MoneyWorld agents report seasonal surge

With help from a Century 21 MoneyWorld agent, Las Vegan Kate Pejack recently sold her condominium in the northwestern valley's Centennial Hills area, and purchased a new and larger condominium nearby. Her new monthly mortgage payment is $100 more than she had been paying.

"There are a lot of people doing what I'm doing," Pejack said. "There's nothing wrong with their place, but why not upgrade for pennies on the dollar more?"

"It's because of people like Kate, who are taking advantage of the peak buying season and record low interest rates to move to a larger home without paying much more," said Kelly Stafford, an agent in the realty firm's Summerlin office. "Both interest rates and prices can only go up, and that's fueling a lot of the interest in real estate right now.

"I've even had two clients who are reconsidering their retirement plans to capitalize on this opportune time to buy. They like Las Vegas and want to retire here, but aren't quite ready. They're thinking of purchasing now, however, and either renting or allowing the home to remain empty for a year or two."

Stafford pointed out that spring is an ideal time of year to buy or sell a home.

"The flowers are blooming, the grass is green and the pools tend to be cleaner," she said. "Neighborhoods just look prettier this time of year.

Stafford's husband and business partner, Jeff Stafford, agreed.

"Suddenly we're seeing an onslaught of sellers who made it through the holidays, and want to get their house sold ...," he said, noting that sellers should be aware of their home's curb appeal.

"Sometimes I'll pull up to a house with a client, and if they don't like the looks of it from the outside, even if it's fantastic inside, they don't want to go in," he said. "That's why it's so important to plant flowers, clean the cobwebs off the stucco and remove dead leaves."

Kristi Archuleta, an agent in MoneyWorld's Green Valley office, said many buyers from the Midwest and East Coast are attracted by the valley's warm, dry climate.

"People come from places like Chicago and New York, especially when they have had a lot of snow like they did this year," she said. "I think that's adding to our increase in buyers right now."

Archuleta said the start of tax season also prompts many people to consider buying or selling property.

"It reminds them that if they haven't bought a home yet, they can save a lot of money on taxes by making the investment. Also, for those who need more good debt for tax reasons, it's the time of year to buy investment property or move up," she said. "Real estate is still the best investment, especially if the stock market is shaky."

Archuleta also encouraged consumers to work with professional real estate agents.

"That's the best way to be educated on properties and contracts, and to be exposed to the largest market," she said.

Century 21 MoneyWorld has four offices in the Las Vegas Valley.

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