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.
What is an Incurable Defect?
An unfavorable property characteristic that can’t be fixed, such as a location on a busy street, is known as an incurable defect. This requires the value to be adjusted downward from that of a comparable home to reflect the “defect”. What does this mean to a buyer?...
Don’t Overpay for Title Insurance, Part 2.
Refinancing and Resale Rates. When refinancing your existing mortgage or selling your home, you may be entitled to a title insurance and escrow fee discount. The applicable discount when refinancing is called a "reissue rate." A reissue is an extension of a current...
Obscure Arizona Real Estate Laws.
Did you know that Arizona has a law that limits the amount of land one person may purchase? If buying land from the State, A.R.S. §37-240 states that no person may purchase more than 640 acres of grazing land, or more than 160 acres of agricultural land. Since most...
Property Investment Basics, Part 2.
Present Value. A fundamental concept in real estate investing is that a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future. Therefore a "discount rate" is used to determine the present value of an income stream. In computing the present value of a dollar, the...
Five things home buyers hate.
Bad listing photos. Poorly executed (i.e., dark, taken from an awkward angle) and poorly chosen photos (of unattractive areas and things, small rooms). Only the best aspects of a home should be featured. More is not better!Messy homes. No boxes should be on the floor,...
Don’t Overpay for Title Insurance. Part 1, Investor/Builder Rate.
Reduced title insurance premiums and escrow fees are available to certain buyers and sellers, but they are not volunteered. Since title insurance is the biggest escrow/title cost, it’s worth it to find out if a discount applies. One reduced rate that may be available...
The “Ugly” Property Next Door.
Is an unsightly home ruining your property’s value and your neighbor won’t do anything about it? Neighbor disputes are one of the reasons people move, with 13% of Americans say they have moved just to get away from a neighbor according to North American Van Lines. If...
Read the Fine Print and Win Money.
Do you read all of the contractual terms before you click “accept”? As a lawyer, I try to. You may want to start also, as a woman read the fine print on an travel insurance contract ended up winning $10,000. The insurance company Squaremouth said that many travelers...
Buy a Home Anywhere in Arizona.
Thanks to the Arizona Assoc. of Realtors, we now have access to homes listed for sale in Tucson, Prescott, Sedona, Lake Havasu, Yuma and most of the rest of Arizona. This means that SimplySOLD can now offer an expanded level of service to our local, Canadian and...