Peggy Roberts

Tips for buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek -- Part I of II

The sun is shining, hiking trails are inviting, golf courses busy, art fairs, car shows and equestrian events calling for our attention. There’s no more beautiful place in the world this time of year than the NE Valley of Metro Phoenix -- including Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree and Cave Creek -- and visitors often fall captive to our charms and wonder if maybe, just maybe, now might be the perfect time for buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek.

Each month a sizable portion of our marketing budget goes towards catching your interest, with helpful websites, educating you and demonstrating that when it comes to buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek, no one will work harder on your behalf. We will “leave no stones unturned” to help you find just what you’re looking for and help you achieve your real estate goals.

Over the years, we’ve taken hundreds of calls and answered countless e-mails from individuals who are starting the search with the goal of buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek. We are delighted to hear from you and are happy to share a few ways you can do to position yourself for success in advance:

• Get pre-qualified with a lender upfront -- Unless you’re paying cash for your home (and many people do these days), the absolute first thing you need to do is talk with a lender and get pre-qualified to determine your realistic price range. This is not only one of our own professional requirements before showing any buyer a home, but also is required in the Arizona Residential Purchase Contract. Most importantly it also puts you in a very strong position once we do find you the right home and you’d like to jump on it before it gets away. Not quite ready or does your credit score need a bit of work? We’re happy to recommend trusted lenders who can help you position yourself for success. Just ask us!

• Have a realistic budget. If your wish list for buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek includes mountain views, a large lot, swimming pool, three-car garage, four bedrooms and easy access to upscale resorts, restaurants and entertainment nearby, having a realistic budget will save you and your chosen real estate professional a lot of time. We can show you many different ways to get a close as possible to finding the best home for the money: Maybe you can forgo the pool and add it later, skip the guest casita or add the granite counters once in you’re in and settled. Call us and we’ll be happy to brainstorm with you and let you know what you can realistically expect to find within your price range.

• Get a good feel for the market, communities and inventory three to six months out. With the wealth of information about real estate available online, it’s tempting to think you can go it alone and find something by happenstance. There’s an easy way to do it most efficiently, though: If you’re just beginning your search for buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek, please give us a call or send us an e-mail -- we can you started in the right direction and stay with you throughout the process. We can also set you up in a special system that sends you regular updates matching your basic parameters. Or simply visit our website and set up your own search.

Whether you’re ready to buy soon or just casually looking, dreaming or in the preliminary stages of getting started on the process of buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek, give us a call at 480-947-2106 or send us an e-mail (GlenRoberts@cox.net)-- we’re here for YOU!

Happy New Year!

Tomorrow: More tips for successfully buying a home in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Carefree or Cave Creek

What makes Fountain Hills, AZ a great town for hikers? One of my favorite things about living in beautiful Fountain Hills, AZ is knowing that just outside my door is easy access to some of the best hiking trails anywhere.

I don't need much of an excuse to take advantage of this fortunate fact of life, either. Today it's New Year's Eve, and my health club, Peaks Fitness (located in downtown Fountain Hills) is only open till 3 p.m, so that's a perfect excuse for me to take advantage of the spectacular weather and "hike the ridgeline" (officially called the Lake Overlook Trail at the NE corner of Saguaro and Palisades) that parallels the Diamante del Lago subdivision.

I treasure hiking, but I also enjoy marveling over the homes for sale in Fountain Hills that share the same spectacular views as the ones I enjoy from the trail. Homes in these subdivisions overlooking the Fountain Hills Fountain Park are coveted by full-time residents and winter visitors alike:

• Diamante del Lago (Single family homes with unparalleled views priced from the mid $400's)
• Arriba del Lago (Single family homes located directly across the street from the park; priced from the mid $400's)
• Fountainhead condos (Wow views everywhere; priced from the mid $400's)

OK, folks -- truth be told, I'd much rather be hiking than blogging so will close for now. But if you'd like to take a look at a selection of beautiful condos, patio homes or single-family homes just a "stones throw" from this spectacular area, you know where to find me!

Fountain Hills homes for sale with RV garages are a popular feature on many of our buyer's wish lists, so we get the request fairly often.

With proper planning and enough advance notice, there's a good chance we can find and show you a nice selection of Fountain Hills homes for sale with RV garages and other desirable features like gourmet kitchens and views, views, views of the McDowell Mountains, Red Mountain, city lights and possibly even our "world famous" fountain at our lovely community Fountain Hills park in the center of town.

How much extra do these desirable Fountain Hills homes cost? Prices of Fountain Hills homes for sale with RV garages are comparable to prices of other homes. As we begin the start of 2012, it's possible to find Fountain Hills homes for sale with RV garages starting at $415,000.

Or check out this 5,286 square foot beauty shown below, complete with a casita and five-car garage for $675,000.

Whether you're searching for a Fountain Hills home for sale with RV garage or prefer to expand your search to Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Carefree or beyond, we invite you to visit our website to explore the many possibilities on your own. Or send us an e-mail or call us today at 480-371-5419 with your own special wish list and we would be happy to provide you with automatic updates of homes that match your specific parameters as they become available.

Your Fountain Hills home for sale with RV garage awaits!