What Makes Team Clayton Different

Everybody seems to know someone who's a REALTOR®, however some important things set us apart from the average real estate agent. Tom and Janet, have been full-time agents since 2002, that's a lot of experience supporting you! When you hire us, you're supporting a family business! You're also getting a whole team of agents for the price of one. That's just the beginning...

• We're charitable: Team Clayton was just recognized as a Top 10 contributor in RE/MAX Professionals to the Children's Miracle Network, supporting Phoenix Children's Hospital. Not only that RE/MAX Professionals raised over $20,000 for PHX Children's in 2018!

• We're top performers: Top 5% of agents nationwide! We do over 40 transactions every year, so all of that experience is working for you, to get you the best deal!

• A team on your side: Tom, Janet, and Kyle Clayton are all full-time Realtors®! You get all of us, plus Stephanie, our Transaction Coordinator for no additional cost to you.

• We don't drop the ball: We have the systems in place to get your transaction closed and the expertise to get your offer accepted. That's huge! Diann will be in constant contact with you and you can call any of us with questions.

We want to make buying and selling your home, an easy process. Our goal is to not only make sure you know what is going on at all times but also to ensure your transaction closes. Our experience and media presence can make the all the difference when selling your home. Team Clayton is the whole package and we continue to innovate. So let's work together!

House Hunting In A Seller's Market

The real estate market today, has become a Seller's Market. That means there's not enough homes for sale, to keep up with the demand of home buyers. Finding the home you love, may be a challenge. 

When a new house comes on the market, there's going to be a lot of eyes on the property and if it meets a seller's needs, people will jump on putting their offers in. Buyers are having wait longer to find homes they like, so when a desirable home is on the market, they're ready to pounce on it! The house you saw today, may be the house someone else loved yesterday. So how are you going to navigate the market?

Here's some tips on finding a home in a Seller's Market:

1. Be patient but vigilant. You're going to have to exercise your patience, especially if you have a certain area or budget. You may have to wait for new homes to come on the market. When you see a home you like, it's time to be vigilant and tour it as soon as possible. 
2. Be ready to make an offer. Your competition for a home is ready to offer too, so be on the ball and get your offer out as soon as you can. In this market, it's important to submit offers that makes it easy for the Seller to say yes!
3. Expand your possibilities. You may have to think about expanding your search area or what you will accept. Smaller house? Fixer-upper? Maybe your not getting the house you thought you would but you can turn it into your dream home.
4. Negotiate. If you're asking for closing cost, could you come up in price? If you have a big down payment, is your REALTOR® making that clear to the Seller. Crafting a good deal for the Buyer that appeals the the Seller is an art. An experienced real estate agent won't have a problem explaining their method of negotiation. 

Don't worry, you'll find something, the journey may just be a little longer. 

As your REALTOR®, I will make sure you get the home you want but more importantly, want the home you get. So let's get together and talk about how we can work together to accomplish your real estate goals!

Down Payment Assistance in Arizona

Down payment assistance programs are talked about a lot but some how they're still confusing! So here is some of the information about down payment assistance programs in Arizona. You DO NOT have to be a first-time home buyer to qualify for some of these programs. 

Home In 5 Program: This is the most popular down payment assistance program. 

• 640 minimum credit score. Higher credit equals more assistance. 
• Debt to Income ratio needs to be no higher than 45%
• Online homebuyers course is required.
• You can only buy a primary residence for under $370,000
• No repayment is required after 3 years of living in home as primary residence.

What do you get? Up to 4.5% cash to help you with a downpayment. Now, that is the maximum amount of assistance, keep that in mind.

• Teachers, Veterans, Law Enforcement, First Responders get an additional 1% in downpayment assistance!
• 30 year Fixed Rate Loan.
• Your APR depends on the loan type and financial data. It will be higher than market rate.

This is the most popular program in Maricopa County. I have seen buyers get almost $10,000 dollars towards the purchase of their home. That is a huge help and depending on your Realtor's® negotiating skills, you may be able to buy a home with little money out-of-pocket. 

See also: Home Plus Program or watch this video!

So if one of your dreams is homeownership, this can take you one step closer! Talk to a mortgage broker and see where your at, then give me a call! I'm here to help you get the home you want and want the home you get!

How to Get a Low Down Payment on a House

Homeownership is a goal that many people around the world share. Our desire for shelter is an innate need we have as humans. Sometimes, the only barrier to owning a home is coming up with the money down or not wanting to drain your bank account with a down payment.

Here's the most popular option for down payment assistance:

Home in 5 Advantage: this is the most used program for home buyers, offered through FHA. It offers up to 5% in downpayment assistance for eligible buyers. The requirements are that you: have a minimum credit score of 640, make less than 90k a year, buy a home less than 300K, and have a debit-to-income ratio of 45% (or better). You can use this program even if you own, or have owned a home! An 8 hour class on homeownership is also required, once you qualify for the assistance.

Bonus! If you work in a qualifying field, you may also receive an additional 1% in assistance!*

The catch? Your interest rate is going to be higher than average because you have less, 'skin in the game' so-to-speak. You will also have Private Mortgage Insurance included in your payment, that will cost you extra too. There are other administrative fees and closing costs involved, so you will still have to come up with some money out-of-pocket. However, your REALTOR® can also work to negotiate for the seller to help pay some of those closing costs. 

This assistance does not have to be repaid! Ever!

So if you need help with a down payment, don't hesitate to reach out to a mortgage broker and find out your options. They'll be able to let you know your interest rate, amount of assistance, fees, and other information; so you can get the full picture of your financial options when buying a home. Then we can search for homes within your financial comfort zone, to help you accomplish your real estate goals!

Have questions? Email me, kyle@teamclayton.com or connect with me on Facebook!

*Qualifying fields include: Veteran, Police, Fire, Nurse, Teacher, First Responder, Doctor, Military, and others.