Goodyear Real Estate Pro Tom Jenkins

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 📋

In Arizona, a purchase contract has a lot of moving parts. Here are 7 things buyers often don’t realize they can negotiate.

1. 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 from the seller
2. 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞, who pays and what it covers
3. 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 after your inspection findings
4. 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞, timing that works for both parties
5. 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞, which isn’t always the same day as closing
6. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬: appliances, play sets, window treatments
7. 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 found in inspection: HVAC servicing, fence repairs, specific items

Most buyers only focus on price. Your agent should be working the whole contract.

If you’re buying in the West Valley this summer and want to know what’s negotiable in your specific situation.
Comment “CONTRACT” and I’ll walk you through what to look for in your specific situation.

📍 Tom Jenkins, REALTOR® | The Garcia Group, a team at eXp Realty

Happy Flag Day weekend. 🇺🇸

June 14 is a day to honor the flag and what it represents.

For me, it's a reminder of the communities we get to serve across the West Valley. Every neighborhood, every front porch, every family making a house their own.

That's what this work is really about.

Wishing everyone a meaningful Flag Day weekend. If you see a flag flying in your neighborhood today, take a second to appreciate the people behind it.

Share this post with someone who makes your neighborhood great.

Summer in Arizona is no joke for your AC. 🌡️🏠

Whether you're planning to sell or just want to keep your energy bill in check, these three upgrades make a real difference:

1. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁

A programmable or smart thermostat helps regulate temps when you're away. Buyers love seeing one on the wall, and it signals that the home is well maintained.

2. 𝗔𝗖 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲-𝘂𝗽

Schedule a tune-up before the heat peaks. A clean system runs more efficiently and avoids surprises during a home inspection.

3. 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸

Leaking ducts can waste up to 30% of cooled air. Sealing them improves comfort and lowers your bill. If you're selling, it's a detail inspectors often flag.

Small investments now save headaches later.

Thinking about selling this summer? These upgrades can make your home stand out. Reach out anytime.

Thinking about listing this summer? Here's what the May data says. 📊🏡

Every year I hear the same question: "Should I wait until fall?"

Here's what's actually happening in the West Valley right now:

✅ New listings cooled in May (1,719, down from 1,888 in April), so there's less fresh competition
✅ Homes priced right are still selling at about 98.8% of list price
✅ The median sale price held near $411,900, steady with where it's been all year

One real shift: homes are taking a little longer to sell than this time last year. That makes pricing and presentation matter more, not less.

The real question isn't "should I wait?" It's "what does my specific home look like in today's market?"

That's what a complimentary pricing review is for. Just clear numbers on your home.

Comment "PRICING" or send me a message and I'll pull the latest comps for your home.

The June West Valley newsletter is live.
Here's what's inside:
📊 May market snapshot: median sale price $411,887, homes closing at 98.8% of list, 88 days to sell on average
☀️ A June home-prep checklist for the Phoenix heat (AC, sealing, monsoon prep)
🏡 The new NAR Housing Mismatch report, and what it means for buyers and sellers here
🎉 5 free West Valley events for the family this month
Read the full issue here 👉 https://westvalleyguide.beehiiv.com/p/june-2026-west-valley-guide

📉 You may have heard the term "rate buydown" lately. Here's what it actually means for West Valley buyers this summer:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻?
A buydown is when someone pays upfront costs (called discount points) to lower your mortgage interest rate, either permanently or for the first few years of your loan.

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀:
Permanent buydown: pay points at closing to reduce your rate for the full loan term.
Temporary buydown (e.g., 2-1 buydown): your rate is reduced for the first one to two years, then adjusts to the original rate. Often used as a builder or seller incentive.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁?
Right now, some builders in Goodyear, Buckeye, and Surprise are offering temporary buydowns as incentives on spec homes. If a builder is offering one, it's worth understanding the math before you sign. The benefit varies depending on how long you plan to stay and whether you might refinance.

On resale homes, you can negotiate for the seller to cover buydown costs as part of your offer terms.

𝗔 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Rate and loan decisions should always involve your lender. I can help you understand the context, but the numbers are between you and your loan officer. If you'd like a referral to a lender I work with in the West Valley, I'm happy to connect you.

📩 Questions about buying this summer? Send me a message.

📊 A quick market read for West Valley buyers this June:

Here's what buyers are actually finding when they compare new construction to resale in Goodyear, Surprise, and Buckeye right now:

🔨 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀: Builders are still active in the West Valley. Incentives vary by community. Some are offering rate buydowns or design center credits on select inventory homes. Close timelines on spec homes can be 60 to 90 days. Custom lots take longer.

🏠 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲: Inventory has improved compared to 2024. Days on market have extended slightly, which gives buyers a bit more room to negotiate. Well-priced, move-in ready homes still move quickly.

The bottom line: buyers have more options than they did 18 months ago. Both paths can work. The right one depends on your specific situation.

If you're trying to figure out which direction makes sense for your timeline and budget, that's exactly the conversation I'm here to have.

📩 Message me and we'll look at what's actually available in your target area right now.

🏗️ Thinking about new construction in the West Valley?

Here are 5 questions to ask before you sign anything with a builder's agent:

1️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁? The builder's on-site agent works for the builder. Not you. Know who is at the table.

2️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹-𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? Base price and finished price are rarely the same number.

3️⃣ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱? Builder contracts often have flexible timelines for the builder and fixed timelines for the buyer. Read the delay clauses carefully.

4️⃣ 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗛𝗢𝗔, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿? New developments often have both a builder HOA and a community HOA. Know the fees before you commit.

5️⃣ 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁? Almost always, yes. Bringing your own REALTOR® to a builder purchase costs you nothing. Your representation is covered by the builder.

You deserve an advocate at the table. That's what I'm here for.

📩 Questions about new construction in Goodyear, Buckeye, or Surprise? Send me a message.