– Fla. housing market: Sales, median prices rise in Dec. 2017 Florida Realtors data: Inventory remained tight with single-family sales up 2.6% over a year ago, median price up 8%. Condo sales up 6%, median price up 7.8%. Puerto Rico awaits foreclosure wave as moratoriums expire A three-month moratorium...
– Tax reform creates new affordable housing challenges Affordable housing builders rely on federal credits for funding, but those credits go down under tax reform. Experts say it will impact construction. Flood insurance extended but prepare for more shutdowns Congress ended the government shutdown and extended the national flood...
– Does a house have good bones? Who built it? If you list a home built by Taylor Morrison, note that in the listing. The latest “most trusted builder” survey ranked the company No. 1 for consumer trust. Spread the word: Apply for student scholarships Time is short for...
– Mortgage rates rise: 30-year hits 4.04 percent Time to buy? Fence-sitters starting to fear rising rates Mortgage applications for refinancings and home purchases surged 4.1% last week, even though rates went up, not down because more consumers are concerned that a record-long run of low mortgage rates may...
– Florida report: 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers What does the typical Fla. buyer or seller look like? Only 1 in 5 (22%) of buyers are first-timers compared to 34% in U.S., and they’re typically 45 years old. Sellers average 60 years and make about $96.5K annually...
– Prepare for a potential government shutdown Political disputes could lead to a temporary federal shutdown on Friday. If so, certain important real estate functions could slow down or possibly come to a halt. New lawsuit claims Zillow violates antitrust laws A N.J. company alleges that “Zestimates” are not...
– New programs help investors buy single-family homes Mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have new loan packages with competitive interest rates to help small investors buy single-family rentals. Bitcoin fever grips U.S. real estate Some people roll their eyes at Bitcoin, but it’s buying more Fla....
– Average 30-year mortgage rates rise to 3.99% The cost of borrowing money to buy a home rose slightly this week but stopped short of crossing the psychologically significant 4% mark. Realtors celebrate 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act In 1967, many buyers signed a document at closing...
– Buyers' wallets will feel Fed's rate hike More expected Fed rate hikes won’t just make adjustable-rate loans more expensive, they’ll also make buyers pay more on credit card balances and other debt. What will 2018 bring for homebuilders? NAHB’s annual convention is in Orlando, and realtor.com released four...
– 'Tappable equity' at record high, but tax law could change impact Fla.-based Black Knight says “tappable” equity has hit a record high, but equity loans could still drop in demand since interest is no longer tax deductible. 2017's disaster onslaught stretched FEMA to limit 2017 was a record-setting...
