South Florida Real Estate

States Say Flood Insurance Fight Should Continue

Fla. is one of the states that filed a lawsuit against NFIP’s “Risk Rating 2.0,” but legal arguments now contest the states’ legal standing to challenge the changes. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida and other states are trying to fend off an attempt by the Biden administration to end a lawsuit challenging changes to the National … Read more

Hurricane Idalia Losses Estimated at $3B-$5B

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Idalia caused flooding in communities along Fla.’s west coast before making landfill in rural Taylor County, but some say the insurance industry “dodged a bullet.” FORT MYERS, Fla. – Hurricane Idalia raked the west coast of Florida last week, flooding communities before making landfall Wednesday as a Category 3 in the Keaton Beach area of rural Taylor County, causing widespread … Read more

Equity Improves for U.S. Homeowners

ATTOM: In second quarter 2023, 49% of U.S. mortgaged residential properties were considered equity-rich – the highest point in at least four years. CHARLOTTE, N.C. – ATTOM has released its second-quarter 2023 U.S. Home Equity and Underwater Report, which shows that 49% of mortgaged residential properties in the United States were considered equity-rich in the … Read more

Idalia Disaster Declaration Expanded | Florida Realtors

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The fed disaster declaration now covers Columbia, Gilchrist, Hernando, Jefferson, Madison, Pasco, Citrus, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee and Taylor counties. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Six counties were added to a federal disaster declaration as President Joe Biden on Saturday visited the state and pledged support for rural North Florida communities hammered by Hurricane Idalia. “We’re … Read more

Citizens Insurance Sees Drop in New Lawsuits

New laws impacting insurance lawsuits may be helping. State-run Citizens says it received 200 fewer monthly lawsuits Jan. to June than it did last year. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State-operated Citizens Property Insurance Corp. was served with 4,711 lawsuits during the first sixth months of 2023, a decrease of about 200 lawsuits per month compared to … Read more

NAR Names 2 Fla. Realtors ‘Good Neighbor’ Finalists

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But these Realtors aren’t just “good” – they’re great. Fort Lauderdale’s Kasia Maslanka and Palm Coast’s Sandra Shank are 2023 NAR “Good Neighbor” finalists. WASHINGTON  – The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) selected 10 Realtors as finalists for its annual “Good Neighbor Awards,” and two of them call Florida home: Kasia Maslanka, a Realtor from … Read more

Mortgage Rates Retreat, Drop to 7.18%

After hitting a 20-year high last week of 7.23%, the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage moved lower again. A year ago, the FRM averaged 5.66%. LOS ANGELES – The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate slipped after climbing for five consecutive weeks to a more than 20-year high, a modest relief for would-be homebuyers … Read more

State Seeks Wider Disaster Declaration for Idalia

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Pres. Biden declared seven Fla. counties disaster areas, but Gov. DeSantis thinks more will be added. A declaration opens up additional aid, including more fed funding. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Search-and-rescue efforts have narrowed to three counties hit hard by the Category 3 Hurricane Idalia, while Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the federal government to expand a … Read more

HUD Awards $24M+ to Fight Housing Discrimination

Two Fla. agencies will receive $425K each – one in C. Fla., one in the Palm Beaches – for fair housing testing and enforcement to eliminate discriminatory practices. WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is allocating $24,195,749.33 from its $56 million fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget to support 57 fair … Read more

Study: Affordable Homes Don’t Hurt Home Values

Georgia Institute of Technology: A before/after study of new affordable housing found that it didn’t harm nearby home values – and in some cases, it raised them. ATLANTA – A new study from Georgia Tech’s School of Public Policy debunks a common belief about the impact of affordable housing on neighborhood property values. The researchers, … Read more