184K Citizens Policies Going to Private Insurers

While Fla.-owned Citizens Property Ins. continues to grow, regulators this week approved moving 184K policies to private insurers, with Slide taking up to 100K.
Read MoreFlorida Realtors Launches NAR Officer Campaign

Christine Hanson, 2018 Florida Realtors president, is running unopposed for NAR 2025 First Vice President. Share the news on social media – here’s how.
Read MoreNAR’s 2023 International Sales Report: 23% in Fla.

International buyers face the same challenges as domestic buyers: Transactions were down 9.6% year-to-year, and the number of homes sold (84.6K) declined 14.2%.
Read MoreMore than a Quarter of U.S. Homeowners ‘House Poor’

House-poor families spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Hialeah, Fla., is No. 1 in the nation, with 59.3% of households considered house poor.
Read MoreInternational Scam Sends Fla. ‘Investor’ to Prison

Robert Matthews will serve 65 months for scamming more than 60 foreign investors between 2012 and 2018, convincing each to invest at least $500K in his projects.
Read MoreUF: Floridians Grew a Bit Less Optimistic in July

Contrary to national numbers in July, Fla. sentiment fell 2.1 points as residents worried about the U.S. economy and planned to cut back on spending.
Read MoreGAO Looks at Flood Ins. 2.0, Suggests Improvements

The federal oversight group said Risk Rating 2.0 is an improvement, but it suggested a number of changes, including greater transparency on how rates are calculated.
Read MoreAds with Keyword Clicks: What’s a Fair Price?

Advertisers usually pay each time someone clicks on their ad, and some keywords – such as “real estate” or “homes for sale” – cost more and face greater competition.
Read MoreFHA to Update Foreclosure Rules, Allow Zoom Meetings

A proposed change would bring FHA’s foreclosure rules into the current century, where interviews can be conducted online rather than mandated, in-person meetings.
Read MoreFla.’s Growth Pushes Some Residents to Relocate

Census Bureau: Miami-Dade and Broward lost residents 2020-2022, even as the state grew 3%. Some residents moved to less populated Fla. metros; some left the country.
Read MoreWhen Should I Disclose Contemplated Interest?

A Realtor completed a professional apartment-building property appraisal on behalf of the seller, and the valuation was used to negotiate a final price with the buyer. But the seller later filed an ethics complaint because the Realtor managed the buyer’s properties. Is it an ethics violation?
Read MoreLegal Loyalty: Brokerages and Buyer Commission Agreements

Some transactions don’t include any formal agreement between the broker and a buyer, but many brokers prefer something in writing. Florida Realtors has forms that can help.
Read MoreFla.’s Real Estate Transfer Tax – What To Know

Florida charges a transfer fee – a documentary stamp tax – on most real estate transactions, but there are exceptions. What is it, when is it applied and how much is charged? Read on.
Read MoreCourt: Zillow Owes $2M for Copyright Infringement

An appeals court agreed with a lower court’s decision: Zillow’s use of VHT photos was copyright infringement. Agents often hire VHT to take property photos, but the allowable use of those photos is generally spelled out in a contract.
Read MoreLandlord and Tenant Act’s Changes and Amendments

One section addresses “termination of a tenancy without a specific term.” What does that mean and when does it apply? Another amendment affects annual leases with a specific duration. What changed there and how does it work now?
Read More1.1M New Apartments May Not Lower Rents Much

Some economists predict a slight drop in rents, but only in some metros – and even there it won’t have a big impact after years of rising rental costs.
Read MoreClients Afraid of Commitment? How to Help

To buy or sell a home? It’s a big decision, and many people hesitate when they face one. Building rapport and saying the right things can help.
Read More5% Tipping Point for Sellers vs. Locked-In Owners

Best sales prospects are homeowners with current mortgage rates of 5% or more. Those with lower rates don’t want to lose it and are more likely to hunker down.
Read MoreBank Plan Could Impact Mortgage Rates

Regulators want to boost capital requirements, but, as proposed, they’re targeting banks that offer mortgages with higher loan-to-value ratios. That could raise rates.
Read More1 in 4 Floridians Would Ignore Evacuation Warnings

Why would a Fla. resident refuse to evacuate? Why don’t some at-risk Fla. owners buy flood insurance? A survey by AAA asked.
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