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.
Do You Have an Easement? Part 5.
Liability Issues. If the benefitted land owner plans construction on the property subject to the easement, the easement should require the benefitted party to indemnify and hold the other owner harmless from any liability resulting from the work. The benefitted party...
Photos matter in Real Estate!
Photos are probably the most efficient home marketing tool. Visually appealing images will heighten the interest of a possible buyer and may determine whether that buyer decides to visit a property. Studies have shown that a viewer is more likely going to choose to...
International Home Buying in the U.S.
The NAR has released the latest Profile of International Activity in U.S. Residential Real Estate. It shows that foreign buyers bought 266,800 residential properties, a decrease from 284,000 from the previous 12 month period. The major foreign buyers continue to be...
Is Your Home “Feng Shui”?
Feng shui is a Chinese philosophy that has the goal of achieving an auspicious and harmonious environment. It is important to Chinese-Americans, with 86% of those surveyed saying that feng shui will play a role in a future home-buying decision, and 79% saying they...
Residential Architectural Styles, Part 1.
Here are some of the styles of older homes you will encounter in the South-West: Craftsman. Smallish single story with full or partial-width porches framed by tapered columns, overhanging eaves, and exposed roof rafters. Similar to, but usually slightly bigger than,...
How to Assess the Cost of a Fixer-Upper, Part 2.
1. Check permits and their cost. Find out if the work to be done requires a permit and how much that permit costs. Factor the cost, time and aggravation of permits into your plans. 2. Determine whether you will supervise subs or hire a general contractor to do so. If...
Dobermans in Action in the Pacific, Part 2.
Although Doberman Pinchers started out as the Marines’ official combat dog, by the end of WWII they were replaced by German Shepherds (see my blog Dobermans Flunk Out of the War). An example of why Dobies were dropped is the experience of Clarence Rea when out on a...
New Landlord-Tenant Changes.
Recent changes have been made to Arizona’s residential Landlord-Tenant Act which are generally favorable to landlords. They include changing the period of time a landlord has to hold abandoned personal property before those items can be sold or disposed of. The...
Do You Have an Easement? Part 4.
No Right to Change. Some of the more important considerations when granting an easement include that there is no legal right to terminate or alter its location without the consent of the benefitted property owner. So if years after an easement is granted, the burdened...