Why You Should Buy a Home in Scottsdale

Scottsdale, Arizona has a reputation as a travel destination, but it’s also a city beloved by it’s residents. Scottsdale provides abundant amenities, from vibrant outdoor activities and sports to a thriving downtown and waterfront. The reasons to move to Scottsdale are countless, including the sunny, dry climate; here are a few great ones:

The Weather

It might not be the only reason, but it is one of the best to start this list with. Not only is it warm, but Arizona residents enjoy low humidity levels in winter, not to mention the rest of the year. While average humidity levels in places like Florida can skyrocket all the way to 90-percent or even higher, the daily averages in Phoenix hover around 37-percent, and can drop to 23-percent or lower in the afternoons. With temperatures all winter long that average in the mid-60s and more than 300 days of sunshine, the Valley is one of the best places to live in the United States based on weather alone. Check out all the Homes for Sale In Scottsdale.

Family-Friendly

In spite of its reputation as a city for retirees, Scottsdale has abundant Gen X and millennial residents raising young families in the area. The city’s school districts are consistently ranked among the top in the state, including charter and magnet schools, an outstanding community college and proximity to Arizona State University. Charter BASIS High School ranks among the top 10 high schools in the country, per U.S. News and World Report. Likewise, the city has plenty of activities to appeal to families, including accredited sports and recreational activities and arts and museum culture.

In 2014, Scottsdale was named the top city in the country to raise a family. Scottsdale is also home to family-friendly parks, including the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, which connects the north side of town to the border with Tempe near Arizona State University by way of parks, splash pads, bike paths, driving ranges, and public golf courses.

Old Town

Known for nightlife, Scottsdale’s downtown has exploded with condos and urban housing for an effective mix of “live-work-play” in the area. It’s also one of the top five art markets in the country, with more than 70 galleries. It’s home to a growing tech sector. Weebly and Yelp have both opened branch offices here, among others; it’s less expensive than the Silicon Valley environment. Shopping is also a priority; Scottsdale Fashion Square sets a high standard with anchors Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Barney’s New York. Residents appreciate the blend of arts and culture downtown with business, shopping and nightlife: I love the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. The grounds are green with beautiful fountains and a nice selection of restaurants. Scottsdale Fashion Square is the best place for people-watching, from hipsters to dowagers. Click here for Old Town Scottsdale Homes For Sale.

Dining & Shopping

Scottsdale’s burgeoning downtown benefits from entrepreneurism in the restaurant scene as well, with more than 790 restaurants in the city. Each year, Scottsdale hosts Restaurant Week, which had nearly 80 participants at all price points in Fall 2017.

There is no shortage of high-end shopping and dining in Scottsdale. From the Pavilions at Talking Stick to the Kierland Commons, the city is perfect for shoppers of all tastes. Scottsdale is home to unique storefronts like Calvin Klein Performance—the Scottsdale Quarter location is one of only five in the continental United States—and the Nordstrom at Scottsdale Fashion Square, is the department store’s only location in the Valley. The ultra-exclusive shopping found at the Biltmore Fashion Park is only a short drive west, while there are smaller boutiques and shopping centers scattered at all ends of town.

Spring Training

Major League Baseball Spring Training, also known as The Cactus League, has been a Valley tradition since 1947. Through the end of February to late March, 15 teams make Arizona its home in the spring, including the hometown Diamondbacks, the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs, California rivals in the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants, and many more. The 15 teams play in 10 stadiums around the Talley, two of which are located in Scottsdale: Scottsdale Stadium (the Giants’ “home” stadium), which is located near the amenities in Old Town and the Salt River Fields at Talking Stick (“home” to both the Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies), which is a stone’s throw from the Pavilions at Talking Stick and the Talking Stick Casino and Resort. Three more stadiums are located nearby in Tempe (Tempe Diablo Stadium, “home” of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) and Mesa (Sloan Park, “home” of the Chicago Cubs, and HoHoKam Stadium, “home” of the Oakland Athletics), while five more stadiums are scattered a short drive west.

Fun Yearly Events

Scottsdale plays host to events like the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, the world-famous Barrett-Jackson Collector Car events, Arizona Bike Week at Westworld, The Bentley Polo Party, Scottsdale Culinary Festival, Scottsdale Fashion week, and much more.

However, the unofficial start to the party season begins when Scottsdale plays host to one of the top golf tournaments on the PGA Tour, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Competed at the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, 2017 was a record year for the Phoenix Open with more than 655,000 attendees and $10 million dollars raised for local charities. The most popular part of the tournament is the 16th hole, nicknamed “The Coliseum”. Though it is one of the shortest holes on the course, it is surrounded by a 20,000-seat grandstand, and is described as “one big party”. Gone are the traditional golf rules of quiet, stately observance. Instead, fans boo poor shots and cheer loudly for the best, which include Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one in 1997.

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Search All Scottsdale Homes for Sale

Our website features the best Scottsdale real estate search for homes, condos, land and foreclosure properties available. It is the only site you will ever need! It is easy-to-use and updated by the official Realtor’s database every 15 minutes.

You can save searches, and get daily email alerts of new listings, price changes, sold data, and market reports. Our Interactive Map Search allows you to view properties on a map or refine your search by drawing the boundaries around the area you desire.

Click here for the latest Scottsdale homes for sale. We would love the opportunity to show you any of the Park Scottsdale real estate.

Curious about what’s happening in your neighborhood? You can create a custom market report to see what’s active, under contract, and sold in your neighborhood!

Please call us at (480) 600-2477 or Contact us today to find out how we can be of assistance to you!

5 Budget Tips to get your Scottsdale Dream Home

From the moment you walked in, the house was calling to you. That chef’s kitchen! The ballroom-size playroom! Wait a second, is that a fireplace in the master? Done and done. This is your perfect Scottsdale home…

That is, until you recheck the price and discover it’s just a bit out of your price range. Cruel, cruel world!

There are precious few things in life more exciting than finding your true Scottsdale dream home—and not many things more soul-crushing than realizing you can’t afford it. Or, can you? If you’re determined to stretch your budget the way certain presidential candidates stretch the concept of “sarcasm,” there are ways to pull off this monetary magic without becoming completely house poor.

We’ll show you how to make your budget mesh with your fantasy. For real. Check out our 5 Budget Tips to get your Scottsdale Dream Home.

Budget Tip No. 1: Negotiate the price

“Everything is always negotiable,” says Brian Bemo with Bemo Homes in Scottsdale. “You’d be surprised at what sellers, agents, and buyers alike will compromise on.”

You might not get what you want, but you never know—the seller may be extremely motivated because of a move, work relocation, or divorce, for example.

“They may just be looking for a fair offer and would be willing to sell to you for a little less if they can close faster as a result.”

You’d be amazed by how many people make no effort to parley on price. Smart haggling can get you far! Do it.

Budget saver No. 2: Work the programs

There are a wide variety of programs, particularly down payment assistance programs, that help people achieve their dream of homeownership. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily have to be low-income to quality.

“You may discover a first-time home buyers program that can make your home of choice more affordable by providing assistance with the closing costs or the down payment,” says Bemo. Check with our lender Johnny Alo. He is a Mortgage Loan Officer who has been providing clients with superior mortgage service since 1997. At Academy Mortgage Corp. they offer conventional, FHA, VA and USDA; and non-conforming jumbo mortgages.

What’s that you say? The home is a dream in terms of neighborhood and square footage, but a nightmare on the inside?

If you’re considering a fixer-upper, you can look into financing it with a renovation loan. This will enable you to make desired improvements and have them financed into the mortgage.

Budget saver No. 3: Massage that mortgage

“The biggest mistake I see a majority of people make is blindly asking for a 30-year fixed mortgage,” Bemo says. Many home buyers, especially millennials, would be better off if they considered other options such as a five-, seven-, or 10-year adjustable-rate mortgage.

“We live in a much more transient society than we did 20 years ago, and people all too often pay for the ‘security’ of a 30-year fixed loan when, in fact, they will likely be selling or refinancing in less than 10 years”. Looking into a different loan type can translate into lower payments upfront.

Scottsdale home buyers can also look into creative options for their private mortgage insurance (e.g., having it paid by the lender or seller), which can help you achieve a lower monthly payment.

Budget saver No. 4: Check for ways this Scottsdale home itself could save you money

Sometimes that more expensive house payment will allow you to save in other areas. For example, maybe it makes your commute shorter and less expensive, or it’s in a better school district so you no longer have to foot expensive private school tuition.

Another possibility: The energy efficiency of a newer Scottsdale home can reduce your utility bills and might make up some of the cost difference of an older home.

“Sometimes a higher-priced home can actually cost the same as a lower-priced one when you do the math on other factors”.

Budget saver No. 5: Put the decision into perspective

On the one hand, you don’t want to be dumb. “If a Scottsdale home is truly out of my clients’ budget, I would emphatically advise them to continue looking,” Bemo says. However, while it is never advisable to buy more than you can afford, it is important to consider all factors before passing on a dream home.

Buying a home is not something to take lightly. You will likely live there for quite some time, so it is important not to just settle, especially if there are ways to get creative and make it work.

If your Scottsdale dream house is, say, $25,000 over your ideal budget, it may seem like a huge chunk of money. However, the sting is lessened when you imagine that amount spread over the life of the mortgage.

When you do that math on a 30-year mortgage, it ends up being only roughly a $70 monthly increase, and often my clients find they can make adjustments to accommodate the difference.

While he respects the initial budget that his clients have set, he says, he can relate to his clients who have fallen in love with their dream home but find it unaffordable.

“My family and I found a home we adored, but it was slightly over our budget”. “We didn’t hesitate, made it work, and got our dream home. The best decision we have ever made. It’s something we still think about from time to time, and I share this experience with the people I help.”

Think you might be ready to buy or rent? Bemo Homes will work hard to find you the right home for the best price.

Please contact us today and we will begin the journey to discovering your dream home.

Go to our Advanced Home Search, that will automatically email you daily updates as new properties hit the market. Or call Brian at (480) 600-2477, and we’ll set a MLS search for you.

For first-time buyers and repeat buyers alike, the decision to make an offer on a home is both exciting and a little scary. If your offer is accepted, the place you’ve chosen will be your home for the next several years. Not only should you feel emotionally satisfied by your choice, but you should also feel financially comfortable that you’re buying a home that you can afford and that you feel confident will hold onto its value or hopefully increase in value over the years.

While no one can know for sure what will happen to housing values, if you make the choice to buy a home that meets your needs and priorities you’ll be happy to live in it for years to come.

Neighborhood or Home Amenities
For some homebuyers, living in a particular neighborhood takes precedence over all other priorities, but for others, the home itself matters more. Ideally, you’ll find the perfect home in the neighborhood you love at a price that’s below your budget, but realistically, most people have to make some compromises.

You (and your spouse, partner or family) should make a list of what features you want in a home, such as the number of bedrooms, a fenced yard, granite counters in the kitchen, and then rank them in terms of priorities. Think about whether the house or the community matter more to you, and whether it’s worth it to you to make a longer commute in order to live in a home with a larger lot.

• Look for a different home type within the community, such as a smaller single family home, a town home or condominium. Decide if you can live with one less bedroom or other features on your list.
• Consult with a lender or a financial planner to discuss your options for increasing your budget. While no one should overspend on a home, you should recognize that going $10,000 above your price range when you’re financing your purchase with a 30-year fixed-rate loan will actually add only about $30 to your monthly payment.
• Lower your expectations about the condition of the home. While everyone prefers a move-in ready home, you can often get a better deal on a home that needs some cosmetic repairs. Be careful, though, to have a home inspection and to evaluate the structure of the home to see that it meets your needs. Moving walls and adding a bathroom are costly renovations, while painting and replacing appliances are more reasonable.

If you have your heart set on a specific home style or a home with a larger yard for your children or to garden, your compromise is more likely to be in the location. If you’re willing to commute farther or perhaps choose a home in a community next to the ‘hot’ neighborhood, you can often find a more affordable home that fulfills your wish list.

Bemo Homes can help you determine when and how to compromise and we will take the time to show you a variety of alternatives so you can make an informed decision about when to make an offer.

Think you might be ready to buy or rent? Bemo Homes will work hard to find you the right home for the best price.

Please contact us today and we will begin the journey to discovering your dream home.

Go to our Advanced Home Search, that will automatically email you daily updates as new properties hit the market. Or call Brian at (480) 600-2477, and we’ll set a MLS search for you.