– How will immigration reform impact Fla.? It’s unclear how immigration rules will change, but WalletHub analyzed data to gauge its impact. Overall, Fla. ranked 13th – but 4th in foreign-born residents. This Fed action could send mortgage rates higher To boost housing during the Great Recession, the Federal...
– Buying, selling or renovating? Pets’ opinions count NAR study found that 81% of Americans consider their pets’ needs before agreeing to any kind of home renovation, and 99% consider their pet part of the family. Court rules against Zillow for photo copyright use A jury ruled that Zillow...
– Lenders may soon reject some Fla. property insurers Fannie and Freddie decide which insurance companies are okay, but they may soon delete a few from Fla. lists, which would force 250K owners to find a new insurer. NAR: Gains in 4Q push home prices to peak levels in...
– Court trial: Photos, copyrights and contracts Brokers who pay for copyrighted photos should read contract terms, says NAR, because a court will soon determine Zillow’s legal-use rights after a listing expires. Florida Realtors’ web tool shows impact if property tax cap expires Nearly 700K Floridians would pay higher...
– Changes loom for U.S. consumer watchdog bureau The CFPB, which oversees RESPA, will likely change from semi-independent director oversight to a bipartisan board; and Congress could start setting CFPB’s budget. andmdash Housing forecast? Solid but many unknown variables While real estate appears solid now, Freddie warns of “uncertainty...
– Fla. homebuyers 11 years older than the U.S. average The 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Florida Report from NAR finds that 50% of state shoppers contacted an agent first when it was time to buy; nationally, only 17% start with a Realtor, and many begin the...
– 4.19% average mortgage rate unchanged this week A rate spike last week was short lived, though current rates are still higher than the average 3.65% for all of 2016. Real and imaginary barriers holding back buyers NAR aspiring buyer analysis: Affordability issues, student debt and downpayment confusion stopped...
– Fla. MLS offers ‘true lifestyle cost’ My Florida Regional MLS’s new property search website helps buyers visualize the true cost of ownership, by incorporating buyer financial info, historical utility costs, commute times, property taxes, insurance rates and mortgage payments. Russia now top country searching Miami real estate Year-to-year,...
– Water bills set to go even higher Mich. study: 11.9% of U.S. households can’t afford their water bill, but that could rise to 35.6% in five years – and many Fla. areas are considered “high risk.” Company shuts down 100-plus trademark infringers If you’re not HomeVestors, don’t “buy...
– NAR: Pending home sales bounce back in Dec. In spite of rising mortgage rates and higher home prices, NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index rose 1.6% last month – from 107.3 in Nov. to 109.0 in Dec. Move-up buyers: Sell or rent out your original house? A seller moving...
