Blog
Latest NewsN. 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. Due to his love of animals and military history, he also frequently writes about dogs, cats and horses that have played a role in military conflicts. Subscribe to his blog now!
Canadians Buy the Most U.S. Real Estate
Once again the latest numbers show that Canadians bought more U.S. properties than the citizens of any other country in the U.S. last year - almost one-quarter of the real estate purchased by citizens of other countries in the United States. A few blogs ago I...
Canadian Currency Update #2
Last year I wrote about the increasing strength of the Canadian dollar relative to U.S. currency, and the result of a favorable currency exchange rate to Canadian investment here. I also discussed the positive impact the exchange rate makes to my fellow Canadians when...
Are we in for a Hockey Stick Recovery?
Everybody who knows me know how much I love hockey. I’m a Canadian so it is a genetic issue, I still play twice a week, and I watch every game I can on the NHL Center Ice channels. But I never thought you could analogize my favorite sport to real estate. But according...
Can you get a Loan after a Foreclosure or Short Sale?
Short sales are a fact of life in Arizona residential real estate. A short sale is defined as the sale of a property, resulting in a payoff of less than the total amount owed, in lieu of a foreclosure or to permit a sale. If you are the next metro Phoenix homeowner to...
Removal of Mortgage Insurance Premiums, Part 2.
In my last blog I wrote about the slim possibility of getting a refund of “private mortgage insurance”. Mortgage insurance is required by lenders when a down payment is less than 20%. Usually those payments are non-refundable unless the lender agrees otherwise at the...
Refunds of Mortgage Insurance Premiums, Part 1.
Recently, I was asked the question: Can I get PMI payments refunded? What was being asked pertains to "private mortgage insurance", which is required if a down payment is less than 20% of the value of the home. In that event, the lender requires the borrower purchase...