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.
Buyers Want More Bathrooms.
In the last several years, the share of new single-family homes with 3 or more full bathrooms has increased and those with less have edged downward. Census Bureau data shows 27% of new single-family homes started in 2015 had 3 full bathrooms and 10% had four or more....
Banks Are Back in the Home Loan Market?
Not too long ago in Banks Leaving the Mortgage Business, I wrote about a report that large #banks have left the home #loan market - originating just 52% mortgages in 2014, down from more than 70% seven years earlier. But bank portfolio loans (the mortgages they make...
Elevated Foreclosures Continue in Florida.
Foreclosures have fallen across the country, with REO inventory down nearly 30% by the end of the summer of 2016 according to CoreLogic. And completed foreclosures in the U.S. are now down 69% from the September 2010 peak. Here in Arizona our trustee’s sales have also...
Do You Love Animals?
Then support animal charities through SimplySOLD™! The holiday season means giving, and SimplySOLD™ does its part. We donate to the Arizona Humane Society each time a qualifying transaction closes. I also donate to the Hermitage no-kill cat shelter in...
High Cost States Lose to Arizona.
More home owners are leaving some of the fastest appreciating housing markets, like California and Colorado, while more are staying in more affordable markets like Arizona. A new study by CoreLogic shows that 2.5 home sellers fled California for every out-of-state...
How Much is Solar Worth? Part 2.
When a solar system is owned, value is added is added to the home, and appraisers are required to determine that amount. To do so, basic information such as the age and capacity of the system should be provided by the seller. Then, like any other amenity, the...
Asian Investment Explodes.
In the first half of 2016, Bloomberg reports Asian investors bought up an estimated $15 billion worth of overseas real estate - a figure that matches the amount spent in all of 2015. Asian buyers are increasingly turning to unconventional locations (for them), like...
Move Into a New Home, Now.
Don’t want to wait for your next new home to be built? In November in the Phoenix metro area there were 303 communities with approximately 1039 spec homes in various stages of construction. Of the around 762 plans available, 517 are single level, and 245 are two story...
Looking for a Home but don’t Speak English?
You don’t need to - to search for properties at REALTOR.org. REALTOR.org is a companion site to REALTOR.com (the website you should us to search for Arizona and U.S. listings). REALTOR.org has the same, but with more of a global focus, including a translation tool...