– Downpayments: Dip into stocks or ask Mom and Dad? It’s tough to save enough money for a first home, and many buyers wonder if pulling money out of stocks is smart – or asking for a loan from their parents.
– Need health insurance? Enrollment starts Sunday It’s not too soon to study health plans before enrollment for 2016 opens on Nov. 1. When selecting an insurer, however, Fla. suggests enrollees consider more than price. Federal Reserve: Interest rates steady for now The Fed decided this week to keep...
– Fla. No. 2 for home flipping RealtyTrac: In a county-by-county comparison, Fla. holds the top five spots for home flips to baby boomer buyers – and Southwest Fla. leads the nation. Pending home sales lose more steam in Sept. The U.S. pending home sales index dropped for the...
– 3 Fla. cities in top 10 for real estate investors BiggerPockets’ latest investment index finds higher rates of return in Miami (No. 3 on list, 18.6% return), Tampa (No. 5, 16.5%) and Orlando (No. 10, 14.9%). One solution for income equality: more millennial homeowners The decisions today’s young...
– Cash sales down – but some Fla. cities don’t notice The percentage of U.S. cash sales (30.8%) has declined for 31 straight months – but it’s 44.7% in Fla., home to all the top U.S. metro areas for cash sales. Stop Congress from taking money from homeowners Protect...
– Investors’ sweet spot: Older, less-expensive homes RealtyTrac: Look for homes in secondary or tertiary markets, maybe class-B or class-C, in not-as-good neighborhoods, for the best return on rental investment. Bundling insurance helps – but not so much in Fla. Floridians save about 8% on insurance if they bundle...
– Most Fla. real estate brokers pumped about future Latest Fla. “Profile of Real Estate Firms” finds 75% expect higher profits over two years; 48% are recruiting agents and 43% expect online competition to heat up. Flipping houses popular again The quick buy-sell deals almost disappeared during the recession,...
– Fla.’s single-family home sales up 13.4% in Sept. Florida Realtors Sept. report: More closed sales, higher median prices and a tight supply. U.S. sales rebound, up 4.7% over Aug. and 8.8% year-to-year. More buyers qualify for subprime loans A “subprime loan” today simply means borrowers have a credit...
– 50% of today’s renters plan to buy within 2 years Rising rents are taking a toll. A TD Bank poll of current renters finds that many are already saving for a downpayment. Three trends that will impact real estate Transportation changes impact real estate values, and self-driving cars...
– Millennials vs. baby boomers in condo market? Each day, about 5,000 boomers decide to downsize. In the competition for multifamily units, that pits their deep pockets against first-timers new to the market. Homeowners trump renters in wealth Rent vs. own financial discussions assume that renters reinvest money saved....
