knows the Paradise Valley market.

Considering a purchasing or selling a property in Paradise Valley? Call Joe and Linda Szabo – The Real Estate Experts!

We hope that you enjoy reading and analyzing the Paradise Valley Luxury Home Report and should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020 or email him directly at [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also visit https://www.AZLuxuryHomes.com or https://scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Paradise Valley Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Paradise Valley and to search the Paradise Valley MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

Please note that this Paradise Valley Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Paradise Valley Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Paradise Valley, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results.

March 2016 Scottsdale Arizona real estate market update – Arizona Luxury Homes

April 12, 2016 Joe Szabo

Happy April! In March the Valley was swarming with visitors and with all of the poor weather conditions around the country more and more people seem to be eyeing Scottsdale as a possible new home. Let’s take a look at how the Scottsdale real estate market faired in March. New listings are down 7.2% from February with a total of 1,116 new listings vs. 1,202 in February. New contracts and closed sales were both up in March by 13.3% and 42.9% respectively. The median sale is also up slightly from $403,950 in February to $406,00 in March. March closed with some motivating numbers for both buyers and sellers! During these up and down activity months it is more important than ever to consult a real estate professional that knows the Scottsdale market.

Considering a purchasing or selling a property in Scottsdale? Call Joe and Linda Szabo – The Scottsdale Real Estate Experts!

We hope that you enjoy reading and analyzing the Scottsdale Luxury Home Report and should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020 or email him directly at [email protected]. You can also visit https://scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

How to Plan the Perfect Patio By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

April 8, 2016 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

For many homeowners, the patio borders on magical: a place to relax, entertain, cook out, and veg out. Its surrounding hues are more vibrant than anything from a paint can, and food that’s cooked up in an outdoor kitchen somehow always tastes better than anything that comes from its indoor counterpart.

Creating that perfect outdoor space for you and your family all starts with the literal foundation of this alfresco living room: the patio materials. Your selection can have a huge effect on the appearance, durability, and functionality of your favorite home addition.

Getting started

Before you commit to a type of patio, first envision the finished space. You probably have a good idea of the location and approximate size, so go grab a chair, take it outside, and position it in the intended spot. Then sit, and picture each material in your mind’s eye.

Your patio should not only complement your home and landscape, it should also enhance your lifestyle. If you have a large space to work with, consider incorporating a combination of paving materials; some of the best patio designs include two or more. Using multiple materials lets you integrate inlaid borders that can visually separate an area for lounging from the outdoor kitchen.

When you’ve dreamed up your ideal design, consider which materials would best bring it to life, in terms of both aesthetics and practical issues, such as maintenance requirements and cost.

Concrete

Poured concrete is the patio material of choice for many homeowners because it’s structurally sound, inexpensive, and can even be stamped or dyed to mimic higher-end paving materials. It’s best suited for moderate to warm climates where frost heave is not a concern.

Planning tip: A standard concrete patio is four inches thick, but if you intend to construct something very heavy, such as a built-in fireplace, ask the contractor to reinforce that particular area before you pour.

Bricks

Available in a variety of colors, bricks create a warm and attractive patio. This classic patio style typically costs more than one constructed from concrete, not just for the materials themselves, but also for labor — a significant consideration when every brick must be set by hand, leveled and grouted.

Should you decide to invest, you can design the space with any number of patterns, from a traditional running bond to something with added textural appeal like a boxed basket-weave or herringbone.

Planning tip: For patios, solid 1- or 2-inch-thick paving bricks are the best choice, either dry-laid or mortared in place. Be wary about extending your brick patio into deep shade, or else you’ll need to watch out for a slick surface after every rainfall.

Pavers

Often manufactured from cement, cinder or stone, pavers top the DIY patio wish list for their low price and super simple installation — they’ll have you out there grilling in record time.

If you’re planning to lay your own patio, you’ll need a suitable substrate consisting of at least three inches of sand, and a permanent border, such as a poured concrete curb, to keep the pavers from shifting.

Planning tip: Pavers may be dry-laid by butting them tightly, or installed with uniform mortar joints. If the patio lies over utility lines, know that dry-laid pavers will be simpler to remove and replace if (or when) you need to access the utilities below.

Stone

The highly desirable look of stone comes with a steeper price tag — particularly if your pick isn’t locally sourced — but you can’t beat it for natural appeal. Flat, irregularly shaped stones offer a calm and meandering effect, while uniform-cut slabs of granite, travertine, slate, or bluestone can produce a formal patio that’s fitting for any backyard.

Planning tip: Natural stone is extremely durable for any patio, but if you happen to be planning one poolside, opt for a nonslip variety, such as coral stone.

Tile

Available in ceramic, glass, porcelain, terra cotta and natural stone, tile creates beautiful mosaic patio designs that are refreshingly cool underfoot in hot climates. Because tile is thin, it requires the installation of a concrete slab.

Planning tip: Even if you plan to lay the tile yourself, it’s a good idea to have a professional pour an even slab. Also note that not all tile is suitable for patio construction. To withstand weather, all your materials — tile, thinset, grout and sealer — must be labeled for exterior use.

Crushed stone, pea gravel and sand

If you’re not a fan of rock-solid patios, crushed stone, pea gravel or sand could be more your style. Both crushed stone and gravel offer a variety of colors and textures at low prices, and even sandy Zen gardens can double as patio areas.

You will, however, need to install a solid perimeter to keep the loose material from spreading outside its intended border.