Robert Israel's (risrael) Blog

I find most people want to place blame for the economy and unemployment and other social-politcal issues on our politicians.  How simple it is to point a finger, but one must remember that everytime you point a finger at one person or group, there are 3 more fingers pointing back at yourself, and...

Starting Oct 4th with all FHA Case Numbers ordered, borrowers will be subject to new FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums.  The changes are as follows: * Up Front MIP will decrease from 2.25% to 1%* Annual MIP will increase from .50/.55 to .85/.90 for terms greater than 15 yrs* FHA will make the premi...

Pricing a home is one of the toughest jobs of a REALTOR, especially in today's market. There is a fine line between fulfilling our role to get the most for a property vs. keeping it competitive vs. making sure it appraises vs. underselling vs. obliging unrealistic sellers (our clients in some cas...

The Gallup organization has a pole open to Arizona residents interested in submitting feedback on shaping the future direction of our state.  From infrastructure, job's and health care, to education, the economy & the environment, this pole solicits YOUR opinion about how tax dollars ought to be ...

Are you retiring to Prescott, AZ? You're not alone. Prescott was just voted the 4th Best Place to Retire by CNNMoney.com: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/real_estate/1009/gallery.best_places_retire.moneymag/4.html And its not the first time.  For well over a decade Prescott has consistently b...

Financing for unique homes is proving to be difficult since lenders are more skittish than ever.  I just had a property fail to get financing because the investor, not the loan officer not the appraiser, not the VP of underwriting, felt the property would not be acceptable or sellable in the seco...

Green home improvements and renovations can be another slippery moss covered slope in the real estate mountain of considerations. With so many options and calculations for materials and systems its critical to identify what your goals are. Who will occupy the property? The owner or a tenant? Are ...

Zillow says that Prescott and Prescott Valley have either stopped depreciating or gained some value!!!That's some really great news even if it is only temporary.  Time will tell.  Here is a link to their page, just scroll down for our cities numbers: http://www.zillow.com/local-info/AZ-Yavapai-Co...

Is now the time to buy real estate? Everyone wants to know if we are at the bottom of this market. But is that really the question? Regardless of the predictions, there's no doubt that it really is a good time to buy. Here are some reasons why: Interest rates are at historic lows If you qualify f...

Energy Audits are a great tool to learn how energy efficient a home is before or after you buy.  Its also a great tool for sellers to market their property. Here's why... An Energy Audit uses Blower Door and Blower Duct tests among other tools to see how "tight" your home is.  Those tests pressur...