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.
3 Reasons to Buy a Phoenix Area Home Now.
1. Low Mortgage Rates. Loan payments are affordable due to low interest rates, pushing housing accessibility higher, which has helped to offset our rise in prices. 2. Rent is High. It’s often cheaper to buy than lease as rents have been on the rise and are predicted...
They’re Moving to Lower Cost States.
For higher earners and retirees, moving from high cost states make sense. The top 5 states losing population in 2020 (according to United Van Lines) were New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Connecticut and California. Those gaining the most population were Idaho, South...
The Canine POW, Part 3.
After their stay in Singapore, Japanese WWII prison inmate Frank Williams and Judy spent a year together at a new railroad construction POW camp in Sumatra. Judy helped to keep them safe by warning the prisoners when poisonous snakes, crocodiles or even tigers...
Getting a Down Payment.
A significant amount of first time buyers are prevented from buying a home because they don’t have an enough money for a down payment. According to Nerdwallet, that percentage is 38%. Another survey says 44% of people can’t buy a new home due to insufficient cash to...
Succeed with SimplySOLD.
SimplySOLD attained its highest yearly sales volume ever in 2020 with almost $10,000,000 in total sales. Since we are a small boutique brokerage this number is particularly impressive. It also demonstrates our expertise with luxury properties. Let us help you so we...
2021 Kitchen Trends.
Here are three kitchen remodeling trends: 1. Separate Spaces. Dedicated areas for baking, coffee making, and working remotely are the new way to organize kitchen space. 2. Bigger Islands. More people are working from home so the kitchen has become more than a place to...
Rin Tin Tin, Part 6.
The Return? In 1978 in order to extend the life of the Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, the series was colorized. But the process resulted in an artificial look, and the popularity for western based shows had passed, so the reboot was never aired. Attempts over the years to...
Less Stuff is More!
A crucial element of home sale preparation is decluttering. Decluttering isn’t staging. Staging is bringing in furniture, lighting and accessories that were not previously present in the home (Read my 3 part series on staging for more on what staging is and isn’t)....
How to Figure Out Flood Plains.
There are about 62,000 properties with an elevated risk of flooding in the metro Phoenix area. In the Scottsdale area - where SimplySOLD does a lot of work, the most impact is in the 85255 area code. To figure out if a property is in a flood plain, and if so, what...