Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor shares signs that your Prescott home will have good resale value

It might seem premature to think about selling a home before you even buy it, but it's important to remember that a house is an investment. Bud Jones -Prescott Realtor shares indications that your Prescott home will have a good resale value.

In an ideal world, investments make money, not lose it. For this reason, resale value should be an important consideration when looking for a home, even if other considerations are prioritized. When considering resale value, consider such things as:

• Your surroundings in the neighborhood you are considering. Is the area walkable to a grocery store? Are there restaurants nearby?
  
• How is your potential new home’s health? Get a rundown from your inspector and keep a close eye on the roof, water heater, HVAC system, windows, and foundation. Give close attention to the electrical and plumbing, too. Problems with these systems can be very costly.
  
• Quiet streets are great. On the one hand, you want close proximity to stores, restaurants and entertainment, but you don’t want them in your backyard!
  
• Good lighting. A home in a neighborhood that has good lighting sells! Good lighting brings a feeling of safety, warmth, and a sense of belonging.

These tips from Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor should help you recognize some of the factors that will affect resale value when shopping for your Prescott home. With Bud Jones’ 20-plus years of service as an LA County Deputy Sheriff, and his 30-plus years in real estate, Bud can expertly guide you through buying and selling your Prescott home. Contact Bud Jones today at 928-710-0643 to schedule an appointment. Learn more at http://www.budsellsprescotthomes.com.

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Prescott Professional Realtor
Real Estate Sales in Prescott
Helpful Real Estate Articles

Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor shares what to watch for on the walk-through of your Prescott home

The day you’ve waited for has finally arrived. You’re almost the new owner of your home and all that’s left to do is the final walk-through. Let Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor put his experience to work for you to help you navigate through the final steps of your Prescott home purchase. 

First and foremost, don’t stress! Most walk-throughs don’t reveal any serious issues. We’ll help you know what to look for, before you get the keys to your new home!

Create your walk-through checklist
Create your checklist with your Realtor. Go through room by room and make notes.  General things to have on your list would be the status of appliances, plumbing, outlets and lights. Look at windows, doors, handles, and cabinets. Notify your Realtor if any items need to be fixed.

Double check to see if repairs were completed
Usually sellers intend to be honest - some might take a shortcut. Pay attention to the details.
A good rule of thumb is asking for receipts of these repairs in advance of the walk-through or ask them to send you a photo of completed work.

Don’t forget hard-to-reach areas
You may not have had the time to check out details such as rugs hiding damage to a floor, or a piece of furniture blocking holes in the wall. Boxes may be stacked up in a move, so check behind things.

Make sure nothing has been removed
Be sure you have the same appliances and fixtures that were first present. Anything that was connected by wires or pipes should still be there. Also check fixtures and pulls to ensure they’re in the same condition before the home changes hands.

Don't get upset if it’s a bit messy
Most contracts ask for a place to be ‘broom clean’. What this means is a tidy place, but you can’t expect it to be super clean. That’s going to be left up to the buyer. Minor issues can be fixed.
Don’t worry, be happy.  You’ve got one step left now, moving in.

Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor wants you to know what to look for on the final walk-through of your Prescott home purchase. With his 30-plus years in real estate, Bud can expertly guide you through buying and selling your Prescott home. Contact Bud Jones today at 928-710-0643 to schedule an appointment. Learn more at http://www.budsellsprescotthomes.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Prescott Professional Realtor
Real Estate Sales in Prescott
Helpful Real Estate Articles

Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor discusses how down payments affect private mortgage insurance

If you’re in the market for a new home in Prescott, you have likely been discussing your down payment and mortgage terms. There are a number of factors that will impact your monthly mortgage payment. Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor discusses how the down payment will affect private mortgage insurance.

Consider these questions:

• How does the amount of my down payment affect private mortgage insurance or PMI?

• How much do I have to put down to avoid paying PMI?

If you take out a loan to purchase a home, and your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s value, you will likely be required to pay for private mortgage insurance. These policies are usually required when the loan-to-value exceeds 80%. That’s the industry standard.

As to the second question:

• You may be able to avoid PMI by making a larger up-front investment. But, to be clear, a 20% down payment isn’t always necessary. Your real estate professional can provide you more information. 

• Another advantage of making a larger down payment is that your monthly payment will be reduced. The more you pay up front, the less you are financing. This results in a smaller mortgage payment each month.

Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor wants you to be aware of how the down payment amount for your Prescott home purchase will affect the requirement for private mortgage insurance. You can trust the knowledge and experience of Bud Jones. After two decades of service as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, Bud began his 30-plus year real estate career, following in the footsteps of his mother whose vast experience and knowledge in the real estate industry played a monumental role in his training. Call Bud Jones at 928-710-0643 and experience the excellence in real estate services he provides. For more information, a free consultation, or to peruse the available properties in and around Prescott, visit http://www.budsellsprescotthomes.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Real Estate in Prescott
Prescott Professional Realtor
Helpful Real Estate Articles

Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor discusses what first time home buyers need to qualify for a loan

It's not uncommon for first-time home buyers to have questions about the mortgage approval process. If you're a first-time home buyer, Prescott Realtor Bud Jones, would like you to know about some of the most important factors mortgage lenders consider during the qualification process.

• Income
• Credit score
• Debt to Income ratio
• Down payment

Income
Your income will, of course, affect your ability to qualify for a mortgage loan. Income is not restricted to a paycheck but every source of income is considered. Examples of different sources of income income include spousal maintenance, child support, Social Security and disability income to name a few. Your mortgage lender will want to ensure that you have sufficient income, whatever the source, to meet your monthly mortgage obligation.

Credit Score
How you have borrowed in the past, the type of debt, the terms of debt repayment and the history of your repayment including any delinquencies or bankruptcies are all a part of the complex algorithms that are used to compile your credit score. While minimum requirements vary from one lending program to another, the FHA program is one of the more lenient requiring a minimum score of 580. Conventional loan programs usually have higher score requirements.

Debt-to-income Ratio (DTI)
You debt to income ratio is exactly how it sounds. It compares how much reccurring debt you have to how much income you have. Many lenders establish ratio maximums in the 40%-43% range. In terms of your total DTI ratio lower, of course, is better. As the ratio of how much you have to pay out every month compared to how much you bring in approaches 50% you can expect difficulty in qualifying for a home loan.

Minimum Down-Payment Requirements
Unless your lending program is a VA or USDA loan (both government-backed programs) you should be prepared to make some kind of down payment. Conventional lenders (banks) might require as little as a 3% - 5% while FHA mortgage lending programs allow for a 3.5% down payment. Down payments can come in the form of a gift but must legally be a gift, with no expectation of repayment.

Mortgage lenders will look at these factors and more as you move through the qualification process. Prescott Realtor Bud Jones can not only help you find your dream home, but will answer all of your questions to help you qualify for your first home. For more information visit us at http://www.budsellsprescotthomes.com or call us at 928-710-0643.

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Prescott Homes for Sale
First Time Home Buying in Prescott
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Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor - suggests questions you should ask to find the right real estate agent

Finding the right real estate agent can be confusing. Well-meaning neighbors, employers, employees, friends, and family members will try to set you up with the one they know. Bud Jones suggests some questions you should ask to find the real estate agent that is right for you when buying or selling a home in Prescott.

It is important to choose the most qualified person for the job, but also someone you think will make a good partner for every step you take. You need someone you’ll feel comfortable disagreeing with as well as someone you can trust. Here are some questions you should ask:

• Will I be working with you directly? Is your agent going to handle all aspects of the transaction or delegate some tasks to a sales associate or administrative assistant? A knowledgeable assistant can be helpful, but you want to make sure you can connect easily and regularly, directly with your agent.
• Do you have a website? A good real estate agent’s website is a place where you can use a variety of resources to learn about the community, find available properties, and learn more about the real estate process. It is where you can learn about the agent’s background. expertise and professional experience. An agent’s website can help you discern whether his or her services help you to realize your real estate goals.
• In which neighborhoods do you primarily work? You want someone who can spout off neighborhood stats like a true local. Your agent doesn’t just need to know the market valuations in Prescott, but in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey, Mayer and Humboldt. They also need to know the valuations for each specific neighborhood in these areas, as well as information on any home owner associations in the community.

Bud Jones, Prescott Realtor, hopes that these simple questions can help you find the right real estate agent for your needs. After two decades of service as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, Bud began his 30-plus year real estate career, following in the footsteps of his mother whose vast experience and knowledge in the real estate industry played a monumental role in his training. Call Prescott Realtor Bud Jones at 928-710-0643 and experience the excellence in real estate services he provides. For more information, a free consultation, or to peruse the available properties in and around Prescott, visit http://www.budsellsprescotthomes.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Real Estate in Prescott
Prescott Area Homes for Sale
Helpful Real Estate Articles

Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor talks about features Prescott home buyers want right now

Are you thinking of selling your Prescott home? With homes, as in fashion, trends not only come and go but they can set your home apart from the others and even get you more money. Prescott realtor, Bud Jones keeps up to date with the latest trends and home buyer preferences. Here are a few of home's most popular features.

Kitchen Countertops
Marble countertops are more porous and therefore prone to staining. However, quartz is more expensive. Although they are both beautiful, Quartz is a home sellers preference.

Flooring
Real estate agents report that buyers prefer hardwood floors because they last a long time and are easier to clean. Even for those who live in a colder climate and prefer the warmth and comfort of carpet, hardwood floors are the more popular choice.

Bathroom Tubs
Even though claw-foot tubs used to reflect elegance and luxury, the fact is that a beautifully designed soaking tub gives any bathroom a spa-like appeal and is the preference among buyers.

Windows
While both are certainly beautiful, especially for those with breathtaking views, there is not a large variance in opinion. Bay windows did, however, marginally edge out floor-to-ceiling windows as the preferred style.

Kitchen stoves
As most of you can probably guess, this was an easy choice. Cooks prefer gas. Even though gas stoves are more expensive to purchase, they are more affordable to operate. And they allow for more uniform, therefore predictable, cooking than that of their electric contenders.

Kitchen Cabinets
Few interior rooms have a greater impact on the sale or purchase of a home than the kitchen. And the trend now is brighter, lighter white cabinets rather than older dark cabinets. Buyers feel that lighter cabinets give the impression of more space.

If you're thinking of updating your Prescott home or preparing to sell it, Bud Jones can show you how to prepare your home to it's best advantage. Whether you're looking to sell your home or buy one, call Bud Jones today at 928-710-0643 or visit http://budsellsprescotthomes.com for more information.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Prescott Homes for Sale
Buying a Home in Prescott
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Bud Jones - Prescott Realtor shares home selling tips that you should ignore

One of the hardest parts of selling your home is deciding how to begin. Who will be a potential buyer? How long will it take to sell? How much should I ask? Everyone from your brother-in-law to your co-worker will be offering you advice. Bud Jones, Prescott Realtor, shares these home selling tips that you should ignore:

“You'll find your buyer from an open house.” Open houses are great, kind of like a party at which you can present your spruced-up home to many people all at once. Open houses are important, but don't expect an open house to be the event at which someone will make an offer. The serious buyer will most likely request a private showing.

“You will save money by paying less in commission.”
Do you have a hard time handing over the commission that real estate agents typically request to sell your home? While it may seem like a lot of money, you might not understand just how much work an agent does behind the scenes. A good agent does not simply list your home on MLS and consider their job done. The commission to an agent pays for time and materials used for marketing, plus advertising. Posters, ads in real estate publications, flyers, broker open houses, and yard signs all come from your agent’s commission.

“Home-buying season starts in the spring and goes through the fall.”
In reality, January is a great listing month, because people are through the holidays and ready to start looking. The bottom line is, every market is different, and what is sound advice in one area can be terrible advice in another.
 
Bud Jones, Prescott Realtor, wants you to be informed about what advice on home selling can be safely ignored. After a decade of service as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff, Bud began his 30-plus year real estate career, following in the footsteps of his mother whose vast experience and knowledge in the real estate industry played a monumental role in his training. Call Prescott Realtor Bud Jones at 928-710-0643 and experience the excellence in real estate services he provides. For more information, a free consultation, or to peruse the available properties in and around Prescott, visit http://www.budsellsprescotthomes.com.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Real Estate in Prescott
Prescott Realtor
Helpful Real Estate Articles