Brandon and Carly Kyle moved from Temple, Texas to Phoenix for Brandon's anesthesiology residency at a downtown hospital. In March they lost an Ahwatukee home they loved, even at $75,000 over list. Six weeks later they won a five-bedroom pool home in Crimson Ridge, Ahwatukee, against a buyer who matched their price. A full appraisal waiver and a zero-down physician loan made the difference.
Who were Brandon and Carly, and why Phoenix?
They were a young family from Temple, Texas, moving for Brandon's residency. He matched into anesthesiology at a hospital in downtown Phoenix. They had a little one, a second baby on the way, and a start date that was not going to move.
They flew in with a rental car and a long list. On one day in early March we toured nine homes across Gilbert, Mesa, west Chandler, and South Tempe.
Why did they end up in Ahwatukee instead of Gilbert?
Because the drive to work mattered more than the photos did. At first they were shopping pretty houses. Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, all of it. We were all over the place.
After a couple of trips where we drove the streets and walked the homes together, the real priority showed up. Brandon was going to work long, odd hospital hours downtown. He needed to be close, with easy freeway access. Ahwatukee checked that box. It also had the mountains in the backyard, and you get a little more home for the money than in South Tempe.
A listing photo can't tell you what the I-10 looks like at 5:30 in the morning.
What happened with the first house?
We lost it, and it hurt. The first home they fell for was in Ahwatukee. I still remember standing in that backyard when Carly started to cry. She could see her kids playing out there. In her mind it was already hers.
We pulled out everything. We offered $75,000 over list. We waived the appraisal in full. Their lender, Ryan Sabia at X2 Mortgage, set them up on a physician loan with zero down up to $2 million. They could have put 20% down. They didn't need to, and the offer was strong without it.
We still lost. We never even got a call asking if we wanted to improve our offer. To this day that rubs me the wrong way. They did everything I asked, and it should have been enough. Sometimes it just doesn't work the way you think it should.
What did I tell them after they lost it?
I told them I've been there. My wife and I once wrote an offer on a house we were head over heels for. We lost it to a cash buyer. They won, fair and square. About a year later my daughter started riding horses and we fell in love with that whole world. That house never could have had horses. Losing it was the best thing that happened to us. We just couldn't see it yet.
I know that doesn't help much in the moment. But there will be the right house for your family, at the right time. I've watched it happen over and over.
How did we win the second house?
We moved fast and took the appraisal off the table. The home at 4564 E Chuckwalla Canyon hit the market on April 22. Five bedrooms, three baths, about 3,300 square feet, a pool, a three-car garage, and Kyrene schools.
We wrote the next day at $790,000, $25,000 over the $765,000 list price, with a full appraisal waiver and a 10-day inspection period. Here is why the waiver made sense this time:
I was confident the home would appraise.
They had the cash to cover a gap if it didn't.
They had a baby coming and wanted to be done. They did not want to Mickey Mouse around.
The next day the listing agent came back with good news. Another buyer wanted the house and was willing to match our price. The appraisal waiver is what put us over the edge. Same price, less risk for the seller. That's how you win when you are not the only offer.
The appraisal later came in at $791,000. The waiver never cost them a dime.
Why did we ask for a credit instead of repairs?
Because they were going to remodel anyway. The inspection, including a sewer scope, gave us a list to work with on a home built in 1993. We negotiated a $12,000 credit at closing instead of asking the sellers to fix things.
Brandon and Carly planned to gut a lot of the house. Paying the sellers' contractors to patch things they were about to tear out made no sense. A credit let them spend that money on their own projects, in their own order.
One more small thing before closing. The window screens had come off to get the home ready for market, and the removable pool fence was down. I asked the sellers to put both back up. With a little one and a baby coming, that fence was not optional.
What was the result?
They closed on May 21, right on schedule. They paid less than they offered on the first house, which left room to make this one theirs. Carly is one of the most positive, bubbly people I've worked with, and she was giddy. Brandon is calmer. He's a doctor. But they were both ready to start designing.
The house they lost in March would have been a fine house. This one was the right one.
What would I tell a doctor or resident relocating to Phoenix?
Drive your commute before you fall in love. Hospital hours are not normal hours. Still narrowing it down? Find the neighborhood that fits your commute.
Get your physician loan lined up before you fly in. Zero down is a real tool, but you need the approval in hand.
Know your walk-away number and your appraisal comfort zone ahead of time. In a multiple-offer situation you won't have time to figure it out.
If you lose one, grieve it for a day. Then get back out there.
Want the full picture of how I work with buyers?
FAQ
Can a resident physician buy a home in Phoenix with zero down?
Often, yes. Many lenders offer physician loans to residents and attending doctors with strong credit and a signed contract. Brandon's program allowed zero down up to $2 million. Talk to a lender who does these loans often, before you start touring. I also helped an ER surgeon who bought in South Chandler on a physician loan.
What is an appraisal waiver, and is it risky?
It means you agree to buy at your offer price even if the appraisal comes in lower. You cover any gap in cash. It is risky if you don't have that cash or you overpay. It makes sense when you know the comps and have a cushion, like Brandon and Carly did.
How do you win a house when another buyer offers the same price?
You make your offer the easier one to say yes to. Fewer contingencies, a clean timeline, and proof your financing is solid. On this house, the appraisal waiver broke the tie.
Is Ahwatukee a good fit for someone working at a downtown Phoenix hospital?
For a lot of people, yes. It sits right on the I-10, so the drive downtown is simpler than from most of the Southeast Valley. You also get mountain views and more house for the money than South Tempe. Drive it at your actual shift times before you decide.
Ben Graham, REALTOR® since 2011, serving South Tempe, Chandler, and the surrounding Southeast Valley. More than 500 homes sold, including relocating doctors and families moving to the Valley for hospital jobs.
