Goodyear Real Estate Pro Tom Jenkins

06/05/2026

📉 You may have heard the term "rate buydown" lately. Here's what it actually means for West Valley buyers this summer:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻?
A buydown is when someone pays upfront costs (called discount points) to lower your mortgage interest rate, either permanently or for the first few years of your loan.

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀:
Permanent buydown: pay points at closing to reduce your rate for the full loan term.
Temporary buydown (e.g., 2-1 buydown): your rate is reduced for the first one to two years, then adjusts to the original rate. Often used as a builder or seller incentive.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁?
Right now, some builders in Goodyear, Buckeye, and Surprise are offering temporary buydowns as incentives on spec homes. If a builder is offering one, it's worth understanding the math before you sign. The benefit varies depending on how long you plan to stay and whether you might refinance.

On resale homes, you can negotiate for the seller to cover buydown costs as part of your offer terms.

𝗔 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Rate and loan decisions should always involve your lender. I can help you understand the context, but the numbers are between you and your loan officer. If you'd like a referral to a lender I work with in the West Valley, I'm happy to connect you.

📩 Questions about buying this summer? Send me a message.

06/03/2026

📊 A quick market read for West Valley buyers this June:

Here's what buyers are actually finding when they compare new construction to resale in Goodyear, Surprise, and Buckeye right now:

🔨 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀: Builders are still active in the West Valley. Incentives vary by community. Some are offering rate buydowns or design center credits on select inventory homes. Close timelines on spec homes can be 60 to 90 days. Custom lots take longer.

🏠 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲: Inventory has improved compared to 2024. Days on market have extended slightly, which gives buyers a bit more room to negotiate. Well-priced, move-in ready homes still move quickly.

The bottom line: buyers have more options than they did 18 months ago. Both paths can work. The right one depends on your specific situation.

If you're trying to figure out which direction makes sense for your timeline and budget, that's exactly the conversation I'm here to have.

📩 Message me and we'll look at what's actually available in your target area right now.

06/02/2026

🏗️ Thinking about new construction in the West Valley?

Here are 5 questions to ask before you sign anything with a builder's agent:

1️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁? The builder's on-site agent works for the builder. Not you. Know who is at the table.

2️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Base price and finished price are rarely the same number.

3️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱? Builder contracts often have flexible timelines for the builder and fixed timelines for the buyer. Read the delay clauses carefully.

4️⃣ 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗛𝗢𝗔, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿? New developments often have both a builder HOA and a community HOA. Know the fees before you commit.

5️⃣ 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁? Almost always, yes. Bringing your own REALTOR® to a builder purchase costs you nothing. Your representation is covered by the builder.

You deserve an advocate at the table. That's what I'm here for.

📩 Questions about new construction in Goodyear, Buckeye, or Surprise? Send me a message.

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

A great explanation!

05/31/2026

Arizona property taxes are lower than most states. But buyers are often surprised by how they work. 🏡📋

Here's what to know before you close on a West Valley home.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸

𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝘀. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲:
Your tax bill is based on the county assessor's assessed value — not what you paid. Assessed values in Arizona are typically around 10% of the home's full cash value for primary residences.

𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲:
Taxes are paid in two installments — October 1 and March 1. Your mortgage servicer usually handles this through escrow, but it's worth confirming.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀:
The county reassesses annually. If you buy at a price higher than the current assessed value, your taxes may increase in subsequent years as the assessor catches up. Ask your agent to pull the current assessment before you close.

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗩𝘀. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:
Owner-occupied homes qualify for the 10% assessment ratio. Non-primary residences are assessed at 15%. That difference matters.

Good information makes for better decisions. 🔑

05/28/2026

🏠🎉 Join me for an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday May 30th, from 11 AM - 2 PM.

https://tom.beckygarcia.com/property-search/detail/107/7026674/14816-n-90th-ave-peoria-az-85381/

WOW this is a beautifully UPDATED home located in the highly sought-after LAKE gated community of Horseshoe Bay, featuring only 58 exclusive homes! It offers a private Pebble Tec pool as well as a community pool. Enjoy lake access with a community dock perfect for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, along with walking paths and beautifully maintained surroundings

05/25/2026

𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🇺🇸

Today we honor the men and women who gave everything in service to this country.

Their sacrifice is not forgotten.

Wishing everyone in the West Valley community a meaningful and peaceful Memorial Day.

If you have a service member or veteran in your life, drop a heart in the comments for them. 🤍



𝗧𝗼𝗺 𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗢𝗥® | The Garcia Group, a team at eXp Realty

05/23/2026

𝟰 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆-𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗭 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 🌞
And why they matter at resale.

𝟭. 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀 (𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱)
Owned panels transfer cleanly and are a genuine selling point. Leased panels require a qualifying buyer and can complicate the transaction. Buyers ask about this at nearly every showing in the West Valley right now.

𝟮. 𝗗𝘂𝗮𝗹-𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘄-𝗘 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘄𝘀
In a home where outside temps hit 110+, window quality directly affects cooling costs. Buyers notice. Appraisers do too.

𝟯. 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗥-𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀)
Arizona code minimums aren't always enough. A well-insulated attic keeps your AC working less hard. Buyers are increasingly asking about this during inspection.

𝟰. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗖 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
A newer HVAC unit is one of the strongest selling points a West Valley home can have in summer. Units over 12 years old are regularly flagged in inspection reports.

If you're a homeowner thinking about listing, any of these upgrades is worth discussing before you hit the market. If you're a buyer, these are questions worth asking at every showing.

Have questions about your home's value or which upgrades matter most in your neighborhood? Send me a message. I'm glad to help.



🔑 Tom Jenkins, REALTOR® | The Garcia Group, a team at eXp Realty

05/19/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿? 🏡

If you're actively searching in Surprise, Goodyear, Buckeye, or Peoria, here's a pattern worth understanding.

Spring (March through May) typically brings the highest inventory and the most buyer activity. By mid-June, showing traffic slows and some sellers pull listings rather than sit through the heat.

What that means for buyers right now: homes on the market today are often priced for a motivated sale. By August, new listings pick back up, but so does buyer competition returning from summer.

The window between now and early July can work in your favor, particularly if you're pre-approved and ready to act.

If you have questions about what's available in a specific price range or area, I'm glad to put together a current snapshot for you.

Comment your target area (Surprise, Goodyear, Buckeye, Peoria, etc.) and I'll send you a current snapshot of what's available.

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