Save on Property Ins.? Maybe 13% in Fla. ‘Go Bare’

Save on Property Ins.? Maybe 13% in Fla. ‘Go Bare’

New Year’s Resolution: Invest in Real Estate

New Year’s Resolution: Invest in Real Estate

Top 5 Home Trends to Watch in 2023

Top 5 Home Trends to Watch in 2023: Backyards top the list along with other up-and-coming home trends: outdoor rooms, edible gardens, and ... mirrored walls. Plus, the "renovation generation" is here, and they're not scared of a hammer.

Prepping to Buy a Home or Invest in 2023? Some great pointers!

Prepping to Buy a Home or Invest in 2023?

Hot Social Media Topic as Sellers Sit? Renovation ROI

Hot Social Media Topic as Sellers Sit? Renovation ROI: Today’s non-listing homeowners with low mortgage rates will still sell one day. A top way to earn trust now? Offer advice on the resale value of various home upgrades.

Co-buying: How Platonic Partners Make It Work - Interesting Concept?

Co-buying: How Platonic Partners Make It Work: Moving from city to outer exurbs? Behavioral science finds it’s a bad idea to leave friends behind. For a few buyers, the solution is buying big and sharing space.

FEMA Extends App Deadline as Support Nears $3B

FEMA Extends App Deadline as Support Nears $3B: New deadline for Hurricane Ian survivors to apply for FEMA aid: Jan. 12. FEMA says it has provided more than $2.97B in grants, loans and flood payments so far.

Fla. Has 5 of Top 10 Move-To Metros in U.S.

Fla. Has 5 of Top 10 Move-To Metros in U.S.: Fla. metros remain popular with outside-the-city homebuyers. In a 3Q top-state popularity contest, Fla. has 5 metros in the top 10 and Calif. has 2.

Bank Denied a Buyer’s Mortgage. Now What?

Bank Denied a Buyer’s Mortgage. Now What?: There are always options, and while some detail – like submitting forgotten docs – may quickly solve the problem, other fixes take a bit more time.

‘My Safe Florida Home’ Open for Applications

‘My Safe Florida Home’ Open for Applications

Weekly Drop in Rates Saves Buyers $100 per Month

Weekly Drop in Rates Saves Buyers $100 per Month: In real-world terms, this week’s mortgage rate drop (from 7.0% to 6.61%) saves typical buyers $1,200 per year – or gives them $12K more in purchasing power.

Credit Scores: How Are They Calculated?

Credit Scores: How Are They Calculated?

Buyers Waited for Falling Prices? Big Mistake

Buyers Waited for Falling Prices? Big Mistake: Some buyers waited for bargain homes that appeared after the Great Recession – but to counter higher mortgage rates, year-to-year prices have to drop 45%.

FEMA Sending Temp Housing to 4 Fla. Counties

FEMA Sending Temp Housing to 4 Fla. Counties

Ian Adds Stress, Impacts Mental Health

Ian Adds Stress, Impacts Mental Health: Floridians – especially those in hurricane-ravaged SW Fla. – have a lot to deal with. If someone feels stressed, depressed, confused or even suicidal, help is available.

Navigating Insurance: Some Tips for Now and Later

Navigating Insurance: Some Tips for Now and Later: It’s complicated, and homeowners likely can’t file a claim before knowing the damage. “Every claim is different. Every home is different. Every storm is different.”

At What Point Do You Put Up Hurricane Shutters?

At What Point Do You Put Up Hurricane Shutters?

Mortgage Rates Hit 6%, First Time Since 2008

Mortgage Rates Hit 6%, First Time Since 2008

In SW Fla., It’s Too Late to Sell at Top of Market

In SW Fla., It’s Too Late to Sell at Top of Market: In Lee County, median sales prices are down 4%; in Collier they’re down 7%. Sales volume also dropped a bit while inventory has increased about 8%.

RE Q&A: Is It OK to Share Title with My Son?

RE Q&A: Is It OK to Share Title with My Son?: Parents with good credit often want to help their children buy a house. But it’s dangerous to have your name on a mortgage and deed if you don’t control the home.

Forecast: Fla. Will Keep Growing – But a Bit Slower

Forecast: Fla. Will Keep Growing – But a Bit Slower

Budget Realistically for Home Repairs

Budget Realistically for Home Repairs: It happens: Stuff at your home wears out or breaks. But saving 1% to 4% of your home’s value each year for maintenance and repairs isn’t easy.

NAR Chief Economist Addresses Senate Committee - Sales will slow but prices remain high

NAR Chief Economist Addresses Senate Committee

Fla.: A Top 10 State for ‘Stable’ Housing

Fla.: A Top 10 State for ‘Stable’ Housing: Realtor.com’s high-level view of housing markets – foreclosures, underwater mortgages, rising prices, etc. – finds Fla. ranking third in overall stability.

Advice for Renters Priced Out of Home Buying

Advice for Renters Priced Out of Home Buying: For many homebuyers, their ownership goal seems to be kicked farther down the field with every price increase and mortgage rate rise.

Disagree with a Home’s Flood Map? Contest It

Disagree with a Home’s Flood Map? Contest It

Real Estate Investing: 8 Things to Avoid

Real Estate Investing: 8 Things to Avoid: Real estate often make a great investment but investors expect a return on that investment. Seemingly attractive investments can sometimes have problems.

FHA Will Ignore COVID-Era Employment Lapse

FHA Will Ignore COVID-Era Employment Lapse

Fla. Focus of 1 Out of Every 7 Out-of-State Moves

Fla. Focus of 1 Out of Every 7 Out-of-State Moves

When Can You Claim $10K for Home Upgrades?

When Can You Claim $10K for Home Upgrades?: The My Safe Florida Home program will subsidize owners’ efforts to boost their home’s storm defenses – but not before the peak of the 2022 hurricane season.

Technology Making It Easier to Age In Place

Technology Making It Easier to Age In Place: Older adults often want to stay in their home, and new tech tools – smart beds, fall detectors, security cameras, etc. – make it easier to do that.

Some Owners’ Theory: Sell Now, Rent, Buy Later

Some Owners’ Theory: Sell Now, Rent, Buy Later: Home prices took a dive during the Great Recession and some homeowners think that will happen again, so they’re selling now and waiting for bargains to arrive.

Homeowners Should Plan for Summer Holiday Safety

Homeowners Should Plan for Summer Holiday Safety: Many Fla. residents may celebrate July 4th away from home. Florida Realtors: Share home safety tips with owners like setting timers on lights in some rooms.

Fla.’s ‘Freedom Week’ Tax Holiday Starts Friday

Fla.’s ‘Freedom Week’ Tax Holiday Starts Friday

Proposed Citizens Rate Hikes Trimmed

Proposed Citizens Rate Hikes Trimmed

Condofax Safety Reports May Be Here Soon

Condofax Safety Reports May Be Here Soon

You Need to Tell Vets About VA Loans

You Need to Tell Vets About VA Loans: Many current and previous armed forces members know little about VA loan benefits: 17% think they need 20% down; half think it’s a once-in-your-lifetime offer.

High Mortgage Rates? Not Historically Speaking

High Mortgage Rates? Not Historically Speaking

Beware of Summer Rental Scams

Beware of Summer Rental Scams: Criminals don’t just post fake home sales or apartment rentals online. They also advertise fake summer rentals. Take safety precautions before making a deposit.

FHFA: Big Changes to Help Disadvantaged Buyers

FHFA: Big Changes to Help Disadvantaged Buyers

DeSantis Signs $109.9B Fla. Budget Into Law

DeSantis Signs $109.9B Fla. Budget Into Law: A number of Florida Realtors-backed initiatives passed but still needed signed budget items to move forward. Hometown Heroes, for example, is now fully funded.

Why Have Mortgage Rates Been Falling?

Why Have Mortgage Rates Been Falling?

Fla. Lawmakers Pass Insurance, Condo Reforms

Fla. Lawmakers Pass Insurance, Condo Reforms

Hurricane Tax ‘Holiday’ Adds Pet Supplies

Hurricane Tax ‘Holiday’ Adds Pet Supplies

Mortgage Rates Slip a Little, Down to 5.25%

Mortgage Rates Slip a Little, Down to 5.25%

NAR: Fla. Home to the Top 5 Commercial Markets

NAR: Fla. Home to the Top 5 Commercial Markets

Sellers Feel Shame if They Don’t Get Bids

Sellers Feel Shame if They Don’t Get Bids: Some sellers hear about today’s bidding wars and pre-emptively overprice their home, only to feel shame – “What’s wrong with my house?” – if no bids come in.

Thursday Deadline to Apply for Rental Assistance

Thursday Deadline to Apply for Rental Assistance

Fla. Unlikely to Feel Impact from Slowing Market

Fla. Unlikely to Feel Impact from Slowing Market: Wary buyers and rising interest rates may affect some U.S. markets, but Fla.’s rising demand and lack of construction will probably offset a potential cooldown.

Lots of Help Available for Down Payments

Lots of Help Available for Down Payments

Florida Ranked No. 1 State for Retirement

Florida Ranked No. 1 State for Retirement: Report: The state came in No. 1 for reader feedback, No. 5 for quality of life, No. 8 for affordability and No. 39 for health care.

Demand Doubles for ARMs

Demand Doubles for ARMs

Smart-Home Devices May Save on Home Insurance

Smart-Home Devices May Save on Home Insurance

Collaboration Key to Affordable Housing Crisis - And PLEASE cancel student loan debt..

Collaboration Key to Affordable Housing Crisis

Equity Motivates More Sellers

Equity Motivates More Sellers: HomeLight survey: A rapid rise in equity is encouraging sellers to list their homes and they expect to make a profit; 87% say they expect more than 1 offer.

Survey: First-Time Buyers Still Want a Bathtub

Survey: First-Time Buyers Still Want a Bathtub: NAHB: Remodeling trends tend to remove the tub and supersize the shower, but 42% of first-time buyers want a shower-tub combo; 30% say it’s essential.

IRS Part of Condo Sale by Foreign National?

IRS Part of Condo Sale by Foreign National?: Real estate Q&A: When a foreign national sells property they own in the U.S., a portion of the sale needs to be held back and sent to the IRS by the buyer.

First-Time Homebuyers Find it Takes More Than Money

First-Time Homebuyers Find it Takes More Than Money

Biggest Obstacle to Home Buying? Lack of Affordable Housing

Biggest Obstacle to Home Buying? Lack of Affordable Housing: Latest NAR report finds other obstacles vary by race and ethnicity but include saving for a down payment and competing with multiple offers.

Interest in Tiny Homes Is Growing

Interest in Tiny Homes Is Growing: More people in Fla. and across the U.S. are eying homes of 400 feet or less, wanting to downsize, simplify and save costs – but regulations over them vary.

Some Home Features Can Boost Sales Price

Some Home Features Can Boost Sales Price: Study: Some uncommon features can boost a home selling prices by a few percent, including a “pot filler” – an above-the-stove water faucet that adds 3.2%.

How Will Higher Interest Rates Affect You?

How Will Higher Interest Rates Affect You?: Interest rate increases impact mortgages, though indirectly. But Fed rate boosts will also increase the cost of doing business and even maintaining a home.

Experts: Lock in Mortgage Rate Now

Experts: Lock in Mortgage Rate Now

SW Fla.: ‘Real Estate Growth Will Continue’

SW Fla.: ‘Real Estate Growth Will Continue’

70% of Medical Expenses Won’t Hurt Credit Scores

70% of Medical Expenses Won’t Hurt Credit Scores

In Dubai, Luxury Home Prices Are Up 44%

In Dubai, Luxury Home Prices Are Up 44%: A report of luxury home price increases in the world’s top 100 cities finds 5 U.S. cities in the global top 10: San Diego, The Hamptons, Miami, San Francisco and L.A.

Top Tactic of Buyers to Win Bidding Wars? Cash

Top Tactic of Buyers to Win Bidding Wars? Cash

U.S. Housing Market Fuels Bidding Wars

U.S. Housing Market Fuels Bidding Wars

Competition Pushes Buyers to All-Cash Companies

Competition Pushes Buyers to All-Cash Companies -Here is an option to help you make an all-cash offer.

State Awarding $676M to Help Fla. Homeowners -great info on how to apply!

State Awarding $676M to Help Fla. Homeowners

29 Mortgage Servicers Committed to Homeownership

29 Mortgage Servicers Committed to Homeownership

Realtors May Not Be Using All The iPhone Tools

Realtors May Not Be Using All The iPhone Tools: Problem with a home? Take a photo, circle it and send. iPhones also have built-in levels – and Facetime can make it look as if you constantly hold eye contact.

Average Mortgage Rate Increases Again, Hits 3.92%

Average Mortgage Rate Increases Again, Hits 3.92%

How Much Will the Fed Boost Interest Rates?

How Much Will the Fed Boost Interest Rates?

Broadband Goes from ‘Perk’ to Must-Have’

Broadband Goes from ‘Perk’ to Must-Have’

1 in 4 Buyers Using Fed Money for Down Payment

1 in 4 Buyers Using Fed Money for Down Payment: Pandemic-era stimulus funds went toward the down payment on a home for 24% of today’s buyers, second only to saving money from their paychecks.

Program: Add 3M Black Homeowners by 2030

Program: Add 3M Black Homeowners by 2030: NAR is part of a new initiative – a 100-stakeholder coalition with a 7-step plan to boost the Black homeownership rate, which hit a 50-year low in 2019.

Fla. Flood of COVID-19 Foreclosures Didn’t Happen

Fla. Flood of COVID-19 Foreclosures Didn’t Happen

Spouse vs. House? Single Women Buying More Homes

Spouse vs. House? Single Women Buying More Homes: Two out of three single women – the second-largest buying group – don’t need wedlock to buy a home, with 71% willing to move a future spouse in later.

The IRS Wants (Requires) Your Photo?

The IRS Wants (Requires) Your Photo?: Americans won’t need identification for basic tax services via the IRS website, but for some functions, such as a childcare tax credit, they must register with ID.me.

2021 Foreclosure Activity Hits All-Time Low

2021 Foreclosure Activity Hits All-Time Low

Americans Moving to Sun Belt States

Americans Moving to Sun Belt States

Solar Shingles Could Soon Be Available, Affordable

Solar Shingles Could Soon Be Available, Affordable: Energy companies are racing to create shingles that generate solar energy, and one firm says the cost might be only $15K more than a regular roof replacement.

Inflation Pushing 1 in 4 Buyers to Accelerate Plans

Inflation Pushing 1 in 4 Buyers to Accelerate Plans: Inflation is weighing on buyer decisions, according to a study. While 24% now plan to move faster, 1 in 10 have canceled plans and 29% have decided to delay.