South Florida Real Estate

Airbnb Investing? It Comes with Risks and Benefits

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Airbnb ownership can be a good source of passive income flexibility for personal use. The downside: Startup costs, irregular income and an occasional unruly guest. NEW YORK – Owning a hotel or a lodge might be a bridge for investors in this economy, hence investing in Airbnb is most feasible. Airbnb investing is substantially different … Read more

Florida Realtors Awards $235K in Scholarships

Across Fla., 214 young people are getting help with their college costs from the Florida Realtors Education Foundation as they prepare for the 2023-24 school year. ORLANDO, Fla. – As young people head off to college this fall, 214 of them from communities across Florida will receive financial help through scholarships from Florida Realtors® Education Foundation … Read more

May’s Single-Family Starts Post Solid Gain

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Overall housing starts rose 21.7% in May, and single-family home starts increased 18.5%. A big reason? Buyers can’t find enough existing homes to consider. WASHINGTON – Limited existing-home inventory, solid buyer demand and improving supply chains helped push May single-family home starts to an 11-month high. Overall housing starts increased 21.7% to a seasonally adjusted … Read more

How Does a Buyer Assume an FHA Mortgage?

A fully qualified buyer can assume a low-rate FHA loan, but sellers need to get a lender release that guarantees they don’t have any future obligation to repay the loan. RICHMOND, Va. – Question: There are tons of low-rate FHA mortgages that now finance and refinance homes loans in the 3% range and sometimes lower. … Read more

Live In a Small Town? Need Affordable Housing?

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Towns with a population of 50K or less that need more affordable housing can apply now for a HOPE VI Main Street Program grant up to $1M. WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) HOPE VI Main Street Program provides financial help to communities that want more affordable housing in central … Read more

RE Q&A: Cosign if a Boyfriend Has Lousy Credit?

A man with a good job failed to qualify for a home loan because he has bad credit. What are the pros/cons if his less wealthy, creditworthy girlfriend cosigns? FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Question: My long-term boyfriend has lousy credit but makes a good living and wants to buy a house and stop renting. I … Read more

HUD Makes Property Oversight Consistent

HUD created a single system for inspecting homes and multifamily buildings under its umbrella. It calls the stronger standards NSPIRE. WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that its Final Inspection Standards Notice for the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE) will soon appear in the Federal … Read more

Investigators Find Cause of Surfside Condo Collapse

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Fed investigators blame the tragedy on the builder’s failure to comply with building codes and standards. Also this week: Its new Dubai-based owner revealed its plans. MIAMI (AP) – The swimming pool deck of a beachfront South Florida condominium that collapsed two years ago, killing 98 people, failed to comply with the original building codes … Read more

DeSantis Signs Budget, Vetoes $510M

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis trimmed $510.9 million from a record-high state spending plan signed Thursday, with nearly one-fifth of the cuts coming from a single program designed to keep swaths of rural property from commercial and residential development. While DeSantis didn’t give any explanation for projects he slashed for the fiscal year that … Read more

What Does Fed’s Rate Pause Mean for Buyers?

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Should buyers hope for lower mortgage rates later this year? Maybe a bit. Will it convince more homeowners to list their property? Probably not. CHICAGO – Ending a cycle of 10 consecutive rate hikes, the Federal Reserve voted to hold off on another increase to its key short-term interest rate. The news fueled hopes that … Read more