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.
Preparing For Your Move, Part 6.
Insurance. In this series of blogs (the last was Part 5, Moving Day Tips) I’ve discussed what you should do to make the process go smoothly. One thing to consider is “insurance”. Moving insurance isn’t actually insurance. Instead, moving companies have an extra cost...
Researching Crime Statistics.
Various websites provide crime statistics and studies, and may have information concerning the area of the county you want to buy a home in. One is Raidsonline, which provides crime stats for cities all over the country. The Arizona Republic’s Neighborhood webpage...
Should You Buy a New Build Home?
A new build is an attractive option when looking for a home. Here’s why: You Design It. You pick the floor plan and options that work for you. Energy Savings. New homes have energy efficient heating, cooling, insulation, and appliances that can result in significantly...
Rin Tin Tin, Part 5.
The Legacy. Before the Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, there were 17,400 German Shepherds registered with the AKC. After the show finished its prime time run in 1959, that number increased to 33,735, illustrating the effect on the breed of the popularity of the show. In...
Senior Moving Help.
If you have a senior to be moved, you might find the process more difficult than anticipated. The National Association of Senior Move Managers may be able to help. It isn’t a company that supervises old movers that work really slowly - although that might make a great...
Winter Market Status.
December 2020 in metro Phoenix began with 28.2% fewer homes for sale today than a year ago, with record lows for the number of homes available in many areas. At the same time, demand increased 27.4% year-over-year, with the highest sales volume for any November in...
HOA Complaint Process a Dud?
If you have a dispute with your HOA, the Arizona Department of Real Estate (“ADRE”) administers a HOA complaint resolution procedure. I’ve written about the process (the latest being Resolving an HOA Complaint), which is available to a home owner wanting to contest a...
How Low Can They Go?
Mortgage interest rates have hit another record low. The average for a fixed rate 30 year loan dropped to 2.81% - the lowest in about the 50 years records have been kept. There have been 10 record lows so far this year, with the previous lowest one being 2.86%. So...
Draft Dogs.
One often overlooked war dog role was use as a draft animal. During the First World War, Italy and Belgium were two of the countries that used to pull small, two-wheeled carts full of machine-gun ammunition or other supplies. Often these dogs had often been used to...