To know the answer to that question, it is important to ask yourself the following questions first:

1. Do you plan on living in the home for 3 to 5 years?
2. Do you have a stable job or retirement income?
3. Are rents and rental occupancy rates increasing in the area you wish to live?

If you answered yes to these three questions, now is the time to buy a home.

If you want a great buy, and could care less about keeping up with the Jones. buy the house that will provide a HOME for you and your family.

The tactic many buyers seem to be taking now, that of attempting to time the market, is self-defeating. Attempting to "time" the market and buy at the bottom, is as difficult as trying to "time" the top and sell at the top. If you don’t believe me, ask the many thousands of real estate "investors" who have filed for bankruptcy recently.

When considering buying a home for you and your family, a few very important things must be considered.

1. Pick a home with a good LOCATION! Homes with good locations sell when nothing else will.
2. Pick a home with good fundamentals. Don’t buy one with an odd floor plan, a lot too big or too small for your needs, too few or too many bedrooms or baths, etc.
3. Get a loan approval FIRST! Interest rates are still near historical lows, and if you are buying a normal family home, fixed rate conforming loans are still availabe, but the seller will need to know you are prepared to buy the home before taking the home off the market. Your real estate agent should be able to help you with this.

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

>About The Author

As a full time agent with Ken Meade Realty a Sun City neighborhood Brokerage business, Jim utilizes his Marketing Degree and 35 years of Business and Real Estate experience in order to help clients with their primary residence and second home needs. He contributes to a daily Web Blog which focuses on the Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise Arizona Real Estate Market, as well as other topics important to those and neighboring communities. For more information on Jim and Ken Meade Realty, please visit his website at http://www.suncityneighborhood.com/ or his other blog at:http://activerain.com/blogs/jlittle

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor

Nationally, the outlook for home buyers is mixed.

• Home loan applications have increased for the second straight week. This may indicate more buyer interest.
• Slowdown in market activity has occurred. Historically, a great slowdown in market activity signifies the bottom of a market cycle.
• Bankruptcy and closings of mortgage lenders has slowed appreciably. In the past we saw several a week, not many at all now. Another indicator the bottom is near. Most news now is about the clean-up efforts at already imploded companies.
• Politicians are getting on the band wagon. These most reactive people are working at last to correct the market problems. They are addressing new programs for governmentally sponsored programs, and also working on sub-prime workout ideas. Politicians always react near the bottom.
• The VA loan maximums have been raised to equal conventional conforming maximums, now $417,000.
• FHA has initiated FHA Secure to help sub-prime borrowers refinance bad loans into something workable for the borrower.
• The Federal Reserve has acted to stop the liquidity problem, and will meet September 18 to consider further steps.
• Interest rates are slipping gradually. When interest rates fall, housing prices recover and increase.

Today’s outlook for the Phoenix area, which includes homes for sale in Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale Arizona is far better than in much of the nation. Job growth continues at a healthy rate, unemployment is less than the national average, and real income is increasing. Inventory of homes for sale is excellent, giving those who wish to buy a home a great selection to choose from.

Today’s tip for buyers. Don’t get an adjustable mortgage. Most ARM’s have a start rate near that of the conventional 30 year fixed mortgage. This means there is little advantage to the average buyer to use an ARM.

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

>About The Author

As a full time agent with Ken Meade Realty a Sun City neighborhood Brokerage business, Jim utilizes his Marketing Degree and 35 years of Business and Real Estate experience in order to help clients with their primary residence and second home needs. He contributes to a daily Web Blog which focuses on the Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise Arizona Real Estate Market, as well as other topics important to those and neighboring communities. For more information on Jim and Ken Meade Realty, please visit his website at http://www.suncityneighborhood.com/ or his other blog at:http://activerain.com/blogs/jlittle

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor

Lenn Harley, a broker in Maryland at Homefinders.com wrote about this in her blog. I feel it is important enough to quote a few of the secrets here.

Secret: The agent’s whose name is on the FOR SALE sign in the yard has promised the seller that he/she will get the best price for the seller.  The only information required of a seller’s representative would be "material defects".  General condition of a property should be obtained the a home inspection with a contingency to void the contract if the house has serious maintenance, structural problems

Secret:Earnest money deposits may be forfeited if a buyer falsely represents his/her financial ability to obtain financing.  Buyers who do not cooperate with the financing paragraphs and cause the seller to keep the home off market have caused the seller serious damages and may not get their earnest refunded.

Secret:  Termite Warranties do not protect your home from termite damage.  Termites cannot read.

To see the other 27 secrets, please go to Lenn Harley’s blog by clicking here.

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

>About The Author

As a full time agent with Ken Meade Realty a Sun City neighborhood Brokerage business, Jim utilizes his Marketing Degree and 35 years of Business and Real Estate experience in order to help clients with their primary residence and second home needs. He contributes to a daily Web Blog which focuses on the Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise Arizona Real Estate Market, as well as other topics important to those and neighboring communities. For more information on Jim and Ken Meade Realty, please visit his website at http://www.suncityneighborhood.com/ or his other blog at:http://activerain.com/blogs/jlittle

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor

Homes for sale in Sun City Grand, Westbrook Village

If you like many others believe you have to be 55 years old to live in an active adult community, have I got news for you.

Both Sun City Grand, and Westbrook Village have lower age restrictions. You may buy a home and live in it at age 45 in Sun City Grand. Homes for sale in Sun City Grand range from $129,000 to $889,000.

Westbrook Village has an even lower age limit. You can buy a home and live in it in Westbrook Village at age 40. Homes for sale in Westbrook Village range from $149,000 to $539,000.

How can these communities do this? The federal rule is that 80% of the homes have at least 1 occupant over 55 years old, and no occupant under 19 years old for longer than 90 days. If the bylaws of the community allow it, and the community governing body will keep the records, households can be allowed occupancy of younger people up to 20% of the total. The key is keeping records, which Sun City Grand and Westbrook do.

Think about it, you can enjoy the benefits of active adult community living while you are still young enough to enjoy it.

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

>About The Author

As a full time agent with Ken Meade Realty a Sun City neighborhood Brokerage business, Jim utilizes his Marketing Degree and 35 years of Business and Real Estate experience in order to help clients with their primary residence and second home needs. He contributes to a daily Web Blog which focuses on the Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise Arizona Real Estate Market, as well as other topics important to those and neighboring communities. For more information on Jim and Ken Meade Realty, please visit his website at http://www.suncityneighborhood.com/ or his other blog at:http://activerain.com/blogs/jlittle

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor

The mission of this worthwhile organization is:
"to provide hope and assistance to victims of domestic violence. Our goal is to educate the public about domestic violence and provide programs to empower abused women and children".

This is a problem that cuts across all lines, racial, economic, and social. It can affect young and old. As such, I thought I would write this post in support of Eve’s Place.

Recently, Eve’s had a fundraising fashion show at the Outback Restaurant, raising $7000 for the cause. It came to my attention because my associate at Ken Meade Realty, Barbara Levy was the mistress of ceremony for this event.

In the immediate future, area golfers will have the opportunity to support Eve’s Place with a golf tournament to be held on September 24th at Briarwood Country Club in Sun City West. It will cost $100. The entrance fee will include breakfast, golf and prizes. For more info call: 602-252-4477.

Plan ahead for the fall fashion show to be held on December 6 at the Skye Restaurant on Bell Road.

The 2nd Annual Charity Ball will have as guest speaker, Denise Brown, sister of Nicole Simpson!  She has obviously had some first hand experience in the subject of domestic violence. That will be quite an affair April 12th at Union Hills Country Club.

Please visit the Eve’s Place website here:

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

>About The Author

As a full time agent with Ken Meade Realty a Sun City neighborhood Brokerage business, Jim utilizes his Marketing Degree and 35 years of Business and Real Estate experience in order to help clients with their primary residence and second home needs. He contributes to a daily Web Blog which focuses on the Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise Arizona Real Estate Market, as well as other topics important to those and neighboring communities. For more information on Jim and Ken Meade Realty, please visit his website at http://www.suncityneighborhood.com/ or his other blog at:http://activerain.com/blogs/jlittle

Please join me this Saturday between 10AM and 2PM for my open house at: 19826 N. 101 Ave. Sun City AZ 85373.

This house for sale is a 1700+ square foot Wilmington model, one of Del Webb’s finest homes in Sun City’s Phase 3. It is located on a quiet cul-de-sac and features a larger lot. The home is 2 bedroom, 1.75 bath with formal living room and formal dining room. It has a screened patio and an eat-in kitchen. Offered for sale at only $185,000.

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

>About The Author

As a full time agent with Ken Meade Realty a Sun City neighborhood Brokerage business, Jim utilizes his Marketing Degree and 35 years of Business and Real Estate experience in order to help clients with their primary residence and second home needs. He contributes to a daily Web Blog which focuses on the Sun City, Sun City West, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise Arizona Real Estate Market, as well as other topics important to those and neighboring communities. For more information on Jim and Ken Meade Realty, please visit his website at http://www.suncityneighborhood.com/ or his other blog at:http://activerain.com/blogs/jlittle

If you are a typical new Arizona resident, you will find that inventories of existing homes are at an all-time high, while prices are 15-20% below recent historical peaks.

1. "Conforming" loans are still available. Conforming loans includ VA and FHA loans and conventional loans with as little as 5% down payment. These loans do have maximum loan limits. At this time, the VA loan limit is $359,650. The FHA limit is $263,160 The conventional loan limit is $417,000.
2. New home builders are offering great incentive at this time. DO NOT GO WITHOUT A REALTOR®! If you go the first time to a builder site, you CANNOT be represented. It costs you NOTHING to be represented by your own agent. The BUILDER PAYS US!
3. Rental occupancy rates exceed 98%. That is a very high occupancy rate.
4. Homes offered for rent today are very likely to be in danger of foreclosure. Many are homes bought with sub-prime loans in the speculative fever of the 2004-2005 seller’s market. Many if not most were financed with questionable instrments like option ARMs 2/28 or 3/27 interest only loans now resetting into ARMs with exceedingly high interest premiums. No way are today’s renters going to pay enough rent to subsidize the high mortgage payments on these. If you rent one of these you may find yourself living in a foreclosed property.

Do you want to  "wait until the prices drop"?
Better think again. While there is a liquidity problem today in the sub-prime and Alt-A markets, there is no such problem in the conforming loan arena YET. Many people who were qualified for loans 2 weeks ago, no longer qualify, or have found the terms that they qualify for have changed drastically. If you will live in the home for the foreseeable future, better to buy now and enjoy the tax benefits and any future appreciation, than to wait and be excluded from future equity housing for you and your family.

For more information on homes in Sun City, Sun City West, El Mirage, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise that meet the "conforming" criteria, please see http://activerain.com/blogsview/176816/Can-I-get-a

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

My Active Rain Blog, click here

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It is a great time to buy!
If you are a typical new Arizona resident, you will find that inventories of existing homes are at an all-time high, while prices are 15-20% below recent historical peaks.

1. "Conforming" loans are still available. Conforming loans includ VA and FHA loans and conventional loans with as little as 5% down payment. These loans do have maximum loan limits. At this time, the VA loan limit is $359,650. The FHA limit is $263,160 The conventional loan limit is $417,000.
2. New home builders are offering great incentive at this time. DO NOT GO WITHOUT A REALTOR®! If you go the first time to a builder site, you CANNOT be represented. It costs you NOTHING to be represented by your own agent. The BUILDER PAYS US!
3. Rental occupancy rates exceed 98%. That is a very high occupancy rate.
4. Homes offered for rent today are very likely to be in danger of foreclosure. Many are homes bought with sub-prime loans in the speculative fever of the 2004-2005 seller’s market. Many if not most were financed with questionable instrments like option ARMs 2/28 or 3/27 interest only loans now resetting into ARMs with exceedingly high interest premiums. No way are today’s renters going to pay enough rent to subsidize the high mortgage payments on these. If you rent one of these you may find yourself living in a foreclosed property.

Do you want to  "wait until the prices drop"?
Better think again. While there is a liquidity problem today in the sub-prime and Alt-A markets, there is no such problem in the conforming loan arena YET. Many people who were qualified for loans 2 weeks ago, no longer qualify, or have found the terms that they qualify for have changed drastically. If you will live in the home for the foreseeable future, better to buy now and enjoy the tax benefits and any future appreciation, than to wait and be excluded from future equity housing for you and your family.

For more information on homes in Sun City, Sun City West, El Mirage, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise that meet the "conforming" criteria, please see http://activerain.com/blogsview/176816/Can-I-get-a

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!

Can I get a Mortgage Today?

Yes!

If you meet the reasonable credit and downpayment standards of the "Conforming" Loan. These loans include:

• VA with a maximum loan value of $359,650
• FHA maximum loan value of $263,160
• Conventional maximum loan value of $417,000

In six of the west Maricopa county area alone, there are 4085 homes for sale today that meet the criteria of one or more of these programs.

Homes for sale in:

• El Mirage       483
• Glendale      2216
• Peoria          1558
• Sun City         735
• Sun City West 276
• Surprise        2044

Call me today for help in buying a home in one of these fine communities.
See also my companion post http://activerain.com/blogsview/176795/Buying-a-Home-You

Jim Little, Your Sun City Realtor
http://jclittle.com/
Ken Meade Realty
17001 N Del Webb Blvd
Sun City AZ 85373
800-877-1776
623-977-1776

By the way…if you know someone who is interested in buying or selling real estate in the Sun City Neighborhood, Peoria, Glendale or Surprise, please call me with their name and phone number. Thank you!