Arizona Home and Real Estate

03/19/2021

You may be wondering "how much is my home worth?" in this market, on-line analysis is rarely accurate. Simply curious? Send me a note and I'll update you on the homes in your neighborhood.

03/19/2021

01/22/2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed not only how we live but where we live, and that has upended some of the usual trends in housing markets.

07/18/2019

FIVE TIPS FOR A GREAT YARD THIS SUMMER:

With summer in full swing, here are a few easy tips that will make your yard the envy of all your neighbors.

#1. Let the grass grow

Help your lawn retain more moisture by letting it grow a little longer. Many lawn care experts recommend setting your mower blade height to three inches to encourage healthy root growth and retain moisture.

#2. Keep the bugs at bay

If you want to enjoy your yard without worrying about annoying bugs, there are some plants that will keep them away! Lemongrass, garlic, rosemary, and basil are natural mosquito repellents, and marigolds can help prevent squash bugs and tomato worms from ruining your garden.

#3. Don't waste your grass clippings

Make lawn mowing easier for you and better for your lawn by recycling your grass clippings. The clippings nourish your lawn by providing nitrogen, potassium, and other nutrients back to your grass. You’ll also reduce waste by avoiding the use of plastic bags to dispose of your grass.

#4. Check for loose tree limbs

Summer thunderstorms could rattle loose branches, creating a potential hazard. Look for branches that need to be trimmed and either take them down yourself or hire a professional tree trimmer. A little effort now could save you a lot of time and money down the road.

#5. Protect your plants with mulch

Summer is the perfect time to re-mulch your garden beds. Take on this easy task and help your flowers and vegetables retain moisture. Mulching helps prevent w**d growth and promotes cooler soil temperatures, which can greatly reduce the need for watering.
The grass is always greener when you love where you live. While you’re focused on taking great care of your home, I’m focused on making sure you maximize your investment (no matter the season!). If you – or any of your friends and family – have any questions about home financing, please reach out to me.

06/24/2019

5 Simple Ways to Stage the Exterior of Your Home

If you're selling your home, chances are good you're familiar with the concept of staging your home. Real estate agents recommend your home look its best to prospective buyers, and home staging is a great way to ensure you receive top dollar. But did you know you should stage the exterior of your home too? Failing to update the look of your home's exterior can cause buyers to get a bad first impression when they initially arrive to view your home. Whether your audience are luxury home buyers or you are selling your starter home, staging the exterior of your home will have a major impact in the sale of your home. If you want to put exterior home staging to work, here are five elements you should consider tweaking.

Clean Your Exterior Windows and Screens

Nothing says poor maintenance like dirty windows and window screens. If your windows are caked with dust or muck from the last rainstorm, open house visitors are going to wonder what other maintenance jobs you haven't attended to. Don't give visitors the opportunity to question whether your home has been properly maintained or not; clean those windows and screens before authorizing an open house.

Refresh Your Gardens and Walkways

Just like dirty windows are a real estate faux pas, so are unkempt flower beds. Weeds and overgrown bushes tell visitors you can't be bothered with the small stuff. Spend a day removing w**ds and trimming flowers, or hire a professional landscaper to refresh your gardens. It is amazing what a refreshed garden can do to your home’s curb appeal.

Refresh Your Home's Siding

No, you don't have to replace your home's siding prior to an open house. A quick power wash could be all it takes to remove years of dust and grime. You can attempt this task yourself, but it might be worth your while to hire a professional. Some homeowners have been known to damage their home's siding by using too forceful a water stream. This is one task that is often best left to experienced professionals. The last thing you want to deal with is replacing siding before an open house.

Update/Clean Door Fixtures and House Address Signage

Something as simple as a new doorknob or address signage can give your home a refreshed look. You needn't spring for a new door; just update the faceplate and/or doorknob. Purchase new address numbers from the local hardware store and you'll have tweaked the look of your home's exterior in just a few minutes.

Clean Patio Furniture

Whether you have chairs on your front veranda or a dining set on your back deck, tired patio furniture can cost you big dollars when it comes time to negotiate with a potential homebuyer. Dilapidated patio furniture instantly gives a bad impression and can cause potential homebuyers to request replacement furniture as part of their deal. Spruce up your existing furniture with a quick power wash, or replace it if it is beyond cleaning.

Simple tweaks to the exterior of your home can have a big impact on your home's final selling price. By spending just a few days improving the look of the outside of your home, you can increase the amount buyers are willing to offer and make your home the cleanest real estate listing on the block. Will you be trying these exterior home staging tricks when you list your home for sale?

02/20/2019

Real Estate Agent

11/01/2017

Tempe could have up to 45 days of temperatures surpassing 120 degrees by 2040 if citizens do not take action, according to studies from Arizona State University’s Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives. As a result of the studies, the city of Tempe recently proposed its urban forestry master pl...

04/14/2017

If you've been thinking about buying your first home, talk of rising mortgage rates may have you worried. But, the reality is that this may be one of the best opportunities for first-time buyers in recent memory. Conditions were already good for first-timers with new, super-low down payment loans. But the FHA's announcement that they would be cutting mortgage-insurance premiums makes buying even more advantageous. [ 829 more words ]

https://michellecampbelllongrealty.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/is-now-the-best-time-ever-to-buy-your-first-home

If you’ve been thinking about buying your first home, talk of rising mortgage rates may have you worried. But, the reality is that this may be one of the best opportunities for first-time buy…

04/12/2017

Face it. Your home's not perfect. You may keep up with general maintenance, and perhaps you're meticulously clean. But how old is your kitchen? Do your paint colors reflect current trends? Could your living room use some updating? When it comes to selling your home today, it's got to be perfect, or buyers will simply move on to the next option. [ 599 more words ]

https://michellecampbelllongrealty.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/selling-your-home-this-year-6-reasons-to-renovate-now

Face it. Your home’s not perfect. You may keep up with general maintenance, and perhaps you’re meticulously clean. But how old is your kitchen? Do your paint colors reflect current tren…

04/10/2017

Buying or selling a house is more stressful than getting divorced, going bankrupt or getting fired, according to a survey of 2,000 adults by EstatesDirect.com. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by home buying with your loved one, you’re not alone. Figuring out how to merge your lifestyles, budgets and expectations can be difficult, but doesn’t have to be a negative experience. [ 539 more words ]

https://michellecampbelllongrealty.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/room-for-2-first-time-home-buying-tips-for-newlyweds

Buying or selling a house is more stressful than getting divorced, going bankrupt or getting fired, according to a survey of 2,000 adults by EstatesDirect.com. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by home…

04/07/2017

ERA Real Estate and HGTV reported 46 percent of consumers see smart-home technology as important for their current and future residences. But luxury homebuyers are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. According to Digital Interiors, 94 percent of buyers surveyed would sacrifice 1,000 square feet of living space for more technology in their new home. Oversized houses are no longer the driving trend in the luxury real estate market and agents are under pressure to respond to the demand. [ 443 more words ]

https://michellecampbelllongrealty.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/use-technology-for-attracting-serious-home-buyers

ERA Real Estate and HGTV reported 46 percent of consumers see smart-home technology as important for their current and future residences. But luxury homebuyers are willing to make the ultimate sacr…