– Natural hazard risk holding back home sales Report: In the first half of the year, home sales rose 4.2% in counties with low natural hazard risk, while counties with high risk only showed a 1.9% gain. Why aren’t mortgage applications higher? Some housing analysts point out that slowing...
– More renters staying in apartments as prices rise RealPage: The share of renters opting to renew their leases hit an all-time high of 53.8% through the first seven months of this year, up from 52.9% in 2015. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recalled over fire fears Sales of the...
– U.S. will extend HARP home loan program Fed Housing Finance Agency: It will continue through Sept. 2017. More than 3.4M homeowners have refinanced their mortgages under HARP since it began 7 years ago. With Florida Realtors E-Celebration, a 2nd chance for 2016 convention For two weeks, Sept. 12-26,...
– Tropical Storm Hermine prompts Florida hurricane watch If Hermine attains hurricane strength before landfall – somewhere along the Big Bend area – it will be the first hurricane to hit the state in 11 years. U.S. average 30-year mortgage rate rises to 3.46% The mortgage rate increase comes...
– NAR: Pending home sales tick higher in July The Pending index hit its second-highest reading in almost a decade, but with too-few listings, “buyers still have few choices and little time” to act. Voters add solar tax break to Florida Constitution The amendment exempts solar and other renewable...
– U.S. consumer confidence hits one-year high The monthly survey found both a short-term and long-term improvement in attitudes about business conditions, the labor market and personal income. Case-Shiller: Slowdown in home price gains Home prices rose 5.1% in June, but in some U.S. cities, the rise simply matched...
– Primary election: Solar amendment has wide support Haven’t voted yet? It’s today. Go. Analysts say Amendment 4, which appears on the ballot and supports solar energy tax breaks for businesses, has wide support and no organized opposition. NAR forecast: Commercial real estate expansion Buoyed by an improving labor...
– Attention, jumbo-mortgage shoppers: Deals ahead More lenders are now offering jumbo loans. The high-end loans made up 20.3% of all first mortgages originated in the first quarter 2016, up from 18.9% a year ago. Homeowners tackle garage messes 2015 survey: One in four of owners can’t fit even...
– With rain on horizon, insurers say ‘be prepared’ There’s a good chance Fla. will see gusty rain this weekend, and an insurance association issued a reminder on hurricane-preparedness steps homeowners should take. FEMA nixes community flood insurance; GAO agrees The government oversight office agreed with a FEMA report...
– WalletHub: Fla. has 4 of top 10 retirement cities The website rated 150 cities on affordability, health care, activities and quality of life. Of 11 Fla. cities, all ranked above average – and Orlando was No. 1. Fla.’s housing market: Higher median prices in July The median single-family...
