YANKEETOWN, Fla. (AP) – A freshwater spring bubbles amid the mangroves, cabbage palms and red cedars on Sweetheart Island, a two-acre uninhabited patch of paradise about a mile off the coast of this little Gulf Coast town. Pelicans divebomb nearby into the cool waters of Florida’s Withlacoochee Bay and the open view westward holds the … Read more
Tracy Kasper calls the ruling “disappointing, (but) just one chapter in a longer legal process.” She answers some key questions, including: How does this affect my business? CHICAGO – National Association of Realtors® (NAR) President Tracy Kasper released a series of Q&As based on questions NAR has been receiving since the verdict in the Burnett … Read more
Some homebuyers priced out of the market opt for a mortgage buydown, usually funded by sellers, in order to lower their monthly payments for the first few years. RICHMOND, Va. – Mortgage rates have risen since the Federal Reserve implemented a new monetary policy in 2022, almost hitting 8%. As of Nov. 2, the average … Read more
The U.S. Consumer Confidence Index fell for the third month in a row to 102.6 from Sept.’s 104.3. A top concern: The rising cost of goods and services. BOSTON – The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined a bit in October to 102.6, a drop from an upwardly revised 104.3 in September. It’s the third … Read more
MIAMI – Home prices in Miami-Dade County fell for the third month in a row in September, giving breathing room to aspiring buyers on tight budgets who have waited months on the sidelines. Median sales prices dropped last month to $600,000 for single-family houses and $415,000 for condominiums, from $620,000 and $416,000, respectively, in August, … Read more
GTOs require title companies to verify actual buyers of property. FinCEN extended its order to April 2024 and added 8 Fla. Gulf Coast counties to the list. WASHINGTON – The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced the renewal and expansion of its Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs). GTOs require title insurance companies to identify the real-life … Read more
On wedding website The Knot, 20% of couples ask for home down payment money – an amount that has risen 55% over the past five years. WASHINGTON – Nearly 1 in 5 couples are turning to their wedding registries for help with funds to buy their first home, according to a new survey. An analysis … Read more
In Fla., median income is less in six metros and higher in three, ranging from an $88.7K yearly income in Lakeland (up 13.4% year-to-year) to $143K in Miami (up 33.4%). SEATTLE – The average U.S. household must earn $114,627 to afford a median-priced U.S. home, up 15% ($15,285) year-to-year and more than 50% since the … Read more
Orlando Realtor Marc George calls music “my safe place.” His new charity collects unwanted musical instruments for children who can’t afford to buy one. ORLANDO, Fla. – A new charitable effort in Central Florida aims to place musical instruments in new loving homes with school children who need them. Re-Tune is what Orlando Realtor® Marc … Read more
A verdict in the Kansas City trial is expected Nov. 10. “NAR fundamentally disagrees with how (they’re) characterizing our rules,” says NAR’s top legal officer. KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The National Association of Realtors® (NAR), along with HomeServices of America and Keller Williams Realty, begin trial Monday in Kansas City, Mo., in the case Burnett … Read more
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