WASHINGTON – Interest rates are the highest they’ve been since before the Great Recession, but Las Vegas-based mortgage adviser Matt Hennessy said it’s important for people to understand specifically why monthly mortgage payments are where they are right now. Hennessy said the federal funds rate, which currently sits at 5.25% to 5.50% and sets […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida has quickly launched an appeal after a U.S. district judge rejected a 2020 decision by the federal government to shift permitting authority to the state for projects that affect wetlands. Attorneys for the state filed a notice Monday that is a first step in challenging the decision by U.S. District […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Over the past month or so, a number of inflammatory headlines have sparked a conversation throughout Florida. Is Florida’s housing market in trouble? Here’s the problem with these headlines. They lack context, rely on seemingly short-sighted analysis, and ultimately jump to a conclusion that may not be correct. These articles paint […]
NEW YORK – An infusion of new inventory into the market is welcome news for buyers on the hunt for their next home this spring. It’s also more evidence that the effects of “rate lock” on homeowners are starting to weaken, according to the latest monthly report from Zillow. “For more than a year, […]
NEW YORK — When selling a home, there are plenty of things to increase the price tag. From deep cleans and renovations to staging and even baking bread during viewings, many value-boosting tips focus on the inside of the home. However, the first thing a potential buyer will see is the outside of the […]
News & Media By Elena Cox MIAMI — Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers. The typical […]
OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Lake Okeechobee is on track to start the wet season above 14 feet in June. What does that mean for the coming hurricane season? Despite the approach of one of the worst hurricane seasons ever predicted, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has stopped the large-scale releases from Lake Okeechobee, an […]
LOS ANGELES — On a winter morning in Woodland Hills, the “Squatter Hunter” slowly approaches a posh two-story home dressed in all black, armed with a Glock 26 pistol, stun gun, pepper spray and baton. His body camera is on. His two-man squad lurks behind him. They’ve spent four days in surveillance, learning the […]
MIAMI – A new sugar cube house sits in a slice of Miami called Silver Bluff, a sleepy residential neighborhood between Coral Gables and Coconut Grove. Rising above land on stilts and a roof adorned with solar panels, it stands out in a neighborhood filled with houses surrounded by chain-link fences and pitched rooftops […]
WASHINGTON – Mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 6.2% in March compared to a year ago and 1% compared to a month ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Builder Application Survey (BAS). The change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns. The monthly increase underscores the impact higher home prices […]
News & Media TALLAHASEE – The state of Florida purchased about 28,000 acres, much of it in Collier and Polk counties, to be set aside conservation. One of the swaths in Polk County had been slated for an 1,876 single-family home development. The purchase, which could total more than $150 million, will now be […]
NEW YORK – Homeowners renovate their homes for a variety of reasons. Renovations can increase the value of a property and make homes safer and more comfortable. Improvements also can be made to reflect current decorating trends or to give a home a new vibe. Projections indicate over $500 billion will be spent on […]