Sunday, July 20, 2025 / by Steve Ticknor
Lake Havasu has long been a mecca for vacationers, especially in the Southwest USA. After coming out to our neck of the woods a few times, many people look at buying a second home here. Home ownership offers a couple of conveniences. #1 - You don't have to worry about everything being rented out when you want to come to the river. And #2 - you can rent your property out when you are not using it for extra cash. Here are a few vacation home buying tips to help you in the Lake Havasu City real estate market.
Vacation Home Buying Tips
Check Your Finances
This should be an obvious first step. Do you own another home somewhere else? Are you still paying a mortgage on it? If you finance a second home, you need to be able to afford two mortgages. Make sure your income is steady and can hold up if the economy takes a turn. Plan on renting it out to help cover costs? You still must pay your mortgage if it sits empty. Also, banks put tighter restrictions on lending money for a second home vZ ...
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lake havasu real estate, home buying tips
Sunday, August 25, 2024 / by Steve Ticknor
Whether you plan on selling your Havasu home or wish to buy one, at some point, you're going to need to move. That may feel quite daunting. But it doesn't have to be. Follow these simple moving tips to make this day a little easier.
Moving Tips For a Smoother Day
Plan Ahead
As soon as you decide to either sell your home or start looking for a new one, plan for your move. Start with packing up all but the bare minimum you need for clothing, cookware, holiday decorations, etc. Make sure to label each box clearly. Then, store them neatly in the garage or rent a storage unit. After that, get rid of all the extra things you don't need. That includes books, old clothes, dishes, bedding, toys, etc. Throw out anything that has outlived its use. For a little extra money, host a garage/yard sale. Finally, anything left behind after that can be donated.
Part of planning ahead also includes deciding whether or not you plan to hire professional movers or go the DIY route. When hiring movers, cZ ...
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lake havasu real estate, home buying tips, home selling tips, havasu homeowners, moving tips
Sunday, August 18, 2024 / by Steve Ticknor
As Business Insider reported earlier this month, it looks like we may see mortgage rates continue to come down. Unfortunately, that does not mean that they will magically return to the 2% to 3% range. However, experts predict somewhere in the low 6% area over the next few months. So if you want to take advantage of these lower rates to purchase a home, you need to find yourself a good real estate agent right now.
Real Estate Agent Search: Finding "The One"
In the past, we talked about some of the aspects of finding the right agent (determining your priorities, getting referrals, asking about their experience, and checking their license). Here are a few more things that should help you with your search to finding "the one".
Interview, Interview, Interview
For most people, buying a home is the largest monetary investment they will ever make in their lifetime. So, you want to find a person that you feel extremely comfortable with handling your transaction. Therefore, interviZ ...
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lake havasu real estate, home buying tips, home mortgage info
Sunday, June 9, 2024 / by Steve Ticknor
Congratulations on buying a Lake Havasu home. This very well may be the biggest financial decision you make in your life. As a new homeowner, there are a few very important areas you need to focus on right away.
New Homeowner Tips: What You Should Focus on First
Warranty Time
If the seller did not offer a home warranty when you purchased your property, you might want to consider buying one yourself. A standard home warranty covers the major systems of a home (electrical, plumbing, appliances, HVAC, etc.). Most warranties last for one year. This takes the stress off worrying about whether or not you need to shell out thousands of dollars if one of these systems breaks on you during this time. A warranty may prove worthwhile even if you purchase a brand-new home.
Change Out Your Locks
Another quick yet effective tip for new homeowners is to change the locks on your exterior doors. Even though the old homeowner handed over the keys at signing, for your safety and the safety of your fZ ...
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lake havasu real estate, home buying tips, havasu homeowners
Monday, May 20, 2024 / by Steve Ticknor
Typically, the Lake Havasu real estate market heats up in the springtime. It usually hits its peak in May. That means that the hottest time for home sales is right now. If a new Havasu home fits into your plans right now, you should definitely think about finances first. While pre-qualification was enough in the past, most sellers won't even consider an offer without a pre-approval letter. Even better, you might want to think about going the extra step to pre-underwriting. What's that? Let me explain.
Pre-Approval vs Pre-Underwriting: What Home Buyers Need to Know
Pre-Approval
The pre-qualification process takes a few minutes with your lender. They ask you a couple of questions about your monthly income, your monthly debt load (approximately), and what you expect to put down. This gives them a rough estimate about what you might qualify for with a mortgage loan. The pre-approval process takes longer. First, they expect you to provide your financial documents (ie W2s, paycheck stubs,Z ...
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lake havasu real estate, home buying tips
