News
Published September 23, 2020
House lawmakers agreed to keep the government running until Dec. 11 after each party made some tradeoffs. The Senate and president are expected to approve the plan.
Published September 23, 2020
First Community Insurance Co. wants an average 24.5% increase largely targeted to its “legacy” customers – owners under an older program rather than its newer one.
Published September 23, 2020
The federal agency behind Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac says July home prices rose 1% above June home prices and 6.5% in a year-to-year comparison.
Published September 23, 2020
An inspection costs a few hundred dollars now yet could save buyers tens of thousands of dollars later. Still, bidding wars and an inspector shortage have stifled demand.
Published September 23, 2020
The governor supports a limit to coronavirus-related litigation because he “believes it holds the economy back,” and he suggested the Florida Legislature could hold a special session in Nov. While tort reform is usually a contentious issue, business owners praised the move.
Published September 23, 2020
Deep-pocket investors – notably the mega companies that buy single-family homes and turn them into rentals – expect a rash of foreclosures to start appearing in 2021.
Published September 22, 2020
Garages eat up valuable urban space, and pandemic-led work changes and a greater use of car driving services like Uber and Lyft could permanently ease demand.
Published September 22, 2020
Fla. has the nation’s 5th worst legal ranking, the Fla. Chamber of Commerce CEO said this month. “That costs local businesses. It raises prices. It raises insurance rates.”
Published September 22, 2020
U.S. home sales rose for the third straight month in Aug. – up 2.4% compared to July – as historically low interest rates overshadowed many pandemic fears.
Published September 22, 2020
Mobile-home parks have held strong during the pandemic, and Blackstone appears to be buying a number of Fla. parks owned by Summit Communities for about $550M.
Published September 22, 2020
The Census ends soon, and Fla. lags most states with only 92.5% counted. An undercount can impact political representation and fed funding for the next 10 years.
Published September 22, 2020
Florida Realtors’ data: More sales, higher median prices, more new pending sales and more new listings year-over-year. Single-family sales up 8.8%; condo sales up 10.3% – and sales in the upper price tiers paved the way for the surge, says Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor.
Published September 21, 2020
ATTOM: At No. 2, home flips in Fort Myers grew 20.2% in 2Q, while in No. 3 Tallahassee, they rose 16.8%. Salisbury, Md., saw the biggest increase at 45.8%.
Published September 21, 2020
The additional $300 per week backed by a transfer of FEMA funds has run out. Payments were applied to the four weeks starting July 27 and ending on Aug. 22.
Published September 21, 2020
The “Zoom Town” nickname applies to hot growth areas – generally just outside existing suburbs – being considered by buyers who no longer have to commute.
Published September 21, 2020
Of those, 680K have loans backed by Fannie or Freddie and could easily defer payments for up to a year. Surveys suggest they’re likely confused about their options.
Published September 21, 2020
Some new multifamily properties have been in the pipeline for years, and pandemic trends have eased overall demand. As a result, some now offer free parking and free rent.
Published September 21, 2020
The American Housing Survey found that 51.4% of renters spend 30% or more of their family income on housing; 13% of households with someone 55 years of age or older live in an age-restricted community; and 11.3% of all households had cockroaches within the past year.
Published September 18, 2020
Pew Research Center: Due to COVID-19, 52% of 18-to-29-year-olds – about 26.2M – now live with their parents, surpassing the previous peak during the Great Depression.
Published September 18, 2020
Meet “cluttercore”– the new home trend sweeping social media that’s the opposite of decluttering. Cluttering a home to the max gives a cozier vibe, supporters say.