Realtors from across Florida will gather in Tallahassee today for Great American Realtor Days (GARD). They will meet with lawmakers to discuss real estate issues that impact Floridians and advocate for homeownership. “The collective voice of Florida Realtors will be heard loud and clear throughout the Capitol building this week,” said John Sebree, Florida Realtors senior vice president of public..

Recent market conditions show home prices rising and inventory shrinking. When the market changes it becomes more difficult to determine how much a buyer is willing to pay for a property. It also presents a challenge for real estate agents to ascertain the right asking price for a house. Generally, the asking price is obtained by considering comparable houses in..

Even though lenders do not seem to be relaxing their underwriting standards, approval rates for mortgages have risen almost 20 percent over the past 12 months. The data was yielded from the origination reports of lenders utilizing Ellie Mae’s Encompass360 software to submit mortgage applications.

With recent upswings in the US economy and rising property values, investing in real estate is becoming more attractive for investors, and understandably so. As a long-term strategy, buying in an upswing market is a smart investment. If you’re considering getting into the world of real estate investing, there are some key things to consider before you take the plunge…

A recent survey by CNBC found that 69 percent of Americans say “it is better to own than rent” and 79 percent say owning a home is “an essential part of the American dream.” Further, the survey found that more Americans believe home ownership is a “better long-term investment than stocks.” These percentages reflect a three-year high indicating U.S. residents..

There is a problem with force-placed insurance policies that lenders issue in the name of a homeowner who has lapsed on his or her homeowner policy according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage loans. The agency reported their findings in the March 2013 Federal Register stating that the force-placed insurance is..

Should I renovate my house before I sell it? This is an important question sellers should consider before putting their house on the market. Sometimes the answer is clearly yes, but it’s important to consider several factors before beginning renovations. Detailed comparisons of other homes in the area is the first step in determining the extent of the updates needed,..

According to recent national tracking statistics from Realtor.com, the number of for-sale real estate listings has decreased a shocking 19.3% from July 2011 to the same time this year. This significant shrinkage of inventory has resulted in a small but consistent rise in median list price. Listing prices rose 2.6% from July of last year to last month and experts..

The recent rises in asking prices has been outpacing the increases in rents, but a new study shows that home buying still may make more financial sense. Owning a house was found to be 44 percent cheaper than renting. If you’re looking to buy or sell property in the Tampa Bay or Miami, Florida area, please contact Teresa Williams at..

Looking for something fun to do in May? Enjoy the Funshine Music Festival , a music and outdoor entertainment extravaganza, May 3-5! The festival, at the Florida State Fairgrounds, boasts six stages and over 30 bands – with favorites such as Train, Ted Nugent, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Kix Brooks, and Gary Allen. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Wear headphones..