– No flood insurance, no real estate market. Act NOW Call for Action: National flood insurance will lapse again on July 31 – and since Fla. has 35% of all policies, Florida Realtors asks all members to contact lawmakers NOW. Property insurer reliability: New study ranks Fla. firms According...
– Builder confidence slips as lumber prices soar NAHB’s latest confidence survey finds a 2-point drop. While builders remain optimistic, NAHB says the lumber tariffs add about $9,000 to the cost of a new home. Freddie will help at-risk homeowners find jobs A Freddie Mac partnership with NextJob will...
– Post-hurricane priorities: AC or cellphone charger? Floridians without post-hurricane damage often face a week or more without electricity, and storm preparation should include a plan on how to handle it. The top 10 threats to real estate in 2019 The Counselors of Real Estate’s annual list of industry...
– Fed raises interest rates and expects more this year As expected, the Fed boosted interest rates 0.25 points – which directly impact ARMs – but it also increased expectations to a total of four rate hikes this year. Long-term mortgage rates move higher again The 30-year FRM hit...
– Florida home price gains fall short of U.S. average Thanks to an active hurricane season, Fla. home prices increased more slowly at 5.8% last year, but that should change in 2018 without any similar stormy weather. Survey: Buyers not worried about rising mortgage rates Title agents and real...
– Retirement can come with hidden taxes Americans can exempt $250K from capital gains taxes when selling their home, but rising property values and inflation may push more people above that threshold. A recession by 2020? Many experts say yes The economy is probably in its best shape since...
– Mortgage rates move lower – 2nd week in a row The average rate on 30-year FRMs – which have been running at their highest levels since 2011 – was 4.54% this week, down from last week’s 4.56%. ATTOM: Home flipping slows in 55% of U.S. markets While flippers...
– Market change: Higher prices, rates unsustainable The real estate market is cyclical, and a disconnect between slowly rising incomes and affordability suggests that the current cycle may be close to its peak. Federal flood program still waiting for reauthorization Congress’ latest short-term extension for national flood insurance ends...
– 2017 storms have little impact on property insurance rates While the nation’s three hurricanes and Calif. wildfires created $140B in losses, the cost of reinsurance – insurance for insurers – has remained low. When will boomers move out? Sooner than some think Baby boomers own a lot of...
– Post-recession buyers look at housing differently Buyers learned a hard lesson during the recession: Prices don’t always move higher. As a result, they’re more cautious today. June is National Homeownership Month The first month of summer is when HUD and others mark the importance of owning a home...
