Blog
N. Mark Kramoltz, JD, GRI, CIPS writes blog articles on the metro Phoenix, Arizona, national and global real estate markets. Written from his perspective as a designated broker and real estate attorney, his articles avoid the inaccuracies and vacuous industry propaganda common to most real estate writings. He also blogs about animals (mostly dogs in the military) due to his love of pets and military history.
Arizona is Veteran Friendly.
There are over 18.2 million veterans currently living in the U.S. To help military veterans find the best places in which to settle down, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities using 19 indicators of livability, affordability and veteran-friendliness. The...
Bathroom Remodel Preferences, Part 2.
In Part 1 a study showed that open-concept wet baths are a design trend with bathroom renovators. The study also showed that as to showers, half of remodelers preferred a rain shower and half wanted a standard wall mounted head. An obvious solution to please everyone...
International Buyers Are Spending.
NAR's Profile of International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate surveys Realtors about transactions with international clients who purchased U.S. homes. In the 2023 Report covering from April 2022 through March 2023, the average ($639,900) and median...
The Red Baron’s Dog.
Manfred von Richthofen was a German World War I pilot. A legendary ace in the Great War, who some may know due to Snoopy’s battles with him (flying his doghouse) in Peanuts. The real Red Baron had a dog which he acquired as a puppy. The flying ace described him at...
10 Reasons Not to Have Pool? Part 2.
In Part One I listed five of the ten disadvantages of having a pool according to Kiplinger, some of which I did not agree with. The last five are even more problematic: 6. Your Energy Bills Will Go Up. Yup, that is guaranteed, but not that much, and it depends on how...
Death of the Ibuyer? Part 2.
In Death of the Ibuyer?, I recounted how the internet direct buyers had been punished when selling in the last half of 2022. In 2023 the bad times continued, as the institutional (Wall Street) buyers and the local iBuyers accounted for only 2,014 total home purchases...
Arizona Immigrants Come From Where?
The national immigration picture differs from that of Arizona. Our proximity to Mexico and Central America means that we are the beneficiary of more Latino migrants. So according to the 2021 census, that Mexico is Arizona’s number one immigrant group should be no...
Arizona Has Safe Cities.
WalletHub compared over 180 cities to determine which are better at protecting their residents from harm. Using 41 different metrics, metro Phoenix cities were some of safest in the nation. Gilbert was the 4th safest, Scottsdale was 10th, Chandler 14th, Peoria 28th,...
Bathroom Remodel Preferences, Part 1.
One new trend are wet baths. They are open-concept bathrooms that essentially come in two forms. One has a separate tub and shower located within in a large traditional glass shower stall. The other has a shower stall with no glass or divider from the rest of the...