South Florida Real Estate

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun forecasts improved home sales, slower appreciation and falling mortgage rates over the next two years. CHICAGO — More home buyers signed contracts for a home purchase in September, a sign that the housing market may be on the mend after a sluggish summer. The National Association of Realtors®’ Pending Home … Read more

Adding just an extra $100 per month to a mortgage payment can have a significant impact on the debt, a financial expert said. NEW YORK — Mortgage rates may be declining, which puts new homebuyers in a better position than just a year ago. The 30-year fixed-interest rate mortgage hit a high of 7.79% in … Read more

The rate on 30-year mortgages rose to 6.72% from 6.54% last week, Freddie Mac said. Rates on 15-year mortgages rose to 5.99% from 5.71% last week. NEW YORK — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the fifth straight week, returning to its highest level since early August. The rate … Read more

The drop coincided with nine private insurers approved to assume up to 410,008 Citizens policies. The policy count is expected to total 891,184 at the end of the year. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Amid long-running efforts to shift customers into the private market, the number of homeowners insured by the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. plunged … Read more

As recovery continues, more than 26,000 people have checked into FEMA-supported housing and more than 2,700 blue tarps have been installed on roofs. ORLANDO, Fla. — Total estimated insurance losses for Hurricanes Milton and Helene exceed $4.3 billion with more than 380,000 claims filed for both storms, according to information from the Florida Office of … Read more

A study shows that better tax collection on Airbnb rentals can slow rising housing costs, benefiting renters and local governments. NEW YORK — Home-rental platforms like Airbnb are known to drive up housing costs, but a new study shows that doing a better job of collecting the taxes owed by these home rentals appears to … Read more

For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately in tax year 2025, the standard deduction is rising to $15,000 — up $400 from 2024. NEW YORK — U.S. taxpayers will again see higher standard deductions for 2025, allowing them to shield more of their money from taxation on future returns. The Internal Revenue Service detailed … Read more

The Commerce Department said new home sales surged by 4.1%, the highest level in over a year. Economists had expected new home sales to climb by 0.5%. WASHINGTON — New home sales in the U.S. rebounded by much more than expected in the month of September, according to a new report released by the U.S. … Read more

Florida tourism leaders plan a campaign to promote resilience and showcase unaffected areas post-Hurricanes Helene and Milton. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Tourism-industry leaders are once again looking to counter negative media images of Florida, this time after Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton caused widespread damage — including in areas of the Gulf Coast that are popular … Read more