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 Affordable.
USA Today surveyed the cost of living in each state. Criteria for the rankings were median income and five expenses: home ownership costs, groceries, health care, income tax and the cost of gasoline. The three most expensive states to live in were Hawaii, California...
New Floodplain Requirements.
HUD published a rule for HUD financed projects or buildings constructed using HUD-assisted funds. The rule redefines and expands the existing 100-year Floodplain by establishing a new “Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) Floodplain.” This new FFRMS...
Dog Wins the Blue Cross.
Juliana was a Great Dane who lived in the U.K. during WW2. In April 1941during the German bombing campaign known as the Blitz, a small incendiary bomb fell through the roof of the house of Juliana and her owner. Despite the noise, shock and fire, Juliana ran to it and...
Phoenix still Number 1.
Phoenix is attracting the most new residents and seeing the fastest economic expansion in the U.S., according to a new analysis by background check company Checkr. Using data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Checkr factored in metrics like...
Where Global Purchasers are Buying.
Although the number of purchases by foreign buyers of U.S. properties are down due to rising home prices, international spending on homes continues nation-wide. Where are they buying the most homes? The top destinations for foreign purchasers in the last reporting...
Do you Have Mold?
It's not likely if you live in Arizona. But other states have high levels of fungus. Florida with its climate and flooding problems - and Mississippi, are basically tied for first with 38.76% and 38.66% of homes impacted by mold. Louisiana and Alabama come in second...
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...