The Phoenix Metro Area, also known as the Valley of the Sun, is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States by population with an estimated number of around 5 million people living in the area. The Phoenix Metro Area which consists of the Maricopa and Pinal counties has also experienced a lot of population growth over the years with a growth rate higher than the national average. This makes the Metro Phoenix Area home to around 67% of the entire population of Arizona.
With the rising population, there, of course, are a lot of people looking to buy houses in the Phoenix Metro Area. There are also many great towns in which you can settle in the area.
● Scottsdale: Nicknamed “the west’s most western city,” Scottsdale has over 250,000 people and is one of the best places to live. The area has a nice suburban feel and highly rated schools.
● Chandler: This is another city for people looking for a suburban setting. Over 250,000 people also call this city home.
● Phoenix: The city of Phoenix has a population of over 1.6 million and displays a blend of urban and suburban with a near balance between homeowners and people renting.
● Gilbert: This is a suburban area of Phoenix with almost 245,000 inhabitants. Most of them own their own homes. In Gilbert, there are a lot of parks and the area has a sparse suburban feel. The public schools in Gilbert are highly rated and it is a good place to raise a family.
● Tempe: This city is located in Maricopa County and has almost 190,000 residents. Life in Tempe offers residents a mixture of urban and suburban feels. With the plethora of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks in Tempe, you can hardly run out of things to do.
● Queen Creek: This Phoenix suburb has a population of 43,129. Queen Creek is in Maricopa County and is one of the best places to live in Arizona. People looking for a more rural feel should consider Queen Creek. Here, most residents own their homes and there are a lot of parks. The public schools in Queen Creek are highly rated and it is a great place for families.
● Laveen: This is a neighborhood in Phoenix, with a population of about 77,000. Laveen is in Maricopa County and has a sparse urban feel. There are a lot of parks in Laveen and many of the residents own their homes.
● Apache Junction: This Phoenix suburb has a population of 40,592. Apache Junction is in Pinal County. In Apache Junction, you will find a lot of parks and many retirees who here.
● San Tan Valley: San Tan Valley is a suburb of Phoenix with a population of 96,692. San Tan Valley is in Pinal County. The area has a rural feel and most residents own their homes. San Tan Valley has a lot of parks and is home to many families.
● Ahwatukee Foothills: This Phoenix neighborhood has a population of 82,824. It is located in Maricopa County and is one of the best places to live in Arizona. It gives the residents a dense suburban feel and is a good place for a family. The public schools here are also highly rated.
● Mesa: Mesa is a city in Maricopa County and is one of the best places to live in Arizona. Almost 500,000 people are living in this dense suburban region and most residents own their homes. The public schools here are well rated and it’s a good place to raise a family.
Each city in the Phoenix Metro Area has distinct features that would appeal to different groups of people. When you’ve decided what part of the Phoenix Metro Area you want to settle in, you need to ask yourself “what are the first steps to buying a house?”
These are the steps to take when buying a house in the Phoenix Metro Area. You can also take it as advice on the steps to take when buying a house for the first-time.
What are the steps to buying a house?
Outlined below are the steps to follow when buying a house:
1) Check out your credit score
This may be obvious but we must mention it anyway. One of the first steps to buying a house is finding out your credit score and making sure that it is healthy enough to take out a mortgage.
If your credit history is good, it makes it easier to get pre-approved for a loan that would finance the purchase of the house you want to buy. In the state of Arizona, a credit score of at least 580 will get you the lowest rates for down payments. This means that the amount of money you will be required to pay upfront to get approved for a house loan will be lower because the lenders don’t see much risk in lending to you.
2) Hire a real estate agent that knows the business
This is one of the most important steps to buying a house in the Phoenix Metro Area or anywhere else. You need to hire an agent that understands you and what you are looking for. You should have a connection with whoever you end up hiring and feel confident that they are paying attention to you. Your agent will not only guide you through the process of buying a house but also represent you during negotiations, documentation, and other aspects of the deal.
3) Get pre-approved for a house loan
Among the steps to take when buying a house in the Phoenix Metro Area is to get pre-approved for a house loan. As already stated, you will need to have a good credit history. In addition to this, you will need to provide proof of your income and assets and/or proof that you have a job. You will also need to go along with copies of any means of identification, such as your state-issued driver’s license. Copies of recent bank statements and your social security card are also required. This process is important because it allows you to know the kind of houses that are within your financial capacity so you wont waste your time viewing houses that are out of your budget.
4) Go into negotiations
After you’ve seen a house that appeals to you and you’ve inspected it for any possible repairs that need to be made, you can make an offer. You should avoid making offers that are so low that the homeowners may take it as an insult and be put off by you. This doesn’t mean that you should throw a lot of money at the deal either. This is one of the reasons why you need a good real estate agent with knowledge of the market. He/she is your source of information and they will give you a sensible range that will be in favor of both you and the seller.
5) Conduct a final inspection and close the deal
Last on the list of steps to take when buying a house is to do a final inspection to make sure that everything in the house is in the right condition. If you are satisfied with your final inspection you can proceed to close the deal. You should ask your agent to explain the documents you would be signing (and there would be a good number of them). Also, ensure that you read through the paperwork carefully before signing them or that you have an attorney present.
The growth rate of the Phoenix Metro Area means that a lot of people would be looking for houses and this can add to the stress of buying a house in the area. But if you follow the steps and you’re proactive and you also have a good agent, you would definitely be finding the right house for yourself soon enough.
If you are in the market for a new house and are searching for the perfect agent to make those dreams come true, you’re in luck; Tammy Gazda is the right agent for you.
With over 20 years of sales experience in the Metro Phoenix area, Tammy is smart, knowledgable, experienced, and attentive. She has a wide real estate network, and she will put all these advantages to work on your behalf.
Just give her a call at (480)-848-7173 .