| | Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:03:19 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Just give me a call to get started: 928-714-0001. | |
| | Tue, 10 May 2011 08:27:35 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: You need to do some research to determine if the schools and activities meet your individual needs. There are traditional public schools and charter schools (the charters are publically funded, so no tuition). There are many summer activities sponsored by the city, the YMCA and various private groups. You can learn a lot about living in Flagstaff by visiting my website and the community links listed there, as well as by following my blog, which lists weekly activities. The website link is below.
Good luck! | |
| | Mon, 2 May 2011 08:20:20 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Our MLS allows entry of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and more bathrooms, but not that it doesn't allow 1.75 (a room with sink, commode, shower but no tub). Usually this is taken care of by a thorough description in the text area. MLS systems format data in a variety of ways. Trulia, in turn, picks of data from the MLS systems and sometimes doesn't pick up what comes after a decimal point. When looking in a particular area, it's best to search directly on the MLS system rather than through an aggregator like Trulia. You'll also avoid the duplication caused by Trulia's pulling the same property from a variety of sources. | |
| | Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:47:11 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: It's very difficult to predict when or if the bank holding the lien will ask the trustee to sell the property. You can follow the published foreclosure schedule on my Active Rain blog (below) | |
| | Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:57:39 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Two levels of living space, but the garage is on the ground level below the living area -- so essentially three levels from ground up.
Regarding size of patio and private yard: Big is relative -- not very. | |
| | Mon, 21 Feb 2011 06:42:21 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Depends on what your alternative investment is. To gather the information you need to determine whether you'd walk away with any cash to invest elsewhere (and perhaps get more appreciation in the next 5 years without the expenses you've been paying on the lot), you need to talk with an agent who really knows the statistics for Sedona land sales. I can put you in touch with two good ones if you're not already represented. Encouraging news: I see new homes being built on lots in Oak Creek as I drive by to my winter golf location! But, I'm a Flagstaff specialist, so can't help you sell the Sedona lot. | |
| | Fri, 18 Feb 2011 06:52:34 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: When you say "room to roam," do you mean in Flagstaff's great outdoors, in a large house, or in your personal yard space? A good agent representing you will pin down your wants and needs and then show you options so you can make good choices. There area many school options in Flagstaff and depending on you much you want to be involved in transportation (or, if your kids are old enough, how much they want to ride their bikes and the city bus line), all options are open. Visit my website for links to school information -- though there is something new all the time. For example, by next Fall, Basis will have a charter in Flagstaff. First stop, a visit with me or one of my colleagues. Next stop, visit with mortgage lender to set your financial limits. Then the investigation of neighborhoods, schools and homes begins. | |
| | Thu, 7 Oct 2010 09:35:14 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: This is a good question that can only be answered by a local real estate professional familiar with both markets (new home and resale) in your area. In Flagstaff, AZ, we've had very little building, but one builder has come out with some homes close to the current median price on resales. These are being snapped up by homebuyers, even with a six-month wait on construction. | |
| | Mon, 27 Sep 2010 21:13:12 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: If your price range is under $300,000, Flagstaff single-family-home prices may have hit bottom for you. In the upper ranges, my prediction is that we'll see more decline. | |
| | Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:56:18 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Tax cuts: First time home buyer tax credit; repeat home buyer tax credit -- just a couple examples from the relevant industry. Get off your political hobby horses and go to work in real estate. | |
| | Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:37:55 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: You are misinformed. So far, there have only been tax cuts under Obama. He has proposed a tax on folks making in excess of $250,000. By helping to close the deficient gap over the next decade (the one that opened up with the excessive tax cuts of the last decade) it should help the economy and thus help housing. | |
| | Sat, 9 Jan 2010 07:21:17 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Go get 'em just like you did listings! | |
| | Fri, 8 Jan 2010 07:55:16 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: I simply don't advertise that number because the statistics available make any conclusions meaningless. Instead, look at the history of the property you are interested in and the history of its neighbors. Properties that are relisted with a new agent after failing to sell start their count anew and there is no way to automatically add the days to get a real history of days on the market for properties in general. Besides, someone who listed yesterday may be more anxious to sell than someone who has been sitting on the market for 180 days. If they have sat there for 180 days with no price reduction, that's a pretty good indication they aren't going to bargain with you. It never hurts to try -- maybe they and their agent are just stupid, but more likely, they are not really in the market to sell. | |
| | Wed, 6 Jan 2010 07:01:50 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Salary? You'll be starting your own business. Make sure you have cash in the bank to live on for at least a year plus $50,000 in startup costs to invest in your business. | |
| | Tue, 5 Jan 2010 10:53:47 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Thanks, Ted! oops, my answer is too short to be posted.... | |
| | Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:16:09 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: First of all, Ted, the name is "Ann," not "Anne." More importantly, I was not suggesting that "merely by living in Flagstaff" would a lender know this information, but the fact is that the GOOD Flagstaff lenders (some of whom are recommended on my website) will have had experience with the Flagstaff condo/townhome developments and know who that person is who needs to be tracked down, as you say. Property managers can be elusive and they are not as techno-savy as most lenders and agents. In fact, in Flagstaff, some of the condos and townhomes are not professionally managed, so the "tracking down" involves finding the treasurer or president of the board in their off work hours.
Ted and I do agree that what you need to do is get to a good lender -- I recommend interviewing at least two to find someone you are comfortable with. | |
| | Tue, 5 Jan 2010 07:14:45 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: You have a strong likelihood of getting a loan based on these facts. You should get to work on it now so that, as a first-time buyer, you can take advantage of the tax credit (it's an actual credit, not just a deduction) the government is offerring on all purchases that are under contract by April.
I suggest you visit my website or give me a call to see a list of suggested local lenders. All of these folks have been in business for a while and are reputable. You need to work with someone who knows Flagstaff because some condo/townhome units are having financial problems that could disqualify your loan. A good lender will know which ones.
Of course, I'd love to help you with the home search and representing you in the critical contract-writing and due dilgence aspects of your purchase. | |
| | Tue, 5 Jan 2010 07:18:33 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Yes, I sold several bank-owned and short-sale homes in 2009. I have three short-sales in escrow for buyers right now. Call me so you can start on the road to being the 4th! | |
| | Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:41:23 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: It all depends on your perspective of "what's too cold" -- I'm from the midwest so Flagstaff has mild winters in my book. The summers are very mild compared with Phoenix and Tucson -- I avoid going more than 20 miles south of Flagstaff from April 1 through October 31 because the heat is just too much.
Flagstaff has plenty to do -- we have one of the best regional symphonies in the country -- folks from Sedona have season tickets and real music lovers from as far away as Tucson are regulars. We have great restaurants, an historic downtown with music and special events to attract the local crowd each weekend, including the monthly First Friday Artwalk. We're a university town so we have university as well as community theatre. The San Francisco Peaks and Mt. Elden offer some of best hiking trails in the world, and the City of Flagstaff Urban Trail allows you to enjoy the scenery on your bike or on foot if those mountain trails are too challenging. | |
| | Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:59:48 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: The standard AAR contract requires that all documents be signed on or before the closing date. A buyer's loan terms may require signing in advance of the closing date for the funds to be available. If the seller has not moved out, the buyer should give instructions to the escrow agent to not close until notice that the final walk through issues have been resolved. The point of escrow instead of the "closing table" format is to permit deposits (of signed documents as well as funds) in advance of the last minute. I do not schedule final walk throughs until the morning of the closing if I can help it -- whether or not the seller has moved out, something can happen to the house (break-ins, water leaks, whatever). | |
| | Sat, 15 Aug 2009 07:49:32 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Rates are about 5.22% average this past week with .75 points paid to obtain that rate -- this is national average. Rates move daily with mortgage bond market trading. Get a good mortgage broker to sit down and explain costs and process for you. | |
| | Sun, 5 Jul 2009 10:16:37 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Interest rates have already started to rise, and, in some partsof the country, prices have leveled out or started up. Until the unemployment numbers start to improve more dramatically, neither prices nor interest rates are going to skyrocket, and both my dip further temporarily. It is very important not to make a home purchase decision based on trying to time the market -- at least not to the tee. What you need is a home, not theoretically best deal.
Consult a real estate agent who knows home prices in the area you want to buy because, after all, all real estate is local. Below is a link to a post about my local market, but it contains some general advice about the decision confronting you. | |
| | Mon, 8 Jun 2009 07:50:02 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Annual tax is $409. Private ownership - not bank-owned. | |
| | Sat, 6 Jun 2009 10:35:22 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: The first question to ask is "do you really want to?" If you were able to get the listings (after lots of hard BPO work), you'd need a real team to make it work. Perhaps, instead, you should be helping buyers buy foreclosures or helping sellers avoid foreclosures by becoming a short sale expert. If you still want to pursue foreclosure listings, I think the suggestion to join a broker who has the contacts is the best one. "This too shall pass," and you may not want to have set up a foreclosure team structure just as the wave is passing. | |
| | Fri, 5 Jun 2009 23:39:24 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Yes, you can sue, and you deserve to be mad, but can you win and how much will it cost? Maybe you should look for another house, as hard as that may sound. The agent who has messed up won't get a commission if you go to something else -- that may give you some satisfaction. Remember, the most important thing is that you get a home, not that you win! | |
| | Fri, 5 Jun 2009 23:33:14 PDT | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: I'd call some of the larger offices in New Haven and ask for the broker. Then ask him/her who his top selling agents are. Then look at some of their stuff on line. Then interview them. Good luck! | |
| | Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:33:26 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: No. Let me know if I can help find what you need. You can find more properties at www.BestFlagstaffHomes.com | |
| | Thu, 19 Feb 2009 08:56:00 PST | | | Answer by Ann Heitland: Single family is going to be tough in that price range. How much tolerance do you have for need to do major repairs? Condo would be no problem. To search all available homes in the NAU area: visit the attached website, or give me a call: 928-714-0001. | |
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