Weekend Warrior | March 8-9, 2025

Weekend Warriors: Celebrating Women, Market Moves & Spring Momentum! 🌸🏡

Happy International Women’s Day! As a single mom to a curious almost-six-year-old, the leader of an all-female real estate team, and the founder of a nonprofit supporting women and families, today is extra special. I’m beyond proud of the work we do at the Amy Jones Group—helping thousands of families find THEIR home while building community and opportunities for ALL of us to thrive.

And speaking of opportunities, let’s talk about this market! 📊 While listings continue to rise, interest rates have dipped to around 6.75% (still a TOTALLY negotiable number with interest rate buy downs, seller concessions, and builder financing programs), making it a strategic moment for both buyers and sellers. Buyers? Your negotiation power is growing daily and the ability to bring down that rate IS RIGHT NOW - you should see some of the rates our clients are closing with 👀 . Sellers? The right pricing and marketing strategy matters more than ever - check out our newest listings in Adora Trails, Fulton Ranch, and Ahwatukee to see what we mean! Meanwhile, the luxury market is playing by its own rules, with high-end homes moving fast and propping up overall price-per-square-foot numbers - we'll take it, of course, but we also know how it can skew our numbers. This is why YOU need an expert at the kitchen table with you. 

And while we're super excited about the market shift and the chance it gives for YOU to step in, we’ve got so many other things going on! 🎉 This past week, we wrapped up our first Community Connections session (talking about the programs making homeownership possible for you this year) - just REPLY to this email if you want the recording and we'll send it over to give you all the insider goodies! 

Plus, we’ve got:
📌 Two HOT new listings on the market this week (with two more coming next week!)
🏡 Open houses ALL weekend (booties provided, thanks to the 🌧️ )
🤝 An upcoming business mixer - these are great for ALL business owners, local entrepreneurs, folks looking to G-R-O-W
👩‍👧‍👦 Family-friendly fun from East Valley Moms - our GO TO for local resources

And let’s not forget - we FINALLY got some good rain this weekend! 🌧️ Arizona Spring is in full swing (always a few weeks early according to the calendar), and there’s no better time to make your next move. Ready to jump in? Let’s Go!

Market Trends: More Choices, More Leverage & Smart Moves for Spring

Spring is delivering opportunity for buyers and sellers alike—with more homes hitting the market, mortgage rates easing, and demand holding strong. The shift toward buyers is slowing, meaning conditions are stabilizing. Whether you're looking to buy or sell, this is your sign to take action.

What We’re Seeing Right Now:

📉 Market Shifts Are Slowing – While 13 cities became less favorable for sellers, twice as many improved over last month. Buckeye and Maricopa joined Cave Creek as rising markets, and Avondale replaced Goodyear. The pace of change is steadying.

📊 More Inventory, More Opportunity – There are 44% more single-family homes for sale than last year, but the biggest growth is under $350K (+70%) and $350K-$600K (+51%). Meanwhile, luxury remains hot, with prices holding strong above $2M.

💰 Affordability is Getting a Boost – The 10-year Treasury yield has dropped, bringing 30-year mortgage rates to 6.7-6.8%—a key shift from 7%+ just months ago. Buyers now have more purchasing power.

🏡 Myth-Busting the Market – Think you don’t qualify for homebuyer assistance? Many programs aren’t income-based and offer grants or rate buydowns to make ownership more affordable. Sellers worried about a crash? Prices have stabilized after 2022’s correction, and most negotiations are within 1.9% of list price.

What This Means for You:

🔹 For buyers: More homes, better rates, and financial programs to help you win.
🔹 For sellers: Condition matters! Homes that are move-in ready and priced right are standing out.

📅 Want to learn how to maximize your move? Our Programs That Help You Win workshop yesterday was 🔥 - If you missed it, just HIT REPLY to this email and we'll get the FULL recording over to you! 

🔥HOT New Listing🔥   

🏡 Weekend Open Houses 🏡    

🔥HOT New Listing🔥   

♥️ East Valley Moms Fun Family Events ♥️   

🔥HOT New Listing🔥   

📅  Upcoming Events Calendar 📅  

When it comes to real estate, there’s no shortage of opinions—whether it’s from well-meaning friends, family members, or online “experts.” But just because something was true a few years ago doesn’t mean it still holds water today. The market evolves fast, and some of the most common advice we hear is stuck in the past.

Here are 7 real estate myths that deserve to be gently (okay, maybe not so gently) debunked:

1. Buyer Demand Is on the Decline

It was true that buyer demand dropped in 2022 and 2023, thanks to fluctuating mortgage rates and affordability challenges. But today? Not so much. Buyer demand has stabilized and is closely following last year’s trend, with minimal reaction to rate changes. Buyers are back—and they’re making moves.

2. There’s Nothing to Buy Under $300K

A few years ago, finding a single-family home under $300K was like hunting for Bigfoot—almost impossible. In February 2022, there were only 90 active listings under $300K across Maricopa and Pinal counties. Today? There are over 500, with most in Pinal County. Condo and townhome shoppers have even more choices, with more than 1,200 active listings in Maricopa County.

3. My Income Is Too High for Homebuyer Assistance Programs

Think you’re making too much money to qualify for help? Not necessarily. Some down payment assistance programs focus on location rather than income. Others have income limits as high as $150,000/year—or no limits at all. Working with the right loan officer can unlock programs you didn’t even know existed, saving you thousands.

4. I Must Be a First-Time Buyer to Qualify for Assistance

Surprise! “First-time homebuyer” doesn’t always mean what you think. According to HUD, you’re considered a first-time buyer if you haven’t owned a home in three years. Been renting? You qualify. Only ever owned a mobile home? You qualify. Bought a home with a former spouse and now flying solo? You still qualify.

5. Mortgage Rates Are Too High—There’s Nothing I Can Do

Yes, rates are higher than the rock-bottom lows of 2020, but buyers have more tools than ever to work around them. In January alone, 57% of sales between $200K and $600K included seller-paid incentives, with most going toward rate buydowns. Builders are offering permanent buydowns, and sellers with FHA or VA loans are offering assumable mortgages with rates below 5%. A little research can help hack today’s affordability challenges.

6. We’re in a Bubble, and Prices Are Going to Crash

Not true. While Greater Phoenix saw a significant price correction in 2022—dropping 12.3% from May to December—prices have since stabilized. In most areas, home prices are up just 1-2% year over year, below the current rate of inflation. Today’s market is far from the chaos of the last few years, and buyers are negotiating sales prices roughly 1.9% below list—a huge improvement from the 2022 bidding wars.

7. I’ll Sell My Home “As-Is” and Just Offer Buyer Incentives

In a mild seller’s market, you could get away with an “as-is” sale and buyer incentives. Not anymore. Today, condition matters more than ever. Well-maintained homes in excellent condition rise to the top of buyers’ lists, while those that need work often sit longer, even with aggressive pricing and perks. It’s all about presentation.

Ready to Separate Fact from Fiction?

The real estate market is full of opportunities if you know how to navigate it. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, seasoned investor, or thinking about selling, don’t let outdated advice steer you wrong. Reach out to our team, and let’s build a strategy that works for today’s market.

For Deals, Discounts, Don't Miss Events and HOT local picks for your whole crew, visit East Valley Moms! and subscribe to the EVM Weekender.

Last year we announced the launch of our Community Heroes Appreciation Program with a special gift of gratitude for military members, veterans, educators, medical professionals, first responders, and government/civil servants when buying or selling a home with us. 

In recognition of these invaluable contributions, we offer a $1,000 credit towards closing costs as a thank you for the service to our country and community. This program was originally founded to honor our military heroes, inspired by Amy Jones’ late father, Richard (Mac) McGarrigle, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and we’ve since expanded it to include all community heroes who make a difference every day.

Additionally, we partner with title companies, lenders and even moving companies who offer special programs designed to assist community heroes with their moving and community connection needs. These programs can help make homeownership more affordable by offering lower down payment requirements, reduced interest rates, and other financial assistance to ease the burden of a big move.

If you or someone you know would qualify for this program, please reach out so we can share details with you and share our gratitude for your role in our community. 

😲 In Case You Missed It!