Helpful Hints

March 22, 2008

Spring has Sprung! – A couple of helpful hints

We all know, it is hard to beat Arizona this time of year. We enjoy some really beautiful weather and have a ton of outdoor options available to us.Another thing we ALL know is that summer will be here before you soon! Yep, those 100 degree days are right around the corner. With the change in weather, you might want to check a couple of things around the house to […]
March 9, 2008

What is your “Walk Score?”

There are many factors that will go help in the decision when you purchase your next home. Of course, location plays a major factor in most sound real estate purchases. To help find out how “walkable” a neighborhood is, you can check out this nifty web site that will give your neighborhood a “score” based on the amenities near by.My neighborhood in South Tempe scores a “decent” 66. At 70, […]
February 25, 2008

Has the ATM machine quit working?

Tens of thousands of people have been getting letters informing them that their HELOC loan is no longer available or has been substantially reduced. Yep, fine print at it’s best. You may recall how these same banks offered these loans at “no-cost” and marketed them as a great tool for you to use for college, cars, home improvements and even credit card debt. It sounds like their irrational exuberance has […]
January 5, 2008

Maricopa County Home & Garden Show

Since we have a Home Improvements and Helpful Hints link on our web site, I thought it would be a good idea to add some information about the Maricopa County Home & Garden Shows that occur a few times a year at the Fairgrounds and at the U of P Stadium. According to their web site, this years schedule is as follows. January 11, 12, 13, 2008 – Arizona State […]
January 2, 2008

Home Maintenance – A couple more ideas

Home ownership, in my opinion, is a great idea. With the responsibility of owning a home, or just about any other asset, there are things you can do to protect your investment. We will add to the list often so be sure to follow along. 🙂A couple of important and routine things you can do are: 1. Replace your batteries (do it today!) in your smoke detectors. This should be […]
December 21, 2007

Bad MLS photos

In real estate, we all know how important location is. We have also discussed other factors that effect sales like pricing, condition etc. Recently, I found a really great blog from Athol, a real estate agent in Connecticut where he allows people to post bad photos from property listings. Some of these pictures are hilarious, some are kind of gross. (Like the one shown here) Kind of makes you say.. […]
November 6, 2007

Closing soon? Nick has many helpful tips

You probably know that there is a ton of paperwork that goes in to the buying or selling of real estate. You might be surprised at how often “little things” can be over-looked. Once you have bought or sold a home, you may want help remembering a few key things. Here is a small list of a few questions that often come up near the end of a transaction. Of […]
October 20, 2007

Finding good help..

In the process of buying and selling homes, many people are normally involved. Your Realtor, lender, appraiser, escrow officer, insurance agent, home inspector etc. should all be able to work together to make the process as smooth as possible. Many others can be included such as contractors, repairmen, roofer’s etc. I have mentioned on my web site that I have the opportunity to meet many people during the year. Some […]
February 25, 2007
The Nick Bastian Team

Buyer Advice

One of the biggest parts of our job is to give proper buyer advice. If you are in the market to purchase a home, it is a very good idea to have an experienced buyer’s agent represent you. Many people do not realize that there is normally not a cost for a buyer’s agent to represent their interest when they purchase a new or re-sale home. A few other benefits […]