Saving Strategies for Financial Goals

​ NEW YORK – Saving isn’t always easy, but it pays off over time. It’s especially useful to have a solid savings foundation in place to protect yourself against economic uncertainty. And with the unemployment rate surging to 4.3% in August, the road ahead looks potentially rocky. But how do you save more when money […]

Pets Relinquished With Housing Insecurity

​ GAINESVILLE – Housing policies may be becoming more pet inclusive, but housing insecurity is getting worse, finds a new study that examined the housing issues that led to owners turning their pets over to an animal shelter. “Over the duration of the study, instances of animals entering shelters due to loss of housing rose, […]

Redfin: Typical Down Payment Is a Record $67,500

​ SEATTLE — The typical down payment for U.S. homebuyers hit a record high of $67,500 in June, up 14.8% from $58,788 a year earlier, according to a new report from the real estate brokerage Redfin. This was the 12th consecutive month the median down payment rose year over year. The nearly-15% jump in the […]

Refocus on Training to Keep Agents Sharp

​ CHICAGO – Last July, Kristen Skebe had an agent come into her office, looking for something different. She wasn’t producing the way she wanted to, and she felt like she needed more support. She thought a team was the answer, and when she came to Skebe, who is managing broker at Sandy Springs Shop, […]

Florida – Where Americans Really Want to Live

​ NEW YORK – Many Americans seem to have contradictory and confused feelings about the places they call home. Although 73% of Americans say they like where they live, 59% of Americans still get frustrated with their home city or state and 43% are embarrassed by their state, according to a new study from Clever […]

U.S. Consumer Confidence Rises in August

​ News & Media WASHINGTON – American consumers felt more confident in August as their outlook for the future improved. The Conference Board, a business research group, said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 103.3 in August from 101.9 in July. The index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their […]

FHFA: U.S. Home Prices Up 5.7% in Last Year

​ WASHINGTON – U.S. house prices rose 5.7% between the second quarter of 2023 and the second quarter of 2024, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (FHFA HPI). House prices were up 0.9% compared to the first quarter of 2024. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for June was down 0.1% […]

Florida Realtors Board Elects Officers

​ News & Media ORLANDO, Fla. – The Board of Directors met on Aug. 25, and the meeting minutes are now posted online. 2025 President Tim Weisheyer and President-Elect Chuck Bonfiglio, Jr. automatically ascend to their positions. Elected officers include Vice President Jorge Guerra, Jr., Treasurer Jeffrey Levine and Secretary Cynthia “Cyndee” Haydon. 2025 district […]

State Parks Development Plan Faces Setback

​ ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Facing widespread opposition across the political spectrum, Gov. Ron DeSantis ‘ plan to develop state parks with business ventures — such as golf courses, pickleball courts and large hotels — has hit a snag after a key supporter pulled the plug. The Department of Environmental Protection confirmed in an email […]

Renting vs. Buying

​ NEW YORK – People typically have two options when they need a place to live: rent or buy. There are pros and cons to each option, and what is best depends on the person and the situation. Choosing to rent or buy is a decision with many moving parts, says NerdWallet. Although buying a […]

Debby Insured Losses Near $120M

​ News & Media Links to /about/charities/disaster-relief-fund Realtors helping others in times of need is what this charity is all about. Learn how to give and receive. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With about 39% of claims closed, Hurricane Debby had caused about $119.5 million in estimated insured losses as of Friday, according to data posted on […]

CRE Mismatch: Demand Surge, Rising Distress

​ News & Media NEW YORK – Disruptions in demand during the pandemic have caused disruption in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector, and financial distress can impact the banking sector, local governments’ fiscal models and the entire economy, according to the Brookings Institute. CRE faces a rise in demand that surpasses the speed at […]