Lower rates have encouraged buyers from the sidelines. In Florida, builders are offering incentives that include lot premium waivers and price reductions.

Many forecasts have rates near 6% at the end of this year and falling to about 5.8% next year. The days of 3% and 4% rates appear to be over.

Even with affordability headwinds, builders remain optimistic about the future of the market. The share of builders cutting prices held steady at 32% in October. 

An Okeechobee real estate scam was uncovered after a man attempted to sell land he didn't own. The listing was removed. No arrests have been made.

In any transaction, including real estate, always verify information, be cautious with urgent requests, and confirm authenticity before sharing personal details.

Disaster-response resources are available this week in more than 10 Florida counties to help businesses and residents.

Pending home sales posted their biggest increase since 2021 recently, but some house hunters are starting to pull back, Redfin said.

About 53% of homeowners who hired a contractor went over budget, and 46% faced significant delays.

Massive amounts of sand shifted inland after back-to-back hurricanes. Many residents are now facing costly cleanup.

Builder sentiment and easing monetary policy boosted single-family construction. Multifamily fell 9.4% due to tight financing and rising apartment completions.

Wearing two hats isn’t for everyone – but, for some, dual licensing offers an opportunity to earn extra income and bring more value to your relationship with buyers.

The SBA said disaster survivors should not wait to settle with insurance companies before applying for disaster loans. Also, Milton, Helene insurance claims increased.

Rates on 30-year mortgages rose to 6.44% from 6.32% last week, according to Freddie Mac. Rates on 15-year mortgages rose to 5.63% from 5.41%.

Returns on typical U.S. home sales remain high but dipped down quarterly and annually, ATTOM found. Median raw profits hold steady at just under $130,000.

U.S. single-family rent prices were up by 2.4% year over year in August, the lowest rate of growth recorded since last fall, CoreLogic reported.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton are expected to rank among the most expensive storms, but insured losses are expected to be lower than previous storms.

NAR released a new Consumer Guide focused on listing agreements to educate customers working with real estate professionals.

Operation Blue Roof, which provides free tarps for damaged homes, opened for applications, and HUD announced a 90-day foreclosure moratorium on FHA-insured mortgages.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said new funding might not come until after the November election. Other disaster relief programs are available, including FEMA help.

Buyers should keep a close eye on their credit reports, control their debt-to-income ratio and maintain a strong employment record, among other things.