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 Qualify for HARP?
The Phoenix metro area has the 8th biggest pool of potential HARP loan refis. Its estimated that over 10,000 homeowners qualify. The criteria are more than 20% under water, and a Fannie or Feddie loan made before 5/09. Learn more at harpprogram.org.
Less Foreign Buyers Spend More.
Fewer international buyers are buying U.S. real estate according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2015 Profile of Home Buying Activity of International Clients. In 2014, sales transaction to buyers outside of the U.S. dropped 10%. But those who did buy...
Arizona Tourism Up!
Arizona set new tourism and related spending records in 2014. More than 40 million people stayed overnight in the state of Arizona in 2014, generating nearly $21 billion in direct spending according to the Arizona Office of Tourism on Monday. Visits by...
Canadians can pump their own gas.
Are you a Canadian having difficulty paying at U.S. pumps? The problem is the requirement that a zip code be entered at pay-at-the-pump locations. This Address Verification Service security tool doesn’t always recognize Canadian postal codes, which include letters as...
Do you live in a flood plain?
Flood plains are areas determined to be potentially affected by flooding. Why should you care? As Mesa, Arizona homeowners found out last year, flooding is possible in some neighborhoods. Flood damage is not covered by homeowners' insurance policies, so you have to...
The Chinese Beat Canadians.
Chinese buyers have surpassed Canadians as the most dominant foreign home purchasers in the United States, according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2015 International Profile of Home Buying Activity. Home buyers from China comprised 16% of international...
The 2 Big Seller Mistakes
Here are two biggest mistakes sellers can make: 1. Being unrealistic about value. Too often what the seller believes their home is worth is not realistic. A reasonable price will be based on recent sales of comparable properties in the immediate area. Many sellers...
New Build Construction Still Spotty
According to a leading new home analyst, there is little evidence to suggest that the new-home segment of the housing market in the metro Phoenix area has begun to recapture any significant level of market share versus the resale market. New home construction by both...
Trees Can Mean Big Bucks.
Although not always present on Arizona lots, the number of trees can be a powerful influence on home buying nationally. In an eastern-U.S. centered study, 18% of repeat buyers and 25% of buyers purchasing a new home said that being on a wooded lot or on a lot...