Jana Haren's Blog

2013 was a good year for the housing market.  In fact, it was the best year I’ve had in real estate to date.  New construction starts were the highest they’ve been since 2005 and many buyers flocked to buy these new homes. Even though new construction boomed, previously-owned home sales dropped. ...

Just a reminder that that the FHA loan limits have changed.   New FHA Loan Limits   As of yesterday, January 1, 2014, the Maricopa County FHA loan limits for a single family residence have decreased from the past maximum loan limit of $346,250 to the new maximum loan limit of $271,050.  This new ...

Lord,   May we glorify you in everything we do in 2014.  Amen     Jana Haren, Realtor, MSSC www.janaharenhomes.com

The holidays are upon us, which means many of us will partake in way too much food.  Just the thought of this makes me start thinking about the new year, taking off the celebratory poundage, and inhaling the fruits and vegetables in lieu of the "good stuff."   But hold on!  Just when you thought ...

Owner financing (aka “owner carry) is a good alternative to lease purchase.  The main reason is there is a  closing and the buyer actually takes title to the property while the seller “carries” the mortgage for a short, agreed upon term and interest rate. In order to offer owner financing, the se...

While a Lease Purchase Option is not a new term to me, it is an option I am considering for the first time as a home seller.  The main reason for this is the recent slow down in the Arizona real estate market and subsequent inability to sell one of my properties at a fair price. My hope is that i...

I've been hearing a lot about themed broker open houses and the successes other agents are having with them.  I decided to do a little research on themed open house ideas and here's what I came up with.   First and foremost, advertise your Open House at least one week in advance.  This can be don...

There are many reasons home buyers may want to switch realtors.  If a Buyer Broker Agreement hasn’t been signed, buyers can change agents on a whim, and many do. Communication is key to any type of transaction.  One of the most common complaints I hear is, “My agent never answers his/her phone.” ...

  Are you looking for a fantastic photographer?  I was very impressed with Stesha Jordan.   Stesha was recommended to me by niece in Flagstaff, Arizona.  Having seen the beautiful family pictures they had just completed, I called Stesha and scheduled a Senior portrait session for my 17-year old. ...

  Spring and summer are, traditionally, the best times to sell a home.  Most buyers plan their home purchase during the warmer months as well.   That doesn’t mean that if you need to sell your house during the winter months, you’re out of luck.  Actually, the opposite can be true.   The holiday ...