NEWS
About 1 in 4 members must renew their license by Sept. 30. Need CE credit or first-cycle associate/broker credits? Florida Realtors offers them online. Find out more.
Long-term U.S. mortgage rates are up for the fourth consecutive week, and the key 30-year FRM hit its highest level since May.
The 20-city study by realtor.com found that higher home prices and interest rates led to the difference – but the home prices had a bigger impact.
The consumer shift to pickups and large SUVs has created a niche business in garage remodeling as people try to make room for them plus some storage on the side.
Have you protected your computer from hackers? Florida Realtors Tech Helpline is a free member benefit. Reach tech pros via email, online chat or phone: 407.587.1450.
https://www.floridarealtors.org/ToolsAndSupport/TechHelpline/
Housing starts sent a mixed message last month: While construction surged to its highest level in seven months, a drop in permits suggests a future downturn.
You know you're a good person, but do potential clients? A Kelton Global study found 22% of Southern U.S. consumers think Realtors can't be trusted, for example.
Help voters understand Amendment 2 before election day: Our online toolkit explains how they benefit from Fla.'s non-homestead 10% tax cap and why they should vote "yes."
Forbes crunched fed data to determine which U.S. cities offer the best return for a real estate investment; in Fla., Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville ranked high.
Most cellphone carriers are starting to discount the just-announced iPhones by hundreds of dollars as a way to lure customers to their networks.
Flood damage will hurt about 250K N.C. homes but only 3% have flood insurance – many owners outside FEMA high-flood zones didn't think it necessary.
Study: In the 1970s, 9 out of 10 second-home owners used the property only for their own needs, but now – thanks in part to the ease of short-term renting through firms like Airbnb – a majority of buyers view second homes as a financial investment.
Use a pro photographer to advertise listings? Read the contract. A Calif. photographer who registers copyrights for each photo alleges that Zillow took his copyrighted, limited-use photos licensed only to Realtors by "scraping" them from the local MLS.
Realtors said that the most valuable tech tools increase efficiency and make it easier to work remotely. The most valuable tools in their arsenal? Local MLS websites/apps (64%), lockbox/smart key devices (39%) and social media (28%).
The U.S. imposed more tariffs – $200 billion worth – on Chinese goods this week, which homebuilders say has "major ramifications for the housing industry."
Most Realtors won't put their life on the line to close a deal – but agents who have skipped safety protocols say they did it to save a potential transaction.
FEMA lowers flood insurance costs if owners harden homes against storms, but N.C. weakened its mitigation laws in 2013 due to complaints about the cost.
Luxury sales continued to break records and prices hit double-digit gains in 20 major counties, according to the 2018 Luxury Home Index. Top of list? Sarasota.
In 2005, the key age to downsize was 75; by 2016, it was 80. Many older adults work longer, but the current lack of smaller homes is also delaying their move.
About 12 years ago, a homeowner received permission from his zero-lot-line neighbor to put in a gravel path. Can that neighbor now force him to remove it?
American financial systems look different today, and NAR takes some credit for improvements due to its "significant advocacy support ... over the past decade."
A Federal Reserve study doesn't find a correlation between high-foreclosure areas and subprime loans; it blames toxic mortgage-backed securities for the collapse.
Should advertisers be allowed to choose who sees ads? HUD allegations led Facebook to limit real estate ads; a new lawsuit seeks to impact job notices.
No-money-down mortgages – which gave borrowers low upfront home costs but often saddled them with high balances or steep payment increases – have vanished.
The steady reading follows four months of declines as sales gains in the Northeast and Midwest canceled out downturns in the South and West.
Conventional wisdom says that site-built housing appreciates faster than mobile homes, but if a manufactured house includes the land underneath, appreciation is similar.