Some the features that increase property values are obvious-like a remodeled bathroom, a modern kitchen, or a sought-after neighborhood. But here are a few features and circumstances you have not have realized can affect property values.

1. The neighbors: Not every neighborhood or community has an HOA that can keep the neighbors from going overboard with decorations or neglecting to care for their home. Homes adjacent to crazy neighbors can potentially be undervalued.

2. Trendy groceries and coffee: Recent statistics suggest that if your home is a short walk from popular grocery stores like Whole Foods or coffee chains like Starbucks, it can actually appreciate faster than the national average.

3. Mature trees: A big beautiful tree in the front yard is enviable, and it’s not something that can be easily added to any home. Homes with mature trees tend to get a little boost in value.

4. Parking: This isn’t too much of an issue if you live in the suburbs or in a rural area, but residents in dense cities can have real problems with parking, and homeowners might need to rent a spot just to guarantee a place to park each night. That’s why having guaranteed parking in urban areas will raise property values.

5. The front entrance: First impressions matter to buyers-many will cross a home off their list within 10 seconds of stepping through the front door. An appealing front door, a friendly entryway, and a functioning doorbell are all necessities for getting top dollar.

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com

Everyone always seems to have general New Years resolutions that they make at the beginning of each year. They plan to go to the gym more, eat healthier etc. My husband and I look at resolutions a little different and view them more as goals and changes we want to make in all aspects of life.

We sit down together and come up with our resolutions/goals together, as well as plans to reach them. We also try to make a financial, personal growth, business, health and education resolution each year. We keep it all in a notebook and keep notes on our progress throughout the year. It’s good to look at once a month (at least) to make sure you’re on track. And by writing them together you have someone to keep you to your plan. We have yet to have a resolution/goal that we haven’t met!

As we were talking this year we found that being more present in our community was something that both of us wanted to work towards this year. We love our neighborhood as well as Gilbert and want to become more involved. I wanted to share our resolutions this year, and by doing so you guys can also help keep me accountable!

Personal Resolutions:

-For me to become a youth mentor (I used to be a teacher and really miss my connection with my students!)

-To become more involved in my HOA (We plan to go to monthly meetings and I’ve joined our neighborhood social committee)

-To attend Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Meetings to be more aware of the changes in our city

Financial Resolutions:

-We came up with a realistic amount we would like to have in our savings at the end of 2017 (make sure to make it realistic but also challenging!)

Business Goals:

-To close more transactions in 2017 than I have previously in a year in order to continue to grow my business and client base

-To continue to give excellent customer service, superior communication and real estate education to my clients

Education Goals:

-To read at least a book a month

-To find classes/workshops in both real estate (marketing specifically) and personal interests to learn and grow as a person (I’ve already taken 2 classes to learn how to switch from a PC to my new MacBook!)

Health Goals:

-To weight train together for at least 6 months a minimum of twice a week

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com

 

 

 

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend last week and wish you the best for 2017! The Phoenix Metro area is predicted to be THE BEST real estate market in the nation this year and I can’t wait to see what it has in store for all of us! Best wishes to you and your family.

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com

 

Research suggests that about 1 in 20 homeowners will make an insurance claim each year. So while it may seem that your monthly home insurance expenses aren’t worthwhile, the chances of needing your insurance are higher than you might think.

There’s are countless factors that influence your insurance rates, so here are few examples—some you’ve probably considered, and some that might be surprising.

Location: Some areas are simply naturally more prone to damage than others. Potential for weather and natural disaster-related damage will factor into your insurance, as will crime rates and fire protection. Don’t forget to talk to your insurance agent about flood zones and insurance during your inspection period!

Home value: This may seem like a no-brainer at first glance, but there are some extra considerations. The value of your home and the cost to replace your home from a total loss may not be the same—it can often cost more to rebuild.

Pets: Just like certain HOAs and neighborhoods forbid specific dog breeds, your insurance company may also increase your premiums for a specific breed. Breeds with reputations for being aggressive (fair or not) like pit bulls, German Shepherds, and rottweilers can cost you more.

Trampolines and swimming pools: All that fun comes at a price! Insurance companies see trampolines and pools as big risks for injury and even death, and that’ll affect your insurance rates.

My husband and I have been determined to lower our monthly expenses and have found some easy ways to go about it that I wanted to share. Hope there’s at least one that will work for you!

1. Refinance Your Home: By refinancing our home we just saved over $130 monthly. The amount you can save is tied to your current interest rate and mortgage amount. We also only have a mortgage of $100K, so if you owe more, you have potential to save even more. Another big reason to refinance is to get rid of any monthly mortgage insurance amount you may pay. To refinance you will need to have equity in your home, let me know if you want to look into it and see if it’s a good option for you!

 2. Shopping Different Insurance Companies: This is a quick way to save usually a couple hundred a year. I simply choose 3 companies that I trusted to get quotes from for our home and our cars. You can easily get quotes online too! Just remember if you’re going to move you house, you probably want to move your cars as well because of multi policy discounts. About 20 minutes of phone time and I saved us over $700 a year!

 3. Cable and Internet: We cut out cable 3 years ago and it’s amazing the difference it made in our monthly expenses! Instead we have Netflix for $10 a month and have never regretted our decision to ditch cable. I can’t speak for other providers, but if you have Cox keep a close eye on your monthly bill. If you see if go up take your bill to your local cox store. I’ve gone in and told them I would switch providers and they lowered it $20 monthly right there. Another trick is to switch the bill back and forth between people living in the house. By doing that you always get their new customer promotional rates which are always at least $35 less monthly, and that’s just for internet!

 4. Pay Off Loans: This is one that’s not worth it for everyone. My husband and I HATE debit and paying monthly interest. We decided to hit our car payments hard with any extra funds we had at the end of the month. It forced us to be a little tighter with our money, but with both cars being paid off in a little over a year (at different times) it was 100% worth it! Make sure if you’re making extra payments though that you’re putting it towards the principle only. That way it pushes out your next mandatory payment further just in case funds get a little tight.

5. Look up Utility Options: Many utilities have options to help you save. We decided to go to equal monthly payments to soften the blow of summer electric bills. It’s technically not saving us any money yearly, but it helps to keep our monthly expenses more balanced which helps. There are also different usage plans you can look into to save money. For us those don’t make sense as we both work from home but for most it can help save monthly.

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2994 E Shannon St.

Gilbert, AZ 85295

Beds/Baths: 4 bed/3 bath

Bedrooms Plus: 6 (flex space and loft)

Approx SqFt: 2,780 / County Assessor

Approx Lot SqFt: 5,150/ County Assessor

Year Built: 2014

Pool: 3 Community Pools

Cross Streets: Ray & Higley

Gorgeous two story home with designer touches in Lyon’s Gate offers open living spaces and a contemporary feel. You’ll be wowed simply by walking through the front door. On the bottom story, once past the entryway, you’ll find an open floorplan with an oversized living room opening up to the dining area and stunningly upgraded kitchen.  The dream kitchen offers gorgeous espresso cabinetry with stainless steel hardware, “marble like” quartz counters , a modern designer backsplash, like new stainless steel appliances, stainless steel pendant lighting, and an enormous walk in pantry. Downstairs also offers a full bath with espresso cabinetry, additional storage closets, and a flex space that can be used as a den, office, playroom, or formal dining room. Once upstairs you’ll find a large loft that offers a second living area, a private master suite with an expansive walk in closet, a second  full bath, extra storage and 3 secondary bedrooms, one offering a walk in closet. The front and back landscaping are low maintenance, with the backyard offering the perfect space for entertaining with an extended covered patio, pavers, and synthetic grass. Other features include white plantation shutters, updated light fixtures, fans throughout, low flow fixtures, dual flush toilets, and energy efficient appliances, windows, and insulation. Lyon’s Gate is in a sought after area in Gilbert that is close to the loop 202 and US 60, walking distance from restaurants and coffee shops, and just down the street from  San Tan Village with shopping, entertainment, and additional restaurants. The community is in the Higley Unified School District and offers 3 pools, a clubhouse, multiple parks, basketball courts, ramadas, and grassy areas and more. Come see this remarkable, energy efficient home in a prime location today!

Contact Me For More Info!

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com

Most understand what real estate agents and lenders do, but do you know the title company’s role in real estate transactions? With all the money you pay for a home, you want to make sure you spending your hard-earned dollars on a legitimate piece of property—and that’s where a title company comes in.

When you purchase a home, a title company will research the property to ensure that you are the rightful owner. They’ll look through records for anything that might cause problems—ownership disputes, restrictions, unpaid taxes, liens, and more. Their goal is to document the chain of title and identify any issues that could become major problems down the road. They’re also able to get rid of any problems that arise, or the buyer has a chance to back out of the contract and receive their earnest deposit back.

At the end of the process, the title company issues a title opinion. This is a legal document that states that the title is valid. It’s not something we think about, but it’s a very important part of the process!

The title opinion is part of obtaining title insurance. The insurance protects both the owner and the lender if there is a title dispute. If another party is actually the rightful owner of the home, your title insurance protects you from financial loss.

In addition to title opinions and title insurance, title companies also work as a neutral third party and handle escrow accounts and distribute money to the appropriate parties at closing. They’ll also deliver closing documents to the appropriate agencies.

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com

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4111 E CAMELBACK RD 24

Phoenix, AZ 85018

Great Camelback Corridor condo, close to the Biltmore and Old Town Scottsdale. This one bedroom/one bathroom features laminate flooring throughout and an over sized patio with views of Camelback Mountain. Excellent investment property.

Beds/Baths: 1 bed/1 bath

Approx SqFt: 784 / County Assessor

Approx Lot SqFt: 1,020/ County Assessor

Year Built: 1966

Pool: Community Pool

Cross Streets: 40th Street & Camelback

Contact Me For More Info!

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com

If you haven’t been to the Gilbert Heritage District in awhile, it probably looks different then you’re picturing. I’ve lived in Gilbert for 6 years and I’ve seen it go through change after change. It’s always had a few good restaurants, some cute shops, and rustic charm. But in the past few years it’s exploded into a hipster, foodie scene. We’re now getting restaurants and shops that you would find in Scottsdale or Arcadia, but at the same time we’re keeping our historical buildings and sense of community. It’s the perfect mix between old and new. Here are a couple MUST TRY places:

Liberty Market: This is an original building from 1935 in the heritage district that still has it’s same name. Liberty Market is a great option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! They have a little something for everyone and there’s not a single bad thing on the menu!

Barrio Queen: Barrio queen has a cool ambiance as well as authentic Mexico City dishes. I’ve yet to try anything that hasn’t wowed me! They also have a great happy hour with $4 margaritas on the rocks that are to die for and perfectly balanced!

Postinos East: Postinos is a wine bar that offers an amazing wine selection as well as amazing bruschetta and other small food bites. I love the relaxed vibe and my favorite seating is on the patio on one of the comfy couches. They also have some fun outdoor games to keep you occupied if that’s you thing.

Zin Burger: Zin Burger is a Fox Concept Restaurant that is a wine and burger bar. If you’re craving a good burger this is the place to go! They also offer a yummy cocktail menu!

Other Dining Options: Pomo Pizzeria, Lo Lo’s Chicken and Wafles, So Cal Fish Taco Co., Snooze A.M. Eatery, Joyride Taco House, The Farmhouse, Romeo’s Euro Cafe, Nico’s Heirloom Kitchen, Bergies Coffee Roast House, Joe’s Real BBQ, Oreganos and Peterson Ice Cream.

Coming Soon: Clever Koi, Farm and Craft, Sushi Brokers, Whisky Row, and many more!

 

Rachell Pintor | Licensed Realtor with Twins & Co. Realty | Mobile: (602) 574-3438 | Email:  Rachell@TwinsandCompany.com