The safest metro in Fla. isn’t too surprising. The Villages – Central Fla.’s mega 55-plus community of 60,000 residents – ranks as No. 1.

What do homeowners do if they’re preparing to sell? Predictive analytics looks at lots of those variables to predict which people are most likely to sell soon.

NAR’s chief economist calls 2023 so far “a real downer,” with sales 23% lower. As pent-up demand grows, the “market can easily absorb a doubling of inventory.”

For two weeks – July 24 to Aug. 6 – Fla. nixes sales tax for many office supplies used by students, including pads and computers that sell for less than $1,500.

U.S. single-family home starts fell 7% in June after four consecutive increases, but permits – an indication of future home builds – were up 2.2%.

The Fla. Legislature’s demographic office says that the state had 22.6M Floridians in April, and predicts it will have 25.1M by April 2032 – an almost 11% increase.

A federal hidden-fees initiative led major rental websites to announce “total rental fees” notices early in the process: Zillow, Apartments.com and AffordableHousing.com.

What makes a city “best” for first-timers? WalletHub looked at 22 key indicators, such as attractiveness, affordability and quality of life. Top of the list? Palm Bay.

Just as the “Energy Star” rating denotes energy efficiency, products with “Trust Mark” on them will be FCC approved for their cyber safety.

A federal judge heard arguments from a lawsuit to block Fla.’s new law restricting some property purchases by Chinese citizens. A decision is not “super imminent.”

With the tight inventory of existing homes, the market remains solid for builders, and the index measuring attitudes moved one point higher to 56 from June’s 55.

An American Heart Association peer-reviewed study finds that Blacks still living in once-redlined districts have an 8% greater chance of heart attacks.

A backyard breeder freed domesticated lionhead rabbits a few years ago, and a growing area in Fort Lauderdale is dealing with fast-breeding bunny colonies.

As a percentage of all homes, it’s the lowest one in at least a decade. In the suburbs, it’s a bit higher at 1.6%, but that’s one-third less than the 2.4% in 2019.

Retirees beware if seeking peace and quiet: In 2022, Tampa was one of the top 10 U.S. cities favored by both millennials and Gen Zers, according to SmartAsset.

Someday a buyer’s market will return, but it’s not today and it won’t be tomorrow. Bidding wars have returned and some metros still see rising prices.

The 5 bed/2 bath, 13,195 square-foot New Orleans mansion – actually Calif. –  “dates back to the late 19th century” and has a steep asking price: Your soul.

Over two years, Fla. home prices rose 35.16% – the highest increase on the East Coast – with Ga. and the Carolinas seeing something just short of 30%.

The sellers have a check but without bank funds to support it. Is the contract dead? Delayed? What should the seller do next?

Fla. isn’t getting too expensive – only some metro areas are. An inexpensive Sunshine State retirement still exists for people who embrace a more rural lifestyle.