CHICAGO – As home inventory begins to grow and buyers regain some advantage in the market, sellers may consider offering more in negotiations to make the deal more attractive and get to the closing table. “With where interest rates are, buyers can be deterred if they don’t feel like they’re getting some kind of […]
News & Media By Kevin Accettulla TAMPA, Fla. – Florida was ranked as the best state to retire in 2025, according to a new study by WalletHub. Florida ranked as the best state for retirement due to low taxes for retirees, such as no estate, inheritance, or income taxes, despite it having a high […]
WASHINGTON — Tax season is back again, which means it’s time to collect your W-2 and Form 1098, and Form 1099s and start filing. While there are a slew of tax services and professionals that can help you file, for a fee, you may qualify to use a new tax filing program from the […]
NEW YORK – Despite the vast destruction of the recent Los Angeles wildfires which destroyed some 12,000 structures, many of which were pricey single-family homes, the world’s high-end housing market is poised to settle into a comfortable rhythm, according to Sotheby’s International Realty’s 2025 Luxury Outlook report. “The LA fires are devastating, particularly when […]
WASHINGTON – U.S. house prices rose 0.3% in November, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI). House prices rose 4.2 percent from November 2023 to November 2024. The previously reported 0.4% price growth in October was revised upward to 0.5%. However, in a repeat of previous […]
News & Media By Matt Ott WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer confidence dipped for the second consecutive month in January, a business research group said Tuesday. The Conference Board reported that its consumer confidence index retreated this month to 104.1 from 109.5 in December. Analysts had forecast a reading of 105.8. December’s reading was revised […]
News & Media TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Division of Emergency Management has announced the Elevate Florida program is in the final stages of development with significant updates expected in the coming weeks. The program aims to enhance community resilience by mitigating private residences against natural hazards. Through the program, the following types of projects […]
News & Media By Amy Connolly ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida Realtors® released new and updated forms Monday to help Realtors® as they incorporate the practice changes required for the proposed National Association of Realtors® settlement agreement following the Sitzer-Burnett verdict. Updated forms: Qualifying Improvement Addendum to Contract – (QIC-1): Previously called PACE Addendum […]
News & Media By Maria Marchante ORLANDO, Fla. — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an order Friday postponing enforcement of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act’s (TCPA) one-to-one written consumer consent in order to redefine the meaning of “prior express written consent.” The new consent rules for robocalls and robotexts were expected to begin […]
News & Media WASHINGTON – Most real estate agents don’t need more leads; they need to use the ones they already have. Follow-up should be the main focus with leads, rather than chasing new ones. Some experts suggest it takes 8 to 12 touches to convert a lead into a sale, but most agents […]
News & Media WASHINGTON – The recent jump in the 10-year Treasury yield and the resulting rise in mortgage rates are expected to continue to weigh on existing home sales in the near future, likely keeping them at or near their lowest level since 1995, according to the January 2025 commentary from the Fannie […]
News & Media WASHINGTON — Mortgage interest rates have been headlining financial news segments for several years running. Much of that news has been met with less than open arms, as rates have risen in recent years. Data from the lender Freddie Mac indicates mortgage rates were still well below 4% on January 1, 2022. […]
