Back in early 2020, many companies shut down the communal office and allowed employees to work from home. At the time, they believed this to only be temporary. But, two years later, many of these employees continue to work from home. Today's Havasu home buyers want to see an office space somewhere in the houses they look at. Even in a hot seller's market like ours, you need to incorporate this space to entice buyers. Here are some creative home office ideas you can use when you are short on space.

Creative Home Office Ideas
Home Office/Guest Room
Probably the easiest solution for office space is to make your guest room perform double duty. Switch out the queen-sized mattress for a trundle daybed, a pull-out couch, or even a nice Murphy bed that hides away when not in use. That way, you access the entire room for your office. But when overnight visitors arrive, it conveniently and easily transforms into a guest room.
Convert a Closet
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Even with the price of a Lake Havasu home on the rise, it is possible for single people (including those with children) to buy a home today. While many people depend on a dual income for their lifestyle, some people do not have this luxury. If you fall in this category and wish to buy a Havasu property this year, consider these mortgage tips for the single homebuyer.

Mortgage Tips That Help the Single Homebuyer
Include ALL Income
First of all, make sure you include all of your income when applying for a mortgage. That means what you earn from your job as well as any bonuses, commissions, alimony, long-term disability, social security, retirement, pension, and/or trust income. For single homebuyers with children, include any child support you receive as well as tax credits. You provide the sole income for this loan. Therefore, you need to show lenders all of the income you receive to establish your ability to repay the loan.
Aim for a 25% Mortgage Payment-to-Income Ratio
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Sunstone Real Estate Group at Coldwell Banker Realty, Lake Havasu City, AZ

Originally posted on our Lake Havasu City real estate blog here: https://www.sunstonerp.com/lake-havasu-market-report-for-december-2021/.

Even when home sales slow down a bit in the winter, the Havasu real estate market continues to favor sellers. If you want to sell your home right now, go ahead and list it. Buyers are still looking for properties, even through the holidays. However, no matter what time of year you put your property on the market, there are some safety tips you might want to follow when showing your Havasu home to potential buyers.

How to Safely Show Your Havasu Home
Take a Pass on Open Houses
In the past, open houses were one of the most popular ways to get your Havasu home seen. Arguably, it seems like the easiest way to get the most people inside your home at one time. However, oftentimes, people who come to open houses tend to be more of the "looky-loo" variety. Serious buyers want a private showing with their own agent. Plus, open houses increase the possibility of getting your valuables stolen. Talk it over with your real estate agent to see whether they believe open houses are beneficial or . ...

In the past, homebuyers could visit a lender, answer a few questions, and get a rough idea about what they would qualify for in a home loan. That was enough to start their home search. However, nowadays, buyers need to include a pre-approval letter with their offer. And in a seller's market like Lake Havasu's, you may only have a few days to find a property and put in an offer before someone else snatches it up. Therefore, we at the Sunstone Real Estate Group highly recommend that you make an appointment with your lender before you start looking for your new Havasu home.

Why Loan Pre-Approval is Important to Your Havasu Home Search
Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Approval
It might help you understand why pre-approval is preferred over pre-qualification if you know the difference between the two. Pre-qualification takes just a few minutes. The lender asks you about your income, employment, and if you have any assets among other things. Then, they may perform a "soft credit check" to see . ...