First Time Home Buyers

This week I want to highlight an important group in the real estate market-First time Home Buyers. There are a lot of overwhelming things about buying your first home, and it's important to get as much information as possible to this group to make their experience a positive one. But who are these people? This video takes a look at the changing demographic of first time home buyers

New Blog-I Heart Historic!

I am so excited to announce a new project I am launching today, the first of November! I HEART HISTORIC is a guide to living and loving Historic Districts. What is a historic district you ask?

A historic district in the United States is a group of buildings, properties or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided into two categories, contributing and non-contributing. Districts greatly vary in size: some have hundreds of structures, while others have just a few.
{Wikipedia}

My love for Historic Distrcits started when I was growing up visting Clarkdale & Jerome Arizona. The history and magic of those places always fascinated me and I really started appreciating the design of older homes. Once I became a real estate agent I knew I had to find a niche in the market that interested me, so my obvious choice was Historical Homes and Districts. They are all so unique and beautiful in their own way, and I know I would love working with people that held the same appreciation of vintage architecture as I.

Please join me at I Heart Historic for homes for sale, maps of areas, the history and periods of significance of the district, and resources for living in the area.

Monthly Market Report-October 2010

Keller Williams Legacy One has analyzed Mariopa County's stats for last month to bring us the Market Report and show us what trends we are seeing in today's market

Dream Houses-Edition #2 Custom Blueprints

Welcome to another edition of Dream Houses! I was browsing through the internet the other day and stumbled across this amazing website that sells blueprints to custom build your own houses. Needless to say I wasted a large amount of my day dreaming I could build any of these houses.

Home Office Designs

I've been contemplating how I want to design my Home Office and I've found a ton of great ideas from HGTV. My favorite is the last one!

This Month in Real Estate-October

Here's what going on across the country this month. Home sales have risen everywhere, but most right here in the western section of the U.S. Watch the video for more information and statistics!

Happy October!

Hooray! It's October, and what better way to celebrate it here in AZ than cooking some delcious Hatch Chiles that are now in season! Jaimee Rose of the Arizona Republic has an entire post devoted to these babies, check it out for some amazing fall recipes like Green Chile Cheesburgers, Cheddar Corn & Chile Chowder. Chile Cheddar Cornbread, Chile Quesadillas, Green Chile Hash, Green Chile Pesto & Pasta, & Chile Rellenos.

Gudalupe Farmers Market has them, and they are located on Power & Guadalupe so run over there today and whip up some delicious fall recipes!

Selling your home: Staging tips

It has been proven that staging your home is beneficial to selling, here are some tips from HGTV to guide you through home staging.

Staging sells houses. If you can't hire a stager, there are several ways you can stay ahead of the curve and catch potential buyers the moment they step in your house. Broker Rob Howard has learned the importance of preparing for showings, and here are his top 10 tips.
1. Nothing Personal But Remove the Photos:
People can be very photogenic, but many clients are distracted by portraits of the sellers, and miss out on key selling points of the home. As an amateur photographer, I love displaying my work, but if I'm selling my house, art will be displayed without people in it. No matter how nice the display, personal photos are just that: too personal.

2. Accentuate the Positive:
My clients usually know what they like best about their home. It's usually what they saw that made them want to buy, or it's something that they added to make the home particularly special. Whether it is a staircase, a great view from the kitchen sink, a pergola or a three-car garage, do something to make the buyers linger in that magic space.

3. Smells Like Home:
I've heard of many real estate agents bringing in a toaster oven to bake cookies or fresh bread. One colleague joked about keeping an Easy-Bake oven in the trunk of her car. I usually opt for a few plug-in air fresheners. I like using vanilla in the kitchen, fresh scents in the laundry, apple cinnamon in the living room and such. Specific aromas add a theme to the tour, even when it's not an open house.

4. Ditch the Kitsch and Hide Your Opinions:
My favorite example of unnecessary and unwelcome kitsch is the pink pig sitting on the fridge door asking if you're eating again. It oinks when your potential buyer opens the refrigerator. This and other comical quips are great fun when you're living in your home, not when you're trying to sell it. Especially avoid politically-charged material that expresses strong opinions. You don't want a potential buyer to dislike you for your beliefs, so remove all questionable material out of sight.

5. Clean Up Your Act:
If you are selling your house, cleaning is a no-brainer. And clutter is a killer. Get a head start on packing, and begin boxing up extras that are taking up space on your mantel, table surfaces, etc. Clutter makes a house look smaller, and if you have a small house, it makes it feel claustrophobic. Not advantageous to a quick or profitable sale.

6. Embrace the Quietude:
When showing a home, music is not necessarily a bad thing. If you don't know the potential buyer and their taste in music, don't push yours. If you are going to play music, be sure it doesn't have vocals. Avoid niche music; not everyone loves hard rock or country and western. If you are set on having music playing in the background for viewings, opt for soft jazz playing at a low level. Unless you have the music-only channels, keep the television turned off. It’s a distraction.

7. Paint the Story:
A coat or two of paint is always a good investment. If you decide to make the effort, consider flat paint in areas for resting and relaxing. You can add some colors, but neutral is always best. Satin paint is great for common areas and places where there is a bit more action taking place. It's also easier to clean if someone spills some tomato soup on the wall.

8. "Debarkation": Pet-Proof the Pad
If you have pets, especially indoor pets, make sure that during your listing period, you are particularly fastidious in cleaning up after them. Ask a very good friend (or your real estate agent), who will tell you the truth, to come by and give it the sniff test. Also, if you have pets and are trying to sell your home, the purchase of a few air purifiers may also be a great investment. Consider buyers with pet allergies.

9. Show Off the Goods:
Consider placing laser-printed cards on items that remain with the home. Such things could include high-end appliances, dumbwaiters, laundry chutes, built-in sound systems and other goodies. These inexpensive cards are an under-utilized way to bring attention to such selling features. Don't overdo it though; no more than 5-10 cards in an average-sized home. Be sure to lock up or take jewelry and other valuables with you.

10. Go Away:
No buyers want to discuss your home while you are standing there. On average, my clients spend about 20-30 minutes in a home that has some promise; very few stay more than 5 minutes in a house with the seller in earshot. If nothing else, go outside on the porch or in the yard, and let the home speak for itself.

Monday Video-Short Sales

Sell a Home in a Short Sale

More and more, people are trying to sell their homes in a short sale. I've talked a bit about short sales vs. foreclosure, but this video goes more in depth of the process and reasons why short sales may not be approved. The best way to find out if a short sale is right for you is to speak with a lawyer. Buck Law Firm is a great company to work with and they can give you a quick consultation for a low fee to analyze your options.

10 great reasons to buy a home

Did everyone get the memo? The recession is officially over! I know it doesn't feel that way to a lot of people, but now is the time to start thinking positively and push forward in the right direction! The Wall Street Journal came out with this great article about the top 10 reason to buy a home today!

1) You can get a good deal (it's a buyer's market baby!)
2) Mortgages are cheap (interest rates are at the lowest on record)
3) You'll save on taxes
4) The home will be yours
5) You'll get a better home
6) It offers inflation protection
7) It's risk captal
8) It's forced savings
9) There is a lot to choose from
10) Sooner or Later, prices will clear

Check it out and evaluate if you are ready to buy a home. If you'd like any more information, don't hesitate to email me!

This Month in Real Estate-September

Happy Labor Day! Here's September's Installment of This Month In Real Estate!

What to do this weekend

It's Labor Day Weekend, and you can visit I Heart Mesa to see all the fun events coming up!

Friday, September 3rd
Mesa Farmers Market
Astronomy Night at MCC
Saturday, September 4th
Home Depot Kids Workshop
Motorcycles on Main
Sunday, September 5th
Target's Three for Free
Monday, September 6th
Labor Day
Tuesday, September 7th
Kids Night at Bass Pro
Movie Night at McDonalds on Higley and Brown
Wednesday, September 8th
Mesa Parks Celebration
Wildflower Kids
Sign, Sign and Play at Bookmans
Thursday, September 9th
Farmer's Market at POOL
Kids Club at Superstition Springs
Barnes and Noble Storytime
Free admission to Mesa Arts Galleries

Also, I'll be at Heirloom Photography's Free Mini Photo Sessions on Saturday in Scottsdale and in Mesa on Monday, so swing by, say hello and get some photos of you & your family for free!

Visit heirloomphoto.blogspot.com for more info!

Welcome to a New Month

To kick off September, I want to share with you the results of a survey taken by Trulia Real Estate, one of the top real estate info website. This survey and article addresses a lot of people's concerns with investing in the market today and give insight on what a buyer can do to prepare yourself to take the plunge and buy a home.

"Trulia recently hosted a quarterly conference call to discuss the results of our American Dream study on attitudes towards home ownership. According to the study, of those renters who do plan to purchase someday, 68 percent said it would be more than two years before they do. This reluctance to buy could potentially drag out the real estate market’s recovery timeline further than many have predicted.

However, in the same study we learned a few things renters said would make them buy sooner. So, if you have any renters on the fence, here are some signs that they may be ready to buy:

Save for the down payment: Almost half of the respondents said they would be ready to purchase sooner than later, if they could only come up with the cash for a down payment. This may be a great time to do a buyers seminar about financing or local down payment assistance programs.
Get a new job: Almost 30% agreed that a new job could be enough of a push to buy a home and stop renting.
Other Factors: Several factors were cited by buyers as things that would push them off the fence to buy a home sooner than they had otherwise planned and are included in the full study.
Also included in the study are easy to understand graphics that you can include in your listing or buyer presentations to share what is going on in the real estate market today. For example, the study also found that 91% Americans’ ideal home size is less than you'd expect."

Short Sale vs. Foreclosure

Q: What is a Short Sale?
A: A short sale is when the sale price of a property "falls short" (hence the name) of the amount the seller owes on the property. For example if you bought your home in 2003 for $200,000 and it is now worth $130,000, your sale would fall $70,000 short of the $200,000 you owe on your house (If you borrowed 100% of the purchase price from the bank in an 80/20 loan 7 years ago). It often occurs when a borrower cannot pay the mortgage loan on their property, but the lender decides that selling the property at a moderate loss is better having the borrower foreclose. Both parties consent to the short sale process, because it allows them to avoid foreclosure, which involves hefty fees for the bank and poorer credit report outcomes for the borrowers. This agreement, however, does not necessarily release the borrower from the obligation to pay the remaining balance of the loan, known as the deficiency. Speaking to a lawyer would verify any responsibilities the borrower may have.
Q: What are the benefits to a Short Sale?
A: There are many different benefits for both the seller and their mortgage company (their bank).
1) Debt is satisfied for less then full amount.
2) Your credit record will not show a foreclosure. On average it will take 2-3 years more time to purchase another home if you choose to foreclose rather than short sell your home. In some cases, you could do a short sale you may be able to buy another home right away.
3) You MAY avoid the pursuit of a deficiency or judgment. It may limit the liability to the IRS.
4) The bank benefits because when thy foreclose they have an expense and an REO on their portfolio
5) The bank can receive incentives from the government
6) It enhances a banks relationship with their investors
7) The bank will avoid the added expense of servicing the loans.
Other Benefits:
The neighborhood avoids the blight of a foreclosure and the price impact.
There are a multitude of additional benefits to a short sale vs. letting the home go into foreclosure.

Overall the short sale process is much more common, therefore has become easier and much more positive then a foreclosure. Everyone's situation is different though, so please verify any legal and financial questions and implications with your legal counsel and CPA.

If you have any further questions about Short Selling your home or would like a Short Sale guide emailed to you, give me a call at (480) 316-0098 or send me an email to rosemarywatsonrealestate.com

New Home Design Website-Casa Sugar

I found this awesome new website Casa Sugar, and let me tell you the first article I saw jumped out at me begging to be posted about.

Design Ideas To Steal From The August Anthropologie Catalog

YES!!! Anthro is one of my favorite stores, not only for the things they sell, but the decor in their stores and sprinkled about in their catalogs.

There's all kinds of ideas like the use of the glass jars and shelving


And this wall mural for your kids to paint or the paint spattered easel you could make yourself.

Check out the article for more great ideas to bring some Anthro style in your own house!

Need a condo?

My good friend Maggie has one listed in Northwest Mesa on Mesa Drive & Brown. It's a one bedroom & one bathroom, perfect for a college student or anyone wanting to live on their own!

It's a steal for $45,000 and its a really cute complex with a pool & spa. I should know, Braden & I lived there before we had our kids!


If you know anyone who would be interested in checking out this cute little condo, give me a call or email me and we can take a look.

What to do this weekend

Come on by Wood Creations Furniture on Saturday for a Pampered Chef Party at noon!


Wood Creations is this fabulous unfinished wood furniture store in Mesa off of Power & Southern that allows you to create your own unique furniture! It's an amazing way to fill your home with your own personality. During the Pampered Chef Party receive 20% off of everything in the store! Try out delicious recipes and check out all the new kitchen gadgets they are demonstrating at the party!

Must Watch-Color Splash on HGTV

If you are looking for some serious home design inspiration, look no further than Color Splash on HGTV.

This is the host. David Bromstad. Try not to let your screen burst into flames from the hotness.

Anyhoo, he does some amazing things with the interiors of homes. Some of the before shots strangely remind me of my own bedroom sadly, so I love seeing what a creative mind can do with a blah space.








Check out his show Saturdays at 9/8 C. And try not to drool all over your couch.

Fun New Website-Lookiloos

Do you love going to home tours & open houses? Well, I have found the PERFECT website for you! Lookiloos is a place to "showcase beautiful homes and gardens with original photos and stories, to give decorating tips and remodeling ideas and create a community to share our stories of home."


It features real homes of real people and I could waste DAYS on their website people. They have DIY tips, videos of home tours, treasures people find to decorate their homes and so much more.

Seen and Heard at the Willow Glen Home Tour from Lookiloos on Vimeo.

Open House-CANCELLED

Tomorrow's Open House at 21013 E. Aldecoa Dr. is cancelled! I got a call this morning from a driver-by who wanted to see the house and lucky for me, they loved it! See you guys at the next open house event!

End of Summer Open House Event in Maricopa

Check out this open house event to get some sweet deals on some fab houses in Maricopa! If you've never checked out the area, tomorrow is the perfect time to do so. You can even enter to win a Weber Grill! Call or email me if you have any questions on any of the homes!

August Maricopa County Market Analysis

Sorry I've been MIA guys, I've been busy with a couple of new buyers previewing houses and writing contracts (wohoo!) Here's this month's Market Analysis for Maricopa County brough to you buy Keller Williams Legacy One