Florida Realtors DRF Open for Post-Debby Help

​ News & Media ORLANDO, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis warned of ongoing Hurricane Debby-related flooding, particularly in north Florida, in the coming days as rivers and tributaries rise. In response, the Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund began accepting applications to assist affected homeowners and business owners. Links to /about/charities/disaster-relief-fund Realtors helping others in times […]

Study: ‘Knowledge Gaps’ May Be Thwarting Buyers

​ News & Media WASHINGTON – According to the recent Fannie Mae Mortgage Understanding Study, which surveyed 3,338 household financial decision makers, 92% say owning a home is important and 74% plan to buy, rather than rent, the next time they move. However, nine out of 10 respondents overstated or were unaware of what most […]

Can You Be Fined for a Years-Old Code Violation?

​ FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Question: About 12 years ago, I put in a pool surrounded by a chain-link fence after obtaining the appropriate permits. I put mesh slats in the fence to increase privacy. I recently received a violation notice from the city stating that I violated municipal code because slats are prohibited in chain-link fences. […]

Buyers Willing to Risk Safety for Affordability

​ SEATTLE – Nearly one in every five (17.3%) house hunters are willing to sacrifice their physical safety to find a home they can afford within the next year, according to a new report from the real estate brokerage Redfin. Nearly one in four (23.7%) Gen Z respondents said they are willing to live somewhere […]

August Mortgage Rates Could Continue Long Decline

​ NEW YORK – Mortgage rates are likely to keep falling in August because inflation is slowing down. The pleasing news is that mortgage rates have been trending downward since they crested for the year in April, when the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.04% in NerdWallet’s daily survey. The average rate slipped slightly lower in […]

Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund Opens

​ 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. ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Realtors® Disaster Relief Fund began accepting applications Monday as Hurricane Debby dumped inches of rain in already-drenched areas, leaving the potential for catastrophic flooding and storm […]

Luxury Home Market Settling

​ WASHINGTON – Luxury real estate sales, which have led the market in numbers and dollar value since the pandemic, have started to settle out, declining 7.7% year over year during the first quarter of 2024, while the overall market slipped 3.3%, according to a recently released analysis by Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Company. […]

Responsible Marketing is Key to Brand Success

​ NEW YORK – Marketing campaigns in poor taste, driven solely by numbers or rushed launches, are all too familiar. Marketers today face a significant challenge in a socially conscious world: balancing the promotion of products or services with societal responsibility. This involves considering political and environmental issues and regional sensitivities. For instance, advertising fast […]

How Low Must Rates Go to Break Lock-In?

​ WASHINGTON – Most Americans fortunate enough to have purchased a house before mortgage rates shot up in the spring of 2022 don’t appear likely to sell any time soon, according to a new survey. Bankrate asked Americans how low mortgage rates would have to fall before they would consider selling their current home and […]

Regulators Eye Citizens Insurance Hikes

​ TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida regulators Thursday dug into a proposal that would lead to double-digit rate increases for customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., as the state insurer of last resort continues trying to push policies into the private market. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, which would have to sign off on increases, […]

Rising Rates, Prices Shrink Buyer’s’ Budgets

​ ORLANDO, Fla. – Typically, the most important question prospective homebuyers need to answer is how much they can afford each month. This number then translates into their “purchasing power”, or how much house that monthly payment can get them. Then, this gives the buyers their price range or budget when they start working with […]

Free Webinar: “Let’s Talk Listing Agreements”

​ News & Media ORLANDO – Join Juana Watkins, Florida Realtors® general counsel and vice president of Law & Policy, and the legal team for a discussion on Monday (Aug. 5) about amended Exclusive Right of Sale Listing Agreements. Links to /law-ethics/nar-settlement-sitzer-burnett-lawsuit July 30: Florida Realtors has released new listing forms and videos about buyer […]