Joe Szabo, Author at Scottsdale Real Estate Team / Arizona Luxury Homes

September 2014 Scottsdale Arizona real estate market update

October 8, 2014 Joe Szabo

Fall in the Phoenix Metro area has finally arrived! Let’s take a look at how the Scottsdale real estate market faired in September. New listings are up from August with a total of 867 new listings vs. 705 in August. New contracts and closed sales are down slightly by 10.7% and 4.8%, respectively. Current closed sales are also down this month, as expected, based on the previous month’s activity. The median sale price has dropped from $359,900 to $347,500. For buyers on the fence now is a great time to invest in real estate! Inventory is high and prices are dropping. During these up and down activity months it is more important than ever to consult a real estate professional that knows the Scottsdale market.

Sept 2014 Scottsdale detailed market update

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 Joe@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com. 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. 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.

Retirement Investments & Condo Insurance By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

October 6, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Real estate investor and Zillow Blog contributor Leonard Baron answers questions from readers regarding buying, selling and investing. Have a question? Send it to Leonard@ProfessorBaron.com

Rental properties vs. stock market

Hi Leonard — I will retire in the next few years with a little over $1 million. I fear the stock market at this time. Will property rentals be a good way for income in my retired years? If yes, is it better to buy the property with cash and have no debt and have rental income? Robert W., Buffalo, NY Hi Robert — You’ve got some good questions and significant decisions herein, and you need some expert guidance. A good fee-only certified financial analyst (CFA) or certified financial planner (CFP) should be able to walk you through options on what you can do with that million, and what income you can expect based on the risk you are willing to take with your portfolio. This will help you determine whether rental real estate, which generally has much higher risk than a well-diversified portfolio of stocks, should be part of your portfolio. After an education from a financial adviser, if real estate is part of the plan, that’s where my guidance could help. So to your questions:

Will property rentals provide good retirement income? The answer is probably not. Most real estate investors who have cash flow properties bought them decades ago, and now they are starting to pay off. But in general, don’t expect cash flow for a long time.
Should I buy with cash instead of debt? Having a significant amount of money tied up in property during retirement is probably not a good idea. What if you need the money, your tenants stop paying rent, the property is destroyed or you need long-term care? Owning dirt won’t pay the bills! It’s much easier to obtain cash from liquid assets when in need.

By the way, congratulations on having over $1 million saved!

Condo insurance

Hi Professor — I bought a condo – with all cash – where the HOA insurance covers the structure and common areas. My insurance agent says I should get a policy for the interior of the unit. They’re not very expensive, so I’m going to do it. However, it’s going to be a rental property so I don’t own anything inside, so I don’t really see a need for it! Is this just another revenue generator for insurance companies with a product that isn’t really needed? Mike H., Portland, WA Hi Mike — NO, NO and NO! Get a new insurance agent if yours can’t explain why you need an interior policy. I agree with you: Who cares about the interior property? The issue with condos, whether a personal residence or investment property, is liability. Wait until you or your tenant causes a fire, smoke damage or a flood that damages nine of your neighbors’ units. The HOA is going to say it’s your problem, which it might very well be. Then your neighbors are all going to be coming after you for reimbursement for their losses. Without an interior HO-6 condo policy with adequate liability insurance, it’s not going to be a pleasant experience. Get that policy in place today. 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

Uptick in US Housing Confidence Driven by an Unlikely Generation By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

October 2, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

As the housing recovery continues, Americans are growing more confident in the housing market in general. And that confidence comes in part from a potentially surprising source: millennial renters, who to date have been perceived by many as largely uninterested in and/or unable to attain homeownership. But even as younger renters express a strong desire to one day buy a home, the question remains if they will be able to just yet, as difficult buying conditions persist. Millennial renters (aged 18-34) often have a lot of student debt and pay very high rents in many of the nation’s largest cities, which can make saving for a down payment difficult. In addition, the inventory of the least expensive, entry-level homes is also tight, according to Zillow’s August Real Estate Market Reports. According to the second edition of the Zillow Housing Confidence Index (ZHCI), overall confidence in the U.S. housing market is up, driven by a perception of strong current market conditions and strong homeownership aspirations among both current owners and renters. Confidence was tempered somewhat by general expectations for slower growth going forward. The ZHCI, sponsored by Zillow and developed by Pulsenomics LLC, is measured on a 0 to 100 scale, with readings above 50 indicating positive sentiment. The headline index is comprised of three sub-indices:

The Housing Market Conditions Index (HMCI), which measures prevailing market trends and buying/selling conditions.
The Housing Expectations Index (HEI), which measures expected changes in home values, home affordability and the value of homeownership.
The Homeownership Aspirations Index (HAI), which measures household home-buying plans and attitudes toward the social value of homeownership.

The ZHCI rose to 64.2 over the summer, up from 63.7 in January, and housing confidence increased among residents of 11 of the 20 major metro areas surveyed. Both the HMCI and HAI rose in the most recent survey, to 62.1 and 62.7, from 60 and 62.4 in January, respectively. The HEI fell from January, to 66.1 from 66.3. Consumers’ expectations for more modest home value growth going forward are in line with Zillow’s predictions for slower home value growth over the next year. The Zillow Home Value Forecast predicts home value growth of 3.1 percent through next August, down from 6.6 percent over the past year. Among millennial renters (aged 18-34), 82 percent said they were confident or somewhat confident that they will be able to afford to own a home someday, compared to 64 percent of Generation X renters (those aged 35-49) and just 48 percent of Baby Boomer renters (aged 50-64). Millennials overall were also far more optimistic about future home value appreciation. One-third of millennials (33 percent) said they expected home values to rise more than 6 percent per year over the next decade, compared to 21 percent of Generation X and just 15 percent of Baby Boomers. “It’s heartening to see younger renters express so much confidence in their ability to buy a home in coming years, because today’s renters by necessity are tomorrow’s buyers,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries. “Cynics might argue that these results represent no more than youthful exuberance, or perhaps some naiveté, but that’s missing the point. We need this generation to be confident and wanting to buy, regardless of the difficulties they face. And there are difficulties, including saving for down payments in the face of high rents and high student debt burdens, uncertain job prospects among younger workers and limited entry-level home inventory. But optimism is a necessary first step, and indicates a desire among a very creative generation to find creative solutions that will enable them to achieve homeownership,” Humphries said. In some ways, millennials’ views toward housing in general may also be more conventional than older generations. Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of millennials said they agreed with the statement that owning a home is necessary to living the “good life” and is central to the American dream, compared to 56 percent of Generation X and 55 percent of Baby Boomers. Roughly 46 percent of millennials said they agreed with the statement that owning a home is necessary to be a respected member of society, compared to 38 percent of Generation X and less than a third (30 percent) of Baby Boomers. For a full report on results from the latest Zillow Housing Confidence Index, please visit Zillow Research.

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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

Fall, Holidays Still Prime Season for Sellers By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

September 29, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Fall officially began Sept. 23, but that doesn’t mean you should scrap plans for selling your home this year. In fact, October, November and December can actually be good months to sell. Now is the time to plan for it if you’ve even considered putting your home on the market. For decades, the conventional thinki

ng was that if you missed the spring selling season, you missed the boat. Once summer rolls around and school starts shortly after that, families are more settled, the thinking went, and therefore less inclined to pick up and move (unless a job change or other circumstance forced them). Also, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and the January cold snaps follow the start of school. In the past, no one wanted to take time to drive around looking at homes when all of this was happening. Things have changed. Today’s buyers aren’t necessarily timing a home purchase or sale around school schedules because people tend to settle down later in life and live longer. The result is urban expansion; more single, first-time and millennial buyers as well as baby boomers looking to buy (and sell). Also, a lot of home shopping, at least initially, happens online and via apps. Buyers don’t have to take time out of their busy schedules to drive around — they can just sit down with a tablet on the couch. As a result of the Internet, our hectic schedules and mobile lifestyles, the fall months are no longer a real estate dead zone. True, spring is still the busiest time overall. But there’s plenty of action happening after Labor Day through Christmas, enough to make it worth your while to put up the ‘For Sale’ sign. Here’s why.

Buyers are still out there

As mentioned, buyers never stop looking. A serious buyer is looking at new homes online 24/7, even through the holidays. If the right home appears, they’re ready to move. In fact, it could be that buyers in the early winter months are even more motivated than buyers in warmer months because there is less going on. They have fewer distractions and are laser focused on finding a home.

There’s less competition

A lot of people still buy into the old thinking that real estate slows to a crawl by October and virtually stops from Thanksgiving until, say, Valentine’s Day. As a consequence, many potential sellers figure there’s no reason to go on the market during these months. So they wait for spring. And that’s good news for you, because less inventory on the market = less competition for you.

Even January can be a good time to sell

By now you’re probably thinking about all the disruptions to your life that selling a home during the holidays might cause. For instance, you’re in the middle of wrapping Christmas gifts when your agent calls. She wants you to leave the house right away so she can bring a motivated buyer by for another look. If the potential for disruptions concerns you, put your home on the market in January. Inventory will still be very tight, and there will still be buyers out there looking. In fact, with the holidays over, there may even be more buyers out in January than in December. Also, January buyers may be more motivated. They’ve started doing their taxes and realize they need to buy. Or they’ve set a New Year’s resolution to buy a home within the next 12 months. Ultimately, as we enter the final quarter of 2014, there will no doubt be plenty of motivated buyers in the market, searching for just the right home at a time when there’s less inventory. Doesn’t that sound like a good time to sell? 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

Fed Assurances Help Keep 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Mostly Steady By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

September 25, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgages at 4.13 percent, down from 4.19 percent at this same time last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered around 4.17 percent for most of the week, peaking at 4.28 percent on Saturday before easing down to the current rate. “Mortgage rates were mostly flat last week after the Fed offered reassurance that it would not accelerate the wind-down of the stimulus program,” said Erin Lantz, vice president of mortgages at Zillow. “With uncertainty about the Fed’s plans dismissed, we expect rates will remain steady throughout the coming week.” Additionally, the 15-year fixed mortgage rate this morning was 3.18 percent, and for 5/1 ARMs, the rate was 2.97 percent. Purchase Mortgage Application Activity Zillow predicts tomorrow’s seasonally adjusted Mortgage Bankers Association Weekly Application Index will show purchase loan activity increased by 1 percent from the week prior. To learn more about this Zillow analysis, click here. What are the interest rates right now? Check Zillow Mortgages for mortgage rate trends and up-to-the-minute mortgage rates for your state.

*The weekly mortgage rate chart illustrates the average 30-year fixed interest rate in six-hour intervals. 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

Outdoor Lighting 101By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

September 22, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Landscape lighting can turn a visitor from feeling wary to welcome. It can change the rest of the yard from “Nightmare on Elm Street” to “Some Enchanted Evening,” all with the flip of a switch. The first step in this transformation is to educate yourself about the possibilities. Because photos rarely do justice illustrating the amazing possibilities of landscape lighting, keep an eye out for good examples when you’re out for an evening stroll or drive. The strong lights typically used for entrances and to illuminate large areas, such as driveways and decks, are powered by a 120-volt current. A qualified electrician must wire them directly to your circuit box and the cables, held within a protective conduit, must be buried at least 18 inches below ground. If you have these fixtures, make sure they are UL-listed and approved for outdoor use. The 120-v outdoor lights are also preferred for security applications, especially when combined with motion detection. When less light is sufficient, low-voltage fixtures (12- to 15-v) are the norm. These include accent lights, path lights, and small floodlights. The fixtures are smaller and less obtrusive, use less energy, and are far less worrisome when in wet locations. They can also be plugged into an outdoor receptacle, making them ideal for do-it-yourself installations. The wiring does not require tools, and the cables do not need to be buried. Solar-powered outdoor lights, a third option, are of course dependent upon exposure to the sun, and are variable with regard to output and when they turn on. They are best used to light paths where they are exposed to full sun throughout the day. Don’t put them in the shade!

Planning for outdoor lighting

Plot out your ideas on graph paper. Draw the footprint of your house to an 1/8-inch scale and sketch in all major landscape elements, including fences, decks, tree, paths, driveways and garden beds. Include the location of any existing or proposed outdoor receptacles as well. Make notes about what you’d like to illuminate and then decide which fixtures will do the job best. Try to use a variety of lighting techniques. Avoid overly bright and dark areas, and avoid glare for both visitors and your neighbors. Do not place path lights too closely together to avoid the “runway” look. You’ll also have to decide about fixture style, of which there are many!

Why You Should Get Off the Fence About Buying a Home By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

September 18, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team As the housing market continues to stabilize and show more signs of health and improved conditions, you might be thinking more seriously about purchasing a home, right? Here are some reasons why it’s (still) a good idea to get off the fence — sooner, rather than later.

Mortgage rates are (still) low

During the recession, the rate on the 30-year, fixed-rate loan averaged 4.32 percent. Now, rates are close to that, and there’s no recession! That means they’ve got nowhere to go but up — particularly because the Federal Reserve is expected to end its bond-buying program, which has been credited with pushing mortgage rates to historic lows, in October. Granted, rates aren’t expected to skyrocket overnight, but don’t think that a small uptick wouldn’t affect your budget. In fact, if rates were to go up by just 1 percentage point, your purchasing power would be reduced by a whopping 11 percent. To put this in further perspective: If you could afford a $400,000 loan at 4 percent mortgage rates, you could afford a loan of just $356,000 at 5 percent. An even smaller rise in rates — say from 4.5 percent to 5 percent — would add $75 to the monthly payment on a $300,000 house with $50,000 down. To see how much waiting could cost you, specifically, check out Zillow’s recent analysis here.

Home prices are (still) affordable

While home prices, nationally, continue to rise, up nearly 7 percent from July 2013, they are still 11 percent below their 2007 peak. And get this: Home buying is more affordable now than ever before. According to a recent Zillow analysis, U.S. home buyers at the end of the second quarter spent 15.3 percent of their incomes on a mortgage, far less than the 22.1 percent share homeowners devoted to mortgages in the pre-bubble days. This situation won’t last forever, especially as mortgage rates continue to rise.

Buying is (still) cheaper than renting

No doubt, buying a house is a significant purchase, but in a majority of the country, it’s (still) cheaper than renting. In fact, in half of metros in the U.S., buying beats renting after only two years. This can be attributed to historically high rental prices that have helped skew the rent vs. buy decision toward buying for those who can afford it. So if you can afford to buy, now is the time as rents aren’t getting any cheaper! 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

The Seller Won’t Negotiate: Time to Move on? By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

September 15, 2014 Joe Szabo

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team You’ve found your dream home, visited it a few times and reviewed the reports and disclosures. You’ve made an offer — only to discover that the sellers aren’t willing to negotiate. They’re firm on their price, no matter how high it seems relative to the market. Unlike retail businesses, which price their products based on inventory levels and market conditions, each seller is independent and has different selling motivations. Here are three strategies to help you move past a home you’re obsessed with.

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

It’s easy to obsess over the possible reasons why the sellers rejected your offer. You might spend hours looking up a home’s sales history and tax records and then combine that data with the information you received from the sellers’ agent about their situation or motivations. Like a detective, you’re trying to solve the mystery by examining all the clues. 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.

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. If the sellers have a change of heart later, they’ll know how to find you.

3. Put the home behind you

Because purchasing a home can be both personal 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. 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, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com 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.

August 2014 Paradise Valley Arizona real estate market update

September 11, 2014 Joe Szabo

Fall may be quickly approaching but with the triple digits still in the forecast it doesn’t feel like it will be cooling down any time soon. It appears that the Paradise Valley real estate market is feeling the heat. Let’s take a glance at how the Paradise Valley real estate market faired in August. New listings are down from July with a total of 43 new listings vs. 46 in July. New contracts did not change this month and rested at 33 new contracts total for the month of August. Closed sales really took a dive in August, down a whopping 51%. The median sale price also dropped 23.2% from $1,140,000 to $875,000. We are optimistic about the market improving as the weather cools down (hopefully!). During these up and down activity months it is more important than ever to consult a real estate professional that knows the Paradise Valley real estate market.

August 2014 Paradise Valley detailed market report

August 2014 Paradise Valley market report

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 Joe@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or Joe@AZLuxuryHomes.com. 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.

August 2014 Scottsdale Arizona real estate market update

September 11, 2014 Joe Szabo

Fall may be quickly approaching but with the triple digits still in the forecast it doesn’t feel like it will be cooling down any time soon. Fortunately activity in the Scottsdale real estate market is picking up! Let’s take a glance at how the Scottsdale real estate market faired in August. New listings are up from July with a total of 705 new listings vs. 687 in July. New contracts are also up slightly with 638 total. This is great news for the coming months as we will start to see an increase in closed sales. Current closed sales are also down this month, as expected, based on the previous month’s activity. The median sale price remained constant for the first time in several months, which is a nice change from the downward movement from the previous months. We are optimistic about the market improving as the weather cools down (hopefully!). During these up and down activity months it is more important than ever to consult a real estate professional that knows the Scottsdale market.