Homeowners Race to Refinance Home Loans

​ LOS ANGELES (AP) – A recent pullback in mortgage rates is spurring more homeowners to refinance their home loan and lower their monthly payments. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s refinance index, which tracks home loan application volume, surged 16% last week from the previous week to its highest level in two years, the association said […]

Florida’s Affordability: Price vs. Income

​ News & Media By Jennifer Warner ORLANDO, Fla. – The median sale price for homes throughout Florida has been rising for a long time and accelerated between 2020-2022. The median sale price for a single-family home increased by 40%, while incomes increased by 12%. Even when interest rates took a bite out purchasing power, […]

Florida Realtors Cleanup Nets 32 Tons

​ News & Media By Kim Hays Links to https://floridarealtors.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000KdWp8iGap_0/2024-Clean-Up-Florida-Waters Around the state, local boards/associations, brokerages, YPN networks and others took to the waters for the first statewide water cleanup project. Take a look at their photos commemorating this amazing event.  ORLANDO, Fla. – Local Realtors® and Realtor associations across the state joined forces in […]

Rates Fall to Lowest Level in Over a Year

​ LOS ANGELES – The average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell this week to its lowest level in more than a year, a welcome affordability boost for prospective home shoppers and homeowners looking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate. The rate fell to 6.47% from 6.73% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie […]

Veteran Housing Access Expanded

​ WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) unveiled new policy changes aimed at expanding access to supportive housing for veterans by excluding service-connected disability benefits from income calculations. The change to the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program addresses a key barrier that previously disqualified some veterans, HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne […]

Storm Forecast Slightly Eased

​ News & Media TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Experts at Colorado State University slightly scaled back their forecast for the already-active Atlantic storm season, a day after Hurricane Debby, now a tropical storm, made landfall in North Florida. The university’s Department of Atmospheric Science on Tuesday reduced from 25 to 23 the number of named storms […]

Consider This Before Moving in Retirement

​ NEW YORK – More than 338,000 Americans moved for retirement in 2023, according to a January study from HireAHelper, a moving-services marketplace. And a quarter of them changed states, the study found. Relocating in retirement isn’t simple. There are things to ponder, like whether you need new health insurance, how your new state taxes […]

Florida Rebuilding Continues With Major Storms

​ TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As the Atlantic Ocean shows signs of heating up, potentially fueling damaging hurricanes, a former state and national disaster chief warned last week of working-class Floridians being priced out of communities in post-storm rebuilding. Links to /about/charities/disaster-relief-fund Realtors helping others in times of need is what this charity is all about. […]

Insurer Looks to Resume New Policies

​ News & Media TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After it largely stopped selling new homeowners’ policies in Florida and the Northeast in late 2022, the parent company of Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. said Tuesday it is looking to resume writing new coverage. In a statement that was part of an earnings report, Heritage Insurance […]

Budgeting for Home Renovations

​ NEW YORK – There are a variety of reasons for renovating the home that you live in. While most people do renovate their own home to improve their quality of life, you might also renovate or add new features to increase the overall value of your home. When doing home renovations, Rocket Loans explains […]

Convention: 2 Days, Too Good To Miss

​ News & Media By Marla Martin ORLANDO, Fla.– Success strategies from top real estate leaders, how-to education sessions, the chance to network with other industry professionals and the latest in high-tech devices: That’s what the 2024 Florida Realtors® Convention & Trade Expo offers – opportunities to boost business and your bottom line. Florida Realtors Convention […]

Homeownership: More Than a Mortgage

​ NEW YORK – You know the basic costs that go along with homebuying, but what about the hidden costs of homeownership — all the less obvious expenses beyond your mortgage that can really add up? If you’re in the process of calculating how much home you can afford, you might need to rework your […]