by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Sep 25, 2020 | Home Buying, Home Ownership
Over the years research has shown that new or updated kitchens are the most important feature when house hunting. This is also my experience in the metro Phoenix area as Arizonans spend a lot of time in or around the kitchen. Plus new appliances have a lot of impact...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Sep 15, 2020 | Home Ownership, Selling Your Home
In Best Remodeling Projects I wrote about the best bang for your buck when selling a home. I also mentioned 2 of the worst – an upscale major kitchen remodel and a master bedroom addition. But there are other home improvements that also have a marginal payoff. One is...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Aug 12, 2020 | Home Ownership, Selling Your Home
There are online home evaluators like Zillow that give an estimate of your home’s value, but there’s no substitute for a real comparable market analysis (CMA). Outside of a newly built tract home, it is rare that an online evaluation accurately reflect the real market...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Jul 16, 2020 | Home Ownership, Mortgages + Lending
Reverse mortgages are a way for homeowners 62 and older to convert the equity in their homes into cash. These loans create cash flow to pay financial obligations when the owner doesn’t want to sell the home. The amount of a reverse mortgage is based on the equity or...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Jul 3, 2020 | Home Ownership
In a survey conducted between January and March of 2020 of more than 87,000 homeowners by Houzz, renovations remain a popular activity, particularly among older age groups. Baby boomers accounted for more than half of owners who renovated in 2019. Gen Xers (ages 40 to...
by kramoltz@hotmail.com | Jun 29, 2020 | Home Ownership, Taxes
Prior to January 1, 2020, an owner of solar panels was entitled to a 30% credit against federal income tax owed. In 2020 the credit was reduced to 26%. In 2021 the tax credit drops to 22%, and after that year it disappears. To qualify, a system needs to be “placed in...
