– DFS clarifies title insurance ruling Florida Realtors received an update on a ruling this week regarding payment of estoppel certificate fees. House OKs tax package, includes business rent tax cut The Florida House passed House Bill 7099, which includes the Florida Realtors-backed rental tax reduction. 1.6% of U.S....
– Fla.’s housing market ends 2015 with strong gains Single-family sales rose 12.4% over year-end 2014 while median sales price up 10.1% to $196,000. NAR: Home prices accelerated in most U.S. metros in 4Q 2015. Mortgage delinquency, foreclosures decline CoreLogic: At the end of 2015, the U.S. foreclosure rate...
– Realtor.com unveils agent-client discussion forum Potential buyers/sellers visiting realtor.com can now ask home-related questions at “House Talk,” with answers provided by participating Realtors. Renovation mortgages a good fit for some buyers Mortgages such as FHA’s 203K and Fannie Mae’s HomeStyle allow buyers to land a good deal on...
– Realtor.com milestone: 50M unique users in Jan. News Corp, which operates the NAR-owned website, called it a bright spot for increasing revenues and “the world’s largest player in digital real estate.” Fewer buyers bringing all-cash to close However, Fla. ranks second for cash closings – 46.7% in Oct....
– Fitch: U.S. homebuilders primed for a solid spring The report predicts new home sales will increase 14.5% in 2016; existing home sales should see a 4% uptick. Threats remain, but Fitch calls them “impediments.” HUD to honor groups that help low-income residents The award recognizes charitable foundations that...
– Trending marketing tactic: Admit the listing is ugly A small but increasing number of listings say things like “worst home in the neighborhood” to entice buyers seeking a bargain-priced home. Wells Fargo tentatively settles FHA lawsuit The $1.2 billion settlement between Wells Fargo and the government would resolve...
– Subprime loans are back – but with changes Credit firm Equifax says the number of subprime loans – borrowers have a 620 or below credit score – is rising. But lenders today focus more on ability to repay. Forbes lists top investment cities – 7 are in Fla....
– Millennials have the power to reshape RE market Young adults will soon redefine the housing market – there are a lot of them out there. Pent-up demand is strong, but many aren’t quite ready to commit yet. Help buyers commit by giving them what they want According to...
– Real estate fraud nets $598,000 A popular email scam – a criminal steals a client’s password, monitors a deal and requests a last-minute wire transfer – ensnared a Fernandina Beach lawyer. 4 big real estate trends What trends could impact real estate? The Urban Land Institute suggests mortgage...
– Floridians’ confidence stable as economy improves Floridians seem to think the U.S. economy faces challenges but it won’t affect them personally: U.S. index numbers dropped but personal finance numbers climbed. Walkable neighborhoods: Demand up but supply low Just 14% of in-demand U.S. neighborhoods manage to be affordable, walkable...
