– Fed HARP program expanded, help more owners The administration again tinkered with its foreclosure aid program, nixing some appraisals and removing LTV ceilings. Realtors to lead Fla. Real Estate Commission Darla Furst from Sarasota will serve as FREC chair starting next month; Chip Boring of Sebring will serve...
– NAR: Existing home sales off in Sept. but higher than year ago Florida’s existing home and condo sales up in September Existing home and condo sales both up 10% over year ago; statewide condo median price up 7%. National sales slip 3%.
– Small businesses lift real estate values AMX study: Neighborhoods with small businesses saw real estate prices rise 50% more in 14 years than those without.
– HUD to Fla.: $160.6M in housing assistance Money is earmarked for community development and workforce housing through four HUD programs. Fla. asks homeowners to kill giant snails About 23,000 non-native snails have been found so far. Officials hope homeowners will help stop the spread.
– Top 10 reasons to own rather than rent In an era of foreclosures, buyers focus on financial reasons for purchasing, but ownership has emotional rewards too. HUD: Fla. property violated ‘fair housing’ Tenant says accommodations were not made for her chronic respiratory problem caused by smoke from nearby...
– Women agents outnumber men in all 50 states Trulia study: Women also had higher asking prices but fewer listings; in Fla., however, gender differences are minor.
Wells Fargo: Fla. economy to grow slowly, but still outperform national average Wells Fargo economists: State rebounding faster than nation, but it also fell further. Second recession unlikely.
[slideshow] Recently remodeled kitchen and bathrooms with brand new cabinets, counter tops, and fixtures. The home features a spacious screened patio and a cozy front porch to enjoy quiet, friendly neighborhood. The roof is approximately five years old. Not a short sale or foreclosure. Active-Available ML Number: Year Built:...
2010 census: Second highest homeownership rate on record The 65.1% 2010 rate is surpassed only by 66.2% in 2000. Punta Gorda is No. 2 city nationally with 79.7% ownership. HUD awards $28 million to combat housing discrimination Nine Fla. agencies receive $2.4M to investigate allegations of discrimination and promote...
Housing must remain nation’s top priority, say Realtors Officials and industry leaders, including NAR, met at a Washington forum to discuss solutions to nation’s housing crisis. Realtor confidence: Some hopeful signs? Realtor optimism about today’s existing home market is a bit stronger than it’s been over most of the...
