Many of my clients consider remodeling a home prior to selling the home with the hope of getting a higher price.  Picking out new flooring, paint, fancy new counters for the kitchen and other upgrades for your home is a lot of fun.  Upgrades in your home will also allow your home to sell quicker.  Before you begin, you may want to consider what you home may sell for and what the appropriate budget for your project will be.

When I look to purchase and remodel homes, I look for properties that one might consider a “diamond in the rough.”  Generally, a home that is 20-30 years old needs a facelift to look trendier and more modern.  Buyers generally like these older homes if the interior is updated to reflect the current housing trends.  As I put together a budget to renovate the home, I consider:

• Appraisal What is the highest potential appraisal value of my home? Even when a seller sells a home above the market value, if the lender’s appraiser will not support the sales price value, the home will only close at a price the appraiser will support.
• Comparative Market Analysis Most real estate agents can perform a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) when a current appraisal is not available. A comparative market analysis should give an accurate idea of how a home stacks up against comparable sales within a mile radius of your home. All comparable sales used should be no older than 6 months to give a correct approximation of the current market.
• Pending Home Sales Pending listings or homes that are currently under contract waiting to close escrow may indicate where the market is headed. If pending properties are selling for less than previous closings, then the market is declining. If pending properties are higher than previous sales, then the market is appreciating.
• Neighborhood Competition What do the recent sales in the neighborhood reflect? How many homes are currently active in the area? If other sellers are renovating homes prior to selling, then top market price is probably in place. If the owners are not renovating before selling, then the top market price for a renovated home is likely higher than recent sales.
• Remodel Costs When you feel comfortable with what the top market price is in your area, consider establishing a budget for your project. Picking out all the upgrades is fun, and you could easily overspend on the project.  Keeping your remodel costs close to your designated budget will allow you to recoup your costs when you sell.

Do you want to learn more about renovating your home before your sell?  Contact us at (602) 753-0177 or www.MyAZHouse.com.

By Jamie Thompson

You can create a beautiful yard this spring and summer that's easy to manage with low-maintenance plants designed for local south central Arizona conditions. Spring and early summer, when the weather's hot and sunny, are ideal times for your vegetables and flowers to thrive. Other plants may only tolerate Arizona summers, but the following choices love the heat and sun. Just keep them well-mulched and watered!

Flowers and ornamental plants that thrive here

Blooming plants can brighten shady garden areas and provide lush foliage during hot summers. In dense-to-medium shade, plant begonias, coleus and impatiens. In light shade with partial sun, plant ageratum, Canterbury bells, lobelia, nicotiana and salvias. To attract butterflies to your garden, plant asters, lantanas, buddleias (butterfly bush), marigolds, sweet Williams, tithonias (Mexican sunflower), zinnias and other daisy-like flowers.

If you love mums like most of us do, support the plants’ stems growing closely in beds with chicken wire. Just unroll the coil of wire to the length of the bed and suspend it with stakes one foot above the soil. The stems will grow up through the holes and support themselves to their full height without toppling over. The benefits of setting up a wire support system is easier than staking each plant and selective cutting of blossoms is easier with fast and easy clean-up.

Blooming shrubs that need only a little water when they're mature include: abelia, bottlebrush, broom, ceanothus, cotoneaster, crape myrtle, grevillea, oleander, rockrose (cistus) and strawberry bush. For delightful fragrances in your planting beds, some of the most aromatic choices are citrus, gardenia, jasmine, mock orange, and roses.

Best fruits and vegetables for our climate

We’re lucky to have so many choices: lima and snap beans, beets, carrots, celery, chard, chicory, chives, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, leeks, warm-season lettuces, melons, okras, green onions, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, soybeans, warm-season spinaches, squashes, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Note that Celebrity tomatoes bear all their fruits within a couple of weeks but Sungold cherry tomatoes will bear over a long period, perhaps the entire summer. When planting citrus and other tender trees, keep soil well mulched to hold in moisture with less watering. However, too little water may result in stunted growth and reduced fruiting.

More great ideas

We all lead busy lives, so it's no surprise that people sometimes feel that they don’t have enough time for gardening. However, there are lots of things you can do to make life easier for yourself in the garden. No time for lengthy gardening tasks? These low-maintenance ideas are just what you need!

• Prune tips of azaleas, carnations, chrysanthemums, fuchsias, geraniums, impatiens, lavender, marguerites, marigolds, petunias, rhododendrons, rosemary, sedums and zinnias to gently shape the plants and encourage them to bush out.
• If you're a fan of flowers, but don't have time for tons of weeding and pest control, then opt for a wilder touch for your low-maintenance garden. Raised borders can look beautiful filled with a jumble of hardy meadow blooms and grasses. Plus, pollinators will love it.
• Plant a handful of easy-care perennials such as echinacea, salvias and achillea, and all you'll need to do is cut them back at the end of the flowering season. Alternatively, simply scatter handfuls of meadow-mix annuals into a wilder patch of your plot, for a colorful summer display.

Pick drought-tolerant plants

A plant that's happy because it's planted in conditions that suit it perfectly will need far less care than one that's struggling to thrive in a less-than-ideal situation. Try alpines and succulents for low-maintenance appeal. Establishing what sort of soil, you have before you choose plants is vital (remember that even in the same garden, this can vary from one bed or border to another).

Shrubs

Of all the plants that you to think about including in your low maintenance garden ideas, shrubs are the ones you are more likely to be able to put in and pretty much forget about. Hydrangeas love partial shade but need some sun. Once they're established, shrubs will usually only need watering in the very driest of summers, if at all. Other than that, an occasional light pruning will be all that's required. For amazing summer fragrances in a sunny part of the garden, you can't beat Philadelphus Belle Etoile, while hydrangeas (now very popular again) are perfect for shady spots. For super-size flowers that last right through summer, go for Annabelle.

Birds and bugs

If you like to provide birds with nesting materials, stay away from fabric, yarn and similar materials in your garden, which hold moisture and can increase respiratory diseases in baby birds. Instead, provide straw, hair, and other non-absorbent materials when needed in the garden. Keep ants off of your hummingbird feeder by spreading olive oil on the tip that dispenses the sweet water. The ants will stay away, but birds will still come! Finally, don’t worry about a few aphids; they won't hurt your plants. Large infestations can be dislodged by spraying forceful jets of water (place your hand behind the bloom to support it as you spray). Use can also use insecticidal soaps or stronger sprays.

Winning Strategies for Today’s Market

By Jamie Thompson

The local housing market is stable right now and sellers continue to have an advantage. But in recent months, demand has fallen slightly in response to higher interest rates, and attracting the right buyers at the right price is a little tougher.

Prices in Chandler and Greater Phoenix have steadily increased in this first quarter of 2023 in all size categories (footprint and number of bedrooms & baths), although prices are lower year-over-year by over 4%. Listing activity has fallen along with demand. Currently, there is a three-month supply of inventory which bodes well for sellers.

With that said, there seems to be a divide in the market right now. Some homes are selling very quickly and at top-of-the-market prices, and others are taking months to enter contract. Overall, days-on-market has increased. This is because many sellers and agents are still approaching the market as if demand were surging, rather than adapting to the changes. As an agent, it’s frustrating to see, because it really doesn’t take much time or money to drastically improve a sale.

Below are six tactics I’m using right now with my own clients, to increase their sale price and decrease their time on the market.

1. Focus on Curb Appeal

“Curb appeal” is how a home looks on the outside, and its role in selling is often underestimated. The exterior of your home is a buyer’s first impression, and if that impression is “meh,” it can be nearly impossible overcome.

This didn’t matter as much last year, when buyers were more desperate. But these days, it’s critical to “wow” buyers right off the bat. Invest in professional landscaping, power washing, fresh paint on the door and mailbox, and tasteful décor on the porch. Add spotlights to highlight your façades best features, and capture that with a photo right around sunset.

2. Low Cost, “High impact” Updates

Buyers have always desired “modern and move-in ready” homes, and today they are a lot less compromising. Homes with eyesores, dated features, or inspection problems will suffer on the market this summer. And believe it or not, it’s the little things generating the best ROI in a sale right now.

Appliances, landscaping, painting, grout repair, hardwood refinishing, and cabinet refacing are common “high impact” updates for today’s market. An experienced agent will tell you which jobs make sense for your property and buyer profile.

3. Price it Right

In today’s market, the right asking price is everything. Since the pandemic, prices have been bouncing more widely from month to month than in the past, resulting in a lot more room for error than before. Comparing homes that are sold in different seasons or incomparable locations will result in inaccurate estimates. Worse yet, simply matching a home to active “list” prices will shoot a seller in the foot. If an asking price isn’t accurate, whether it’s too high or too low, the final price will end up below-market (although an underpriced home will sell a lot faster than an overpriced one).

Instead, have an experienced agent run a deep-dive market evaluation. Starting with the right data, they should make seasonal, regional, and property-related adjustments, then work out a “pin-point” asking price.

4. Be “Where the Buyers Are”

Until recently, many agents got away with doing very little to sell a home. Buyers were everywhere, and listings were scarce. Now, there are fewer buyers, and sellers have to do more to stand out.

Successfully marketing your home means doing more than slapping it online. Your listing needs to really pop, and it needs to show up everywhere your buyers might be. This includes, of course, all the major real estate sites, but also social media, email, print, and more. In addition, your agent should share your “coming soon” listing with their broker networks before it hits the market, to line up potential buyers ahead of time.

5. Craft a Competitive Contract

A “competitive contract” looks different in different market cycles. During the pandemic boom, for example, it didn’t take a lot for buyers to sign. Today, buyers are emboldened by news of cooler conditions, and are asking for concessions and contingencies more often. You don’t necessarily have to accept these, especially if you’ve got a hot property; however, you should proactively prepare for a little give-and-take.

Today, one of the most popular concessions for buyers is a “rate buydown” credit. This is money the seller offers to “buy down” the buyer’s mortgage rate. Usually, the seller agrees to pay a portion of the credit, and the buyer pays the rest. Because these credits can drastically reduce buyers’ payments, they can carry more weight dollar-for-dollar than a price reduction!

6. Work with a Good Agent

Most important of all, make sure you have a good agent representing you, one that can put these strategies successfully into practice. Don’t worry about hurting your brother-in-law’s feelings; your family’s wealth and future are at stake.

Here at the Thompson Group, Jamie and the Team have been helping sellers in Chandler and the Greater Phoenix area for over 21 years. We’ve always worked hard, even when the market was easy – it’s how we’ve consistently gotten the highest prices and fastest sales possible for our clients. If you have questions about your home or the market, give us a call today at 602-753-0177.

More Exposure Means More Buyers 

The day is here!  You need to move and get your home sold ASAP.  In marketing your home, the concept is simple, “The more exposure you get for your home, the more potential buyers you reach and the faster the sale and a higher sales price.  However, Seller beware!  Some agents may not have a marketing plan and some agents may not really understand how to use that marketing to get buyers through your front door!  If buyers do not see the interior of your home, they are not going to decide to purchase your home.  Here are a couple of questions to consider?     

Does the Marketing Plan Focus Local and Worldwide?  Our Phoenix market typically receives about 40% of buyers from out of state and the other 60% are local.  Recently, our team got call from a buyer in another state about our listing.  The buyer found the presentation of our listing online.  Unable to find a local real estate agent the buyer called us directly to purchase the home.  The buyer said, “Your home is beautiful.”  While our seller took credit for the beautiful home, we took great pride in showcasing the home with our elite marketing plan.

Does the Marketing Plan Focus on Presentation?  The internet has huge potential to market our listings, but it also is risky.  While allowing agents to showcase a home’s best features, the internet can also make a home look bad.  Buyers have many homes to choose from and if a buyer does not like your presentation, they will not schedule a showing.  When photos present homes that are cluttered, need paint, have small rooms, and are dark, buyers are going to eliminate these homes and not see them. If the presentation of a home is good,  buyers will want to see more of the home and will schedule a showing.

Does the Marketing Plan Focus on Details of the Home?   The Phoenix MLS allows home owners and agents to add lots and lots of features to their listings.  Important upgrades like granite counters, RV gates, energy efficient upgrades, cul-de-sac lots, vaulted ceilings, etc. are very important to buyers.  Many buyers will search for these important upgrades on the internet through Bing, Google and other websites.  Every time a buyer searches for features, and finds your home, the buyer is likely to want to see inside your home.    

Don’t Forget Traditional Advertising.  With I-phones, tablets, and many other tech devices, it may be easy to forget the traditional advertising.  However, traditional advertising is still very successful for attracting buyers.  Newsletter, Just Listed Notices, and Color Flyers are still huge for getting the attention of buyers.  While younger buyers under the age of 30 will start their search for a home on the internet, many older buyers will start their search with the newspaper or from items received in the mail.  On a daily basis, many Phoenix Homes for Sale can be found in the local paper.

A great marketing plan includes aspects of all these items and any other ways of getting buyers to see your home.  Remember, the name of the game is exposure, exposure, exposure.  Do you have more questions? Do you want to learn more about this or other ways to get the most money from the sale of your Home?   

We can help!  Contact us at (602) 753-0177 or MYAZHouse.com  

By Jamie Thompson

With spring already upon us, many families are thinking about their next move. I always get calls and questions this time of year – and this year I seem to be getting a lot more. 

A lot of potential sellers are wondering whether or not they “missed the boat.” These days, the real estate market seems tough to decode. For ten months we’ve been hearing about bank-breaking interest rates, buyer demand hitting the floor, and how much “cooler” the market is; meanwhile, prices have remained relatively high and it still feels like a seller’s market.

All this has homeowners wondering: How is the market changing? Why are prices still high? What should sellers expect in the months ahead? 

How the market is changing

We’ve been in a raging seller’s market seemingly forever, and last summer this began to loosen up. Interest rates have slowed demand, most notably among first-time buyers. Sellers are working a harder and buyers are having an easier time compared to last year. 

The most dramatic change I’m seeing as an agent is transaction volume. In Phoenix, 1.044 total homes were sold in January, which is down a full 43 percent year-over-year (February’s numbers won’t be out until the end of March). A reduction in volume can be due to fewer listings hitting the market (which would drive prices up) or fewer buyers buying them (driving prices down). In our case, it’s both. As we’ll explore below, this is why prices remain somewhat steady compared to last year, but aren’t getting higher.

How quickly homes are selling is also changing. Currently, Phoenix listings are taking 71 days to enter contract, compared to 32 days last January. This trend began back in June, when our “Days on Market” started increasing year-over-year instead of decreasing. This pace should pick up as the season progresses, but won’t be as fast as last spring.

Supply and demand drive prices

Normally, when demand decreases, prices go down. But prices haven’t been going down much (when compared to the same period last year) because new listing volume has also decreased. 

Until recently, supply was contracting while demand surged. Now, supply and demand are both contracting. Although there are fewer buyers competing against each other, they are competing for fewer newly listed homes. 

Here in Phoenix, our median sale price for January was $404,000, which is down 4.3 percent over January 2022. This is a modest correction considering last January’s price had shot up 30 percent from the year before; in fact, today’s prices are a full $80,000 higher than in January 2021. We should see a bump in prices in the months ahead, as the median tends to increase in the spring and summer – this is due to a higher volume of buyers and a larger proportion of big “family” homes being sold.

Although prices remain relatively high, we’re seeing longer sale times, more price reductions, and higher levels of active “on-the-market” inventory. And right now, only 11 percent of home are selling over asking, compared to 33 percent last January.

What this means for sellers

Sellers who plan ahead and use the right strategies should expect a great price in the months ahead, but also a longer contract cycle and a little more give-and-take.

This spring, relying on market leverage alone won’t cut it for sellers. Homes will need to be intentionally positioned for success. This means: doing repairs and touch-ups to make the home feel “modern and move-in ready,” staging and using professional photos, getting in front of brokers pre-listing, and deploying a targeted marketing campaign. Bonuses attractive to today’s buyers, like rate buydowns, may also help.

For competing listings prepared and marketed equally well, pricing will separate the winners and losers this spring. Sellers or their agents are often tempted to match current list prices, rather than doing a deep-dive price analysis. Some even knowingly overshoot (to, figuring they can just reduce the price later.

Experienced agents know this “strategy” always backfires. Overpriced homes lament, knock their prices down, and end up with “market stigma.” This usually results in a sale price below the market. Homes that are priced well from the beginning this year will get faster, better offers (probably competing offers) – and a final price at the top of the market. 

If you’re considering a move anytime soon, give us a call today at (602) 753-0177. I’ve been helping Phoenix sellers get the best price possible for many years, across a wide range of conditions. I’m eager to help you get the highest price and fastest sale, too!

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Data from https://www.redfin.com/city/14240/AZ/Phoenix/housing-market

By Jamie Thompson

As an agent, I work with professional cleaners all the time. Even clean homes need scrubbed, waxed, and polished to produce magazine-like photos and make the best impression on visitors. So, with spring in the air, I thought I’d take what’s involved with a typical “listing cleaning” and modify it for a “spring cleaning.”

And I’ll quickly mention, this checklist is meant to go deeper on an already tidy home, although you will want to hold off on vacuuming until after Step 1. You’ll also want to prepare your supplies ahead of time – there are some items here you probably don’t have on hand. 

1. Top-to-bottom dusting | Choose a high-quality feather duster or two, including one with an extendable handle. Go from your top level to your bottom and from ceiling to floor. Pro tip: if you’re prone to dust allergies, a basic disposable mask can help (a cloth one may be less effective). Clear cobwebs, dust over ceiling fans, and use a step stool to dust the tops of shelves and cabinets. Don’t forget common dust collectors like shelved books, lampshades, and the tops of art frames, window and door trim. 
2. Walls, ceilings, and floors | After kicking up all that dust, it’s time to get rid of it. Again, we’ll go top to bottom. Using an extension sponge or mop, wash any visible dirt or discoloration on ceilings and walls. High-traffic walls, such as hallways and stairwells, should get an end-to-end scrub. Finally, vacuum your carpets and rugs, and sweep and mop your hard floors. Closely examine any floors or tile walls that contain grout (especially in the bathroom, were water an cause mildew). Remove any nasty grout patches and reseal.
3. Windows and window treatments | Onto the windows! Starting with glass that is clean on the inside, go outside and clean the other side (you may be able to safely reach them by opening the windows, or you may need a ladder). Next, clean your blinds, shades, and drapes. Many curtains are machine washable; those that aren’t can be taken for dry cleaning. Hearty shades and blinds can be gently vacuumed then wiped down with a damp, warm cloth (no chemicals needed). If you have window screens, take them outside, scrub them with mild dishwashing liquid, and hose them down. 
4. Upholstery | This step can be done in any order, as long as your dusting is complete. Take the cushions off your sofas and chairs and gently beat them by hand to remove the dust (a broom works great). Ingrained dirt can be wiped with a damp cloth, for most fabrics. For stains, read the label for directions. Next, use your vacuum’s attachments to clean inside your upholstered furniture, then replace the cushions.
5. Wood furniture | Clean your wood surfaces using a soft, damp cloth with small amount of gentle dish soap. Immediately wipe dry. For extra shine, apply paste wax (like Butcher’s wax) using a cotton rag. Apply a little bit at a time, let dry, then buff with a soft dry cloth.  
6. Fixtures and hardware | Door and window hardware, metal light fixtures, and lamp bases tarnish over time and lose their shine. This can be reversed in seconds! Just be sure to choose a polish is safe for the metal and type of finish you’re cleaning. For light or medium tarnish, absorb a little liquid polish into a rag and wipe. For heavy tarnish, use a paste or cream, and level up to a stronger product if it doesn’t do the trick.
7. Rugs, carpet, and hard floors | Finally, it’s time to deep clean the floors! Shampoo your carpeting according to the directions on your machine. Every carpet is different; check with the manufacturer if you aren’t sure what products or machines are safe for yours. For a heavily soiled carpet, consider renting a commercial-grade shampooer or hiring a steam cleaning service. For fine rugs, I wouldn’t use a shampooer – instead, there are services that will clean them using safe techniques. For your hard floors, purchase paste or liquid waxes made for each one’s specific material – everything from vinyl and hardwood to marble and terracotta can be waxed! 

I hope this helps inspire you to get your home “magazine clean” this spring. Here’s to a fresh and beautiful season ahead!

In the last few years, more clients are coming to us to discuss real estate needs for their aging parents.  Nicknamed the “Sandwich Generation,” they are usually in their 40s or 50s and care for their aging parents while supporting their own family. They are literally sandwiched between the needs of their growing kids/family and the needs of their aging parents. 

Aging parents may be affected by a number of new health issues and memory issues such as Alzheimer’s. With these issues sneaking up on Mom and Dad, our parents become less able to manage their day-day activities that were routine just a few years ago. As most young families are focused on raising family, the sudden needs of their parents is quite surprising and can be a huge burden to manage in addition to the growing family.

A few years ago, my team received an introduction to working with a senior client moving from a single-family home to an assisted living community. Unfortunately, our senior client had significant health issues and the home needed extensive work. The roof, flooring, paint, and landscaping all needed to be addressed prior to selling the home. While addressing these issues took longer than normal to correct, the family sold the home for about 10% higher sales price than if they had ignored the issues. If they had sold directly to an investor, they would have netted far less from the sell of the home. 

Jamie Thompson is designated as a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES). The SRES is a rigorous education focused on developing and understanding of needs of the 50 plus demographic. The SRES Council is known to have knowledgeable, passionate members that serve consumers in the 50 and older market.

Our selling process helps seniors downsize, clear the home, address the condition of the home, and prepare the home for sale. We take pride in protecting our seniors and working for the best outcome, no matter the situation. Our goal is to enable our senior clients to sell their homes for the best possible price.

Do you want to learn more?  Contact us at (602) 753-0177 or www.MyAZHouse.com    

With the sales price being so large, few sellers stop to think about ways to minimize the costs of selling their home. Knowing, monitoring and controlling the costs during the escrow process is key to saving thousands of dollars and to receiving larger proceeds from the transaction. Here are costs to understand: 

• One of the largest costs is commissions paid to the real estate agents. Commissions vary from 5%-7% of sales price depending on the type of real estate transaction. While a lower commission may seem like a winner, many times you get what you pay for in an agent. With so much riding on the selling price, a real estate agent should bring great service, a solid marketing plan and sharp negotiating skills to the table. Great agents will usually see sales prices 10% higher than average! If your agent is bringing less to the table, beware that you may see a lower sales price.
  
• With every home sale, home owners are required to pay the Owner’s Title Policy and to share in the escrow fee paid to the local title/escrow company. While the fees are not negotiable, the title/escrow company used to process the transaction is negotiable. All title/escrow companies publish their fees in rate books which are readily available to review and compare before you commit to the company
  
• Do you live in a Home Owners Association (HOA)? If so, then your HOA may charge a transfer fee, disclosure fee, and a capital improvement fee. Few homeowners understand what their HOA will charge them for the transaction, but charges may run from $500-$2000. A quick phone call to the HOA should clarify what fees are charged. While these fees are non-negotiable with the HOA, there is the possibility of negotiating and sharing the cost of these fees with the buyer for your home.
• In any real estate transaction, a home warranty is considered a must purchase for the new buyer. The cost ranges from $325-$600 and is a negotiated item payable by the buyer or the seller. Home sellers are requested to pick up the cost of a home warranty for the buyer. However, the cost is negotiable. 
• Are you in an area where 1^st time home buyers are known to be moving? If so, you may want to prepare yourself for requests to contribute to the buyer’s loan costs. These contributions are generally up to 3% of purchase price or more. The contribution covers appraisal fees, A.L.T.A. title policy, impound accounts, origination fees and other loan costs. While the contribution to buyer loan costs can be very important to getting a home sold, stronger buyers rarely need such assistance.

Do you want to learn more about ways to control your selling costs and get the most money from the sell of your home?  Contact us at (602) 753-0177 or www.ThompsonGroupAZ.com     

Have you been out to see the builder model homes lately?  You may notice that builders load tons of upgrades into the model homes.  The builders know that the look and feel of the home is super important to the buyer and if they get the buyer’s excited about the possibilities, then it will lead to more sales.  As a homeowner and a potential seller someday down the road, getting the buyers excited about your home will lead to a higher sales price!  If you make a few upgrades to your home now, you will also get to enjoy the changes before you move.  Now, don’t overspend on your improvements, but here are a few that can make a huge difference when you sell.

• The Kitchen – The kitchen is where improvements go a very long way.  New cabinets, countertops, and appliances will add a lot of value.  Don’t feel like you need to turn your kitchen into a gourmet kitchen!  There are a lot of ways you can update your kitchen to the current trends and stay on a budget.  Keep in mind that giving your kitchen a cohesive contemporary look is the best way to add value to your home. 
• Landscaping – If you yard is feeling more like a jungle or desert than a place where kids would like to play, then it might be time to make a few changes!  Whether you like desert landscaping or something a little greener, color and cleanliness is the key.  Buyers are always looking for a yard that is well kept, but that will also be fun to hang out in after work.  Putting a in a handful of plants will go a long way to dressing up your front or back yard.  If a buyer can picture outdoor living and nightly barbeques, then you are on the right track
• Flooring – Updating your flooring is a great way to get a completely new feel throughout your home.  New carpet, new tile floors or hardwood floors can make a home feel newer and it will appeal to younger buyers.
• Paint - Without a doubt, a new coat of paint on the walls goes a long way to refreshing a home.  Stay away from colors that are too bold and stick with colors that are more neutral.  Earth tones and two-tone paint styles are the trend lately and appeal to younger buyers.  
• Bathrooms – In bigger homes, the master bathroom is a great area to look at spending more of your upgrade budget.  However, in smaller homes, it can be hard to get your upgrade dollars back in bathroom remodels.  As you look at remodeling your bathrooms, light and water fixtures are a great way to spruce up the area without overspending.  

Do you want to learn more about this subject or other ways to get the most money from your sell?  Contact us at (602) 753-0177 or www.MyAZHouse.com

If you have not been paying attention, the Phoenix Real Estate market is completely different form the booming market of 2021. No longer do we have low housing inventory levels and above average appreciation. Here are a few numbers to gauge the market:

• Overall Home Supply – At the end of October, the total number of Phoenix Homes for Sale is 24,994. The inventory tripled since this time in 2021, when listing inventory was at 8,104 homes. The number of sold listings for the entire month of October is 5,417. Based on the October sales, the inventory of active listings represents a 4.6 months supply of homes.
• Local ZIP code of 85224 – HOT! The Chandler ZIP code of 85224 shows that in October there were a total number of 78 active single-family homes for sale, with the total number of sold single-family listings is at 27. In other words: there’s a housing supply of 2.88 months for this popular Chandler ZIP code.
• City of Chandler – EVEN HOTTER! If you are looking for a “starter” home in Chandler, the number of active listings for single family homes between 1,200 and 1,500 square feet is 90. The number of sold listings in October came in at 32, meaning that there is a housing supply of 2.81 months for starter homes.

Do you need to look at selling your home in the next few months? Contact us to set up a free consultation with no obligation. Here at the Thompson Group, our goal is to show you the BEST options for your situation. You can reach us at 602-753-0177 or www.MyAZHouse.com.