Redfin: Housing Payments Post 4-Year Decline

​ SEATTLE –  The median U.S. housing payment was $2,534 during the four weeks ending September 15, down 2.7% from a year earlier–the biggest decline since May 2020, according to a new report from the brokerage Redfin. Monthly payments are falling because mortgage rates dropped to their lowest level in 20 months in the lead-up […]

Hometown Heroes: 2024 Funds Depleted, 6K+ Helped

​ News & Media By Amy Connolly TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida’s Hometown Heroes Housing program, the popular initiative providing downpayment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time buyers, has fully committed the additional $100 million allocated by the state earlier this year, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation said. Officials said 6,135 families used the 2024 […]

Fla.’s Aug. Housing: New Listings Up, Prices Ease

​ ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida’s housing market reported increased new listings, easing median sales prices and improved inventory levels (active listings) in August 2024 compared to a year ago, according to Florida Realtors®’ latest housing data. “As home prices moderate and inventory levels improve, it should help increase new listings and offer more choices for […]

Florida Realtors Webinar: Flood Disclosure, Condos

​ ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida Realtors® is hosting a webinar today (Sept. 20) to discuss the new flood disclosure requirements for residential property sales and changes to the required disclosures for condo sales. The webinar, which begins at 10 a.m., will also look at the new and updated forms from Florida Realtors designed to address […]

NAR: Existing-Home Sales Dipped 2.5% in August

​ WASHINGTON – Existing-home sales fell in August, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Three out of four major U.S. regions posted sales declines while the Midwest registered no change. Year-over-year, sales slipped in three regions but remained stable in the Northeast. Total existing-home sales – completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums […]

Average 30-Year Mortgage Rate Falls to 6.09%

​ WASHINGTON – The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. edged closer to 6% this week to its lowest level since early February 2023. The rate fell to 6.09% from 6.20% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.19%. The last time the average rate […]

Luxury Staging Makeovers for Big Impact

​ CHICAGO – Home staging can make all the difference in envisioning empty interiors as cozy spaces and turning lived-in places into a buyer’s dream home. Some staging projects only require a few key accessories, fluffing and repositioning to make all the difference, while other projects require more heavy lifting. Cheryl Eisen is a New […]

Good News for Buyers: Housing Supply Increasing

​ SEATTLE — Sales of existing homes fell 1% month over month and 3.1% year over year in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4,042,369, according to a new report from the brokerage Redfin. That’s the lowest level in records dating back to 2012, with the exception of May 2020, when the pandemic […]

Questions to Ask Before Joining a Brokerage

​ CHICAGO – In real estate, brokerages are the apparatus through which real estate agents get the job done. Finding the right apparatus is a crucial piece to your career path puzzle. The brokerage you choose will not only influence your business but also mold your professional identity, long-term success and growth. You might be […]

Single-Family Starts Up in August

​ WASHINGTON – Single-family starts posted a solid gain in August on robust demand and moderating mortgage rates even as builders continue to grapple with challenges related to lot and labor shortages and elevated prices for many building materials. Overall housing starts increased 9.6% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36 million […]

Rising Builder Sentiment Breaks 4-Month Decline

​ WASHINGTON – With mortgage rates declining by more than one-half of a percentage point from early August through mid-September, per Freddie Mac, builder sentiment edged higher this month even as builders continue to grapple with rising costs. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 41 in September, up two points […]

Surfside Report Won’t Be Released Until 2026

​ MIAMI – Delays in the federal probe into what caused the deadly Champlain Towers South condo collapse in 2021 mean a draft report on the findings is now expected in 2026, a year later than previously estimated. In a Sept. 12 update, an investigative team with the National Institute of Standards and Technology said […]