DC Ranch Open House Saturday 12/31/16 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

/0 Comments/in /by

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Saturday 12/31/16 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s DC Ranch neighborhood at 9330 E VIA DE VAQUERO DR, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This gorgeous home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.

What is PMI?  

/0 Comments/in , /by

buying process people photoNavigating the home-buying process can be akin to traveling in a foreign country where one isn’t familiar with the language.  There is a lot of vocabulary that isn’t familiar to non-real estate professionals.  One such term is PMI.  PMI, or private mortgage insurance, is insurance for lenders.  Homebuyers who have at least 20% of the sales price as their down payment on their new home must pay PMI.  Lenders require PMI in these situations because they’re assuming more risk when they are investing more in the home than you are.

The actual rate and monthly cost of PMI varies from homebuyer to homebuyer.  The rate and cost depend on several factors such as the value of your new home, the type of loan you’re signing and your credit score.  

The good news is that if you make timely payments on your mortgage every month, your PMI will disappear when you reach 20% of the equity of your home.  This varies from lender to lender, however, as some lenders will stop PIM when you reach a 78% loan-to-value ratio.   While this ratio may occur naturally as you make payments, it may also increase due to your home’s value increasing.

If this is the case, you can request that the lender remove your PMI payment.  This typically occurs when you present the lender with an independent appraisal to prove your home’s value has appreciated to the 78% loan-to-value ratio.  This is at the discretion of the lender, however.  Be sure to ask what your particular lender’s policies are in this regard, before you sign the loan documents.

Another way to remove the PMI is by refinancing your home loan.  For example, if there is a reduction in mortgage rates and you decide to refinance, you may also be able to ask your lender to remove the PMI.  Finally, there are “no PMI” loan programs out there.  However, these programs typically feature a higher interest rate or higher fees in lieu of the monthly PMI amount.  Be sure you have all of the information, regardless of the type of loan.

Contact us for more mortgage information

Scottsdale Community Golf Courses

/0 Comments/in , /by

desert highlands golfWhether you are an accomplished golfer or a beginner still learning the ropes, Scottsdale is truly a mecca for the sport of golf.  While Scottsdale is host to world-renowned designer courses, there are also several public or community courses, perfect for all levels of players from the novice to the expert.  Here are some public courses to check out in Scottsdale:

  1. Phoenician Resort Golf Course—Canyon, Desert and Oasis Courses.  With 3 different 9 hole courses, the combinations of these Homer Flint and Ted Robinson Sr designed courses are endless.
  2. Scottsdale Silverado Golf Club—This 18-hole, par 70 course was developed in 2000 by the Gilmore-Graves Architectural Design Company.
  3. Talking Stick Golf Club—North Course and South Course.  These two courses were designed by Bill Core & Ben Crenshaw.  The Golf Club also features a 17,000-square foot driving range.
  4. TPC of Scottsdale—Champions Course and Stadium Course.  Home to the Waste Management Phoenix Open, these courses are also open to the public.  The Champions Course was designed by Randy Heckenkemper, while the Stadium Course was designed by Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf; both are par 71 courses.
  5. Camelback Golf Club—Padre Course and Ambiente Course.  The Padre Course was designed by Arthur Hills, and its 6,903-yard, par 72 design features some challenging water holes.  The Ambiente Course is a Jason Straka design, with 4 par 5 holes.
  6. Coronado Golf Course—This affordable (cash only) community golf course features a 9-hole course, as well as lighted driving range, putting and chipping greens.  Opened in 1966, this charming 1,850-yard, par 31 course is perfect for beginners!
  7. Grayhawk Golf Club—Raptor Course and Talon Course.  The Raptor Course features 7,090-yards, and this par 72 course was designed by Tom Fazio.  The Talon Course was designed by Gary Panks and David Graham, and this 6,973-yard course is also a 72 par course.
  8. Kierland Golf Club—Ironwood, Acacia and Mesquite Courses form 27 holes of golfing fun.  The Ironwood is a Scott Miller design with 3,539-yards and is a par 36 course.  Acacia is also a Scott Miller design, with 3,435 yards.  The Mesquite is 3,478-yards and is also a par 36 course.
  9. McCormick Ranch Golf Club—Palm Course and Pine Course feature 36 yards of golf play, all with gorgeous mountain views.  Both courses were created in 1972 by Desmond Muirhead.
  10. The Orange Tree Golf Club—This beautiful, tree-shaded course near Camelback Mountain was developed in the 1950s and features 18 holes in a par 72 course.

search north scottsdale homes and neighborhoods

DC Ranch Open Houses Saturday 12/17/16 and Sunday 12/18/16 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

/0 Comments/in /by

photo-9330-e-via-de-vaquero-dr

We will be holding Open Houses this weekend on Saturday 12/17/16 and Sunday 12/18/16 from 1-4 pm both days in North Scottsdale’s DC Ranch neighborhood at 9330 E VIA DE VAQUERO DR, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This gorgeous home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see

Holiday Excursions Perfect for Children

/0 Comments/in , /by

christmas tree photoIt’s that time of year again, and what better way to get your kids in the mood for celebrating than an excursion up north?  One of the most popular holiday events is the North Pole Experience.  This interactive experience is set in the “North Pole” which is entered via a trolley ride through a magic portal in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Families will board the trolley from the Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona, and after a short ride to the portal, families will alight from the trolley at the North Pole.  Elves will whisk the trolley passengers away to Santa’s Workshop, where families will work side by side with elves making toys for Santa to take to children around the world.  Each room of the expansive workshop features a different activity, snack or story.  This experience lasts about 90 minutes and ends with the children sitting on Santa’s lap.

To continue this magical experience, consider staying at the Little America Hotel, which beginning in mid-November, decorates its hotel and grounds with millions of holiday lights, making for one of the largest light displays in Arizona.  The hotel also offers a special breakfast with Santa as part of its partnership with the North Pole Experience, so your little ones will get to spend additional time with the big guy.

Another popular holiday experience that’s perfect for families with younger children is the Polar Express.  Hosted by the Grand Canyon Railway, this highly interactive train ride is based on the Polar Express children’s book written by Chris Van Allsburg, and is an adorable hour-long adventure to the “North Pole”.  Families will board the train at the train depot in Williams, Arizona at 5:30 or 7:30 p.m. and will return back to the depot.  The depot is adjacent to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, which also offers special booking rates to Polar Express passengers.  Be sure to check out the adorable gift shop too!

Click here for a no-obligation home value estimate.

We would not hesitate to recommend Chris & Cheryl to anyone looking to purchase a home in Scottsdale

/in /by

Written about Cheryl & Chris Park on Zillow 11/18/2016

Rating: 5 stars – Highly likely to recommend

“We started working with Chris in Feb 2016. At the time we were not really ready to buy but Chris still worked with us for 3-4 months until our plan was in place. He stuck with us even though we were not ready to make a purchase. We ended up selling a home in Michigan, our residence in Chicago, and purchase a new residence in Chicago before we made a commitment to purchase a home in Scottsdale. This was all in a period of six months. Chris continued to work with us through thick and thin of the buying process. He showed excellent patience and stuck with us even when we were ready to give up. His understanding made our experience as easy as possible through the process. All along the way, he excelled in being responsive, carefully listening to what we wanted, knowledgeable, negotiable, and overall experienced in the process. We would not hesitate to recommend Chris to anyone looking to purchase a home in Scottsdale.”

Bought a Single Family home in 2016 for approximately $725K in Pinnacle Peak, Scottsdale, AZ.

Chris and Cheryl were wonderful to work with!

/0 Comments/in /by

Written about Cheryl & Chris Park on  Zillow 10/25/16

Rating: 5 stars – Highly likely to recommend

“Chris and Cheryl were wonderful to work with! They have a vast knowledge of the area and were always available to answer questions we had. They even went so far as to preview homes for us! This was an added bonus, especially when purchasing a home in a different state. Chris and Cheryl are a wonderful team; we would highly recommend them to anyone looking for realtors they can trust.”

Bought a Single Family home in 2016 for approximately $550K in Scottsdale, AZ

Cheryl not only helped me get my first home but to understand the process

/0 Comments/in /by

Written about Cheryl & Chris Park on  Zillow 9/22/16

Rating: 5 stars – Highly likely to recommend

“Cheryl not only helped me get my first home but to understand the process. PATIENCE Cheryl helped me look at over 25 homes. She then provided research, Statistical Market Analysis on the properties I was interested in. KNOWLEDGEABLE Helped me get in contact with a lender that works with down payment assistance programs. I was able to buy my home practically $0 down and with all closing cost paid. EXPERIENCE Cheryl and Chris have been in the real estate and mortgage business since the 90s. ON YOUR SIDE we had trouble with the a/c unit, Cheryl was able to speak with seller and get me a brand new a/c unit installed at no cost. DEPENDABLE always available phone, text, email always there great at what they do. If you are really interested in buying a home give Cheryl and Chris a call – A Proud Homeowner”

My wife and I will always be grateful to Cheryl for all the help she gave us. We will never forget her.

/0 Comments/in /by

Written about Cheryl & Chris Park on  Zillow 10/05/16

Rating: 5 stars – Highly likely to recommend

“When my wife and i decided that we wanted to relocate and buy a home in Arizona, she went on line and the first one back to us was Cheryl Park. It was the luckiest day in our lives. You could not find a better real estate agent anywhere. Any time we needed Cheryl she was always there. The amount of homes she showed us until we finally found our dream house was incredible. Her knowledge of the market is amazing and she knows all the right people to help check out the house of your dreams and also guided us in the right direction for help with financing. My wife and I will always be grateful to Cheryl for all the help she gave us. We will never forget her.”

DC Ranch Open House Sunday 12/11/16 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale

/0 Comments/in /by

photo-9330-e-via-de-vaquero-dr

We will be holding an Open House this weekend on Sunday 12/11/16 from 1-4 pm in North Scottsdale’s DC Ranch neighborhood at 9330 E VIA DE VAQUERO DR, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Call us at 480-754-9477 or 480-754-9077 if you would like more information. This gorgeous home has been completely updated. We hope to see you there.

Also, if you would like to see homes in other Scottsdale neighborhoods such as Grayhawk, McDowell Mountain Ranch, DC Ranch, Gainey Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Desert Mountain, Troon, Sonoran Hills, Desert Ridge, Terravita, etc, please let us know. We can send you listings for homes in your area of interest, preview homes for you and schedule showings for you to see any homes that you would like to see.