Florida Real Estate

A Loss of Small Banks Could Hurt Homebuyers

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NEW YORK – Canandaigua and Manhattan’s Chinatown are about as different from each other as two places in the same state can be. One is a small town in New York’s bucolic Finger Lakes region, where almost everyone is a white English-speaker. Chinatown packs nearly 10 times as many residents, many of them foreign-born and … Read more

NAR Board Meets, Approves Changes

The board met May 11 during NAR’s legislative meetings in Washington, D.C. Votes focused on the 2024 budget, dues, fair housing training requirements and more. WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Board of Directors met in Washington, D.C. on May 11 and took the following actions: Fair housing and diversity training The … Read more

Office Market Snubbed by Life Insurance Lenders

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An often-used form of financing for the office market – life insurance companies – has also tightened its purse strings, even as more loans come due. NEW YORK – A traditionally reliable source of capital for commercial property developers, life insurance companies are turning their backs on office building owners as tens of billions of … Read more

How Does a Recession Shape Newer Realtors?

Lessons learned during hard times often remain even when things get better. The recession lesson for new agents? Hard work and perseverance pay off. NEW YORK – A generation of real estate agents could be shaped by the coming year’s economic headwinds in multiple ways. In 2023, successful agents will owe their success to hard … Read more

It’s a Tough Market for Buyers – Many Don’t Care

Survey: Most would-be buyers (55%) know it’s a really tough market right now, but a majority (54%) still plan to maintain current goals or speed up the buying process. CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Many hopeful homebuyers – especially those in their 40s and younger – are forging ahead with plans to buy homes despite believing the … Read more

RE Q&A: Neighbor’s Property Is an Eyesore

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There are “nuisance property” remedies, along with disagreements on what constitutes a nuisance. If an HOA applies, start there. If not, talk to the city. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Question: Over the last three years, our neighbor’s property has been getting more run down. He does not live in the house; it needs maintenance, and … Read more

FHFA Rescinds Plan for DTI Mortgage Fees

FHFA cancels loan fees slated to become effective in August. Based on feedback, it says implementation is “challenging.” NAR calls it a good decision. WASHINGTON – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) says it has rescinded the upfront fees once slated to go into effect in August. The fees – based on borrowers’ DTI ratios … Read more

Bonds Backed by Apartments Under Stress

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Collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) offer easier terms for apartment building buyers, but their shorter terms and floating interest rates may be creating problems. NEW YORK – Defaults are rising for collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), which are mortgages packaged into bonds and sold to investors. These types of mortgages helped fuel rising housing costs across Sunbelt … Read more

NAR 1Q Sales Report: 7 in 10 Metros Posted Price Gains

Home prices continue to rise in most (70%) of the U.S., and are up notably year-to-year in the 7% of markets that saw double-digit gains. WASHINGTON – Nearly seven out of 10 metro markets registered home price gains in the first quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) first-quarter report. In 7% of … Read more

What Social Media Apps Do Luxury Brokers Use?

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While most social media apps work at all price levels, a Chicago agent says Real Messenger, 1060 and Ri.la have properties that appeal to luxury clients. CHICAGO – Chicago-area real estate agent Anne Ewasko recommends that luxury brokers take advantage of three social media apps to foster and manage relationships with new and current customers: … Read more