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- NAR: Existing-home sales rise again in January, inventory down
- Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:43:31 +0500 -
- Fla. housing market upbeat in Jan. 2012
- Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:46:45 +0500 - Sales prices rose 5.3% for single family, 18.8% for condos, and inventory declined. NAR reports 4.3% sales increase.
- Biggest U.S. mortgage lenders
- Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:05:47 +0500 - MortgageDaily.com: In 4Q 2011, Wells Fargo ranked No. 1; Bank of America fell the most; U.S. Bancorp grew the fastest.
- Six questions to ask when shopping for homeowners insurance
- Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:08:54 +0500 - Homeowners need coverage, but how much? They should first collect some basic home info and then ask the right questions.
- Housing affordability reaches record level
- Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:32:06 +0500 - Homeownership is a relative bargain, but tight credit requirements deter buyers: Lakeland-Winter Haven No. 2 nationally.
- Florida economy gained momentum in 2011
- Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:21:21 +0500 - BMO: State doing better with lower unemployment, more construction and residents - but growth still slowed by housing.
- Avatar Holdings becomes AV Homes
- Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:22:17 +0500 - A Central Florida builder is changing its name to avoid comparisons to the blockbuster movie that overshadows it.
- Reminder: 3.8% tax is not a transfer tax on real estate
- Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:25:20 +0500 - NAR: A bizarre Internet rumor surfaced again, but it's not true: There is no real estate transfer tax starting in 2013.
- Fed review for robo-signing extended
- Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:06:36 +0500 - Ex-homeowners can submit their 2009-2010 foreclosure for federal review if done by one of 27 participating lenders.
- NAR to Administration: Don't harm housing
- Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:24:21 +0500 - Budget proposal has a cap on IRS mortgage interest deductions and impacts capital gains on some real estate investments.
- Florida: Balmy breezes, sunsets and romance
- Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:28:37 +0500 - In honor of Valentine's Day, Amazon listed the U.S.'s top 20 romantic cities, and Fla. has more than any other state.
- HUD gives Fla. $49.6M for affordable housing
- Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:26:32 +0500 - Nationwide, HUD granted a total of almost $1.8 billion, with the top amount, $321.5 million, going to New York.
- Foreclosure settlement: Fla. to get $8.4 billion
- Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:54:39 +0500 - About $170M for foreclosure victims, rest for underwater owners; will take up to 9 months to identify beneficiaries.
- HUD: $7.5 million to fight housing discrimination
- Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:38 +0500 - Only two Fla. enforcement groups received funds: Jacksonville and Broward County will split about $100,000.
- Florida's existing home, condo sales up in 4Q 2011
- Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:16:39 +0500 - Existing home sales rose 7%, condo sales 4%. Home prices down 1%, condos 4%. NAR: sales up 5.9%, prices down 4.2%.
- SBA 504 loans hit record low interest rate for February
- Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:23:50 +0500 - Interest rates for commercial investment or upgrades estimated at 4.7% or 3.81% for 10-year loans.
- Realtor University Approved for Master of Real Estate degree program
- Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:31:17 +0500 - The Master of Real Estate degree, available online, includes five areas of concentration. First course starts Feb. 27.
- Trulia: 1 in 3 home searches cross state lines
- Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:26:54 +0500 - Trulia analyzed users' locations and where they searched for a home. Of the top 10 desired locations, seven are in Fla.
- Fannie Mae expands online offers for HomePath properties
- Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:28:47 +0500 - An Orlando-area pilot program goes national. Realtors now submit offers online and track status through HomePath.com.
- Aid for military families facing foreclosure
- Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:45:28 +0500 - Hope Now, a private lender alliance, will start to focus on military families at risk of foreclosure.
- NAHB: Nearly 100 house markets improving
- Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:04:56 +0500 - Seven Fla. metro areas have shown consistent improvement for at least six months, with Miami new entrant on latest list.
- Survey: Apartment industry continues recovery
- Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:07:06 +0500 - Survey: Multi-family market continues upswing as developers play catch-up to growing consumer demand for rental housing.
- Short sale sellers need to close in 2012
- Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:14:53 +0500 - If lawmakers don't extend break and a bank nixes $100K in short sale debt, it could cost a taxpayer in 25% bracket $25K.
- Baby boomers geared up to move
- Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:40:46 +0500 - Mason-Dixon: Up to 1/3 of soon-to-be retirees could move out of state, with 18% of those to Fla.'s warm climate.
- Florida Realtors to launch new data system soon
- Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:41:52 +0500 - Jan. 2012 report to launch new housing market data system; includes only statewide numbers and not Realtor sales by MSA.
- CoreLogic releases 2011 home price stats
- Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:44:08 +0500 - Fla. better than nation overall with a 3.3% price drop compared to 4.7%; prices down only 0.9% without distressed sales.
- VA loans have lowest delinquency rate
- Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:50:33 +0500 - In its year-end report, VA says it backed 14% more loans last year; at the same time, its foreclosure rate dropped 28%.
- UF: Fla. consumer confidence surges upward in January
- Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:56:05 +0500 - U.S. consumers may be a tad gloomier, but Floridians' outlook surged 7 points; economic expectations rose 14 points.
- Obama details broader housing refinance plan
- Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:57:46 +0500 - NAR-supported plan faces uphill battle; but, if passed, could help underwater owners refinance at lower interest rates.
- EEM mortgage rewards energy efficiency
- Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:56:27 +0500 - If a home conserves energy, a buyer can qualify for a higher mortgage because it stretches the debt-to-income ratios.
- HUD: Sexual identity a protected class
- Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:58:11 +0500 - Starting in March, all HUD-run programs will ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, including FHA mortgages.
- Consumer Confidence Index decreases slightly
- Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:59:16 +0500 - The Conference Board says American's confidence rose in Dec., but it dropped back to Nov. levels in this month's survey.
- St. Joe Company has new real estate strategy
- Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:01:01 +0500 - It will cut back on current developments, including amenities, and possibly sell inventory at lower prices or in bulk.
- NAR's Confidence Index shows upswing
- Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:03:06 +0500 - Each month, Realtors' market outlook improves, says NAR. In Dec., the index was 31.6 compared to 24.5 one year earlier.
- HUD: Can't use 'lead paint' to discriminate
- Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:35:54 +0500 - A Mass. apartment owner didn't certify her units as lead paint free and used that to turn down families with children.
- 2011's foreclosures lowest in four years
- Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:43:06 +0500 - RealtyTrac: Fla. seventh in number of owners facing foreclosure - 1 in 49 homes; process now takes 806 days to complete.
- Fla. No. 5 nationally as 'best for business'
- Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:49:11 +0500 - Tax Foundation: State ranks high for its business-friendly low tax burden in annual study based on dozens of provisions.
- High downpayments: More harm than good?
- Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:41:36 +0500 - UNC study: A QRM rule that mandates a 20% downpayment would push 61% of creditworthy borrowers out of the market.
- Pending home sales decline in Dec.; above year ago
- Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:42:34 +0500 - Slight 3.5% monthly decline follows two strongest months of contract signings since the homebuyer tax credit expired.
- Real estate agents opting for mobile office
- Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:04:00 +0500 - In today's fast-pace world, consumers want fast responses, and agents need mobile offices to retain and attract clients.
- Citizens backs off pricey replacement costs
- Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:35:57 +0500 - In a win for Florida Realtors and state homeowners, insurer won't base costs exclusively on a single appraisal source.
- FHA to limit seller help at closing
- Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:37:14 +0500 - Tighter rules were announced for FHA lenders; new rules that lower the amount sellers can pay at closing are expected.
- Casting call for HGTV' 'House Hunters'
- Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:43:34 +0500 - Want 15 minutes of fame and national marketing? HGTV show auditions require three-minute videos and willing buyers.
- Florida's housing sales activity higher as 2011 ends
- Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:46:09 +0500 - Home sales rose 8%, condos 15% in 2011. Fla. home, condo Dec. median price up 1%, 4% respectively. National sales up 5%.
- NAR: Dec. existing home sales show uptrend
- Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:47:38 +0500 -
- Florida Legislature advances Realtor issues
- Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:08:33 +0500 - Committees approved septic tank inspection changes, competitive property insurance rules and new homestead exemptions.
- Single-family housing starts up 4.4% in Dec.
- Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:41:35 +0500 - Single-family starts have risen for three consecutive months, though drop in multi-family caused overall 4.1% decline.
- Appraisal Institute: Don't shoot the messenger
- Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:37:37 +0500 - New effort, materials attempt to counter a belief that appraisers did something wrong if appraised value comes in too low.
- Builder confidence rises fourth consecutive time in January
- Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:47:23 +0500 - Index at its highest level in four-and-a-half years; latest uptick seen in every component and region of the country.
- Avoid foreclosure with help from HUD-approved agencies
- Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:35:59 +0500 - Owners at risk of foreclosure can tap into HUD's nationwide network of counselors for a free evaluation and counseling.
Provided courtesy of:
http://www.FloridaRealtors.org/
Florida Realtors®, formerly known as the Florida Association of Realtors®, serves as The Voice for Real Estate® in Florida. It provides programs, services, continuing education, research and legislative representation to its 115,000 members in 67 boards/associations.
