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.
Haunted Home Stories for Halloween.
At Halloween in previous years, I have told stories of scary homes for sale (in Horrifying Home Stories for Halloween). But houses not on the market may be cursed too. Built in the mid-1800s, Ashton Villa is a mansion in Galveston, Texas said to be haunted by previous...
Trick or Treat? Haunted Homes.
Do some people like the idea of living in a haunted house? Nearly 60% of people who have lived in a haunted house didn't know it was haunted before they moved in, according to the Realtor.com 2019 Haunted Real Estate Report, But around 37% knew the home was haunted...
Attract Buyers to Your Listing, Part 1.
As I set forth in What Buyers Want, buyers want new or updated kitchens and bathrooms. But what if you can't afford a total or high end remodel? Here are some fixes: Change Counter Tops. Laminate can mimic the contemporary look of granite or quartz at a significant...
Foreign Trade and Business in Arizona.
International transactions are important to Arizona. Global trade means that foreign buyers are doing business here and buying homes in the Phoenix area. If you are in business here or are considering doing business in our state, useful information is in the NAR...
6 Questions to Ask Home Inspectors, Part 1.
Before you make your final buying or selling decision, have the home inspected by a professional. An inspection can alert you to potential problems with a property and allow you to structure a reasonable repair request. But before hiring one, ask a home inspector...
82% Jump in Phoenix Construction Starts.
Construction starts for commercial and multifamily dipped 22% nationally and in all but two of the top metro areas in the first half of the year Construction Dive reports. But in the Phoenix area starts were up 82%, according to Dodge Data and Analytics. Those...
Satan, the Messenger Dog.
How he got the name has been lost to history, but on the battlefield in WWI he was an angel. A French war dog, Satan was tasked with finding a lost group of soldiers during the battle of Verdun. Searching the battlefield he was shot twice but kept going until he...
Do You Have Bedbugs?
In Arizona there is a statute pertaining to bedbugs, but only in rental situations. It prohibits landlords from renting when they know bedbugs are present. The law also provides that if a tenant discovers it has bedbugs, it must notify the landlord in writing. If...
Who is Buying in Phoenix?
It may appear that investors are driving the housing market now due to the frenzy in the lower end of the market. But almost 90% of the people who bought homes in the Valley of the Sun in July and August of 2020 were owner occupants or second home buyers. During the...