South Florida Real Estate

Florida Consumer Sentiment at 2-Year High

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Floridians anticipate a positive economic outcome in the coming year, bolstered by a strong market and low unemployment, a University of Florida survey found. GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Consumer sentiment among Floridians started the year at the highest level over the last two years, highlighting residents’ positive outlook about the future of the economy and personal … Read more

Helping Homeless Students | Florida Realtors

WASHINGTON – Children, living either with their families or on their own, are the fastest-growing segment of the nation’s homeless populations, according to new federal housing data. And schools still struggle to find many of them. A new study in the journal Educational Researcher suggests districts could find anywhere from a third to nearly five … Read more

Do You Own Real Estate & Have Tenants?

Agents who use an attorney during real estate transactions can protect themselves and their assets. NEW YORK – If you own real estate property that you rent out to tenants, being in compliance with the latest regulations and laws is crucial. Doing this is not only cost effective, but it can help you in the … Read more

Division of Real Estate Reporting Duties Go Beyond Felonies

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Chapter 475 oversees real estate licensees, but Florida licensees also have other obligations under Chapter 455. It’s a growing problem for licensees called before the FREC because “I didn’t know I had to report that” doesn’t carry much weight. ORLANDO, Fla. – Are you aware of your obligations under Chapter 455 of the Florida Statutes? … Read more

New MIT Tool Predicts Hurricane Flood Risk

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Coastal cities and communities will face more frequent major hurricanes with climate change in the coming years. To help prepare coastal cities against future storms, MIT scientists have developed a method to predict how much flooding a coastal community is likely to experience as hurricanes evolve over the next decades. When hurricanes … Read more

5 Ways to Generate Leads Year-Round

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Some novel ideas to generate leads include integrating QR codes and chatbots into social media to provide potential buyers and sellers with immediate responses.    NEW YORK – Real estate professionals are always looking to generate leads. Rather than rely solely on third-party advertising, experts agree that organic leads can help firms break the pay-for-leads cycle. … Read more

Inflation Slowed Further, ‘Soft Landing’ Closer

A soft landing – inflation falling back to the Fed’s target without a recession – could make it easier for the Fed to cut its key interest rates. WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge cooled further last month even as the economy kept growing briskly, a trend sure to be welcomed at the … Read more

Microsoft, Others Build AI for Small Businesses

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Microsoft and other large companies are making new tools to help small businesses utilize artificial intelligence to expand their operations. NEW YORK — The influx of generative artificial intelligence software is transforming small businesses. Small business owners are using A.I. tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and others to check grammar in emails, punch up … Read more

NAR: December Pending Home Sales Climbed 8.3%

NAR is projecting a 13% increase in existing-home sales in 2024 (from 2023) to 4.62 million and a 15.8% increase in 2025 (from 2024) to 5.35 million and said interest rates will be cut four times. WASHINGTON – Pending home sales in December elevated 8.3%, according to the National Association of Realtors®, with the South, … Read more

Is It Time to Refinance Your Mortgage?

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The modest drops in rates may make refinancing more attractive to some homeowners, but others are opting to stay on the sidelines.  CHICAGO – After the federal government’s most recent report on inflation showed signs of stabilizing, homeowners with mortgages at high interest rates are among those hoping the lending market will follow suit. While … Read more