Wetlands Fight to Continue for Months

​ TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — While Florida has sought to speed up the case, an appeals court battle about permitting authority for projects that affect wetlands likely will not be resolved until late this year – at the soonest. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Tuesday issued an order that […]

2024 Buyers Need to Earn 80% More Than in 2020

​ NEW YORK – Home prices have climbed 42% since 2020, as rising mortgage rates and borrowing costs are creating barriers to homeownership, a new study shows. A recent analysis by Zillow reveals that the housing market has become increasingly inaccessible for many Americans. To comfortably afford a home, prospective buyers need to earn 80% […]

Sellers Slashing Prices in These Florida Cities

​ TAMPA, Fla. — With a rise in interest rates and empty homes on the market, home sellers across the country are feeling the pressure to reduce prices to attract buyers. Realtor.com said the number of homes rose to 34.2% this past May and spent an average of 44 days on market. “With greater inventory […]

Report: 61% of Renters Can’t Afford Median Rent

​ NEW YORK – Due to inflation eating away at earnings and less supply of affordable housing, the majority of Americans today cannot afford median rent prices, according to a new report by the real estate company Redfin. The analysis comes as other reports indicate that both homeowners and renters are struggling with high housing […]

9 Tips (and Good Advice) for First-Time Renters

​ NEW YORK – When we saw that rent at our current apartment would go up by several hundred dollars if we re-signed our lease this summer, my roommates and I knew it was time to start searching for a new place to live. We knew what we could afford between the three of us, […]

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Using ChatGPT

​ NEW YORK – Are you using ChatGPT yet? With free access to the latest upgrade – ChatGPT 4o – it’s a fantastic content creation assistant (and more). But even the best tech tools can lead to blunders if not used properly. Some studies show that ChatGPT can have an error rate as high as […]

More Banks Risk Failure as CRE Loans Reprice

​ BOCA RATON, Fla. – More than 60 of the largest banks in the country are at increased risk of failure due to their commercial real estate (CRE) exposures, according to a data analysis from a finance expert at Florida Atlantic University. Sixty-seven banks have exposure to commercial real estate greater than 300% of their […]

Using a Driveway’s Power to Enhance Curb Appeal

​ CHICAGO – A driveway is often an afterthought when it comes to a home’s curb appeal, but it can make a big difference. Paver overlays or border plantings can give the driveway an upgrade, but a colored sealant or stain that compliments the house may be all you need. You can match the colors […]

Harvard: Home Prices, Rates Shut Out Millions

​ NEW YORK – Millions of Americans are already shut out of buying a home, and the cost of buying one continues to rise. In past decades, it was common to find a house that cost roughly three times a buyer’s annual income. But that ratio has skewed sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic, with home […]

Homes Under $200K Still Available in Florida

​ MIAMI – Affordable housing can be difficult to come by. In the past decade alone, the number of homes for purchase under $200,000 went from half of all sales to 21% of all home sales, according to a recent report from Realtor.com. At the same time, the national median listing price on homes has […]

Fannie Mae Cuts 2024 Home Sales Forecast

​ WASHINGTON – Affordability constraints continue to limit the number of buyers willing and able to make home purchases, even as listings of for-sale homes rise, according to the June 2024 commentary from the Fannie Mae Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. As such, the ESR Group downgraded its total home sales forecast to 4.82 […]

Do ADUs Solve Affordable Housing for Gen Z?

​ MIAMI – Gen Z is too young to remember the “Rent is Too Damn High Party” from 2005. However, they would likely appreciate the spirit of the movement. Housing affordability is the top voting issue for an astounding 91% of Gen Zers ahead of the 2024 election, according to a new survey by Redfin, […]