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!
Have you Received $ in the U.S.?
If you’re a Canadian and have received money from a U.S. source when you are here, you may have to file a U.S. tax return. That is because the U.S. may believe you owe taxes on that money. If you are a snowbird and spend a limited amount of time in the U.S., your tax...
Preparing For Your Move, Part 3.
The 'Not to Exceed' Estimate. When you ask the mover to provide an opinion of the cost, one option is a ‘Binding Not-to-Exceed’ estimate. With this type of estimate, if your actual weight is more than the written estimate, you'll pay for only the amount of the...
Median Can be Misleading.
Housing price stats are often given through a "median price.” A median price is that which is right in the middle, so that half of the homes sold were priced more and the other half less. But they can be distorted by sales of homes at the fringes of the market - by...
Dobermans in Action in the Pacific.
Part 1. Although Doberman Pinchers were the Marines first choice, they proved to be unsuitable as a combat dog in WWII. Their replacement had to do with Dobermans not being fierce and fearless enough in combat. But in some situations they did prove useful. In 1944 Jim...
Can a Buyer Assign its Rights?
What if you sign a contract to buy a home but then don’t want to, or can’t, close? Can you designate someone to take over the sale for you? Under ordinary principles of contract law, every contract is assignable unless prohibited, so you should be able to. Some...
Are you Getting Less Home Insurance for More?
In the last few years home owners’ insurance has covered less while costing more. Large losses due to hurricanes and floods nationally have led insurers to impose limits on what losses will be paid. For example, restricting coverage on plumbing leaks or damage to...