Because buying a home is typically the single most important purchase most of us will ever make, you want to ensure you are buying a good solid home. Contingencies in the real estate contract allow you to physically inspect the property. As a buyer, you can have a home inspector provide you insight on the home's physical condition. In Arizona, the standard purchase contract allows the buyer 10 days to inspect the home after contract acceptance.
A typical home inspection will include a visual examination of the structure from top to bottom. A home inspector will evaluate and report on many other things, such as the items below.
1. The Home Structure - Foundation, floors, walls, ceilings, stairs and attic.
2. The Exterior - Wall coverings, chimneys, caulking and weather stripping. Roof, roof penetrations, grading, drainage, driveways and patios.
3. The interior - Stairs, counters, railings, cabinets, sinks and showers. Visible insulation and ventilation.
4. Plumbing - Fixtures, faucets, water flow, drains, and the water heater
5. Electrical - Wiring, fixtures, and overload protection
6. Heating & Air Conditioning - Main equipment and distribution system.
In addition to a standard home inspection, there are many different types of inspections that you, as a buyer, may want to purchase depending on the property. Some of these include hazardous materials, well and septic, pool inspection, zoning and building inspections.
When buying a home - For Your Protection, Get A Home Inspection!
*************************************************************************************
Contact Troy and Mia Erickson, Realtors®, Terra Solis Realty, LLC. Licensed Realtors® in Arizona at 602-295-6807 to purchase a new home in Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek, Phoenix, and the rest of Maricopa County, Arizona. You can also contact us with questions regarding the new first time homebuyer tax credit of up to $8,000. We are always accepting referrals.
You can view all the Chandler and East Valley Homes For Sale from my website, or click on the Search For Homes or Featured Listings link from here. We know Chandler and the East Valley, and we are here to help.
It is highly recommended that any homebuyer prequalify with a lender before they start their new home search. This is beneficial to the homebuyer in several ways:
First of all, you can determine which loan program best fits your needs and which programs you qualify for, so there are no surprises.
It also allows you to know how much home you qualify for, since it could be very disappointing to find a home only to find out you can't afford it.
If you are a first-time buyer, you may be able to qualify for special first-time buyer programs, like the $8,000 tax credit.
Things to get ready for your lender to get you prequalified:
Personal and financial information from everyone going to be on the loan as follows -
Address of any place you have lived over the past two years
Social Security Number(s)
A valid ID, such as a driver's license or passport
Names, addresses, and contact information of all employers for the last two years
Two months of most recent paystubs, including year-to-date earnings
Prior two years Federal Tax Returns and W2's
Any other source of verifible income you want to include
Two most recent months of bank statements for all checking, savings, and money market accounts
Any recent (monthly, quarterly) statement of investment accounts including stocks, mutual funds, CD's, 401K, etc.
Addresses and estimated values of all real estate owned
Your best estimate of all your personal property, including autos, furniture, jewelry, television, etc.
Names, addresses, account numbers, and payment amounts on all loans or lines of credit, including, but not limited to real estate loans, home equity lines, auto loans, and credit cards
Divorce decree if applicable
*************************************************************************************
Contact Troy and Mia Erickson, Realtors®, Terra Solis Realty, LLC. Licensed Realtors® in Arizona at 602-295-6807 to purchase a new home in Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek, Phoenix, and the rest of Maricopa County, Arizona. You can also contact us with questions regarding the new first time homebuyer tax credit of up to $8,000. We are always accepting referrals.
You can view all the Chandler and East Valley Homes For Sale from my website, or click on the Search For Homes or Featured Listings link from here. We know Chandler and the East Valley, and we are here to help.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have started their 11th MLB season here at Chase Field. They have a new program that allows fans to purchase tickets, and at the same time enjoy the ballpark food all for one low price! For the 2009 season, the Diamondbacks have designated certain seats located on the Insight Diamond Level as All-You-Can-Eat seats. This family-friendly section is located one level below the St. Joseph's Sandlot kid's area, and features its own private lounge with plenty of space to move around, plus extra wide seats with added leg room. When you purchase a ticket for $30, you get to enjoy unlimited ballpark food such as all-beef hot dogs, chips, popcorn, peanuts, soda, and water, from the time the gates open through the end of the 7th inning.
It's a great opportunity to see a game in a good seat, and feed the entire family.
I know we will be at the D-Backs game Saturday, May 9th for our son's Little League day, and we are all looking foward to it. I just love springtime, baseball, and hotdogs at the ballpark.
I have never been a runner, although I have been an athlete my whole life. I still compete at a high level in softball, still like to run up and down the hardwood court, and enjoy any opportunity I have to throw a football around. Nowadays, after one knee surgery, and knowing that there may be two more in the future, I don't do too much running. Like I said, I have never really been a runner. To me, running was always a chore, and only a means to an end - in order to excel in sports. Now, at 43, I have found a reason to run.
My son and I are running in the 5th annual Pat Tillman Run in Tempe, AZ on April 18th, 2009. For those of you who don't know the Pat Tillman story, click here. For those of you who do, you will understand the impact he had on many of us here in Arizona, and throughout the world.
After his death, our entire family went to the memorial in front of the Arizona Cardinals Training Facility in Tempe, AZ. Above is a picture of my son at the memorial in 2004 (He wanted to bring flowers). A year later, they started Pat's Run.
"Pat Tillman's friends and family created Pat's Run as a way to celebrate Pat's passionate legacy while raising awareness and funding for the Pat Tillman Foundation. "With Pat's Run, people are motivated to exercise and do something positive for themselves, while honoring Pat's memory, sharing their stories and ultimately being an inspiration to others," said Perry Edinger, Pat's friend and former head trainer at Arizona State University."
Last year, in 2008, my son decided he was ready to take on the challenge and run in, and for, Pat's Run. Being the non-runner that I was, I recruited the neighbor (who I knew was an avid runner) to train with my son and run in the race with him. That's my son and my neighbor in the picture to the right, just before the Pat Tillman Run started in 2008.
This year, I felt a strong enough desire to stand up for someone and something I believe in, and told myself, "I now have a reason to run, not only for Pat, but for my son as well." So, over the past four weeks or so, myself, my son, and the neighbor have been getting up around 6:30am and running (every 2 to 3 days). The race is this Saturday, April 18th, and today was the first time I ran the 4.2 miles it takes to complete the race. I think I am ready, but I guess we will see this Saturday.
More than 20,000 runners, walkers, volunteers and spectators will participate in Pat's Run Tempe this year. The 4.2 mile run/walk celebrates the life of former ASU football star and Army Ranger, Pat Tillman. Proceeds from the race benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation and its Leadership through ActionTM initiatives.
Please, if you have an opportunity, get involved or make a donation to this wonderful foundation. You never know what you are capable of until you challenge yourself. I hope to see lots of you at the Pat Tillman Run 2010.
WISH US LUCK!
The weather is heating up, and the City of Chandler pools are opening for their swim season. Below is a list of all the Chandler pools and their schedules.
Arrowhead Pool:
Open May 30-31st noon - 5pm.
Open daily June 4th - July 26th.
Desert Oasis Aquatic Center:
Open weekends beginning May 16th. Open Memorial Day weekend noon - 5pm.
Open daily from May 26th - August 10th.
Folley Pool:
Open daily June 4th - July 26th
Hamilton Aquatic Center:
Open weekends beginning May 2nd. Open Memorial Day weekend noon - 5pm.
Open daily from June 4th - July 26th.
Mesquite Groves Aquatic Center:
Open daily March 9th - May 22nd.
Play pool only on weekdays from 10am - 1pm and 4 - 7pm.
Play pool on weekends from noon - 5pm.
Summer operational hours begin June 4th. Open Memorial Day weekend noon - 5pm.
West Chandler Aquatic Center:
Open weekends beginning May 2nd. Open Memorial Day weekend noon - 5pm.
Open daily from May 26th - August 3rd.
For additional information on swimming lessons, fees, facility amenities and more, click this City of Chandler link.
 |
|
|
It's all about quality service with us. We specialize in working with buyers and sellers in Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Phoenix & East Valley. We are here to help, advise, and answer questions.
Mia and I have lived in Chandler for 12 fantastic years. We have 2 wonderful children who make life worth living. Our daughter is 22, and is still trying to figure out what she wants to be in life. She has been going to Chandler/Gilbert Community College, and is in the process of applying for beauty school. She has been singing in Choir since I don't know when, and was singing with the Chandler/Gilbert Choi
r the past two years. Our son is 9, going on 25. He wears a men's size 9 shoe! He is your typical boy who loves to be active. He has tried everything from Gymnastics, to BMX biking, to flag football, and he is currently trying out Club Soccer to bring out the competitive side of him. We just recently had a new addition to our family, a boxer puppy. We named her Gracie. We got her this past Easter, and we love her to death.
Prior to moving to Arizona, I lived in many states throughout the country, as well as Okinawa. My father was in the military, and we lived in Florida, Idaho, and Kansas (to name a few places), before moving back to Oregon when I was in the fifth grade. I guess you could say I knew a lot about being the new kid in school. Mia had lived in Oregon her whole life. Her father was an educator, and her mother worked for the post office before they both retired. She, however, had traveled extensively, including trips to Japan and Costa Rica. We both come from households with great work ethic and good family values.
In our spare time, we love activities, whether it is riding quads or jet skiing in 
Lake Havasu, attending Broadway shows and sporting events, or visiting new places like Bisbee and Jerome, AZ. We enjoy spending time with our families, and try to get together as often as possible. I especially like to play softball, as I am too old to participate in just about any other sport (The knees are giving out on me). Mia loves to create things, as she designs her own jewelry, and can be very artistic when she has the time. She can also create a meal out of nothing in less than 10 minutes, and that's an art all in itself. Mia is also fluent in Spanish, which has come in very handy with our trips to Ensenada, Costa Rica, and Cabo San Lucas.
We are very civic minded individuals as well, and at one time or another have both worked for County and/or City Government. Mia has also been on the Board for the school PTO, as well as a volunteer for the Special Olympics, and Hands Across The Border. I have been a youth sports coach and official for so many years, I can't remember how many. We have also served on Youth Councils, the Little League Board, volunteered for the United Way and the City of Chandler Youth Enhancement Program. We believe in giving back to our community, and that it really does take a village to raise great children.
We are Residential Real Estate experts in the East Valley, and we focus on neighborhoods in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Queen Creek, Tempe, Scottsdale, as well as other cities within Maricopa County. My wife and I have been in Real Estate for over 7 years, and we enjoy the opportunity we have to work together to help others. Whether it is buying your first home, investing, or helping you sell your home so you can move, we are here to help, and available 24/7.
I have an additional 15 years experience in finance and accounting (including 3 years as a Loan Officer), and Mia has 10 years in corporate business, and another 10 in the public sector. Mia, at an earlier time in her life was an EMT4, riding around in Ambulances saving people's lives. Mia is fluent in Spanish as mentioned above. We are all about service, and together our experience and skill set are second to none.
We got into the Real Estate industry to help people. There have been many ups and downs in the real estate market (as to be expected), and we have stayed true to ourselves and our clients. Whether it is a buyers market or a sellers market, we do what's best for our clients, and we always offer our dedication, expertise, and full service.
Mia and I hold memberships with NAR, National Association of REALTORS®, AAR, Arizona Association of REALTORS®, and SEVRAR, South East Valley Association of REALTORS®, and are members of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce. Please visit our websites at http://troyandmiaerickson.point2agent.com and www.arizonarealestatehometeam.com. We are in the process of enhancing our websites, so please stay tuned.
Sheila Kofahl is our Designated Broker for Terra Solis Realty, LLC. She has over 13 years in the industry, is part of our team, and she holds the prestigious CRS, Certified Residential Specialist, the GRI, Graduate REALTOR® Institute, the ABR, Accredited Buyer Representative designation, and the e-PRO certification.
In addition to this, we only work with the best in the industry when it comes to home inspectors, lenders, appraisers, title companies, and home warranty companies. We want to work only with businesses that have the same integrity, values and morals that we have, and people who are the best at what they do.
Just a note of thanks for all of your hard work and patience. I know that it wasn't easy to get us into a house, but your efforts have made us feel that you care about what's best for us and not your respective careers. If you continue to do your jobs this way - there is no doubt you will find great success. Thanks Again! - Mark & Elaine Foster
Troy Erickson handled my mortgage refinance loan and provided very good service. Upon learning of my desires to refinance, he kept me posted on interest rate levels. I compared his rates against a few other banks and mortgage brokers, and found them to be quite competitive. Troy made himself available at all times to answer my questions and was very quick to follow up. He is an extremely honest individual whom I can trust, and he goes to great length to deliver good service. - Shari Fujii
Hello we are Daniel Maples and Brianna Joyner. Let us start out by saying that we love our new home and you could too! We were desperate to find a house in less than a month and received a number through a close friend. Our friend had told us these guys were great, just give them a call. This number that was given to us was the number for Troy and Mia Erickson. We needed a house fast, so we called them and they told us they could get it done. We gave them our criteria for what we were looking for in our new house. They were very thorough in their search for our perfect home! We were given a list of homes to pick what we would like to go and look at with them. We made a selection and shortly after we went to look at them....and found this big beauty. It was exactly what were wanted and so much more. We were told that Troy and Mia were great realtors, and now we can say that they are GREAT realtors! You can rely and trust them in the stressful situations while moving. You have plenty of things that you need to worry about when moving, let them help you by taking the most important thing off your shoulders...finding your new home! - Daniel Maples & Brianna Joyner
More references and testimonials available upon request.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
