Phoenix, AZ Real Estate Podcast with Monique Walker

  Interest rates are moving in a downward direction and are showing no signs of changing for at least a year—but why? I’m joined by Tom Ross from Bay Equity to answer that.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportToday I’m alongside Tom Ross with Bay Equity Home Loans and, together, we’re here to discuss our current interest rate environment. By the end of this May, we saw a notable development with regard to interest rates: The combination of tariffs and various other economic conditions are driving rates down, and this downward trend doesn’t look like it’s going to slow or move in the other direction anytime soon.“The combination of tariffs and various other economic conditions are driving rates down.”Although market indicators tell us that rates will continue their current trajectory for the next year or so, it’s worth pointing out that, last year, we were confident that rates would continue to rise well into the high-5’s. It wasn't until the Fed announced a change of course in their policy decisions early this year that we knew we could see rates flatten out or begin to fall. All things considered, conditions are very favorable at this moment, and it’s a great time to get into the market.  Whether you’re considering buying or refinancing, go ahead and give Tom a call at 602-791-5861. We’d love to help you as a team! And if you have any other questions regarding your real estate needs, please reach out to me as well. We hope to hear from you soon!

  If you’re a homebuyer, the time to buy is now—here’s why.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportAre you waiting for the market to soften to buy a home?A lot of buyers have this plan because they’re afraid that what happened during the last economic downturn will happen again soon. However, according to my guest today, Tom Ross of Bay Equity Home Loans, the last economic downturn was a once-in-a-century event, and the current market features a totally different set of circumstances. If you plan on staying in your home for at least three years, there are plenty of underlying reasons why now is a great time to buy.“The last economic downturn was a once-in-a-century event, and the current market features a totally different set of circumstances.”According to the statistics, Phoenix is the fastest-growing city in the U.S. Not only are we ranked in the top 10% of all cities in terms of job growth, but we’re also in the top 20% in terms of historical appreciation. We have about 70,000 households being formed annually, but only 25,000 homes being built. To be exact, we have less than three months of inventory, and we don’t see supply catching up to demand in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, appreciation is also expected to continue to rise. If you look at the big picture, it’s a great time to buy or sell, so if you plan on doing either anytime soon, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to help you.

  If you’ve been thinking of selling your home, now’s your chance!Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportWhen is the largest number of homes sold? In springtime, of course! And since it’s now officially spring, it’s the perfect season to jump into our thriving real estate market. We see the most sales from April to June, so now’s the time to prepare for listing your home. If you or someone you know is thinking of selling soon, I’m here to help—I’d be more than happy to give you a home estimate and help you find the perfect buyer. Give me a call at 602-413-8195 or send an email to Monique@MoniqueSells.com, and let’s begin the home selling journey together. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

  How will these changes in our market affect you? You may be, well, surprised!Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportOur market is simply full of surprises lately! First of all, though we’re still in a seller’s market, we’re currently experiencing the largest inventory of homes we’ve seen in a long time. Our number of months of inventory—or how long it takes to sell all homes currently on the market—is at 3.06.“Our market could be balancing out.”On top of this, in the last 30 days, we’ve had the lowest number of homes sold. Together, these factors mean that our market could be balancing out. It also means that it’s now easier for people to sell their homes and purchase new ones. As each area has its own unique market, so if you want to find out more about your specific neighborhood, your best bet is to give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

  We’re excited to announce our new program that will allow us to give back to the heroes in our community. Learn how it works here.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportI’m here today with my preferred lender, Tom Ross of Bay Equity, and we’ve been talking about how we can give back to our community, particularly to the people who have and still serve us in the community.I’m so excited because we finally have a program designed to do just that: Giving to Heroes. Who qualifies as a hero? In this context, a hero could be any person who dedicates their lives to serving us in the community—such as a teacher, a nurse, a firefighter, a police officer, an active duty military serviceperson, a veteran, or, slightly controversially, an employee of the government sector.“We’re so excited to be able to contribute and give back.”With this program, we’re able to contribute toward these heroes' closing costs as our little way of thanking them for spending their lives serving us. We’re so excited to be able to contribute and give back.If you have any lending questions for Tom, he can be reached at (602) 791-5861 or at tross@bayeq.comtross@bayeq.com.If you’re curious about purchasing a property and you’re a hero, please feel free to reach out to us. We would love to serve you back.

  What should you do about interest rates knowing that they’re on the rise? Tom Ross from Bay Equity is here to explain.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportI’m here today with my preferred lender, Tom Ross from Bay Equity, to discuss a question about interest rates: “What should you do about interest rates, knowing that they’re on the rise?”Tom’s short answer is: Lock your rate in now.People have it in their head that if they just wait long enough, they’ll end up with a lower rate eventually. But rates in the 3% area are long gone; at our highest this year, we’ve brushed 5% and came back down into the high fours. This time next year, the 4% rates will be long gone as well.“Try not to turn down any showings, if possible.”Those in the market need to wrap their heads around the fact that this climb in rates we’re going into will be long-term and sustained. We’re in the midst of a sort of trade war with China, and inflation tends to raise interest rates as well. In fact, the Federal Reserve has gone on record to say that they’re going to raise the federal funds rate at least four times between now and the end of next year. Two of those jumps might occur even before the end of this year.Now the federal funds rate doesn’t directly impact mortgage rates, but as it rises, you tend to see interest rates come up.If you have any questions for Tom about rising interest rates, you can reach him at Bay Equity by calling (602) 791-5861 or by sending an email to tross@bayeq.com. For any questions about real estate in general, we always encourage you to reach out to us here at RE/MAX Excalibur. We’d love to answer your questions.

  If you’re listing a vacant home, there are certain safety tips you will need to follow.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportWhen selling a vacant home, following certain safety tips will be essential. Today, we’ll be sharing seven such tips: 1. Set up a security system.2. Install motion sensors and timed lighting. 3. Ask a friend or neighbor to keep a car parked in your driveway. 4. Have someone routinely pick up your mail.5. Maintain your landscaping.6. Keep blinds and curtains closed.7. Check on the property after storms. Following these tips will help keep you and your asset protected during the listing process. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

  We’ve got plenty of tips for potential home sellers out there. Here are five of them.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportAre you in the process of getting your house ready to put on the market? If so, here are a few tips to help you:1. Don’t overprice your home. Pricing is everything when marketing your home for sale. Even a well-priced home with a bad marketing plan will sell, but an overpriced home won’t.2. Failing to make repairs. If the dog chewed something up or there are other minor damages that a buyer would spot immediately, get those fixed before you get the property listed and start taking pictures.3. Neglecting to declutter your home. If you have a lot of personal items, boxes, or general clutter, that’s one of the first things a buyer will notice. As part of our services, we bring a professional stager out to our buyers’ properties to help declutter and stage the property.“Try not to turn down any showings, if possible.”4. Don’t turn down showings. To get your home sold quickly and for top dollar, it should be about when it’s most convenient for an agent to show your property, not the other way around.5. Getting overly emotional about your home. Think of your home as a property or an asset than as your home. This shift in mindset will help you maximize the sale price.If you have any questions for me or want to know why my performance outsells all those promises out there, give me a call or send me an email today. I look forward to hearing from you.

  If you are wondering how an agent earns their commission, here is a rundown of everything we do for our clients.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportHow do we agents earn our commission? There are six important ways: 1. We identify and solve problems quickly by providing solutions to our clients.2. We pre-qualify buyers. If I am your listing agent, it is my job to ask buyers the right questions so you can go under contract with one who is fully qualified and can close within the escrow period. 3. We manage expectations. I need to manage expectations for my clients so they know what the process is like and we can work together to execute it properly.“My ultimate goal is to get them the most amount of money in the least amount of time.”4. We have communication skills. We have to communicate with both our clients and the public at large. We get paid to tell the truth, which is difficult sometimes because of market conditions we have no control over. Part of these communication skills also involves forecasting what’s to come in our market in the near future. 5. We can find buyers for our seller clients. One of my favorite things to do in my job is prospect for buyers.6. We can effectively and efficiently guide buyers and sellers through the whole home sale process. I have a full-service team working with me, and our whole goal is to prevent clients from waiting on me. Rather, my team should be waiting on them. When people hire me, my ultimate goal is to get them the most amount of money in the least amount of time. If you would like to know more about how I am able to accomplish this goal or you have any other real estate questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to help you.

  How can you determine whether your listing agent is the right choice to help you sell your home? Start with these three questions.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportToday we are going to talk about the three most important questions that you should be asking your listing agent:1. What is my home worth? A good listing agent should be able to tell you what you should list the home for and what it will sell for within a couple of percentage points.“The agent should have a specific marketing plan that will attract the most possible buyers.”2. How long will it take to sell my home? They should also be able to show you the average time on market for your area and what their own average is based on past sales.3. What will you do do get the property sold? There should be a specific marketing plan that will attract the most possible buyers and get your home sold quickly.I would be happy to go over my answers to these questions with you. If you would like to know them or if you have any other questions about the market, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email today. I would love to hear from you soon.

  It is time to take a look at the latest market conditions. But alongside today’s update, allow me to also share a great, new listing.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportIt is time to take a look back at our April real estate market. But before we get into those statistics, I want to tell you about a great new listing. Located at 3542 East Hazelwood Street, this 4-bed, 2-bath Phoenix property is one you will certainly want to check out for yourself. To see photos of this 2,000 square-foot, $675,000 home, click here. “We are still in a strong seller’s market.”Now let’s get back to discussing our market. Currently, we are still in a strong seller’s market. As of April, there were 10% fewer homes on the market than in April of 2017. And there were 4% more sales year over year, as well. If you have any other questions, would like more information, or are curious about how market conditions will impact your real estate goals, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

  Before hiring a real estate agent, you need to do some vetting. Here are the questions that we recommend you ask.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportSelling or buying a home can be one of the largest transactions of your life. A trusted consultant and Realtor can be an invaluable partner to have. When you interview a Realtor to hire, here are three really good questions to ask them:1. "How many homes have you sold in the last 12 months?" It’s interesting to find out how long an agent has been in the market, but noting their productivity in the last 12 months is a better indicator of whether or not they are a productive, full-time agent.“You want to get a sense that this agent is somebody you can trust.”2. "Can I have the contact info for your last three deals?" This question may be a surprise to the agent, but it could provide you with an honest, authentic answer to help you feel comfortable with them.3. "What specific strategies are you going to use to get my home sold?” Some agents specialize in buyer sales. Some agents specialize in listing and selling. A specific, proven plan is essential for any buyer or seller.To get my answers to these questions and more, feel free to reach out and give me a call or send me an email. I would love to hear from you today.

  This spring is a great time to sell your Phoenix home. Here are three reasons why.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportSpring is my favorite time to sell real estate. If you are looking to sell your home, there are three reasons why we are in a very strong seller’s market right now: 1. Demand continues to increase while inventory remains low. The number of homes for sale is down 8% year over year. Why? The job outlook is strong, and more millennials are coming into the market. 2. Home prices are still surging. We have appreciated 6% year over year, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.“Our current market is great for both buyers and sellers.”3. Interest rates are rising. Right now, interest rates are at 4.5% for a 30-year fixed mortgage. Although that is a three-year high for interest rates, it is still historically low and very affordable for buyers. I don’t know how much longer this favorable situation will last.If you are looking to sell your home, now is a great time. Demand is high and prices are high, so our current market is very favorable for sellers. If you’re interested in finding out what your home is worth, we would be happy to come by and let you know what we can sell it for, how long it’s going to take, and what we’ll do to make that happen. If you have any other real estate questions, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

  If you’ve ever thought about buying or selling real estate outside of Arizona, I would be more than happy to connect you with the right Realtor for the job.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportAs you will see in the background of today’s video, I’m definitely not in Arizona. Actually, I’m coming to you from San Diego for a real estate conference with 2,000 of the very best Realtors in North America. So if you’re looking to buy or sell property outside of Arizona, call me and let me connect you with the very best Realtor for the job. To see my full message, watch this short video.

  What do you need to know about our 2018 market so far? Let’s find out in our first update of the year.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportHappy New Year! Now that we’ve entered into 2018, it’s time for us to have our first market update of the year. Our current market is great for both buyers and sellers. Sellers should know that we have 10% less inventory right now than we did last year. This means less competition for you.“Our current market is great for both buyers and sellers.”It’s also a great time to buy because interest rates are still hovering around lows of around 4%. As always, I’m here to help you with whatever your real estate needs may be. If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

  Buying power has just gone up in Maricopa County. Tom Ross is here with the latest news.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportI’m back once again with my preferred lender, Tom Ross of Bay Equity, to give you guys some important new information about mortgage loan limits here in Phoenix. Some big changes have come out this last week and we wanted to explain what was going on to you guys.Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have both raised their loan limits for conventional financing to $453,100 in Maricopa County. What this means is that you can essentially buy a $477,000 home with only 5% down. “Your buying power has increased as a result.”It’s a big assist to the buying power of anybody who is looking to buy a home with conventional financing. It opens up the market a bit more as well.If you have any interest in buying a home or just want to know more about these loan increases, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you.

  One Home at a Time Housing Solutions can help anyone facing difficulties making their mortgage payments.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportToday I’m joined by special guest Maurice Brundidge of One Home at a Time Housing Solutions to discuss how they can assist anyone who has missed several mortgage payments and is facing foreclosure.First, Maurice and his company perform a financial assessment of that individual or family to determine whether they can realistically afford to keep their house. If they can, they’ll put together a financial package that they can submit to their lender to request a loan modification. This package will consist of a hardship letter, their financial documents, and the lender application. If your application for a loan modification was turned down and you found the process intimidating or frustrating, they’ll make the experience much easier the second time around. “  We know that life happens, but there are options out there for you. ”If you’re on the verge of missing a payment, Maurice’s first piece of advice is to contact your lender and inform them of your situation. Lenders have programs in their imminent default area that will consider a loan modification on your behalf before you become a delinquent. If you previously received a modification and you’re on the verge of becoming a delinquent again, you can apply for another modification, but you can’t apply for the same reason as your previous application. We know that life happens, but there are options out there for you that can allow you to keep your home. If you’d like to get in touch with Maurice or would like a free consultation from him, just give him a call at (602) 703-4228. If you have any more questions for us about this topic or want to know what’s going on in our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be glad to help you.

  Is a cash offer always best? Not always. I’ll go over when a cash offer is and isn’t necessarily your best option when selling your home.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportAs a seller, is a cash offer always your best option? You may be surprised, but the answer is no.Cash offers are great if you need a fast close and don’t care about getting the absolute best price the market will bare. However, if you do want top dollar for your home sale, we will take about 90 days from start to finish.“We know how to find you the right buyer. ”We know how to find you the right buyer in either situation. Whether you have time or need a quick close, we’ll make sure you get everything you want out of your home sale.If you are looking to buy or sell a home, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

 The 8th Annual Battle of the Sexes Tennis Festival is coming soon. This year, 100% of proceeds are being matched by The Guerrant Foundation.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportAnne Guerrant has traveled the globe as a professional tennis player. During her travels, what she saw in much of the developing world appalled her. Debilitating poverty. Families living on less than $1 a day. Anne and her husband, Terry, started The Guerrant Foundation to help these people by giving them small loans to start businesses. They make it easy for many people to be part of something bigger than themselves. The Guerrant Foundation's biggest fundraiser of the year is coming up. The 8th Annual Battle of the Sexes Tennis Festival will be held on Saturday, November 4th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Phoenician (6000 E Camelback Road). This year, Anne and Terry are matching 100% of all the donations they receive and all of that money is going directly to help these budding entrepreneurs.“ This year’s event will be held on November 4th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ”The loans they provide aren’t hand-outs, they are hand-ups. The loans go to smart, capable, driven entrepreneurs who need just a little bit of capital to achieve liftoff. Since the foundation started, Anne and Terry have been able to help thousands of people around the globe write a new chapter in their family’s life. To donate, go to: https://www.youcaring.com/WalkerBattleoftheSexes If you have any questions about the event, check out The Guerrant Foundation’s website here. We’re proud sponsors of this event and we look forward to seeing you there! If you have any other real estate questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

 A new listing has come up on 4332 N 41st place that might be perfect for you whether you’re downsizing or upsizing.Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportOur new listing at 4332 N 41st place in the 85018 zip code is something we’re very excited to be able to tell you about.This home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a one-car garage. In total, it encompasses 1,600 square feet of room. The home was updated in 2011 and sits on a good-sized lot with an herb garden.“This home is within walking distance to all your favorite places. ”The best part about it? It’s within walking distance to all your favorite places, including Kachina Park, Ingo’s, Postino, the canal, and Camelback Mountain. It’s located in a very trendy area that’s been really popular with developers for the last 10 years. Whether you’re looking to upsize or downsize, this may be the property for you.If you’re interested in seeing this property in person or you know someone who might be interested in it, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you.

 Being bilingual allows me to help more buyers achieve their real estate dreams, including Spanish-speaking buyers. Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportYou may not know this, but Yo hablo Espanol. I did my most recent video in Spanish, which you can watch above. If you’re not a native speaker, however, here’s what I talked about.There are three reasons why you should hire me as your real estate agent:1. I’ve been selling homes in this market for 14 years.2. This year, I’ve helped over 100 families buy and sell homes in Phoenix and the surrounding areas.3. My team sells homes in an average of 41 days, while the market average is 65. “There’s no language barrier for me. ”I can help you sell your home for top dollar, then turn around and help you buy a great home while protecting you throughout the process. If you have any questions for me or know anyone who speaks Spanish, English, or both that could benefit from my team’s help, let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

 Our preferred lender, Tom Ross, has moved over to Bay Equity! How will this change benefit you? Buying a Phoenix Home? Search all Homes for SaleSelling a Phoenix Home? Check out our FREE Home Value ReportI’m here with Tom Ross, our preferred lender, who recently moved over to Bay Equity.As a result, Tom is able to offer a higher level of service to our clients. Why?One of the reasons Tom made the move to Bay Equity is to take advantage of new technology in the industry. Bay Equity is based out of Sausalito—you can’t establish a business that close to Silicon Valley without knowing something about technology!Technology is incredibly important and provides speed and convenience for our customers. After signing up with Bay Equity, Tom has been able to eliminate some redundancies in the loan process. From the origination to DocuSign, all these new bells and whistles mean Tom can operate more efficiently and serve you at a higher level.“Tom guarantees a quick closing process, even for jumbo loans. ”If you are getting a loan and want to close in three weeks, Tom can make that happen. He’s always been able to do so, but at Bay Equity, it’s just a bit easier. Tom guarantees a quick closing process; he can even close a jumbo loan within three or four weeks—assuming that you let your lender order an appraisal.“Being able to underwrite everything within our own four walls has been a massive benefit,” says Tom.Working with a lender like Tom to buy in today’s market will make your offer appear stronger to other buyers, as you’ll be able to close in three or four weeks.If you have any questions for Tom, you can reach him at 602-791-5861 or tross@bayeq.com. As always, if you have any real estate questions for me, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!