RE Q&A: Can the seller keep the deposit, since there is a signed contract? It depends on the financing section of your contract, timing and other specific details.

Freddie Mac: Last week, it was 6.95%. This is the third straight weekly decline and the lowest level for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages since early April.

High interest rates for loans held back housing supply as overall housing starts fell 5.5%, single-family starts declined 5.2% and multifamily fell 6.6%.

Eligible sellers can transfer their assumable mortgages to qualifying buyers, allowing them to assume the seller’s low mortgage rates.

Investors are finding opportunities in the office market as the commercial sector struggles with factors such as low tenant demand after the pandemic.

Single-family home developers haven’t experienced a downshift in sales due to more inventory, however. Higher property insurance rates may be a bigger concern.

The proposed increase, on average 13.5%, will go to the state Office of Insurance Regulation for review and potential approval.

AirDNA reports that coastal area short-term rentals were 17% more popular among tourists than hotels. Short-term rentals also attract business travelers.

Only Leon County is approved for FEMA individual assistance. The Florida Realtors Disaster Relief Fund is accepting applications for 15 North Florida counties.

Price growth is slowing, thanks to a small uptick in new listings as elevated mortgage rates keep buyers at bay.

The June HMI survey found 29% of builders cut prices to bolster June sales, the highest share since January 2024 (31%) and well above the May rate of 25%.

Adult children are moving back home due, in part, to rising rents. Decide how much they’ll pay towards the mortgage or their own savings for moving out in the future.

For the first time in state history, the median sale price for Florida exceeded that of the national number and has stayed there for several months.

The delay in lowering interest rates is having a significant implication on the economy and housing. Mortgage rates are tied to interest rates.

Borrowers with federally backed mortgages in parts of South Florida, and soon all Citizens customers, must buy flood insurance.

The Fed's rate hikes have slowed the housing market, but home prices remain near record levels because home values are not driven just by interest rates.

Rising bond prices have pushed down treasury yields, which can ultimately drive down mortgage rates. But some investors say the relief could be short lived.

More than half of luxury homebuyers would be unlikely to make an offer on a home with an outdated kitchen. They want kitchen islands and upgraded appliances.

Early results from the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index show sentiment is currently about 31% above the trough seen in June 2022.

A new law requires condo board education and gives the state more investigative powers to tamp down on abuses of power and other provisions.