Buying a Home as an Investment
By Michael Fahey | July 13, 2010
These days, most of the listed homes for sale in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, or Mohave Valley are all about building a family future. Savvy buyers know that the market is theirs, and they can bargain for things like better school districts, home improvements, and other amenities that make owning real estate in Arizona great. However, when the Bullhead City real estate market boasts more homes than there are buyers, there’s another advantage: homes for investment opportunities are cheaper and have greater potential than ever before.
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
Ways to Increase your Home’s Value
By Michael Fahey | June 3, 2010
When you first purchase a house in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave or Mohave Valley, you’re most likely thinking of ways to build a home for you and your family. A big yard means plenty of room for the children to play. A newly renovated kitchen means you can finally throw the types of dinner parties you’ve always wanted. A master suite, well, that’s just icing on the cake. However, when it comes to sell your Arizona home, it’s important to remember that all those little (and big) changes can also mean big little (and big) changes in your sale price.
While most homeowners should make changes to their houses that suit their lifestyle rather than the eventual sale price of their home five, ten, or even twenty years down the road, there are a few things to keep in mind. After all, if you will someday be selling your Bullhead City house, you want to be sure you’re maximizing your profit.
- Repair all the little things – now. Most of the time, homeowners are willing to overlook the little idiosyncrasies like a broken step on the porch or chipping paint on the kitchen cabinets while they live in their house. These small repair needs are a bit like a knee that acts up in the rain or a car that always requires you to turn the key three times to the right before starting; they just become part of the everyday backdrop of your life. However, for someone buying a home in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave or considering real estate in Mohave Valley, these things can become glaring problems. By fixing issues as they arise (rather than waiting until you’re ready to sell your AZ home), you not only avoid making major repairs all at once, but you actually get to enjoy the repairs while you live there.
- Know your neighborhood. If you live in one of Bullhead City’s family-friendly neighborhoods, chances are things like well-maintained yards, large family rooms, and spacious kitchens will be worth more in the long run. If you live in a Fort Mohave condo, you might find that built-in bookshelves and jacuzzi bathtubs are more appropriate. While you don’t have to tailor every change to your eventual sales audience, you can choose to make the types of changes that will translate into the highest returns.
- Don’t ignore the less visible changes. Almost all of the houses for sale in Bullhead City go through cosmetic changes before they hit the market. Fresh paint, new kitchen appliances, and good landscaping are fairly common. Less common are things like a new roof, updated plumbing, or even a newly-installed automatic sprinkler system. However, these things show up in a home inspection evaluation, and when you put your trust in a AZ real estate agent like Michael Fahey, these types of changes will always get the focus and attention they deserve.
The most important thing you can do to your Bullhead City home is enjoy the time you’re going to spend there. However, by keeping its eventual sale at the back of your mind, you’ll be able to get the most out of your life – and your investment.
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
Guide to Buying a Fixer-Upper in Arizona
By Michael Fahey | May 6, 2010
In the Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona real estate market, buying a home with the intent to fix it up is one of the best investments you can make. There’s no better way to take control over your home ownership than to customize the design, floorplan, and landscaping of everything from a single story rancher to a charming Victorian – especially if you’re looking to use the current Arizona real estate economic climate as a way to get the home of your dreams without breaking the bank.
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
The Importance of Curb Appeal
By Michael Fahey | April 8, 2010
Most real estate agents will tell you that the best time to sell a home in the Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona areas is during the late spring and early summer months. When the weather turns warm, the vibrant growing season commences, and children can be seen playing happily in the yard, potential homebuyers really begin to connect with a house – even before they set foot across the threshold.
In real estate lingo, this is known as curb appeal.
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
Staging Your Home
By Michael Fahey | March 11, 2010
Staging your home is a great way to prepare your home to sale and to make it look alluring to buyers in the Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona areas. Staging your home has become popular during the last decade. Read this article to find out some great ideas on how to get your home ready for potential buyers and get it sold sooner, rather than later.
Within the first minute, people decide if they could live in your home. The problem is that there are so many homes on the market right now, that if yours doesn’t catch their eye immediately, then they have other choices. The struggling housing market is forcing people to take more drastic measures to sell their homes. Many homeowners say they need all the help they can get. With the market not being so good, there are ways you can make your house stand out. Staging your home is the way to make your house stand out in the Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona areas.
The idea of home staging is to highlight your home’s best attributes and positively affect potential buyers. Staging your home isn’t about your own tastes. It is about making the home appealing to the general population. Whether you go at it alone or use a stager, you need to have the attitude that your home is no longer your home.
Following are some tips to consider:
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
What buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home
By Michael Fahey | February 9, 2010
What should buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home in the Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona areas? This article will help sellers look into some important aspects of selling their home and what potential buyers look out for as well.
The way you live in your house is not the way to sell your house. So, what makes a house a home for sale on the market, and one that soon has a “SOLD” sign out on the front lawn? And what aspects are important to look at because potential buyers will ask the question, “How much work are we going to need to do prior to moving in and beyond?” The appearance and cleanliness of the home are significant. Always have your home ready to be shown at a moment’s notice with me, your agent, Michael Fahey because this is what buyers are looking for. And a tip- burned out lights need to be replaced; classy lighting and upgraded fixtures can ameliorate the value of a home. Also, buyers said they would be willing to pay more for a home with a renovated kitchen.
Here are some things a buyer will look out for when dealing with the purchase of a home. The buyer will consider the following:
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
New Year brings optimism for the 2010 Real Estate Market
By Michael Fahey | January 18, 2010
What better way to start the New Year, then to bring confidence to our 2010 Real Estate Market. Ringing in the New Year being hopeful and optimistic will allow us to decide what we can do to improve our way of thinking about what is currently going on in the market. The New Year begins with us having a positive outlook and is a promising time for those of us looking to buy a home in the Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona areas.
Here are a few reasons to make a real estate investment in 2010:
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
Real Estate during the Holidays
By Michael Fahey | December 16, 2009
Now is still a really good time for Real Estate in Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, Mohave Valley Arizona areas. Buyers can, and do, get serious during this busy time of year. Lots of sellers take their homes off the market during the holidays, assuming no one will be buying at this time. But with serious buyers still out there and a lower inventory of homes, your home has a good chance of standing out. With fewer homes for sale, competition is decreased. There are good reasons to sell your home during the holidays.
Topics: Bullhead City Arizona Real Estate, Fort Mohave AZ Homes for Sale, Laughlin Nevada Real Estate, Mohave Valley Arizona Real Estate | No Comments »
$1500.00 To Move Your Short Sale
By Michael Fahey | December 2, 2009
Government Announces Short Sales Guidelines The U.S. Treasury Department announced new guidelines this week designed to make short sales go more smoothly. To qualify under these new guidelines: • The property must be the home owner’s principal residence. • The home owner must be delinquent on the mortgage or close to defaulting. • The loan must have been made before Jan. 1, 2009, and be for less than $729,750. • The borrowers’ total monthly mortgage payment must exceed 31 percent of their before-tax income. Under the plan, borrowers will receive $1,500 from the government for selling homes for less than the amount of their mortgages. Mortgage-servicing companies will get $1,000 for each completed short sale. Second-mortgage holders can receive up to $3,000 of the sales proceeds in exchange for releasing their liens. Investors who hold the first mortgage can collect up to $1,000 from the government for allowing the payments. Borrowers who complete a short sale under the program must be “fully released” from future liability for the debt, according to the guidelines. Source: Associated Press, J.W. Elphinstone (11/01/2009) and The Wall Street Journal, Ruth Simon (11/01/2009
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Riverfront Homes Reflect 2004 Pricing
By Michael Fahey | November 30, 2009
Bullhead City and the Colorado River has been a destination spot for travelers and vacationers alike. Many family traditions and fond memories have been created here for over the last 30 years. Waterfront living at its best with sun-filled days on the water mixed with fun filled nights on the town.
Living in our countries recession and depressed housing market, what should a person do? Deciding to purchase can be a stressful decision and without the luxury of a crystal ball it can be worrisome. As we review the cost per sq ft approach to sales of luxury homes on the Colorado River, we can plainly see that prices have not been this low since 2004. The quality of home that is on the market today, is generally more upgraded with luxury amenities far surpassing the amenities in the homes selling in 2004.
Will the prices slide down a bit more? We do not know. We do know that we never know when the market is bottomed out until the prices begin to increase. And then, you have missed the bottom. One thing is for certain, memories made with friends and families sharing days on the river are some of the most precious. Can a value be put on memories spent with loved ones?
According to the ILHM National Report this week the current median price per sq ft in the luxury home market is $318.00. ILHM’s data is calculated from properties on the market in the most expensive zip codes in each region. Our price per sq foot is well below this average. Perhaps today is the time to buy.
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