Sechrest Property Group

10/20/2026

8 things you’ll regret not checking during your home inspection.

Every AC system. Larger homes often run more than one. Ask the age and service history of each, not just the one by the front door.
The roof underneath the tile. The tile can look perfect while the underlayment below it is aging. Ask your inspector what they can see.
The water heater. Arizona’s hard water is hard on them. Ask how old it is.
Pool and spa equipment. Ask whether it’s worth a dedicated pool inspection. On most homes with a pool, we think it is.
The sewer line. A standard inspection doesn’t cover it. Ask about a sewer scope.
Grading and drainage. Water should move away from the house. Monsoon season finds every low spot.
Cracks. Most are normal here. Ask your inspector which ones deserve a structural engineer.
Water stains. Old leak or active one? Compare what you see to the seller’s disclosure.

The checklist is the easy part. What you do with the report is where buyers win or lose.

Most buyers think a long repair list is leverage. It usually isn’t. Hand a seller everything, and they’ll find a reason to say no to the items that matter.

We’re not inspectors or contractors. Our job is knowing what’s worth asking for and how to ask. Our buyers come out of the inspection period ahead most of the time. That isn’t luck. It’s reps.

Save this for your next inspection. Just call Todd.

Sechrest Property Group | EXP Realty

#85383

10/19/2026

Recently updated home with a pool in the Twelve Oaks community, its a gem!

Fresh paint inside and out, new carpet throughout, and a brand new pool pump and filter mean the big-ticket items are already handled before you move a single box in.

What really stands out is the location. You're walking distance to Intel's Chandler campus and just minutes from the 60 and the 101, so the commute question basically answers itself.

Add in a spacious backyard built for actual outdoor living and a pool ready for the several months of Arizona heat.

📲 Call Todd to see it before it's under contract.

– Sechrest Property Group | Brokered by EXP
chandler az, chandler arizona, east valley, moving to arizona, local realtor

10/17/2026

There’s an old saying in real estate that the first offer is the best offer.

Sometimes it is. It isn’t a rule.

Fewer buyers shop at this end of the market, so an early offer deserves real weight. It can come from the buyer who’s been waiting for exactly your home. But if the home is newly listed and well priced, other serious buyers may not have toured yet, and a few days can change the picture.

Price is also only part of it. Cash or financing. The appraisal. The inspection period. The closing date, a leaseback, or whether the offer depends on the buyer selling their own home. Two offers at the same number can be worth very different amounts.

We’ll read the activity on your listing with you, so the decision is yours and you’re confident in it. Just call Todd.

Sechrest Property Group | EXP Realty

#85383

10/16/2026

We remember when Happy Valley Road was two lanes and North Peoria was mostly open desert. Now it’s some of the most sought-after ground in the Valley, and some of the hardest to price.

Here’s why. Homes in The Meadows, Blackstone at Vistancia and the acre-plus county islands rarely trade, and no two are alike. The lot, the view and the build year can matter more than the square footage. So the three “closest” sales on paper often aren’t close at all.

The market isn’t giving much room for a wrong number, either. Across 85383, about one in four listings expires or is cancelled before it sells (Cromford Report, Oct 10, 2026).

We wrote up exactly how we price a one-of-a-kind North Peoria home when the comps run thin. It covers the seven steps we use, the mistakes that cost sellers the most, and how to make the price hold up with the appraiser.

Read it here: sechrestproperties.com/blog/price-luxury-home-north-peoria-few-comps

If your home doesn’t fit neatly into a set of comps, let’s look at the numbers together. Just call Todd.

10/15/2026

Is that HOA fee too high?

In North Peoria’s gated communities, it’s rarely one fee. There’s often a master association, a sub-association for a gated enclave, and sometimes club or golf dues on top. Together, the total can look steep on a listing sheet.

Before it becomes a reason to walk away, look at what it covers. Gated entry. Common-area and front-yard landscaping. Exterior maintenance. Trails, pools, fitness. These are costs you’d otherwise carry yourself, or go without.

Then look at how the association is run. Healthy reserves. A steady fee history. No special assessments on the horizon. Architectural standards that protect the value of the homes around yours, which protects yours too.

A high fee isn’t automatically a bad deal. A low one isn’t automatically a good one.

We read the budget before we write the offer. Just call Todd.

Sechrest Property Group | EXP Realty

#85383

10/14/2026

Got an offer in the first week and wondering if you should hold out for more?

We get this question a lot. Here's what we tell our sellers: let's look at the numbers first.

In Peoria right now (Cromford Report, Oct 1, 2026):

- The median home takes 47 days to get its first contract, up from 38 a year ago
- About 3 in 10 listings never sell
- Roughly 1 in 6 contracts fall apart before closing

That first serious buyer is often the most motivated one you'll see. But price is only part of the story. Financing, appraisal gap, inspection window, and close date can make two "same price" offers look very different.

We broke down when to accept, counter, or wait in our latest post 👇

https://www.sechrestproperties.com/peoria-real-estate-blog/peoria-home-offers-accept-or-counter

Looking to buy or sell? Just call Todd.

Should you accept the first offer on your Peoria home or hold out for more? In today’s shifting real estate market, the highest offer isn’t always the best deal. Todd and Nicole Sechrest break down what every seller should know about offer strength, buyer financing, closing costs, and when to ac...

10/13/2026

10/12/2026

Today’s buyers aren’t comparing your home to the house down the street. They’re comparing it to every beautifully styled home they’ve scrolled past this month.

Three details that quietly cost listings polish, and none of them require a renovation:

Overhead lighting only.

Layer in table and floor lamps. Warm, low light photographs with depth, and it matters more as the evenings get shorter.

Curtains hung too short.

Floor-length, mounted higher and wider than the frame. Ceilings read taller, windows read larger, and the room looks finished.

A rug that’s too small.

The right size anchors the furniture and makes the room feel intentional. Too small, and even a well-designed space looks disjointed on camera.

The first showing happens online, in a few seconds. The changes that matter most at this level aren’t expensive. They take judgment.

Save this for when you’re preparing to list.

#85383

10/11/2026

Don't sign the guest card yet.

Touring new construction in North Peoria or Surprise this weekend? Here's what most buyers don't realize: the sales rep works for the builder, not for you. Walking in without representation usually doesn't get you a discount. It just means nobody's in your corner.

And here's the catch: most builders require your agent to be with you, or registered, on your very first visit. Sign that card on your own, and you may lose the option to bring representation into the deal later.

The good news? In most cases, the builder pays your agent's fee. Having someone negotiate upgrades, incentives, and lender credits for you typically costs you nothing out of pocket.

So before you sign anything, call your agent.

Or just call Todd.

– Sechrest Property Group | Brokered by EXP
peoria az, peoria arizona, nw valley, peoria living, moving to arizona, local realtor

10/10/2026

Most buyers assume the only way to negotiate is a lower price. There's another route, and it's working especially well right now in North Peoria, where some listings have been sitting a while.

Instead of pushing the seller down on price, offer what they're asking and request seller concessions instead.

The seller still gets their full price on paper. You walk away with money back at closing to help cover your costs. It's not a trick. It's just a different lever, and one a lot of buyers don't realize they can pull.

Worth knowing: your loan type sets the limit. Conventional, FHA, and VA loans all cap concessions differently, so we'll talk to your lender before you write the offer.

Buying in Peoria or anywhere in the West Valley? Comment READY and we'll walk through what this could look like for your situation. 👇