BUYERS

Real Estate Services for Our Buyers in Downtown Phoenix, Central Phoenix and Metro-Phoenix

Buying Historic Phoenix Homes is an art and takes a very special type of Real Estate Agent. And here’s some of the best news for you upfront: It costs you ZERO to hire us! Yes, the Seller is the one who pays, so rest easy on that!

On this page, you’ll read the steps below I’ll take you through in the home buying process.

You’ll also discover a solution I have that’s working wonders for many, many buyers. Read on!

Do you want to buy a home but not at today’s interest rates? You may not have to!

Historic Phoenix Home BuyingWith interest rates on the rise, you may be thinking you want to wait to buy a home. There are several fantastic ways to get your mortgage rate down at no cost to you.

You can read some basic info below and/or call me today at (602) 400-0008 and I’ll tell you how we’re navigating purchases in order to make buying a home affordable. It’s working for many, many people and we can make it work for you.

Here’s some information on interest rate buydowns to get you thinking:

Interest rate buydowns can be a useful strategy when buying a home, especially in a rising interest rate environment. Here’s how it works:

1. What is an interest rate buydown? An interest rate buydown involves paying an upfront fee to the lender in exchange for a lower interest rate on your mortgage. This fee is typically paid at closing and can be funded by the buyer, seller, or a combination of both.

2. How does it help in a rising interest rate environment? By buying down the interest rate, you can secure a lower rate for the initial years of your mortgage. This can result in lower monthly mortgage payments, making homeownership more affordable, especially when interest rates are rising.

3. Short-term vs. long-term buydowns: There are different types of interest rate buydowns. A short-term buydown, such as a 2-1 buydown, offers a reduced interest rate for the first two years, gradually increasing in the third year and beyond. A long-term buydown, like a 3-2-1 buydown, provides a reduced rate for the first three years, followed by a slightly higher rate for the fourth and fifth years, and then the permanent rate for the remaining term.

4. Considerations and costs: It’s important to evaluate the costs and benefits of an interest rate buydown. The upfront fee can vary depending on the desired rate reduction and the length of the buydown period. Calculate the potential savings over the buydown period and compare it to the upfront cost to determine if it aligns with your financial goals.

5. Seller contributions: In many cases, sellers may be willing to contribute towards an interest rate buydown as part of the negotiation process. This can be a win-win situation, as it benefits both the buyer and the seller by making the home more affordable for the buyer while potentially attracting more offers for the seller.

6. Consult with a mortgage professional: To fully understand the implications and benefits of an interest rate buydown, it’s crucial to consult with a mortgage professional. They can provide guidance on the specific costs, savings, and potential risks associated with this strategy. I can refer you to some amazing, experienced lenders who do use this strategy daily.

Interest rate buydowns can be an effective tool to mitigate the impact of rising interest rates and make homeownership more affordable in the early years of your mortgage. However, it’s important to carefully evaluate the costs and benefits to ensure it aligns with your financial situation and long-term goals.

Watch a podcast interview featuring Laura Boyajian about North Encanto Historic District

Hiring Laura B. Real Estate to buy a home means getting the best legal protection & Fiduciary Duty in a real estate transaction which is absolutely critical for you!  In the State of Arizona, Licensed Realtors must abide and are bound by this duty. It is very similar to Attorney-Client privilege. Yes, I’m a law geek. I study law extensively and use that education for every single client.

Why is Hiring An Arizona Licensed Realtor Crucial?

Choosing a perfect historic Phoenix real estate agent is one of the most important decisions you will make when buying an older Phoenix home for sale or any home. Experience matters!

What I Do Differently

When buying historic Phoenix homes, finding the right home and what I do differently is unique and critical. Be sure to read my client and peer testimonials and, check out Laura Boyajian In The Press.

Laura B – An Experienced, Licensed Real Estate Agent In the State of Arizona when Buying Historic Phoenix Homes

  • I take the law and our Fiduciary Duty very seriously
  • Offer solutions based on previous results
  • Anticipate problems before they occur
  • Enjoy solid reputations with other agents
  • Have EXTREMELY strong negotiation techniques
  • Refer time-tested vendors such as mortgage lenders, title companies, home inspectors, general contractors, pest inspectors
  • Understand the complexities of changing real estate markets
  • Provide statistics and crucial market data to you
  • Professionally guide you to a smooth closing

Please read, Why Hire a Licensed REALTOR to Buy a Home In Phoenix, AZ or Surrounding Neighborhoods?

Buying Historic Phoenix Districts Homes

A 1926 home in the F.Q. Story Historic District

Off the bat, you can rest at ease knowing that everything I do for you when representing you as a buyer does not cost you one red cent!

I’ll hold your hand and guide you though the entire process from our first encounter all the way through closing. Yes, tight up to the point where where I hand you the keys to your new home.

How to Find the Right Historic Phoenix Home to Buy

Buying is about finding the right house to call home or the right place to escape and the best investment in the right location. Whether a primary residence, vacation home or income property, I have personally gone through the buying process many times as both an investor and purchaser, so I know what you need and expect.

Assessing Property Values In Buying Historic Phoenix Homes

I adeptly advise buyers on value, growth potential, lifestyle and, of course, renovations. These skills and talents are brought to each client and every real estate transaction, whether a straightforward sale or a flip renovation.

Patience is a Virtue when Buying a Historic Phoenix Home

No matter what your price range is, especially if you are a first-time home buyer or purchasing a second home, I will help you be choosy when looking for a home to buy. In fact, I talk more people out of buying homes and am never, ever, ever a pushy agent trying to convince you to buy a home for the sake of buying a home.

To Buy or Not to Buy a Historic Phoenix Home?

If you want to buy a home that has a lot of flaws (fixer-uppers excluded) that I see, feel and know may be or will be expensive or even potentially expensive, I will discuss it with you and try to talk you out of buying it.

Yes, there is some intuition on my end involved, too, along with my experience having looked at thousands of historic homes.

Everyone’s Need are Different, and I Understand and Respect that!

You are unique. I’m not going to let your desires, needs, hopes and dreams for your new home go down the toilet with a bunch of expensive repairs that you may not notice, but I do. (Of course, we’ll always get a professional home inspection, and I’m getting to that shortly).

How Will You Know It’s the Right House For You?

I truly believe with all of my heart that you will KNOW which house you’ll want to make an offer on when you see it and I am the catalyst to make that happen.

Whether we have to look at a few homes, a few dozen homes or more, it doesn’t matter to me. It’s your choice, you’re money and you will be living there, not me.

Choosing the Right Home is YOUR Decision

I insist that you choose the home without interference. It’s not my choice to make. But as I mentioned before, if I think the house might be a lemon or even a good value, I’ll discuss it with you so you can make an educated decision.

I’ll show you as many as it takes to find your perfect dream home.

No Room for Error when Buying a Historic Home

Real estate is serious business and there are severe consequences for fraud or mistakes. You don’t want your Realtor pretending to know how to do things and get you in trouble.

Real Estate Law, Law and More Law / Fiduciary Duty

I’m a HUGE stickler for protecting my Buyers legally with my fiduciary. I study law as a hobby as I love it, but also believe there is an obligation to understand real estate law when practicing real estate and handling such important documentation for what is usually one of the most important transactions you will be making in your lifetime.

I Hold Your Hand Through the whole Process

Even if you have purchased homes before, it’s not an everyday task for you unless you’re a regular investor. I understand that and make sure there will be nothing that can come back and bite you in the you-know-what. I hold this same standard of care to my investor clients no matter how many transactions they’ve been through.

Combing Through Paperwork

ALL paperwork, whether it’s initially executed by me or the other agent, is gone over by me with a fine toothed comb. The legal rights us Arizona Realtors have is often not taken seriously by a high number of agents who as a result are constantly putting their clients at risk.

I believe this is irresponsible as it gets and I make sure their paperwork is also up to par in order to protect you. I understand, respect, take seriously and abide by the fiduciary responsibilities given to us licensed agents.

Keeping It Simple

Buying a home for the first time or even the second or third time can be overwhelming for many people because few home buyers know where or how to begin the search to buy a home, especially in these changing times that have become regulated to death.

I help simplify the process for you, guide you through every single step of the way while handling all the important, time-factored elements that go into buying a home.

I will help you:

Get a Quality Loan with a Top-Notch Mortgage Lender and Help You:

  • Determine your pre-qualification / Pre-Approval amount
  • Determine a Down Payment and your Monthly Payment
  • Get a Pre-approval Letter
  • Order The Appraisal and Understand The Appraisal
  • Comply With Lender Requirements
  • Order Homeowner’s Insurance Policy

Look For and Find a Historic Phoenix Home

Based on the type of home you want to purchase, its location, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and all other important specs. I will set up a customized website for you called a portal. This way, you’ll get to view all active homes for sale tailored to everything you want and don’t want all on your own personal website,

Write a Purchase Offer / Contract and Counter Offers 

Once you find a home you want to make an offer on, I will draw up all the paperwork that goes along with the Purchase Contract. It will be filled out perfectly and thoroughly with all of the legal protections the contract and other documents contain. There are a lot of little items on the contract that many agents ignore. I do not.

Negotiate Price and Terms

I have a proven track record of negotiation skills. One of my many strong qualities is finding out what the seller’s motivation and weaknesses are. In addition, I discover what the seller’s agent’s negotiation weaknesses are as so many agents have little to no negotiation skills and I use that to my advantage when representing you as the buyer.

Making an Earnest Money Deposit

Once we have a fully executed Purchase Contract, I will guide you in writing the earnest money check and arrange for it to be picked up. This can be at whatever location is convenient for you so we can open escrow.

Opening Escrow and Ordering Title

After escrow is opened, I work closely with the title company in getting the Preliminary Title Report so I can review it with you. If there are any issues, I work with the title company who acts as the liaison to clean the title which is part of their job.

I work with the top dog title & escrow company in town! They are the “go-to” title company of title company’s.

Make Sure All Parties Have the Paperwork They Need On An Ongoing Basis

This is another area where I am a huge stickler. It is imperative that all parties have the specific paperwork they need. This includes your lender, the title company, the other agent, my office and even the appraiser.

Approve Seller Disclosures and Title Company Documents:

I guide you through the process of reviewing any and all Seller disclosures, Title company documents and documents you the Buyer must review and sign. These are separate from what the Seller must provide and sign. For example:

  • The Preliminary Title Report provided by the title company
  • The Lead Based Paint Disclosure (for homes built 1978 or prior),
  • Seller Property Disclosure Statement provided by the Seller, where they must disclose on legal Arizona of Association documents, everything they know about the property they’re selling,
  • Seller Insurance Loss History, also provided by the Seller,
  • Mold Disclosures and Addendum’s provided by the Seller,
  • The Buyer’s Advisory which you the Buyer must review and sign.

Conduct a Home and Termite Inspection When Buying Historic Phoenix Homes, or any home, for that matter!

I coordinate the scheduling of the home inspection where we all meet the inspector at the property to go over his findings in great detail. This the beginning of the process to begin discussing any repairs we may be asking for.

So, this is very important and I never rush this as we have a time in accordance to the Purchase Contract which I encourage using if and when necessary. I work closely with you to make sure all questions are answered in detail and help you determine if we need to obtain additional inspections and/or estimates for any work that may need to be done.

Asking For Repairs

Then, I write up the official request for repairs on what’s called the Buyer’s Inspection Notice and Seller’s Response. This is an entire additional level of negotiation which requires negotiation skills which I am excellent at.

Negotiate Repairs and Issue Request for Repairs

As I just mentioned above, this is an entire new ground of negotiations. Depending on what is found during the home inspection (and they’re always something), I work closely with you to make sure you get all the repairs necessary.

At a minimum, I’ll help make sure the house is all up to code by requesting those necessary repairs. Sometimes, there are other items requiring repairs, for example: roofing, plumbing, appliances and/or air conditioning units. I work VERY hard to negotiate those items s well, if they need repair or replacement,

Additional Inspections Needed?

When necessary, I will help you in getting additional inspections and bids which we give to the seller’s agent when asking for repairs. I understand how these contingencies are covered in the Purchase Contract and make sure you don’t end up carrying any surprising financial burdens.

Doing a Final Walk-Through

About a day before we meet at the title company to sign your paperwork, we go to the property you’re buying and perform a final walk-through.

We make sure all requested repairs were done and that the house is in at least the same condition as it was before and that nothing was unlawfully removed in any way.

Sign Loan / Escrow Documents

I am present with you when it’s time to sign your closing documents at the title company. Additional, I review any and all documents I am privy to before you sign.

Deposit Closing Funds

I work with you and the title company to make sure you are properly instructed on how to go about depositing your closing fund into your escrow account. I make sure this occurs on or before the funds need to be deposited.

Closing Escrow

After all parties have signed their paperwork, I work very closely with your lender, the title company and the other agent to make sure everything’s on track. Then, I diligently continue to oversee everything making sure all stays on track so we can close escrow on schedule.

Buying Historic Phoenix District HomesHand You the Keys to Your New Home!

As soon as I get word from the title company that the County Assessor’s Office has officially recorded you as the legal homeowner, I call you so we can meet at your new home. Then, I’ll proudly and happily hand you your new keys and celebrate!

After Closing on Your New Home

I am ALWAYS here for you, before, during AND after you buy your new home! I’m not one of those agents who just disappears after closing. Check out my testimonials pages.

Here are a few examples of lengths I go to in order to help my clients When Buying Historic Phoenix Homes:

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION WHEN BUYING HISTORIC PHOENIX HOMES!

Buying Historic Phoenix Homes Further Reading:

Whether you’re buying a historic Phoenix home or selling a historic Phoenix home in Central or Downtown Phoenix, or just have some questions about anything at all in or about any one of the historic districts in Phoenix, I’d be very happy to help you! Just call or email me anytime.