Hurricane Milton, Helene Insured Losses Top $5B

​Counties with the highest estimated insured losses from Hurricanes Milton and Helene include Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Manatee. 

Florida Leads for Best Place to Retire

​U.S. News & World Report named three Florida cities to its 2025 Best Places to Retire in the U.S. top 10 list and another seven Florida cities to the top 20. 

FEMA Offers Monthly Payments for Flood Insurance

​Some property owners with flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will soon have a more flexible payment option. 

New Guide: What Buyers Should Know Before Closing

​A new NAR Consumer Guide provides customers with info about the steps in the homebuying process, answering questions about escrow, appraisals and more.   

Citizens Insurance to End Year Under 1M Policies

​The last time Citizens ended the year with fewer policies than it started was 2018, when the count was reduced from 440,406 policies to 427,397. 

NAR: Existing Home Sales Grew 3.4% in October

​Existing home sales in the South climbed 2.9% from September to an annual rate of 1.77 million in October, up 2.3% from one year earlier.   

Florida’s Oct. Housing: Inventory Up, Prices Ease

​Florida Realtors Chief Economist: New listings of homes for sale in October were impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene. Inventory levels rose YoY. 

30-Year, 15-Year Mortgage Rates Tick Higher

​The average 30-year mortgage rate rose to 6.84% from 6.78% last week, the highest since July. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 6.02% from 5.99%. 

Builder Confidence Moves Higher

​The National Association of Home Builders said builders expect market conditions to improve even with labor shortages and higher building material prices. 

Most Earning Under $50K Struggle With Housing

​A new study found of those earning under $50,000 who struggle to afford housing, 21% have delayed or skipped medical treatments while 15% have worked a side hustle. 

Court Backs Approval of Utility Storm Plans

​Challengers argued the utility storm-protection plans didn’t assess whether proposed projects placed unnecessary financial burdens on customers. 

FAU: Prices Stay High Despite Waning Inflation

​Core inflation remains high partially due to housing services prices, which rose 3.8% annually in September. The Fed is expected to cut rates again in December.