The Safest Neighborhoods to Live in Arizona

Everyone wants somewhere safe and comfortable to call home. Luckily, Arizona is one of the safest states in the nation. In fact, the twenty safest cities in Arizona have a violent crime rate that’s 63% lower than the national average. There’s a lot to love about Arizona. From the Grand Canyon to the warm weather, this really is an oasis.

Whether you’re thinking of relocating to the Copper State for work or you’re looking for a new city to raise a family, let’s explore the safest neighborhoods in Arizona. While it’s hard to go wrong no matter where you choose to live, some of these neighborhoods below have a lot to offer residents beyond peace of mind.

 

1. Florence

Florence, Arizona has held the spot as the safest city in the state for several years now. Located 61 miles southeast of Phonix, Florence isn’t an area you’d expect to find on this list. For one, Florence is home to many state, federal, and county prisons. Perhaps this is the reason so many residents are against crime? 

Otherwise, Florence is a great place to live. Once inhabited by members of the Athabascan tribe, this town was founded in 1866 by a veteran of the American Civil War. Florence quickly became a farming and mining community, and you can still see many of these sights in it’s historic downtown.

 

2. Oro Valley

With so many golf courses, it’s easy to see why Oro Valley boasts one of the lowest crime rates in the state. The total crime rate in Oro Valley is 55% lower than the rest of the state. The cost of living is a bit higher in this town, but you get a bigger bang for your buck. 

One of the benefits of living in Oro Valley is that you’re only 10 miles from Tuscon, making it a draw for many professionals commuting to the city. You’re also in the prime spot to explore the natural wonders of the region like Willow Canyon and Saguaro National Park. 

 

3. Thatcher

Thatcher is the perfect place in Arizona to strike out on your own. Whether you’re looking to start a new job without worrying about a high cost of living or you want a safe place to raise your family, Thatcher is the place for you. The median home value in Thatcher is around $143k which is significantly under the national average. 

The violent crime rate in Thatcher is virtually nonexistent, while property crimes are still strikingly low. Thatcher is very suburban, but you can still find all of the best Arizona wildlife in Roper Lake State Park and Cluff Ranch Ponds. 

 

4. Sedona

Sedona is one of the most popular towns for tourists to visit in Arizona. With the famous Chapel of the Holy Cross and Cathedral Rock Trail, it’s a desert sight to behold. USA Today even named Sedona as the most beautiful place in America.

Living in Sedona is like calling a national park your home. The beauty is out of this world, and there’s so much to do. Aside from the natural beauty, there’s a bustling small town with lots of local shops and restaurants. Just be aware of tourist season which adds some crowds throughout the year. 

 

5. Gilbert

A suburb of Pheonix, Gilbert is tucked away from the bustle of the capital city. With lots of restaurants, parks, and coffee shops, this is a quaint neighborhood to call home. The biggest draw to Gilbert is the outstanding public school system which is one of the highest-rated in the state. 

From local farmers markets to exciting festivals, there’s always something happening in Gilbert. As one of the safest places in the state, it’s the perfect spot to set down your roots. Get in while the market is hot since housing prices are only on the rise in Gilbert. 

Finding your home in Arizona is easy with so many great options. Safety is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a neighborhood. These towns and neighborhoods above are perfect whether you want something remote or close to it all. Where will you move next?

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source https://nationalcashoffer.com/the-safest-neighborhoods-to-live-in-arizona/

The Best Leasing Options to Know Before Losing Your Home

If you’re struggling to afford your home, you’re not alone. According to recent research, 43% of American households struggle to pay for basics like housing. You don’t want to end up losing your home to foreclosure. If you find yourself in this tricky spot, you still have options. One of the most common options if you’re temporarily unable to afford payments on your home is to lease it out. 

 

While leasing your home to renters might not be your first choice, it’s an easy way to earn income on your home so you can catch up with payments. Today, 57% of consumers in the United States think buying a home is less appealing than renting. This means the rental market is on the rise in most cities, and you can make a pretty penny if you know how to market your property. 

 

However, how do you protect your finances when leasing your home to total strangers? This guide will tackle the best leasing options so you can rent your home with confidence. Stop foreclosure in its tracks and gain back some lost income by renting your property. 

 

1. Understand Your Options

If you’re afraid of losing your home, consider all of your options before jumping to leasing. The harsh reality is that leasing is hard work. Being a landlord isn’t as simple as collecting a monthly check from renters. You’ll be on the line if anything breaks or goes wrong, and there’s also the extensive process of finding responsible candidates. 

Before you commit to leasing your home, consider these alternatives:

 

• Sell your home 
• Rent out a single room instead of the whole house
• Work with your mortgage lender about your payment options

 

If these solutions above aren’t right for you, then renting your home out is likely the best solution. Luckily, the market is on your side. If you live in an in-demand area, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right renters. 

 

2. Do Your Research

As we said before, it’s not as simple as you think to run a successful rental property. Professionals have made entire careers out of managing such properties, so there’s a lot to learn if you’re just getting started in real estate. You’ll need to research the rental market in your neighborhood to decide on a competitive price. 

You’ll also need to research laws and rental regulations in your state or city. You’ll need to create a contract that abides by your local rules, most of which favor the tenant. It might be worth working with an investment professional with experience handling rentals in your area.

 

3. Find Quality Candidates

You’ll quickly learn that not everyone is a great candidate for your property. The wrong tenants can wreak havoc on your property and your finances. That’s why it’s essential you do your due diligence to find the right tenants for your space. You can find potential renters in many ways: work with a real estate agent, run a local ad, or post on home rental websites. 

Your next step will be to build a rental application form for your potential tenants will fill out if they’re interested in your property. This should include their basic information like their name, employer, and landlord history. It’s also important you check their credit and rental history by contacting references. This step is the most essential since it’s how you’ll decide who will live in your home. 

 

4. Set Clear Terms

When creating the rental agreement, protect yourself with clear, reasonable terms for the lease. Laws will vary depending on your state, but you’ll want to make sure everything is spelled out clearly for both you and the tenant. 

Most leases include the following:

 

• Lease terms – How long will the lease be for? If you’re planning to sell your home or continue living in it soon, a month-to-month lease is likely the best choice. 
• Security deposit – It’s smart to require both first and last month’s rent. 
• Rent due date – When will you need to be paid?
• Repair responsibilities – Who will be responsible for maintenance, repairs, and property problems?
• “Good conduct” clause – A clear list of behaviors appropriate in the space such as noise levels or smoking. 
• Eviction terms – Finally, list any reasons for which you’d need to evict the tenant. 

 

Leasing Moving Forward

The bottom line is that leasing your home is a great option if you choose a quality tenant. You’ll be able to keep your home and have someone else pay for a portion of it. Depending on your lease, you’ll be able to move back or sell your home as soon as you’re on stable ground financially. 

 

You’ll need to build a saving plan to catch up on any missed mortgage payments. Take this time to save as much as you can comfortably. Renting your home to the right tenants frees up your financial stress so you can get back on your feet. 

The post The Best Leasing Options to Know Before Losing Your Home appeared first on National Cash Offer.

source https://nationalcashoffer.com/the-best-leasing-options-to-know-before-losing-your-home/

Selling Your Home to a Cash Buyer vs. Selling to a Professional Buyer

Selling your home can be a time-consuming and difficult task as there are many factors to consider. One thing to considers is whether or not you are interested in selling your home to a cash buyer or professional buyer in order to receive quick payment and get the process over with as fast as possible. However, while cash buyers and professional buyers operate similarly, they have several differences that you should be aware of.

 

Cash Buyers vs. Professional Buyers

While not all cash buyers can be considered professional buyers, all professional buyers can be considered cash buyers.

More specifically, a cash buyer might just be a person who makes sporadic one-off investments in property. This person may not make a living through flipping houses and is likely just trying to make quick cash. A cash buyer could also be someone who plans to purchase a home to live in and offers cash in order to complete the transaction quickly.

On the other hand, professional buyers are individuals who have made a career out of investing in and flipping properties. These professionals are generally more reliable, safer to deal with, and will offer a more fair price for your home. 

While this is a general idea of the differences between cash buyers and professional home buyers, there are more details to consider.

 

Selling Your Home As-Is

One of the reasons you might choose to sell your home to a cash or professional buyer is to avoid having to make costly renovations and repairs. 

Professional buyers will be more willing and able to purchase your home as-is because they will likely have with insurance companies and construction companies. This allows them to save money when renovating your house before reselling. 

Meanwhile, cash buyers will typically request that you make certain renovations to your home before offering to purchase it from you. As such, even if a cash buyer offers you more money than the professional buyer, you might end up making less overall.

 

Purchase Price

If you choose to sell your home for cash, you probably understand that you will receive less than if you went through a realtor. However, cash buyers will likely offer you even less than you expected. These buyers are often inexperienced and try to purchase for extremely low prices to allow room for error.

Professional buyers might still offer you less than expected, but you should remember that selling your home for cash saves you from expenses such as real estate commission, repair costs, appraisal costs, and inspections.

 

Time to Sell

Professional home buyers typically have a long history of purchasing and flipping houses. As a result, they are able to quickly assess how much a home is worth, how much they will have to spend on repairs, and how long it will take to sell. Professional buyers will often be able to close in as little as a week.

Meanwhile, inexperienced cash buyers may take much longer as they take their time to fully evaluate the situation and weigh their options.

If you plan on selling your home for cash rather than going through a real estate agent, you should be sure to evaluate the reputation of any prospective buyers to ensure that you are getting as good a deal as possible.

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source https://nationalcashoffer.com/selling-your-home-to-a-cash-buyer-vs-selling-to-a-professional-buyer/

Dealing With Bad Tenants When Renting Out a Home

When you’re renting out your home, you want to trust the people living in your space. While you’re likely to have amazing tenants who take outstanding care of your property, you’re also bound to run into unfavorable tenants from time to time. Dealing with terrible tenants is one of the many realities of being a landlord. 

Whether they pay rent late every month or cause damage to your property, you need to know how to take action to prevent the problem from getting worse. You don’t have to settle for bad tenants as a landlord or property manager. Here are actionable steps to take if you find yourself coming face to face with a bad tenant in your property. 

 

 

1. Avoid Bad Tenants

The first step is easy for new landlords to overlook, but it makes all the difference. There are many steps you can take before renting out your home to prevent renting to bad tenants in the first place. This includes performing background checks, calling references, and meeting your tenants in person prior to signing a lease. 

Get a feel for your tenants before you choose to rent to them. Make sure they’re able to provide legitimate proof of income, a solid credit report, and a history of positive rental experience. If you’re questioning whether they’re a good fit for your property, they probably aren’t. Even if you take all of these steps and more, sometimes poor tenants still slip through the cracks. If that happens, follow these steps below. 

 

 

2. Stay Rational

One of the most tempting things to do when you notice your home is at risk is to overreact. It’s understandable to get angry if problems pop up, but losing your control of the situation will only make things worse. Take the time to calm down before creating a plan. Avoid taking immediate action if you feel you won’t be able to handle it professionally. It’s much easier to communicate with your tenants in your home if you’re levelheaded and respectful. 

 

 

3. Keep Accurate Records

When conflict happens, you need to keep clear records. It does add an extra step to an already complicated situation, but it’s vital that you protect yourself with evidence of your tenant’s behavior. In many states, there are protections in place that keep landlords from taking actions against the tenants without evidence. These records will come in handy when attempting to dispute a charge or work with your local court, if necessary. 

If you’re checking your physical property, don’t rely on written records alone. Take photos and videos including a timestamp to provide an extra layer of security. You can’t be too careful, even if it takes more time. 

 

 

4. Be Consistent

One of the worst things you can do as a landlord is not to be consistent with your tenants. For example, if you allow your tenants to pay rent late without a consequence for one month, you can’t expect them to feel the need to pay on time the next month. You need to set firm ground rules from day one and stick to them. 

Even if you’re not getting the response or result you want from your tenants, keep taking action. Follow up again and again, and don’t let things drop. This will show your tenants that you’re serious and that they can’t take advantage of you.  

 

 

5. Ask Your Tenants to Leave

Finally, if you’re unable to find a positive way to handle your tenants in your home, it might be time to ask them to leave. Asking them to leave is much easier than proceeding with the eviction process, so it’s a good first line of defense before escalating to eviction. The most professional route is to send your tenants a Written Notice to Vacate. 

 

If you make it clear to your terrible tenants that eviction is the next step you’ll be taking if they don’t voluntarily leave, many will choose the path of least resistance. However, if you must proceed to eviction, make sure you research the rules in your state. There are clear guidelines about what qualifies a tenant for eviction under the law. Ultimately, the best way to deal with tenants when you rent out a home is to always do your due diligence. Avoiding unpleasant and disrespected tenants in the first place is the easiest way to prevent problems, yet it’s not always possible. If you do find yourself with terrible tenants, stay professional and create a plan with the steps above. Luckily, there are many excellent tenants out there in need of a home, so the perfect match is possible. 

The post Dealing With Bad Tenants When Renting Out a Home appeared first on National Cash Offer.

source https://nationalcashoffer.com/dealing-with-bad-tenants-when-renting-out-a-home/

How to Sell A Vacant House

 

When selling a home, you generally want to sell it in the shortest amount of time for the largest amount possible. This can be a very stressful and anxiety-inducing process that is only made worse when attempting to sell a vacant home. If you find yourself in this situation, here are a few tips to help you learn how to sell a vacant home quickly and for a fair price.

 

 

Install a Security System

When selling a vacant house, there are many dangers that can make this process more difficult than necessary. When you leave your home unattended, it becomes susceptible to vandalism, theft, squatting, and trespassing. Not only can this cause your house to become damaged, but it can also present a variety of legal problems that you most likely don’t want to deal with.

Installing a reliable home security system is a great way to prevent these unfortunate circumstances and protect your home while it’s on the market. 

 

Tell Your Neighbors

For the same reasons that you should install a security system, you should alert your neighbors that you will be selling your home and that you will be leaving it vacant during this process.

Telling your neighbors that you’re selling your house will make them more aware of any strange occurrences that happen while you are selling your home. This can add an extra layer of security so that you can feel more confident that your home is safe for the time being.

 

Have Your Home Appraised

Getting your home appraised is a great way to make yourself seem more reliable as a seller. Taking this step shows that you have done your due diligence and that you can be trusted. Having an appraisal can also drastically reduce the time it takes to negotiate a sale price with a potential buyer as they can be sure that you are selling it for a fair value and not just trying to get as much as possible.

 

Stage Your Home

Staging your vacant home for sale is an important aspect of being able to sell your home quickly and at a reasonable price. Potential buyers want to be able to see themselves living in your home, which can be much harder to do when every room is empty. Staging your home with furniture and decor can make it easier on buyers to see the potential of your home. 

Moreover, staging your home can be a good way to fend off potential intruders as it makes it appear as though it is not vacant.

 

Leave Utilities On 

It may seem like common sense to turn off the utilities in your vacant home in order to save money once you’ve moved out. However, leaving utilities on can help protect your home from damage from the weather. Additionally, it can make your buyers more comfortable when evaluating your home.

Selling a home can be a very time-consuming and stressful process. These effects can be exacerbated when attempting to sell a vacant home. Following these tips is a great way to make this process as easy as possible for you and call us at National Cash Offer or go our website at NationalCashOffer.com

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source https://nationalcashoffer.com/how-to-sell-a-vacant-house/

NCO Helps Raise Over $49,000 in 2 Days for Ill 12 Year Old

Jordan’s Journey 

Imagine that you are living your normal everyday life; maybe you stop at your favorite coffee shop before work or drive to your favorite song before you get to the office. Living everyday as you should with your normal routines…and then suddenly it all changes. You are diagnosed with a terminal illness. Chemo treatment is horribly expensive enough as it is, but even with insurance it can still cost thousands of dollars. Chemo is treatment that treats the terminally ill and works to fight off the cancer. This was the case for 12-year-old Jordan Pearson who was recently diagnosed with cancer this year.  

 

 

Her Condition  

The cancer is called Osteosarcoma. The American Cancer Society defines the illness of Osteosarcoma as; “the most common type of cancer that starts in the bones. The cancer cells in these tumors look like early forms of bone cells that normally help make new bone tissue, but the bone tissue in an osteosarcoma is not as strong as that of normal bones.” The American Cancer Society also refers to the cancer as the most common in children and young adults. This was devastating news for Jordan’s family who loves her dearly and knows her as a warm spirit, who loves to play Volleyball and the flute in band at her school. Jordan & her family have remained strong throughout her journey as her treatment officially started on October 27, 2018.  

 

 

Sal & Carlos of National Cash Offer  

When Jordan and her family found out about the cancer, her mom was forced to quit her job to take care of her and Jordan has now taken a year off from school. The cost for chemo treatment are always expensive, so Jordan’s family decided to start a GoFundMe.com account online for donations. The goal for the chemo therapy was set at $35,000.00 to cover the costs of the treatment. National Cash Offer’s own, Sal Shakir and Carlos Reyes found out about her condition through a friend and decided to step in and help. The influence of social media is VERY powerful, so Sal and Carlos not only donated money to help, but they also used their social media presence to spread the word about Jordan’s story. Within days, the account reached over $49,000.00! We all know the negativity that can come from the internet via social media, but it’s finally good to see something positive come out of it from our very own, Sal & Carlos of National Cash Offer.

 

The post NCO Helps Raise Over $49,000 in 2 Days for Ill 12 Year Old appeared first on National Cash Offer.

source https://nationalcashoffer.com/nco-helps-raise-over-49000-in-2-days-for-ill-12-year-old/