Real Estate Agency News

Advice for Homebuyers: ‘Keep Looking, Keep Going’

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While easing, for-sale inventory remains tight in Florida and across the U.S. Buyers have to stay persistent and manage frustration levels during their home search. MERIDEN, Conn. – Ben Borecki and Raleighe Orszulak-Borecki, both 29, searched for about a year to find their perfect home. They visited over 20 houses and bid on five. Finally, the … Read more

New Homes Carve Out Separate Quarters

MIAMI – With the cost of homes out of reach for many families, developers in South Florida are now adding annexes to new construction, allowing relatives to live under the same roof. The extra space comes with a room or two and its own kitchen, much like those in-law quarters added to older homes. The built-in apartments … Read more

Protecting Yourself From Cyber Threats

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NEW YORK – In back-to-back months, Mr. Cooper and LoanDepot — two of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders — made headlines for experiencing cyberattacks that exposed the data of more than 30 million people combined. Mortgage lenders haven’t been the only recent targets. Title insurance companies Fidelity National Financial and First American Financial each experienced … Read more

ChatGPT – Your Next Smart Personal Assistant?

Need an assistant to help with daily tasks or booking vacations? OpenAI’s ChatGPT might be the answer in the future. NEW YORK – Now that ChatGPT has had a go at composing poetry, writing emails and coding apps, it’s turning its attention to more complex tasks and real-world applications, according to a new report – … Read more

Education Needed to Halt Real Estate Fraud

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Real estate fraud costs, on average, $70K per incident, a recent study found. Better education is needed, particularly for those age 65 and older. AUSTIN, Texas – Unsuspecting home buyers and sellers are increasingly becoming the target of real estate fraud schemes, with consumer losses exceeding $70,000 per incident due to stolen buyer down payments … Read more

Nearly 32% of Home Sales in Q4 Were Newly Built

New construction accounted for a large share of home sales in 2023 Q4 because homebuilding has increased and the number of homeowners selling has decreased, Redfin said. SEATTLE — Nationwide, 31.8% of U.S. single-family homes for sale in the fourth quarter of 2023 were new construction, according to a new report from the real estate … Read more

Container Homes for Affordable Housing

FAIRFIELD, Ohio — The idea to start a business that converts shipping containers into affordable homes started around a fire pit. Sandra Whitley and Allison Lyons never did light the fire, but the idea first discussed over the summer had been burned into motivation and then became reality. “It started this summer, but it really … Read more

Redfin: Lock-In Effect Loosening | Florida Realtors

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Homeowners are increasingly coming to terms with higher interest rates and aren’t waiting to sell, Redfin found. NEW YORK – A growing number of homeowners with low interest rate mortgages aren’t waiting to move until rates have dropped. Rather, they’re increasingly opting to move into new homes and take on higher interest rate mortgages, according … Read more

South Florida Buyers, Renters to See Positive 2024 Changes

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MIAMI – Homebuyers and renters are in luck. Real estate experts predict you can expect better deals in South Florida in 2024. Thanks to a slowdown in home sales and a growing supply of residences – especially high-rises – it’ll be a good time to rent or buy, the forecasters say. Prices will lower slightly, … Read more

Owner-Occupied Multifamily — The Path to Financial Freedom?

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LOS ANGELES – Emily Johnson recalls her first duplex fondly — well, sort of. She rented to a friend’s sister, who ended up being “a nightmare”: The tenant smoked in the house, paid rent late and knocked on Johnson’s door at 11 p.m. with maintenance requests. Nevertheless, Johnson caught the investing bug. That experience 20 … Read more