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.
Phoenix is Getting Browner.
Front yard grass is almost non existent in new and newer homes in the Valley of the Sun. And in the back yard, the great majority of those homes have limited or fake grass. Desert or natural landscaping is the preferred choice. This is the reverse of homes built in...
Secret Street Naming Codes.
Do you know what the difference is between a street, an avenue and a road? The city of Phoenix uses a grid system for roadways, with suffixes organized according to location. That means that numbered streets west of Central Avenue will use the suffixes Avenue, Drive,...
Your Home May be Giving You Lung Cancer.
The second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. (smoking is #1) is Radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the ground. When Radon has accumulated in a structure in sufficient quantities, it may present health risks over time. Homes with basements...
Suicide Dogs.
In WWII dogs were used to sniff out mines, carry messages, scout trails and guard camps. But a novel use was by the Russians to destroy tanks in the early years of the eastern front. Desperate to stop the German advance, they trained dogs to go under tanks with...
Resolving an HOA Complaint.
I’ve written a couple of blogs (the latest being Do You Have an HOA Dispute? Part 2) about how a homeowner to contest a notice of violation or fine by a Homeowner's Association. It is an alternative to the civil court system administered by the Arizona Department of...
Phoenix: A Top 5 Cleanest City.
In January 2020 ImproveNet surveyed 4,326 people across the country about how they cleaned their home. They asked what was done, the time that was invested, and the level of detail that was employed. Out of 21 cities, Phoenix was ranked in the top five. What cities...
How Educated is a Real Estate Agent?
What education do you think the state of Arizona requires of real estate agents?1. A four year University degree (BA or BS), three years post-graduate (Master's Degree and a Phd/Doctorate or their equivalent), and 180 hours of real estate school ("RES"); or2. A four...
Reckless the War Horse.
An example of a recipient of the Dickin Medal (see Animals Deserve Medals Too) is Sgt. Reckless, a chestnut mare who served in the Korean War. She was a U.S. army ammunition carrier during some of the bloodiest trench and outpost fighting. She made repeated trips to...
Are Rents Becoming Unaffordable?
Metro Phoenix area apartment rent increases lead the nation, rising 7.4% over the past year. Almost every Valley of the Sun city beat the national 3% increase, with the city of Surprise leading the way with a remarkable 16% rent hike. Luxury complexes are still being...