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!
When can you legally use a Handyman?
In Arizona, repairs under $1,000 can be performed by a person without a contractor’s license. But the “handyman exemption” isn’t that simple. An important limitation is that the aggregate contract price, including labor, materials and all other items, is less than...
Preparing For Your Move, Part 5.
Moving Day Tips. Color Code: As well as labeling, assign each room a color and use coordinating colored duct tape on the top and sides of boxes so that they can be identified when stacked. Fill Space: To prevent damage, use socks or rags to fill in ‘dead air' space,...
Don’t be a Victim of the Endowment Effect.
The Endowment Effect is the tendency of sellers to over value the things that they own. When combined with loss aversion instincts, the Endowment Effect can cripple the home sale process. An example of its impact was shown by an experiment where half of a group were...
They Shoot Horses? Operation Cowboy.
In the last days of the WWII, American soldiers captured a German spy with photos of beautiful white horses in his briefcase. They pictured the world famous Lippizzaner “dancing” horses, which were being kept on a farm behind enemy lines, in the future Russian...
Do You Have an Easement? Part 2.
Impact on Property. The effect of an easement can be generally regarded as positive or negative. A "beneficial easement" benefits the owner of the land subject to the easement, such as one which enables utilities to be supplied to the property. A "burdensome easement"...
IRS Announces Opportunity Zone Designations.
Want to pay less tax on your real estate investments? A new community redevelopment program for economically distressed communities called Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) offers significant tax benefits. One of the incentives works like a 1031 exchange, allowing a...