By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Easements give the right to use part or all of person’s property for certain purposes. They are put in effect in written agreements and are usually permanent. Easements typically stay with the property as it is passed from one owner to the next. This referred to as ‘Run With The Land’. There are two types of easements to be aware of as a buyer. ‘Benefits the Property’ and ‘Effects the Property’ (meaning it effects someone else). If you are purchasing a property out in the country and the only way to your door is to cross your neighbor’s property; then make certain that you have an easement for ‘Ingress and Egress’ across you neighbor’s property before you move in. This ‘Benefits the Property’ for you and ‘Effects the Property’ for your neighbor. Many neighborhoods with homes close together share driveways. This would mean that your neighbor has a five foot easement for you to use their half of the driveway and you have a five foot easement for them to use. These easements are often accompanied by a maintenance agreement stating how and when the driveway will get repair, how it will be paid for. A Utility Easement is a common agreement with the neighborhood and all of the municipal services such as electric, gas, water, sewage, cable and phone. Always get a title search to show where your easement is. Typically it is across the front and back of a property, sometime five to seven feet. The last thing you want is to put in a new pool only to have the electric company have to tear out one side of it to do repairs because it was too close to the property line. 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team A buyer’s deed (the physical title to their home) is recorded to legally recognize the buyer as the new and official owner of the property. That way, when someone goes to the office of the recorder of deeds, the sellers name is no longer listed as the current title holder. The buyers name would then be last on that homes chain of title. A deed gets recorded by either the title company that dealt with the closing, or the buyer, who would receive the deed from the title company and deliver it to the local recorder on their own time. It is important to make sure the deed is recorded properly, or real estate tax bills might get sent to the wrong home. If property taxes are not paid on time, the buyer can easily loose their new home, so double checking the name, address, and all other information that will be listed on the deed should be part of the process. In most cities, deeds are not updated and to have a deed changed can take months or in some cases won’t record until the following calendar year. This is important to note if you are only going to keep your home for a short time and need to change the recording. It is also a good idea to jot down the days that tax bills should be received, so in the case that there does happen to be an error, you can call the records office to correct it before it turns into a major problem. If a home is kept as an investment, but the owner is no longer living in it, always have the address where tax bills are sent changed, so taxes are continually being paid. 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Kitchens are an important and practical part of the home, becoming more and more customized each day. Whether your tastes include an oversized island, or stone flooring, here are some things to consider when designing and decorating your kitchen. First, if you look at your kitchen and it seems empty, use extra counter space to display different items. Perhaps a collection of antique tea pots, or different plant pots. This can also help add a theme and give a kitchen personality. Second, the area of a kitchen between the cabinets and top of the counter (or backsplash) is an area that you see a lot of, but is often disregarded. Try colorful tiles, or a small tile mural. Third, the kitchen of a home is often center of attention and can make a great gathering place for company. Whether you kitchen is larger or smaller, try not to take up all its space with one large table. A love seat is a great idea because it is small, comfortable, and adds a more welcoming feel than the wood chairs of a dinning room table. Fourth, cabinet doors in a kitchen can get old and worn out, but that does not mean there is always the money to run out and replace them. Try decorating them with a splash of paint, or maybe fill in the inset of cabinet doors with bamboo rods. Chicken wire will enhance the look of a country style kitchen and a deep wood staining for a more elegant look. Fifth, organization is the best way to keep a kitchen from looking cluttered or messy. Try separating spoons, whisks, spatulas, and other kitchen items into beakers or decorative pot. Set aside a drawer for mismatched utensils and place all spices and bottles of oil and vinegar in a basket or spice rack. Also, a lidded tin or another kind of container can help hide pasta packages and keep things more simple. Sixth, plants can add a fresh, softer look to a room and help make a kitchen feel more welcoming. Try plants that match the theme of your kitchen, or artificial plants for those who have allergies or no time to water and take care of a plant. Seventh, good lighting is vital to a kitchen, especially in older homes where the lighting fixtures are worn out. Try replacing older lighting with track lights, which move light where it is most needed; or try adding smaller fixtures just under the lip of a cabinet, for more focused light. Eighth, if you love the look of granite but not its huge price tag, try using it in just a select area, like an island or peninsula. Granite tiles are also cheaper, and engineered quartz products are always an option. These products also require less maintenance than granite. Ninth, hanging attractive kitchen ware, such as pots, can open up more room and add a personal essence. A wrack hung from the ceiling, or a rod installed over a stove is popular spots to hang these items. Tenth, flooring is a big part of a kitchen and can make or break its hard earned look. Old, scratched up linoleum will not mesh so well in a formal kitchen with a chandelier, where business dinners are held. If you like the looks of wood, stone, or other more pricy floorings, try a laminate that looks just like the real stuff, but does not break the bank. . 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Bathrooms, although a small part of a house, usually involve more thought and time than other rooms might. Here are some tips when deciding how to decorate a bathroom, weather it is a guest bathroom or belongs to the master room. 1. If a lot of space is being taken up by a bulky vanity, it might be better to replace it with a sleeker pedestal sink. The extra room will immediately open up the space and give more area to change, walk, etc. 2. Try to turn the necessity of a mirror into an art. Instead of the same old rectangular mirror, try a different shape, or a framed mirror. Also, when trying to spruce up an existing mirror, try adding decorative cording or ribbon. If there is a blank wall in your bathroom, try arranging different mirrors on it for a different, yet appropriate look. 3. Do something with old lighting fixtures, or replace them all together with something new and fresh that better suits your style. Make sure the lighting is incandescent, it is more visually pleasing. 4. When a bathroom is looking particularly cold and hard, fabric can make all the difference. Try a toilet seat cover, fuzzy floor mat, and place fabric on the outside of a shower curtain to soften the room. 5. When space in a small bathroom becomes an issue, try adding an out of the way shelf to walls. Also, try setting out baskets for towels and cosmetics, and maximize space in the linen closet by adding more shelves. Diagonal patterned flooring will also help to open up a room visually, and creates an inward pull. 6. Frame molding can help add a creative look to old mirrors or pictures. Because this opens up so many options, it can add a vintage look, a bright look, or even a blander look. 7. Try to refrain from putting a whole bunch of little knickknacks in you bathroom. Instead, place a few, larger accessories that will help contribute color and mood. This will keep your bathroom from looking cluttered, even when it is clean. 8. To let light in, but keep peeping eyes out, try replacing your regular bathroom windows with frosted panes. Glass etching cream or frosted windows are also an option. Then there is always the traditional shutters and top down shades. 9. Instead of replacing an old vanity, it is sometimes a good idea to simply reinvent it. Removing lower doors and placing towel bins can also add storage space. A fresh coat of paint and new drawer knobs can also do the trick. 10. For a new way to store towels; try stacking them on a chair or bench. Maybe roll wash cloths and place them in a basket. Also, all kinds of hangers can be mounted to walls, including ones right behind the door to maximize space. 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Joe Szabo and Scottsdale Real Estate Team understand that trying to get qualified for a loan can be one of the most time consuming and confusing aspects of home buying. Scottsdale Real Estate Team has a proven, long-term track record of successful real estate sales in the Scottsdale, Arizona Real Estate Market.  Homes would like to provide you with three basic guidelines that will help you through the process as you consider Scottsdale, Arizona Real Estate. First off, when a lender is deciding to grant you a home loan, they will look at both income and job history. Generally speaking, most lenders want to see that you have sustained the same job and a steady income for a minimum of two years. For those who change jobs more frequently, lenders will accept this as long as it has been in the same line of work, because it gives evidence of a stable line of work. The main reason lenders look at this is to ensure your income can sufficiently support the cost of your home. This is often referred to as the ‘Expense to Income Ratio.’ Ideally, you do not want your house payment to consume more than twenty-eight to thirty percent of your overall income; however, this does vary in areas with much higher price ranges, such as Scottsdale. Also, all other debts compared to your income should not exceed thirty-three to thirty-eight percent of your overall income. This is often referred to as the (‘Debt to Income Ratio.’ Next, when buying Scottsdale, Arizona Real Estate, we know it is very important that lenders know you are actually going to pay back the loan; this is where your credit score comes in. It will show other instances in which you either did or did not meet your payment obligations, and if not, you must explain why that was. If you have a few dings, but nothing serious, then you will be fine. However, if you have a repeated pattern of late or non-payments, this may make it difficult to get a loan. Finally, lenders will be looking at collateral for the loan, that is, the house itself. It is in their best interest to make sure that the loan they are lending you equals what the house is actually worth. Simply having a Scottsdale appraiser look at the property will satisfy this requirement. Also, a lender will want to make sure the title to the home is clear of any judgments or liens, and that it is in the correct property owner’s name. After these factors are met, it is time to select the best loan package to suit your needs. A Scottsdale, Arizona loan professional will help guide you through what is available for your financial situation. Joe Szabo and Scottsdale Real Estate Team work with seasoned experts in the mortgage field specializing in Scottsdale, Arizona home financing and would be happy to refer a good lender or mortgage broker to you if needed. 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team At Joe Szabo and Scottsdale Real Estate Team, we understand that buying a home is part of the American dream. Part of this dream is thinking you know how much you want to spend and wondering if you can afford it. Many people who rent consider what they pay for their apartment as what they can afford. Actually with the tax benefits that accompany owning a home a person can typically afford about 22% to 33% more than their rent. Even though your rent and purchasing price may be much more, for the sake of easy math we’ve used an easy number to start with at $1200 though we know rents run much hirer for luxury homes. If your rent is $1200 a month, you new house payment must now include the principle and interest on your loan, and cover the property taxes and hazard insurance. Property tax and insurance are around 15%, which equals $180, leaving $1020 to apply toward principle and interest. Say you get an interest rate of 7.5% and put down 20%. Your $1020 a month will allow you to buy a home financing around $146,000. Now let’s say you by a home costing 30% higher or financing around $189,000, after your 20% down. Your payments would be $1327 but the amount of interest you could write off the first year would be $14,175.00. The IRA allows homeowners to deduct all of the interest they pay on their mortgage every year they are making payments. Add that to your original $1020.00 and the $1350.00 a month is the amount you can really afford to pay. Other tax benefits are being able to write off any points charged as part of originating your loan (a point is 1% of the purchase price) as well as many other fee associated with closing. 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Joe Szabo and Scottsdale Real Estate Team believe that an educated buyer is a satisfied buyer. And when deciding how to take title to your new home and wants you to have all the facts.  That’s why she has provided this helpful information to you, so you can make the best decision possible for you and your family.  This information is provided to you as a resource and is not intended to take the place of a legal professional. There are a few different ways to hold the title to your home. Depending on the way a buyer chooses to hold title, this can sometimes determine whether they can keep their home, or will be forced to sell in times of trouble. For individuals buying a home, there are basically two ways they can choose to hold the title to their new home: under his/her name or in one of a variety of trusts. If the buyer chooses to hold title under their own name, this could subject them to probate or force them to sell their home to pay off any debt if a creditor gets involved. In most cases, the best way for individual buyers to protect themselves is in a trust. Tenancy in Common is another way to hold title and is used for married couples or partners/roommates. This allows that when one of the contributors dies, the other inherits that half of the property. It also allows each person to own their piece of the property and how ever much they put into the property is how much they own. Tenancy by the Entirety is a way to hold title similar to joint tenancy; however it is only available to married couples and is not available in every state. This way allows that if one spouse is being chased by creditors, both must agree before being subject to them. Therefore, the only way a creditor can force the home to be sold, is if the couple divorces and a claim is attached to the proceeds to the spouse who owes. If property is put into a trust, buyers must decide which trust is right for them. A Land Trust is a trust in which the main asset is the property, and will be passed down to any beneficiaries in the event of a death, therefore avoiding probate. A Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT) and a Family Limited Partnership are both trusts that will help discount gift taxed. A Living Trust avoids probate, is a way to pass down assets, but does nothing in the way of lowering gift or estate taxes. If a buyer is does not know which way to hold title would be best, consulting an attorney (estate planning or real estate), or an accountant can help explain different options, and advise which would be best. 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.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team A seller’s disclosure is the document that states any unseen problems or defects that can affect the value. This is an upfront account of the property condition that helps prevent problems being discovered during an inspection. Sellers often like this because it then prevents buyers asking for money to fix these “overlooked” problems. This is beneficial to buyers because they will want to know everything about the condition of the home in advance. Often a buyer will encounter a seller disclosure form, which will ask detailed questions about the home, and the seller will then go on to explain how the price of the house takes these problems into account. The buyer will then decide if the home is really worth what is being asked for it, or if the repairs are too heavy a cost. Despite, however, these seller disclosure forms, one of the largest controversial areas surrounding buying and selling homes are the failure to shed light on defects. The broker is usually first to be blamed for this, but the seller is the one who is responsible for recording any and all of these defects that may pose a problem. As a buyer, always make sure to ask specific questions about the home and its condition.  In this and every situation, it is helpful to have a seasoned professional with decades of real estate experience like Joe Szabo, one of the most trusted real estate professionals in the business today. Joe Szabo will guide you through the maze of inspections that can become very confusing when buying a home in Scottsdale, Arizona. With his years of experience he 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.