Jon Jensen - Realtor

Freddie Mac's weekly survey for September 24, 2026 puts the 30 year fixed at 7.03 percent, up from 6.95 percent last week. The 15 year fixed came in at 6.42 percent, up from 6.26 percent. Small weekly moves like this are worth watching if you are running numbers on a purchase or a refinance. Happy to walk through what it looks like for your situation.

https://azresidentialresource.com/buy/mortgage-calculator/

Here is what is on around the Valley this week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all bring an evening concert at the Desert Botanical Garden, with 80s music, classical and jazz in turn. Stephen Wilson Jr. plays Arizona Financial Theatre on Tuesday, Cradle of Filth is at The Van Buren on Wednesday, and the Arizona State Fair opens Thursday at the fairgrounds and runs through Sunday. Friday and Saturday bring Oktoberfest in Fountain Hills, Saturday morning is Experience Brazil at the Musical Instrument Museum, and Sunday night Wu-Tang Forever is at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre. Check each event page before you go, since details can change.

https://azresidentialresource.com/blog/this-week-in-the-valley-september-28-to-october-4/

Casita is Spanish for little house. The City of Phoenix counts casitas, guest houses and granny flats as accessory dwelling units, which can be detached or attached to the main home. Under Phoenix rules, a full accessory dwelling unit has its own kitchen, bathroom, living area and sleeping space. Have a look at Valley homes with a guest house or casita.

https://azresidentialresource.com/properties/shared_search/81c4b054ec

Sunday drive idea: the Desert Botanical Garden in Papago Park. The trails wind through desert plants from Arizona and from around the world. An easy way to spend a morning close to Phoenix.

Photo: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://azresidentialresource.com/blog/

Twenty minutes in the yard this weekend. As the nights cool, plants need less water, so adjust the timer before the bill tells you to. A quick reset now is easier than catching up later.

https://azresidentialresource.com/resources/

Most sellers know their loan balance to the dollar, then wave a hand at everything else. That hand wave is where the anxiety comes from. The net proceeds calculator on my site asks for the price you want to test, your loan payoff, closing costs, agent compensation, prorated taxes, HOA charges and any repair money, then shows the subtractions and the estimated cash at closing. Change one line, run it again, and you have a range instead of a guess. It is not a settlement statement and it does not quote your actual payoff, but it turns a vague worry into a list you can read.

https://azresidentialresource.com/sell/net-proceeds/

Here is what is on the board in the Valley this weekend. Maricopa County Parks has a Guided Bird Hike on Friday, a Bird Walk with Tom Locascio on Saturday, and National Public Lands Day on Sunday. Friday Night Fireside History runs at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park through Friday. Havana Nights is at The Scott Resort and Spa in Scottsdale all weekend, and College of Cards is at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale all weekend too.

https://azresidentialresource.com/blog/

The August 2026 numbers are out for Greater Phoenix. Sales came in at 5,471, down 7.7% from last year, while the median sale price was $445,000, up 1.1%. Months of supply moved up to 4.28, and Maricopa County had 15,125 homes for sale, up 5.6% year over year. Median days on market was 64 in Greater Phoenix, slightly faster than last August. The asking price median in the county was $499,000, down 5.0%, so what sellers list at and what homes close at are telling slightly different stories. Buyers have more to choose from. Sellers who price against real recent sales are the ones getting to closing.

https://azresidentialresource.com/blog/august-2026-in-greater-phoenix-fewer-sales-more-homes-to-choose-from/

If you are thinking about selling, the net proceeds calculator estimates what you could walk away with, two ways: a best case and a realistic range. You can enter your expected sale price, closing date, annual property taxes, mortgage balance, and HOA fees, marking anything you are unsure about. Buyer's agent commission is not required by law or by the MLS, so the realistic range includes it and the best case shows what changes without it. Nothing you enter leaves your browser, and you can print or save the result.

https://azresidentialresource.com/sell/net-proceeds/

Every agent will tell you they have a marketing plan. That tells you almost nothing. The useful questions are narrower: what will this sell for and what sales are you basing that on, what changes if it has not sold in three weeks, how long is the agreement and how do I end it, and what is your commission in dollars at my likely sale price. Then read the listing agreement itself, especially its length and its termination terms. One more thing sellers now decide instead of defaulting to: whether to offer anything toward the buyer's agent, since that can no longer be published on the MLS. Worth settling before the listing goes live.

https://azresidentialresource.com/sell/guide/choosing-an-agent/