I am a big fan of excellent customer service. I know you are probably saying to yourself….who isn’t? Everyone likes to be treated special but that just isn’t the norm. The average level of customer service is dismal in my opinion. I think we are numb to being treated poorly. That’s why when I receive incredible service it is like a jolt to my system.

A recent mini disaster in my home turned into one such surprising jolt.  Just slightly over a week ago, I ordered a new dishwasher for my home from a large national chain, Ultimate Electronics. The installation of the dishwasher turned into a comedy of errors. The Ultimate Electronics installer snapped a water pipe into two then couldn’t figure out how to turn off my water. Water gushed out of the pipes for quite a few minutes until the water to the house was finally turned off. As a result, water covered not only the kitchen but went through drywall into the living room. It was obvious immediately that the damage was pretty extensive.

My first thought was I bet they won’t even take responsibility for the damage. The drywall, baseboards and carpet were ruined. The place was a mess to put it mildly.

I was very pleasantly surprised with their response. Within 5 minutes a supervisor called me and instantly took full responsibility for the damage and said their insurance would pay for everything. He immediately ordered an emergency plumber and water restoration company. Within an hour, the supervisor’s boss called me to apologize and again take responsibility. Next up the chain of command was his boss in Colorado, who called me later that night (Friday night well after normal working hours). That is three phone calls from 3 different levels of command within about 3 hours – pretty impressive huh? The insurance adjuster was at my house 4 days later. I had a check in my hands for the damage a mere 8 days after the incident.

Today is the last day of repairs for this saga. The contractors have just left and my drywall, baseboards and carpet have all been replaced. Although I wouldn’t wish this experience on anyone, it was a great example to me of sensational customer service. The moral of my little story? When you are on the receiving end of excellent customer service it is such a pleasant surprise.  As a customer, I like to receive excellent service, so naturally, as a Realtor, I try to provide excellent customer service. I want each of my clients to have that same pleasant surprise when they realize that I will bend over backwards for them.

Feel free to visit my website at www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com to learn more about our team or contact me at (602) 791-0536 if you have any questions about purchasing Desert Mountain Homes.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Real Estate Agent / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

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Copyright © 2010 by Carmen Brodeur – All Rights Reserved – How a Flood in My Home Turned into a Great Example of Customer Service

I am occasionally asked by potential clients why they should use me to buy a home in Desert Mountain Scottsdale. Sometimes the question is even phrased in this way, “why should I use you to represent me instead of Desert Mountain Real Estate?”. The answer is simple and was blatantly obvious to some of my clients a few weeks ago. I was showing a home to clients who had specifically requested to see a certain home. It was a lovely home for about $2.5 Million that my clients had often admired from the fairways of the Renegade Golf Course. The agent from Desert Mountain Real Estate was presenting the home to me and my clients, as is the custom in Desert Mountain, and kept telling my clients what a great deal it was. She went on and on about how the home was priced incredibly and was such a steal. Well I had to bite my tongue a bit to keep from laughing in her face. I waited until we were all in the car to point out to my clients that a home equally gorgeous NEXT DOOR had just sold for $1.3 Million! The home we just saw was priced almost double for a home of similar quality and size. Yeah right…..some deal at $2.5 Million. It was overpriced by about a million.

Do you think if my clients were represented by the same company that was selling the home (Desert Mountain Real Estate) that anyone would have pointed out to them that the neighbor just sold for half the price?? The fact of the matter is that the developer’s own company, Desert Mountain Real Estate, has the majority of the listings of homes for sale in Desert Mountain. So if you buy a home in Desert Mountain, you are pretty likely, statistically speaking, to end up having Desert Mountain Real Estate represent the seller. Do you really want the same company representing both you and the Seller?? The conflict of interest is enormous. There is no way they, or any other brokerage, can aggressively negotiate the lowest price possible for you when they are also representing the Seller. This is called Dual Agency and it is illegal for a Realtor to represent both sides in many states (for good reason). It is legal in Arizona, but is it really a good idea?

So long story short, you should use me to represent you when buying a home in Desert Mountain because I will always be honest with you and I am a tough negotiator. I fight for the lowest price for each of my clients. My negotiating skills were developed while I was a real estate Attorney. No other Realtor at Desert Mountain has this background. I will show you ALL recent sales comps and tell you what I think a home is really worth, regardless of list price. Feel free to call me at (800) 300-0263 if you have any questions about this guard gated golf community.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
North Scottsdale Specialist Realtor / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

Click here to view Recent Sales in Desert Mountain

The foreclosure market is certainly a hot place to look for unbelievable deals on property… but not everyone is prepared for the realities of buying one of these homes. It is important to have your facts straight and your expectations in check when looking at Foreclosures in Desert Mountain. There are plenty of people hoping to take advantage of these rare market conditions, and the more informed you are as a buyer the more likely you are to become a happy owner of one such property.

Below is some information I like to review with my clients before embarking on this rewarding adventure. It’s not the “cement in your drain pipe” stories you should be worried about, which is far less common than you hear, it’s the more mundane details that cause the big hiccups.

“As is” Property

Most foreclosure properties require some work prior to moving in. Generally speaking, you should expect to replace any carpet and re-paint the interior. A full inspection prior to purchase is essential to forecasting any additional expenses the property may require. We work with an excellent inspection company that will help guide you through this important step.

The Offer Process

It is best to pick a top 3-5 properties that meet your needs when looking at foreclosure or bank owned homes. Recent market trends indicate that banks are listing properties well below market value. As a result, foreclosures are selling for 97.5% of list price on average. Competing offers may cause you to bid the home above list price, but keep in mind this will still be an excellent value. It is better to bid a few thousand over list price and walk away with a home 55% off previous price than leave empty handed. Our expertise will assure your best interests are represented during this process.

Once the paperwork for the purchase offer has been completed, we wait for a response from the bank. This normally takes 3-4 business days.

If the bank accepts the offer, they will send out their addenda to be signed by the buyer. This addenda dictates the conditions and terms of the transaction. Once this is signed by the buyer, it goes back to the seller for signatures. A purchase offer and the bank addenda signed by both buyer and seller, allows us to open escrow.

At this point, we have an executed contract and the transaction proceeds like a regular purchase.

As a former real estate Attorney, I love to help clients purchase Lender Owned Homes. Put my experience to work for you. Visit www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com for all available Desert Mountain Real Estate or feel free to contact me with any questions at (800) 300-0263.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Specialist Realtor / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

Would you buy a Home in Desert Mountain without looking at it? I recently sold a home to a couple who made the purchase without ever seeing it or stepping foot onto the property. That’s right, not only did they put in an offer on the home sight unseen, they actually went ahead and bought it. The couple were from Kansas and saw the home online. They called me and asked me to go take a look at it. I was happy to do so for them and gave them my honest opinion about all of the pro’s and con’s about the property. They were very intrigued and obviously very serious so I also sent them multiple links to view the home from satellite images, google earth, tax database info, etc. Then I went one step further and made a comprehensive video of the property which I uploaded to youtube.

It strikes me as amazingly brave of those clients to spend such a huge sum of money on a home without seeing it. You are probably wondering right now: Are they crazy? Initially I wondered the same thing myself but now I just take it as a compliment when a transaction occurs in this way. The clients obviously trusted my expertise throughout the entire purchase process. It is a HUGE compliment when clients put that much trust in me. I utilize all of the latest technology for my clients and I think it makes a difference. I am also very blunt about whether I think the property is in good condition, priced appropriately, etc. View a video testimonial from these clients by clicking here.

We use the latest technology to ensure that buyers are comfortable and completely familiar with the home they are interested in purchasing. I know that many homes in Desert Mountain are misrepresented on the mls. There are so many photos and descriptions online that are misleading. That is why I make sure to provide all of my out of state clients with very extensive videos to help them get a sincere feel for the house.

Interested in a specific home in Desert Mountain? Just let me know which one and I’d be happy to get you further photos, video and information about the home. Call me at 1-800-300-0263 or leave a comment in the box beneath. Visit www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com to view all Desert Mountain Scottsdale Real Estate.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Specialist Realtor / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

Click to see Recent Sales at Desert Mountain Scottsdale

Click to see Desert Mountain HOA info

There is some good news for prospective Desert Mountain Scottsdale home buyers. Over the past few weeks the interest rates on jumbo loans have decreased. The average interest rate on these loans has dropped to 5.79 percent on a thirty-year fixed-rate mortgage. This is the lowest it has been in five years.

During the past five years it has been extremely difficult for consumers to obtain new home loans. Even those that were approved for these loans were given very high interest rates and were under strict guidelines.

If you are interested in purchasing a luxury custom home in Desert Mountain or any of the surrounding North Scottsdale Communities we can provide you with reputable local lenders that can help you get pre-approved for financing.

As Desert Mountain Real Estate Specialists we can answer any questions you might have about purchasing your next home or vacation property at (800) 300-0263 or by visiting our website www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Real Estate Agent / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

View Desert Mountain Bank Owned Homes

View Desert Mountain Golf Properties

If you are interested in Desert Mountain Foreclosures join our VIP email list and receive an automatic email the instant a new REO or bank owned home hits the market. All you have to do is leave your name and email address below in the comment section to start receiving foreclosure notices. The best lender owned properties in this community usually sell within just a few days. Be the first to look at these bank owned homes to ensure your offer is accepted.

Are you waiting to buy your next home in Desert Mountain Scottsdale? If so, you may want to rethink your timing. Waiting might cost you more money in the end. Homes are already half the price of what they were just a few years ago. Economists in Arizona are predicting that we are either at or very close to the bottom of the market. This means that there has never been a better time to buy real estate in Desert Mountain. One of the largest risks home buyers are taking by waiting is the potential increase in mortgage rates. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, if the Feds moves ahead with their plan to stop buying mortgage-backed securities at the end of March, the rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is expected to increase. This increase in mortgage rates will be by nearly a percentage point from today’s 5.18% to 6.1% by the end of 2010. Even with a home as low as $900,000 that is a $522 increase in the monthly mortgage payment. This is a huge difference in the monthly carrying costs of a jumbo mortgage.

Call me to help you find your Desert Mountain dream home. The combination of today’s prices and mortgage rates are a rare historical opportunity to be seized. Purchase your home in Desert Mountain while it is still a buyers market. Visit my website at www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com to see all available homes in this exclusive North Scottsdale gated golf community.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Real Estate Agent / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

View Recent Sales by clicking on the link.

Become a Fan of Desert Mountain Real Estate on Facebook

About the Author:  Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB is a Desert Mountain Realtor and Former Attorney. Carmen’s legal background provides her with extensive negotiation and contract writing skills. Her clients have a tremendous advantage when using her representation to buy or sell real estate in Desert Mountain. She welcomes your questions at Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com or 1-800-300-0263.

If you are interested in owning a home in Desert Mountain Scottsdale you can now read more extensive information about the community on our website!  We have just added a new Downloads Page that will provide interested home buyers with over 150 pages of extensive details that can be downloaded and kept right on your computer about the homeowner’s association, golf club membership guidelines & bylaws, as well as a community description with a map.

Visit our website www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com to view detailed information about Desert Mountain or to view available homes for sale.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Real Estate Agent / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

Desert Mountain Lifestyle- Click Here

Quite often there are questions and concerns about the possibility of secret fees and unexpected charges for homeowners at Desert Mountain, Scottsdale.  The latest question I was asked was about the pool repairs in the Apache Cottages Golf Community.  There is a rumor that all residents of this village are being charged a $5,000 special levy to get the pools up to standard.  This is NOT true.

The community pools at the Apache Clubhouse were recently repaired and brought up to the standard of Desert Mountain but that was paid for by funds already there.  The community boards work hard to make sure that all resident dues and repair fees are properly handled and planned so that the residents are not suddenly imposed upon with a bill.

As a dedicated Desert Mountain Realtor I always work hard to stay up to date on all of the Desert Mountain news.  When a client calls with concerns I get the necessary information to properly inform them.  If you are interested in looking at homes at the Apache Cottages click on the link.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Real Estate Agent / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

Click here to see information on the Desert Mountain Lifestyle

Click here to see Golf View Homes

When purchasing a home it is important that you choose the best Realtor for the job. There is a HUGE difference between an independent Realtor like myself and one hired by the development. I will happily show my clients ANY property in Desert Mountain, regardless of which company it is listed with. The developers own Realtors have a strong reputation for only showing their own listings. Want to see the rest of the market? Want to see lender owned foreclosures? Better call an independent Realtor like myself.  I am not pressured to show you only certain listings and pump the positive side of every home. I can show you everything in Desert Mountain and help you see the pros and cons of each home.

I am dedicated to being upfront and honest with my clients.  I don’t like to be “sold to” myself so I never treat clients that way. I am very blunt and will tell my buyers when a home is priced too high or has flaws that may not be obvious to them. So many homes in Desert Mountain are overpriced because the sellers are out of touch with today’s market.

Visit my website to view ALL available listings in Desert Mountain at www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com and feel free to contact me at (800) 300-0263 with any questions.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Real Estate Agent / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com

Desert Mountain Foreclosure Homes

Desert Mountain Golf View Homes

I often ask my clients why they chose me to be their Realtor to buy a home in Scottsdale. It is always interesting to hear what prompted them to call me. Clients will commonly mention:

• Desert Mountain is a unique community and they wanted a real estate agent who really knows Desert Mountain including all Villages, Clubhouses, Amenities and Membership Structures.
• Most clients like the fact that I previously practiced real estate law. As a former real estate attorney, I know exactly how the transaction should proceed during escrow.
• This is a major purchase, they are spending a lot of money, and they want a true full time real estate professional. This is not the time to use a part time agent. They wanted a top multi-million dollar producer.

Let me put my experience to work for you…Call me and let’s get started to find you your dream home in Desert Mountain or other golf community in Scottsdale. Visit www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com for easy, fast Desert Mountain real estate pre-made searches.

Carmen Brodeur BA, LLB
Desert Mountain Specialist Realtor / Former Attorney
Carmen@ScottsdaleExperts.com
1-800-300-0263
www.DesertMountainHomesOnline.com