NEWS
Realtors conduct a lot of business while driving. Here are ways to keep your eyes on the road as you do it, along with a few random cellphone tips.
Fed Reserve Vice Chair Stanley Fischer says a long period of low interest rates may have contributed to "high and rising" home prices in several countries.
7 real estate laws drafted by the Florida Legislature and signed by Gov. Scott go into effect Saturday, including a Florida Realtors priority: estoppel fee caps.
Ongoing supply shortages are pushing home prices higher in many metro areas and impacting pending home sales, which slumped for the third consecutive month.
NAR's latest consumer survey offers a ray of hope that more homeowners will soon decide that it's time to sell. It's apparent there's a mismatch between homeowners' confidence in selling and actually following through, says NAR economist.
So far, 3-D meant viewers could turn and see what's behind them, but the latest incarnation is an extra-wide photo rather than a completely virtual home.
The bill eased fire sprinkler mandates in Fla. condos and had almost unanimous support in the Legislature. But the London high-rise fire that killed 79 people "illustrates the importance of life safety protections," the governor said in his veto.
Overall, consumers have a rosier picture of their situation today (up 5.7 index points), but they're a bit less optimistic about the future (down 1.7 points).
Proposed tariffs on Canadian lumber are "another tax" on builders and buyers, NAHB says, adding that the two proposals could cost "a whopping 27%" more.
According to Fannie Mae's 2Q survey, more mortgage lenders say they've eased credit standards recently, and they expect further easing in the coming months.
In Fla., courts cannot seize a homesteaded property to pay judgments, making real estate attractive to out-of-staters who want to shield their assets. However, a court ruled that they must actually make an effort to live here.
Fla. will no longer automatically update its building code using International Code Council standards as a baseline.
Using photos that you found on the Internet? Don't. A second court upheld a copyright charge last week against Zillow, though it lowered damages to $4M.
Just as some buyers want a smart home, many will want a smart city. Metros that adapt quickly to the technology could attract more residents and high-paying jobs.
The U.S. still isn't producing enough new homes to offset supply shortages, but it's trying. New-home sales are up 12% year-to-year, according to NAHB.
Record-high median home prices last month have led to an inadequate supply of affordable housing in some areas of the country, says NAR economist Yun.
The mortgage process is complex. In addition to filling out a form, it requires documentation, third-party verifications and an independent appraisal process.
Some buyers who can't qualify for a mortgage now might be OK soon after the big three credit agencies clean up their inaccurate tax lien and civil judgement data.
The Fla.-owned insurer is giving homeowners two new options on July 1: They'll remove water after a leak and offer drying services without charge (no deductible) and offer a 3-year guarantee if repairs are done by in-house contractors.
A pair of dueling polls found that homeowners like to rent a home through Airbnb when they travel – but they don't want Airbnb renters in their neighborhood.
The big news is that fixed-rate mortgages didn't go higher this week, though the drop is marginal. They averaged 3.90% compared to last week's 3.91%.
Survey: 90% Americans say homeownership is one of the greatest achievements in life; most think governments should do more to solve the affordable housing problem.
If HOA boards have to deal with owners who pay dues late, does it make sense for one of those owners to serve on the board? No – and it's not OK under Fla. law.
Sindeo hoped to revolutionize the mortgage application process using tech, but "simplifying the highly regulated, complex business" proved too challenging.
Co-living arrangements – in essence adult dorms that incorporate a social element shared by all renters – are soaring in popularity as rental costs rise.
Coverage expires in Oct. without Congress approving an extension, but it's addressing the issue. NAR says it supports six of seven bills that passed out of the House Financial Services Committee this week.
Citizens OK'd to raise homeowner rates about 5.3% and about 8.4% for commercial accounts; but homeowners could pay 10% more in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade.
Total existing-home sales rebounded after a drop in April, up 2.9% over May 2016. Low inventory helped propel the median sales price to a new high of $252,800.
Investors are competing for starter homes: Housing inventories are at the lowest level in 30 years, and worst shortages are in the low and middle price ranges.
Year-over-year, existing single-family home sales rose 7.6%, median sales price up 7.7% to $239,000. Condo sales up 8%; median sales price up 8.1% to $178,000.
The state-run property insurer wants to raise homeowner rates by an average of 5.3% and commercial accounts by an average of 8.4%, but regulators must OK the hike.
CoreLogic Q1 Housing Credit Index: The HCI rose 3.6 points to 105.6, up from Q1 2016; but the credit risk level remains nearly the same as the "normal" baseline.
If a flood swamps your home, will insurance cover the damage? Maybe. It depends on a lot of factors, including if you have a flood insurance policy or not.
Owning rental real estate has benefits like investment diversification and an alternative income stream, but there are challenges, too - like dealing with tenants.
Can a condo HOA deny a unit owner's tenant who has a poor credit history? Can a condo HOA use the same landscape service for 10 years without competitive bidding?
The Counselors of Real Estate's annual top 10 list has global uncertainty and political polarization at the top, followed by tech changes in the commercial sector and "generational disruption" as boomers age and millennials age.
Lawmakers passed a renewable-energy bill (SB 90) supported by Florida Realtors after nearly 73% of voters approved the constitutional amendment last August.
The mortgage interest tax deduction, according to RPAC, saves more than $24,000 per home sale and could cost each Realtor as much as $22,420 if eliminated.
Your brain takes a relatively small amount of info and makes up the rest based on previous experience – a process that also makes 99¢ seem a lot cheaper than $1.
An analysis of 32,000 U.S. home listing photos found that soft blues and grays positively influence buyers, and "greige" (beige/gray) exteriors sell for more.
A private marina pays property taxes; a city-owned marina doesn't. That makes the private venture more expensive. Is that fair? The Fla. Supreme court says "yes."
Construction appears to be transitioning from multifamily to single-family. New housing starts dropped 5.5%, but single-family rose 2.3% as multifamily fell 7.7%.
A major commercial tax benefit that allows investors to avoid capital gains taxes when they sell a property and buy another could disappear: Some lawmakers are considering a cancellation of the 1031 exchange provision as part of a major tax-rate cut.
Some experts said no-downpayment mortgages led to the housing crisis, but some lenders are starting to offer them again anyway.
In many metros, buyers can't find a suitable listing, and when they turn in frustration to rentals, they discover that higher demand has increased the cost.
Real estate QandA: A live-in girlfriend's living trust allowed her boyfriend to reside in her condo after she dies, but she changed her mind. Can she do that?
Fla. will use part of the $75M in the state's conservation fund to buy 6,478 acres for preservation, though the 2017-18 budget doesn't include additional money.
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose from last week's seven-month low (3.89%) to 3.81% this week.
It happens often: Scammers pull a Realtor's pictures and content from a real estate ad site and repost them, saying the house is for rent at a below-market rate. Many times, agents don't know info has been stolen until a potential renter contacts them.