Welcome To Maricopa County Homebuyer's Course

Here's What You Need to Know About Owning or Buying a Home in Maricopa County...

WELCOME TO

MARICOPA COUNTY HOMEBUYER'S COURSE

Here's What You Need to Know About Buying a Home in Maricopa County...

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Homebuyer's Course

WELCOME TO YOUR HOME BUYING COURSE

You Need An Expert

Buyer's Compensation

Choosing the Right Lender

Making an Offer and Negotiations

Your Offer Is Accepted

Inspections Are Complete

The Final Steps

New Changes In Compensation Structure

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Arizona, Maricopa County offers an unparalleled blend of serene suburban living and the convenience of city life.

Whether you're a first-time buyer or looking to upgrade your living situation, our tailored market updates, captivating community videos, and comprehensive real estate insights make your home-buying journey seamless and enjoyable.

Exclusive Market Updates

Stay ahead of the curve with our up-to-minute market updates. From the latest listings to price trends, we ensure you have all the information you need to make informed decisions. Maricopa County's real estate landscape is dynamic, and with our expert analysis, you're always in the know.

market Updates


Considering Buying?


Buying a home can be an exciting but also challenging experience. If you're planning to buy a Maricopa County home, it's important to be prepared and aware of what to expect throughout the process. This short guide is designed to provide buyers like you with valuable insights and tips to navigate the purchase of your Maricopa County property successfully.

DOWNLOAD TO ACCESS:

Home Buyers Guide

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Spring is here!

The Spring Real Estate Market is thriving, and we are seeing a significant increase in demand for homes in Voorhees, especially from millennials.

In fact, the current absorption rate in our area is only 3 months, which means that if no more homes come on the market, we will only be able to sustain the current demand for up to 3 months.

This is great news for anyone considering selling their home, as the high demand can lead to a boost in your bottom line.

If you are thinking about selling your home, now is the perfect time to do so. To get started, it's essential to focus on your curb appeal, which can significantly impact the value of your property. That's why we've put together a helpful checklist to help you get started.

Friendly reminder: Before you make a repair, be sure to check with a real estate agent to make sure it is worth your return on investment. Feel free to Book A Call with me if you have any questions or want a free consultation!

Are you a little behind on your spring cleaning? Grab a copy of the Ultimate Spring Cleaning Checklist that was featured last month.

Preparing for a possible move this summer? Click below to check out our moving checklist to get your whole house ready for the next home!

Want to know what is happening throughout Maricopa County Now?

Click below for a full live schedule of local events around town!


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Buying A Home From A Lender's Perspective


DOWNLOAD TO ACCESS:

The Complete Guide to Buying A Home

market Updates

buying new construction? buyer beware

Local market update

NAR's Commission Settlement:

Understanding Buyer's Agent Compensation

National Market Update

Buyer Tips

Community Videos

3 best sandwich Shops

Best Burrito in Brentwood

Best Hot Dogs in Brentwood

MJ's Cafe in brentwood

WELCOME TO THE VIRTUAL Home Buyer SEMINAR maricopa COUNTY

If you're either thinking about purchasing a new home or already made the decision to purchase a house, but you still have questions or concerns regarding the process, price or anything else - let me tell you:

You're in the right place.

This free home buyer seminar is giving you the exact step by step blueprint on everything you need so you can get clarity on everything A-Z and guide you to you make the best decision in purchasing your new home.

You will learn about timelines and timing, inspections, loan pre-approvals, negotiations, and so much more.

Take a look around and let us know how we can help you.

Debbie Atwood | Realtor & Broker

Atwood Group

Brokered by Realty One Group/AZ & Daily Realty/ WA

AZ SA703860000

WA 4777

WELCOME TO THE VIRTUAL HOME BUYER SEMINAR LIBRARY

Enjoy the latest & most up-to-date marketing & sales tactics to help you purchase a NEW home.

Thinking About Buying?

Are you thinking about buying a home but you don't know where to start?

  • ​Learn to take advantage of Tax Saving opportunities instead of throwing your money away

  • Walk through the important aspects of purchasing a home

What to Expect When Buying a Home

Purchasing a home is most likely

going to be one of the largest investments you will make in your lifetime.

  • ​We keep a close eye on the national and local Real Estate markets and keep you informed!

Home Buying Process -

First Step

The first step when looking to buy a home is getting qualified for a loan.

  • ​Before doing anything else you need to know what you can afford by getting qualified for a loan

  • ​Don’t go house hunting before going mortgage shopping

Pre-Approval vs

Pre-Qualification

Why you need an approval rather than just a pre-qualification.

  • Pre-Qualification is not a true approval but the initial step in a home loan process where you discuss your financial situation with a loan officer - nothing is verified

  • Pre- Approval is where the buyer provides the lender with the necessary documents to tell them what they are approved for, which loan option is the best for them and what the interest rate will be

10 Must Not’s When Buying a Home

Once you find your dream home, we need to make sure you get to move into it.

  • ​Don’t change jobs; becoming self employed or quit current job

  • ​Don’t buy a vehicles

  • ​Don’t use any charged cards or let your accounts fall behind

  • ​Don’t spend money you saved for closing

  • ​Don’t omit any debt or liabilities from your loan application

What are the Pros and Cons of Purchasing a Home?

Whether you’ve never owned a home before or it’s been a while since you’ve purchased, let's talk about the pros and cons.

  • Pro: Your wealth can increase as you build equity in your home through 2023 averaging about 3%

  • Con: Maintenance costs; work and money to keep a home in good condition

How Much Money Do I Need To Purchase a New Home?

Most people are afraid that it will cost them thousands and thousands of dollars to purchase a home in Brentwood.

  • ​There are various loans and grants to qualify to purchase a home

3 Tips To Get Your Offer Accepted

Are you competing with other buyers on your dream home or do you want to make sure you’ve got the best chance of getting your offer accepted?

  • Make sure you offered a competitive price on a home

  • Put down a larger earnest money deposit

  • ​Let the seller know that you have not written offers on any other properties

SHOULD I WAIT TO BUY?

Interest rates have risen quickly the

past couple of years, some buyers

responded by hitting the pause button.

  • What has history shown us?

WANT TO GET A FREE CUSTOM MARKET PROPOSAL?

Go to the next page to request a custom market proposal for your specific home

click on community images for information on just a few of our favorites

Lets Get You Prepared To Buy A Home

MEET THE TEAM

Here's your team that will help you throughout the

entire selling & buying process

Krista Mashore |  Realtor & Broker

DRE # 01346304

Jaynlin Miller | Marketing and Seller Specialist

DRE #02195224

Josh Vitale | Listing Specialist 

DRE #02009638

Heidi Kugl

Buyer’s Specialist

DRE #01329047

Debbie Atwood | Realtor- AZ #SA70386000

Broker- WA #4777

Meet Debbie Atwood

Debbie Atwood - Atwood Group, is licensed in both Arizona & Washington State and is brokered with Realty One Group in AZ & Daily Realty in WA.

Debbie has been a licensed Realtor/Broker for 24+ years. She has put together an unbeatable team whose primary focus and goal are happy clients with highly successful outcomes.

Debbie is the Co-Author of The Strategic Seller, and is known for her innovative marketing techniques and plan. Debbie supports our Veterans and has extensive experience in the VA home buying and selling process. She is also an avid supporter of our First Responders and has developed a program that supports Law Enforcement K-9 Units, "Support The Paws That Enforce The Laws". Since moving to Arizona, she has found the retiree and second home client to be one of her favorite clients to work with.

Debbie's ultimate goal is to help clients, and her community in any way she can. Debbie lives full time in Arizona and travels regularly to Washington in order to serve her clients. When she is not selling homes she enjoys cooking, reading, taking classes and spending time with her family.

SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES

Chelsea Fusion

622 1st St, Brentwood

(925) 392-8868

Top 5 Things To Do In Brentwood

Cap's Oaks Street Bar & Grill

144 Oak St, Brentwood

(925) 634-1025

Top Tacos in Brentwood

Taqueria El Tarasco

41 Sand Creek Rd C, Brentwood

La Costa Taqueria

335 Oak St, Brentwood

Visit our blogs for more real estate tips, home tips, and local information!

Is The 50-year Mortgage Really A Good Idea?

Is The 50 Year Mortgage Really A Good Idea?

November 19, 20254 min read

Is the 50 Year Mortgage Really A Good Idea?

Market Insights / Atwood Group Real Estate

President Trump has mentioned the idea that a 50-year mortgage could be a way to help tackle the housing affordability crisis.

Housing economists aren't sold on this yet though. Economists Speculate that homebuyers would pay much more in interest and equity would grow much slower which could be very costly.Increasing the housing supply is really the root of the affordability problem.

Recently, President Donald Trump floated the idea of creating a 50-year mortgage to help tackle the affordability crisis.

Soon after, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte called it "a complete game changer." “The 50-year mortgage is simply a potential weapon in a wide arsenal of solutions" to the housing affordability problem.”

But is it? Some Real Estate experts question this idea.

Lower Monthly Payments

A 50- year mortgage would decrease your monthly payments, however, there wouldn't be a huge difference in savings, according to Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.

Housing Economist Berner, estimates that a 50-year loan would save "at most" about $250 per month compared to a 30-year loan.

Berner came to this conclusion by comparing what the costs would be for a $400,000 home — with a 10% down payment and a 6.25% rate — for 30-year and 50-year loans. The chart below is assuming the same rate for each loan, but in reality the rate for the 50 year mortgage would likely be higher due to loan being riskier for the lender.

Lets Take A Look For Ourselves

Loan Details

Purchase price: 400,000
Down payment: 10%
Loan amount: 360,000
Interest rate: 6.25% (same for both loans)

Monthly Rates

Monthly interest rate: 0.0625 / 12


1. Monthly Payments

30-year loan (360 months)

Monthly payment: $2,216.58

50-year loan (600 months)

Monthly payment: $1,961.90

The 50-year loan drops the payment by about $255 per month, which sounds nice but the long-term cost isn’t.


2. Total Interest Paid Over the Life of Each Loan

30-year loan

Total interest: $437,969.49

50-year loan

Total interest: $817,141.12

That’s not a typo. Stretching the mortgage to 50 years adds about $379,171 more interest. That’s almost another house.


Quick Comparison

30 years Loan Term Monthly - $2,216.58

Payment Total Interest Paid - $437,969.49

50 years Loan Term Monthly - $1,961.90

Payment Total Interest Paid - $817,141.12

Interest Difference from 30-yr - +$379,171.62


Twice As Much Interest

Monthly payments would be lower, however the total interest paid is much higher. During the first several years most of your payment goes towards interest. With the 50-year mortgage it would take longer to build equity.

What does that mean? Homeowners are underwater on their home for a longer period-of time. The faster you build equity (by reducing your principal), the less interest you pay, and that’s A LOT of interest over 50 years, as we have seen in the graph above.

The 50-year loan term does provide short-term payment relief but does limit your wealth-building opportunity compared to a shorter-term loan.

Will Home Prices Increase?

Some say that the 50-year mortgage doesn’t solve the insufficient home supply but acts more like a subsidy for housing demand. In other words it would add buying power for homebuyers but it wouldn’t increase the supply of homes.

More Risk For Lenders

Lenders haven’t been too excited about the 50-year loan possibility and have stated lenders may not want to offer the product because the risk of a much longer loan term.

Bottom Line

If someone absolutely needs the lower monthly payment, a 50-year mortgage gives breathing room. But the long-term cost is brutal. Most buyers are better off sticking with 30 years or doing a hybrid like 40 years if the lender offers it.

💵 Why You Need A Good Lender

FAQ:

Q: If I am a VA buyer, is it a good idea to use the VA “home inspection” done at the time of the appraisal instead of hiring my own home inspection?

A: The short answer is no.

The VA appraisal is not a full home inspection. It’s only meant to confirm the home meets VA’s Minimum Property Requirements and that the value supports the loan. It does not dig into the things that actually matter for your safety or your wallet.

A real home inspection looks at:

• Roof condition
• Plumbing and water pressure
• Electrical safety
• Foundation and structural issues
• HVAC performance
• Attic, insulation, ventilation
• Appliances and overall system health

The VA appraiser won’t crawl in the attic, check outlets, test drainage, or look for hidden issues. If something breaks after you move in, the cost is yours.

Hiring your own inspector gives you real protection. It’s the smartest move you can make as a buyer, VA or not.

Contact: Debbie Atwood, when you start your home search!

📞 425-750-4970

✉️ [email protected]

🌐 www.atwoodgrouprealestate.com

WE LOVE REVIEWS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I can’t recommend Debbie enough! Awesome is an understatement. Debbie had a busy schedule out of state but still managed to make sure we were well taken care of and all questions were answered.Looking for someone with lots of knowledge in the home buying process with quick response time she is the go too! Don’t hesitate you won’t regret it!
Thanks again Debbie ! - JULIE RODRIGUEZ

home loanmortgageinterest ratesarizona home loans
blog author image

Debbie Atwood-Realtor/Broker

Debbie Atwood is a Licensed Realtor/Broker in WA, AZ & FL

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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT DEBBIE ATWOOD

“Working with Debbie was a pleasure.”

"Debbie was excellent during my weekend of house hunting when I arrived from CA. She handled the long distance process and kept me updated. She also consoled my concerns about all of paperwork needed. This house fit my needs and will be a good home for my anticipated long term needs. I would strongly recommend her to anyone needing to make a move."

PATRICK

“The best example of a professional realtor, best experience I've ever had.”

"I have had experiences with other Realtors, and I felt Debbie has excellent communication, response times, and compassion for both sellers and buyers. Truly my best experience ever dealing with a realtor selling and purchasing. Her calm, helpful, and concerned personality really meant a lot to me. The best example of a professional realtor, best experience I've ever had."

TOREY

“When selling our home, she literally saved us from making an awful decision!.”

"Debbie Atwood is an outstanding, trustworthy broker and my wife and I already recommend her to everyone we know. My kids will use her when they grow up if she's still in the market at that time! That's how much we love her. This was our second time working with Debbie and she always goes above and beyond and has your best interests at heart. When selling our home, she literally saved us from making an awful decision! Her experience in the market is next to no one, she's at the top of her class. If you speak to Debbie for two minutes, you immediately see her knowledge and expertise. Debbie made what can sometimes be a difficult and painful process very stress-free for our family. If you're looking for a broker in the area and you don't reach out to speak with Debbie, you already made your first mistake. Again, she is top of her class!"

THE PADILLA FAMILY

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