TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Another property and casualty insurer was recently approved to enter Florida’s insurance market, bringing a total of eight new insurers following legislative reforms aimed at stabilizing the market, state insurance regulators said Wednesday. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) said Ovation Home Insurance Exchange, the most recent approval, joins Manatee […]
LOS ANGELES – The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose modestly this week, holding below 7% as it has for much of this year. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 6.82% from 6.79% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.28%. When mortgage rates […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – FloridaCommerce announced more than $910 million in funding is available for Hurricane-Ian impacted Floridians with a priority on severely impacted communities and vulnerable low-income residents. The funds, available through four Rebuild Florida programs, are aimed at creating safe and sanitary homes, creating new affordable workforce housing and shoring up infrastructure programs […]
WASHINGTON – A growing number of buyers building new homes want smaller structures with affordable designs. A National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) analysis found that new homes built in 2023 reached their smallest median size in 13 years. More than a third (38%) of builders say they built smaller homes in 2023, and […]
News & Media NEW YORK – The pandemic put office-building owners under significant pressure as many employers shifted to remote work. Colliers’ data show the U.S. vacancy rate rose from 11% in late 2019 to 17% today, higher than at any point in the 2008 global financial crisis. Even with those high vacancy rates, […]
NEW YORK – If you’re in the market for an investment property, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about turnkey real estate. Primed and ready to go, a turnkey property can seem like a surefire way to see a quick return on your investment. But, as anyone who has dabbled in real estate before […]
NEW YORK – Tax season can come with several headaches, from gathering documents to finding the time to sit down and file. But one pain that you want to avoid is falling for a tax scam. Year-round, scammers look for ways to trick people into giving them money or personal information. There are several […]
News & Media TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – State general-revenue tax collections were more than 6% higher than anticipated in February, though economists cautioned that part of that result could be deceptive. The Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research released a report that showed net general revenue in February totaled nearly $3.538 billion, which was […]
News & Media NEW YORK – Today’s residential real estate market is much different than it was just a decade ago. In July 2006, the peak of home prices was $230,200. Today, the national average is $417,700 in the last quarter of 2023, according to California Association of Realtors data. As housing has become […]
WASHINGTON – The approaching spring season signals not only a change in weather, but an annual surge in home buying. Under scoring this longstanding trend is the annual April observance of Fair Housing Month. Enacted in 1968, the Fair Housing Act banned discrimination on the basis of race, religion, and national origin in the […]
NEW YORK – Garages may rank below kitchens and bathrooms in the home renovation pecking order, but these unsung heroes of suburban dwellings deserve their day in the sun. It’s easy for garages to become convenient, if crowded and disorganized, storage spaces, but scores of homeowners are embracing the idea that renovated garages can […]
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A federal judge has rejected a request by Florida and other states for a preliminary injunction to block changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners – though he ruled that a broader legal battle can continue. U.S. District Judge Darrel James […]
