So, you've decided to invest in real estate of your own. Good for you! It's a great time to purchase a property. What should Tucson home buyers focus on? Price is one (very important) aspect of a home purchase. But, there are other factors that are equally important to keep in mind.

What Should Tucson Home Buyers Focus On?

Money

The primary focus for many Tuscon home buyers tends to be money. Why? Because this may be the most significant financial investment you make in your life. New to the city? You might want to rent for six months to a year to give yourself the time to look around at the area you want to live. Thinking about moving out of the area in a couple of years? Buying a home right now may not be the best decision. Having all your money tied up in a house when you need to move could make it a little more difficult to pick up and leave when the time comes. However, if you decide to make Tucson your home base for a while, buying a home makes total sense. And the tax incentives you receive as a homeowner can sometimes make ownership a more feasible option than renting.

Keep Budget and Lifestyle in Mind

That being said, don't invest your entire income into your Tucson home. If you love to travel or have hobbies you enjoy, you don't want to be "house poor". So, your lender approved you for a high dollar home. That doesn't mean that you have to spend that much, especially if it impedes your lifestyle at all. To be happy, Tucson home buyers need to focus on how much they can afford to spend and still continue to do the things they enjoy. After all, it's the experiences in life that make it worth living...not the "stuff". Also, consider keeping a separate emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses that may occur. Even with a home warranty and insurance, you still may incur expenses. It's better to have the peace of mind knowing you're covered no matter what life throws at you.

Location

There's a reason why you hear "location, location, location" when it comes to buying a property. It's pretty much the only thing you absolutely cannot change when it comes to real estate...unless, of course, you decide to pick it up and move it. But that's much more expensive and time-consuming than it's worth if it has no historic value. If this is where you plan on retiring, find out where the property is located in proximity to hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, and activities you enjoy. For temporary digs, think resale. What is the school district like? Are there family-friendly amenities nearby? Even if you don't currently have school-age children living with you, a Tucson home in a great school district appeals to future home buyers with families.

What Might the Future Bring?

We tend to focus on the "here" and "now". But, if you plan on staying in your Tucson home for a while, you need to check out your surroundings. While you may have plenty of space to roam around in at the moment, that could change. Find out if the City has plans for developing the area around your house anytime soon. Getting in on the ground floor of a residential boom could be profitable. On the other hand, if you crave the quiet, this may not be the neighborhood for you. Also, if future development ends up being industrial rather than residential, that could prove less than desirable as well. The decision is ultimately yours to make.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

The Tucson real estate market constantly changes. Like the rest of the country, the price a home sells at today may differ from what it would have sold for 60 days ago. And what it sells for 60 days from now could be totally different as well. If you want your property to sell today, you need to know what other properties in your neighborhood recently sold for. These are called "comps". Comps are also known as a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). So, what exactly are real estate comps and why should you pay attention to them when selling your home?

What are Real Estate Comps?

Basically, real estate comps are the statistics of other recently sold homes located in the same neighborhood as yours. Comparing a three bedroom/two bath house in Dove Mountain to a three bedroom/two bath house in Rita Ranch wouldn't be fair. It's like comparing apples and oranges. But looking at stats in the same neighborhood is more of an apples-to-apples comparison. You want to look at properties sold within the last 30 days (but no more than 60 days max). They need to be similar in age, square footage, and amenities. Neighborhoods can vary so much that a CMA works even better when the statistics come from a house located directly on your street or no further than 1/4 mile in any direction. 

Talk to your Tucson real estate agent about obtaining a CMA. A good agent will most likely have run one before you even think of asking about it. Ignore list prices. The more important info is found with the sale price. Information from at least three recent sales in your area should help you and your agent come up with a good list price.

The Importance of Comps When Selling Your Tucson Home

What is the importance of real estate comps when selling your Tucson home? Why should you even care? Knowing what buyers are paying for properties similar to yours allows you the opportunity to price your property to sell as quickly as possible and for as much money as possible. Overprice it and you run the risk of sitting on the market too long. Underprice it and you may miss out on a better profit margin. Your Tucson real estate agent can access all the information you need to help you sell your property right now.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

Money tends to play the biggest factor in buying a house. Many renters worry about saving up for a down payment. Unless you previously served or currently serve in the military, you're going to have to come up with a down payment. But that's not the only money you'll be paying throughout the home buying process. You'll also need to come up with closing costs. If you've concentrated solely on saving money for your down payment, having to come up with this unexpected chunk of change towards the end of your purchase may be difficult. 

What are Closing Costs?

Closing costs are the fees and expenses due at closing. These include your lender fee (aka "origination fee"), appraisal fee, title fee, escrow fees, insurance premium, HOA fees, and taxes among other costs. By law, your lender should provide you with a loan estimate within three days of receiving a completed loan application. Your estimated closing costs should be included on this loan estimate. Likewise, three days before you close on your Tucson house, you should receive a closing disclosure form that outlines your actual closing costs. The total runs anywhere between 2-5% of your total loan. For example, if you take out a $200,000 loan for a Tucson home, your closing costs should fall between $4000 and $10,000.

Who's Responsible for Paying Closing Costs?

While sellers usually pay agent commissions, buyers tend to pay most of the closing costs. Sometimes, however, a seller may offer to pay a portion of the closing costs in order to make a deal happen. This is something that gets negotiated into the sales agreement. Talk to your Tucson real estate agent/broker if you have any questions.

What Can I Do to Reduce my Closing Costs?

Unfortunately, there's no negotiating down your property taxes when you purchase a Tucson home. However, there are some ways you might be able to reduce your closing costs. One of these ways is to shop around for your homeowners' insurance. Also, if you have a good relationship/history with your lender, you may be able to negotiate down the lender's fee. Consider shopping around for your title company and title insurance as well. Find out who the seller's title insurance is through and ask for a "reissue rate". It might save you money rather than having a whole new company issue a new policy altogether.

If you ever have any questions regarding your closing costs, feel free to contact your Tucson real estate agent. Do this as early as possible so that you still have time to shop around. It can sometimes be difficult to find the time to shop for insurance and title companies. You may feel overwhelmed by everything else involved in the buying process. In that case, your lender will make recommendations for you. How this is handled is totally up to you. Just be prepared to provide enough funds to cover both the down payment and closing costs when you buy a Tucson home.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

As we age, we tend to be less mobile. Trips to the store become a little more cumbersome. Sometimes, elderly adults end up skipping meals because they just can't get to the store to replenish their supplies. Last year, Mobile Meals Tucson delivered over 100,000 meals to homebound adults living in Pima County. Right now, they're looking for volunteers to help deliver meal trays during the summer. 

Mobile Meals Tucson Needs You!

Community service looks great on college applications. It also works wonders on instilling compassion and pride in yourself. If your teenager has a driver's license and has access to an insured vehicle, they can volunteer for Mobile Meals Tucson this summer. Do you have younger children? Why not volunteer yourself and bring them along for the ride. It's never too early to show them the importance of helping others.

Mobile Meals Tucson needs volunteers to deliver eight meal trays just once a week. The total time to deliver takes only 1.5 to two hours per week. Feel free to sign up for more shifts if you'd like. They reimburse for mileage, too. You must provide your own vehicle. Make sure to show proof of insurance. All volunteers must complete a background check as well. Weekday meal deliveries take place between 11 am and 1 pm Monday through Friday. If you're interested in a weekend delivery, there are opportunities available there, too.

Orientation for Volunteers

All Mobile Meals Tucson volunteers must attend orientation. Orientation meetings take place from 2:30 pm to 4 pm in the Nextrio Conference Room at 4803 E 5th St. on the following dates:

• March 28th
• April 9th & 25th
• May 7th & 23rd
• June 4th & 20th
• July 9th & 25th

To attend an orientation meeting, you must RSVP. To do so, either call Stephanie Swift at (520) 620-1600 or email your RSVP request to stephanie@mobilemealsoftucson.org.

Can't Volunteer? Donate.

I get it. We're all busy people. Between work, school, and extra-curricular activities, time can be a very precious commodity. If you can't fit volunteering into your schedule, you can still help Mobile Meals Tucson carry out their mission each week. Donate money. Through their Adopt-a-Route program, you choose to sponsor one of the 33 routes driven by volunteers. Whether it's for one week, one month or one year, your donation ensures homebound adults get the food and much-needed companionship needed to get through the day. Contact Christine at (520) 622-1600 to find out how to sign up for the Adopt-a-Route program. Or make a one-time or regular monthly donation by visiting the Mobile Meals website here.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

Water conservation has been a hot topic in Tucson for many years. Drought conditions in Arizona and neighboring states make how we use water as important as how much we use. Implementing more efficient ways to utilize water in our households goes a long way to making this precious commodity last. The City already rewards its residents with rebates when they purchase an energy-efficient washer, replace their toilets, harvest rainwater or install a gray water irrigation system. The organizers of the Tucson Sustainable Landscapes Expo 2019 turn homeowners' focus to the yard.

What: Tucson Sustainable Landscapes Expo 2019
Where: Pima Smartscape (4210 N Campbell Ave)
When: Saturday, March 23rd, 10 am to 2 pm
Admission: FREE
Contact: Pima Smartscape (520) 626-5161 or via email

Tucson Sustainable Landscapes Expo 2019

Did you know that maintaining your landscape and swimming pool can make up as much as 80% of the entire water usage in your Tucson home? The Tucson Sustainable Landscape Expo 2019 hopes to show you how to create a beautiful yard and enjoy your space without using a ton of water. The expo encourages hands-on learning for both adults and kids with their interactive exhibits and live demonstrations. Learn about drip irrigation, protecting your plants from the harsh desert sunlight, which native plants you should include in your landscape design, how to harvest rainwater, and so much more. 

In addition to informational exhibits, guests at the Tucson Sustainable Landscapes Expo 2019 will be entertained by live musical guests like the Matt & Rebekah Rolland Trio. Feast on a variety of tasty dishes from food trucks provided by Molecular Munchies, The Loaded Dawg, Buddha Belly Pizza Kitchen, and Johnny's Philippine Grill.

And don't forget to pick up your raffle tickets. Winners will be announced at the end of the expo. You need not be present to win. Some of the amazing gifts up for grabs include gift certificates for landscape design services, smart irrigation controllers, and a 200-gallon rain tank. You can either nab your raffle tickets at the Expo or register online right now.

Bring the kids with you to the Tucson Sustainable Landscape Expo 2019. Teach them to appreciate our world's natural resources today. Then, they'll take the lessons learned and create a brighter tomorrow.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

You whipped your credit into shape. Your savings account includes money for both your down payment and closing costs. You found the perfect agent. Now, it's time to find the perfect house. How do you go looking at Tucson houses without losing your mind? Your options can be overwhelming at times. Follow this helpful house-hunting guide and you'll be closing the deal on your next home before you know it!

House-Hunting Guide for Tucson Real Estate

Make a List

To get started with your house-hunting, make a list of everything you want/need in a Tucson home. How many bedrooms and bathrooms at a minimum do you need? What size house? Big yard? No yard? Low maintenance? Ideal neighborhood? Large kitchen? Open floor plan? Don't forget the budget, too. Create a bucket list of what you believe should be included in your next home. Then, be prepared to adjust it as needed. As you move along in this process, you'll discover that your bucket list will change. Maybe those finishes you thought were great really aren't. Perhaps you could do with fewer bedrooms or you realize that 1500 square feet just isn't big enough. Your "needs" may change once you see what's on the market. That's OK. But it helps to create a starting point with your wish list.

Talk to Your REALTOR®

Next up on the house-hunting list? Talk to your REALTOR®. Let them know what you're looking for as well as your budget. Also, explain why you're moving (expanding family, tired of renting, downsizing for retirement, etc). They might be able to steer you in a direction you didn't even think of (single-family home for ease of living as you grow older, better school district for kids, great condos for a low maintenance lifestyle). Since they know the market, they can also tell you what items on your list are easily doable and which ones might need to be scaled back. 

Drive Around Your Favorite Neighborhoods

Take some time to drive around your favorite neighborhoods. Make a note of any "for sale" signs you see. Pay attention to how many signs you see as well. An excess of signs sometimes indicates an issue within the neighborhood. Ask your REALTOR® to find out more information about the Tucson home you like as well as the neighborhood in which it sits.

Visit Open Houses

Another suggestion to help you with your house-hunting is to visit open houses. It costs nothing to look. But these open houses can be a treasure trove of information. This is where your "wish list" may begin to change. If you aren't under a specific time crunch (new job, for example), feel free to take your time. You never know when you might stumble across the perfect Tucson home in the process.

Bring a Camera and Take Notes

Once you visit a few properties, they tend to blend together. To keep them separated, pull out your camera phone or bring a camera with you. It might help to start with a photo of the street sign as well as the number on the house or mailbox. Then, you'll know that the photos following it belong to that address. Take a photo of the front of the house and all the things you like/don't like about the property. Your smartphone should have a notes app built into it. Or, you can download one. Then, jot down what you know about the location, condition, amenities, and even how you feel about the property. This can be a huge influencing factor when buying a home, too.

Overlook Decoration

Finally, not everyone's design is your taste. Overlook the funky paint, outdated furniture, and crazy knick-knacks while house-hunting. Decor can be changed. Location cannot. Is the house in sound condition? Do you see any water stains? Does it have decent-sized bedrooms? Do you like its location in regards to your children's school or your work? The answers to these questions mean much more than how the current owner decided to decorate.

You've probably heard the saying "you gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince". Well, in the Tucson real estate game, house-hunting might show you several "OK" houses before you find the one you want to purchase. When you're ready to start your house-hunting journey, contact me.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

Selling a home can be a stressful process. You must clean and stage it so that it's ready to show at a moment's notice. Anyone with kids and/or pets knows how difficult that can be to maintain on a daily basis. While scheduling things like a home inspection or appraisal falls on the buyer's shoulders, it's beneficial to the seller to have the inspection run as smoothly as possible. You don't want anything hindering the completion of the sale. Here are a few tips that can help you make the home inspection process run a little bit easier.

How Sellers Can Make the Home Inspection Process a Little Easier

Get Your Own Inspection Done First

First of all, home inspections benefit sellers as much as they do buyers. Having an inspection performed before you even list your Tucson property allows you, the homeowner, to rectify any broken, damaged or questionable areas of the property before it even hits the market. With early detection, you have time to shop around for the services needed to make necessary repairs. That saves you money. Plus, your home looks much better to buyers when you do put it on the market. In turn, you may be able to sell your home for more money. If nothing else, knowing the real condition of your home eliminates any "surprises" that may arise when the buyer performs their inspection.

Complete Your "Honey-Do" List

We all have little projects around the house that just don't ever seem to get done. You had every intention of completing them at some point. Now is the time. Tackle that "honey-do" list before a home inspection. Tighten up loose doorknobs and window screens. Oil squeaky hinges. Fix leaky faucets. Repair dried caulking or loose tiles. Make your Tucson home the best it can be before the inspector comes through.

Clean 'er Up!

You already performed a good deep clean before you listed your Tucson home. Before the home inspector arrives, make sure all toys and tools are put away. Leave a clear pathway around the exterior of the house so the inspector can move freely about. A home inspection encompasses every part of the property, including the garage, attic, baseboards, and storage areas. Providing easy access to all areas of the house makes it easier on the inspector and easier on the inspection.

Light it Up

Finally, you can make it a home inspection a little easier on the inspector simply by turning on all the lights before they come through. Yes, inspectors usually carry a flashlight with them. But it would help them see better when rooms are well lit ahead of time. Besides, it provides a great opportunity to ensure all lightbulbs work properly. Now would be a great time to check for and replace burned out bulbs on both the interior and exterior of your house.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

When you buy a Tucson home, you learn a whole new vocabulary. Downpayment. FHA. VA. FICO score. Appraisal. Inspection. Contingencies. Spuds/SPDS. Outside of a real estate transaction, you might never come across most of these terms. Another important one to know about is "escrow". What is it and how does it work?

What is an Escrow Account?

In real estate terms, an escrow account opens up when the seller and the buyer enter into a purchase agreement. Important documents (such as the sales agreement, earnest money deposit, financial information, and property deeds) are held in safekeeping by an impartial third party until the final exchange of ownership takes place. Sometimes, this may be through an attorney. Other times, the account is held by the title company. It may also be the bank or another trusted individual that is in charge of the escrow account. Usually, it's left up to the buyer or the buyer's agent to decide who will hold escrow. Your Tucson real estate agent should have a list of trusted escrow companies they've worked with before for you to choose from.

How Does Escrow Work?

After you've chosen the company you wish to work with, your earnest money and all documentation relating to the Tucson home sale in question stays with the escrow company. During the sale process, the escrow company accumulates all relevant documentation (contingency checklists, inspections, repairs, etc.). Once all portions of the sales agreement have been officially met, money will be released from your lender into the escrow account. Then, the escrow company disburses the money to the appropriate parties. Finally, an escrow officer clears the title and the Tucson home officially becomes the buyer's. However, if there's a hold-up anywhere along the way, no money will be released. 

Lender's Mortgage Account

After you've officially become the Tucson homeowner, your lender may open an escrow account for you. When you pay your mortgage each month, a portion will be deposited separately into an escrow account. This money pays for your property taxes and homeowners insurance. When these each come due, they will automatically be paid out of your escrow account. This can be extremely helpful to you because then you don't have to come up with a lump sum when either one of these is due. Also, you won't ever be late with your payments since they automatically get paid when due. It helps the lender because they know that their investment is protected. All FHA loans require that an escrow account be opened up for new homeowners. If you borrowed more than 80% of the purchase price, your mortgage company will most likely require you to have an escrow account.

That's how escrow accounts work for a real estate transaction as well as after you become a homeowner. If you have any questions, talk to your mortgage company or contact me. I'd be happy to help wherever I can.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate

This is some crazy weather we've got going on here in Tucson. The National Weather Service has put a "Hard Freeze Warning" in effect starting at 11 pm tonight and continuing on through 8 am tomorrow. That means that temperatures are expected to drop to 28F or lower for several hours. At that temperature, water pipes left out in the elements can freeze and burst. More below freezing weather is expected in our area over the weekend. If you haven't had any trouble with your water pipes up until now, count yourself lucky. Then, go and protect your water pipes from the harsh winter weather right now.

Winterizing Water Pipes

Ideally, this should be done before sub-freezing temperatures hit Tucson. But, it's better to start winterizing your winter pipes now rather than waiting for a pipe to burst. Protect your water pipes from the harsh elements by wrapping them with pipe insulation. This includes any pipes underneath the house that may be touched by cold weather. Big box stores carry both foil and foam wrap varieties. In a pinch, you could duct tape towels or blankets around the pipes. However, the pipe wrap insulation works better and is less bulky. Don't forget to insulate your main shut-off valve as well.

Check your irrigation system owner's manual to find out how to shut it down and get water out of the system. If water is left inside during extended periods of below freezing temperatures, it could freeze. Frozen water expands and may break the pipe, creating an expensive problem to fix later. Unsure how to do all of this? Contact any landscaping service in the area. They should be able to blow out your irrigation system for you. Unhook any hoses from exterior water faucets and store them in your garage. Just make sure they are completely devoid of water before you do put them away for the winter.

What about your interior faucets? Anything that gets fed water from an exposed exterior pipe could be subject to freezing. Open the interior tap just enough to allow a slow drip to eke out of it. This helps alleviate any pressure build-up from the outside.

What to Do if Your Pipes Freeze or Burst

First of all, don't pour hot water over frozen pipes in an attempt to defrost them. This will cause more harm than good. Same goes for using a blow torch or other open flame. Instead, take a hair dryer and blow warm air onto the frozen areas. The frozen water needs to warm up gradually. Make sure you turn your faucets to the "on" position to allow water to trickle through. 

In the case of a burst pipe, go to the main shut-off valve and turn off the water to your Tucson home. Don't know where the main shut-off is located? Go to the water meter and shut it off there. Then, call a plumber or the Customer Service Department at Tucson Water. Tucson Water can be reached during office hours (8 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday) by calling (520) 794-3242. Their after-hours line for emergencies is (520) 794-4133.

It's not too late to winterize your water pipes. Keep them protected from sub-freezing temperatures. This reduces the chances of frozen water damaging them which can cost thousands of dollars to fix. Stay warm!

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate 

Recently, Sunset Magazine wrote a wonderful piece about our fair city. They raved about all the wonderful things you can do in just one weekend while visiting our little town. Anyone who lives here already knows what makes it such a great place to live. But it's nice to know that someone else recognizes all the fantastic things that make Tucson a great weekend getaway spot.

What Makes Tucson a Great Weekend Getaway

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

With its location so close to the US/Mexico border, the authentic Mexican food scene in Tucson is astounding. Sonoran food, in particular, deserves its own parade. But what really makes Tucson a great weekend getaway is its diverse melting pot of amazingly talented chefs in all cuisine. And what goes better with great food than excellent drinks? Hamilton Distillers makes award-winning whiskey right here in Tucson. Several breweries create fine handcrafted beers locally. Also, a few unique bars and lounges cater to anyone interested in having a good time somewhere that doesn't remind them of where their forefathers might have imbibed.

Awesome Weather

Another reason Sunset Magazine named Tucson their favorite weekend getaway was the weather. Even in the coldest parts of winter, we typically experience highs in the mid-60s. In the spring and fall, we see temperatures more in the mid-80s range. And in the very heart of summer, we skim 100F during peak hours. But mornings and late evenings cool off enough to still enjoy the great outdoors.

Nature at its Best

With the gorgeous Saguaro National Park to the east, north, and west, exploring the outdoors is a must on your weekend getaway. Filled with beautiful flora and fauna, the park offers a desert wonderland for hikers, bicyclists, and offroad trekkers. For a closer view of our natural neighbors, visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Their collection of live mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, and insects forever changes your idea of what to expect at a "stuffy museum". Over 130 miles of bike-friendly pathways around the city make Tucson one of the best cities to bicycle around in the entire country.

Budget-Friendly

Finally, you'll want to make Tucson your favorite weekend getaway when you realize how budget-friendly it can be. As a college town (the University of Arizona at Tucson), the population includes thousands of college students. They bring a youthful, vibrant energy to the city. And when you hear "student", you think "no money". Many local restaurants cater to budget-minded students with great food at a low cost. But you don't have to be a student to take advantage of these deals. They're available to everyone.

As you can see, there are many reasons why Tucson makes a great weekend getaway. When you live here, you can take advantage of what we have to offer every weekend. If you're interested in finding a permanent weekend getaway in Tucson, contact me. I'd be happy to show you what is available for sale around town.

Rebecca Schulte, Schulte Real Estate Group, Your Source for Tucson Real Estate