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.
Tapping Your Home Equity, Part 2. Refinancing.
Although interest rates have inched up, they are still near historic lows. The mortgage pros say that generally a one percent drop in the interest rate of your loan makes it worth it. The lower payments will save money you can invest or use elsewhere. A cash out refi...
How’s the Market?
As of August, still very pro seller in the greater Phoenix area. Statements that the market was evening out over the summer were premature. An example is the absorption rate. The absorption rate measures the rate at which homes are sold during a given time period. The...
German War Dogs.
Unlike the U.S., Germany didn’t terminate its war dog program after World War 1. So the German army was equipped in WW2 from the get go with dogs that had attended training schools at around six months of age. The process started with testing of the animals’ potential...
What Buyers Want, Part 2: Bathrooms.
Bathroom features are generally second to kitchen amenities in importance - especially those in the master bathroom. Obviously bathrooms with sufficient size are essential, but what does National Association of Home Builders survey say are the most desirable features...
Too Many Real Estate Agents?
In a new report, (Heterogeneous Real Estate Agents and the Housing Cycle), the authors conclude there are too many inexperienced real estate agents. Inexperienced real estate agents hurt sellers, because houses listed for sale by them have a lower probability of...
Tapping Your Home Equity, Part 1.
Downsizing. Selling your home usually isn’t on the home equity harvest techniques list. But buying a less expensive home can a generate a sizeable amount of cash that was previously inaccessible. And if the cash savings of buying a home for less money is invested, it...
Dublin, The Trench Cat.
In the First World War, many veterinarians were needed due to the large number of horses employed by the armies of the participants. One of those vets was an English army officer from Ireland that had a big black tomcat named Dublin. They arrived in France early in...
What Buyers Want, Part 1: Kitchens.
The National Association of Home Builders has released its latest study, What Home Buyers Really Want, 2021 Edition. The top kitchen features 80% of buyers say they must have according to NAHB are a double kitchen sink and a pantry. Four out of ten buyers believed a...
Solar Tax Credits Are Reappearing!
In Solar Tax Credits Are Disappearing! I related that before January 1, 2020, an owner of solar panels was entitled to a 30% credit against federal income tax owed. In 2020 the credit was reduced to 26%, and for 2021 it was to drop to 22%. But thanks to the Covid...