Phoenix Real Estate Blog

  It’s here again: time to produce my monthly Phoenix area real estate news video for Realty Times. Read on for a snapshot of what went on in the Phoenix area in June.  Did you miss my last Realty Times news video?  You can check it out here:  http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BobStahl Enjoy!   RT: Wha...

  An article yesterday in the Boston Globe suggested that the wealth of information available on the Internet has made using a real estate agent when buying a home less necessary. Actually, I should be fair.  This is what the article said, exactly:  “Many buyers still prefer to work with a real e...

  A recent segment on NPR’s Fresh Air highlighted really well the sequence of events that got us where we are today.  Host Terry Gross interviewed Paul Muolo, executive editor of National Mortgage News and co-author of Chain of Blame: How Wall Street Caused the Mortgage and Credit Crisis. The seg...

  Last Friday the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) – which regulates some U.S. banks – stepped in and closed IndyMac Bank, putting the FDIC in charge of operations.  Regulators estimate the move will cost taxpayers $4-8 billion. IndyMac is the second-largest U.S. bank to collapse (it had $32.01...

  I feel a bit sheepish.  I pride myself on knowing a lot about real estate – from the economics of the current market to how to stage a home.  It is, after all, my job.  But I always admit when I learn something new.  And today, I did. Reading an article on Bloomberg.com, called “Discounted Mort...

  It may be hot, hot, hot outside, but there are some cool things to do this weekend in the Valley!  Check them out: (And let me know if I’ve missed any of your favs!)   An Icy Evening at the Museum What: Cool off from the heat by visiting our Ice Age animals, cool your heels in our territorial j...

  Arizona’s Governor Napolitano signed a proposal requiring that loan originators – mortgage loan officers – be licensed, just like real estate agents, appraisers, escrow agents. . . the list goes on. I’ve written a couple of posts reporting on the progress of the bill: Proposed bill would requir...

  This week’s Carnival of Real Estate was creatively hosted by TransparantRE.com and we made the top blogs list!  Check out TransparentRE’s slide show of the top blogs here. Thanks to Transparent Real Estate for hosting a great Carnival!

  I’ve written a couple of blog posts in the past year about an interesting, if quirky, trend: house swapping.  (You give me yours and I’ll give you mine — trading houses and House swap (it’s not a new reality show)). It works less like “Wife Swap” (you don’t give the house base) and more like “y...

  I like to mention it when Arizona gets some “Best of. . .” award.  And there have been lots (see my blog post, From Best Cities for Jobs to North American City of the Future — Greater Phoenix Is It).  Yet the other day we were ranked #1 on a not-so-great list: Business Week’s list of the ten st...