HUD Prohibits Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity Discrimination
HUD now considers sexual orientation and gender identity to be protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, calling its change “the correct reading of the law.”
Fla.’s Housing Market Wraps Up 2020 Strong Despite COVID-19
Florida Realtors’ latest data: Single-family home sales in 2020 up 5.8% year-over-year, median price at $290K up 9.6%. Condo-townhouse sales up 2.5%, median price at $215K, up 12% from 2019. Chief Economist O’Connor: “Sales of Florida homes in the 4Q were very strong.”
What Sellers Shouldn’t Display in Their Home Office
Take a lot of the “you” out of your home office space, like college memorabilia and other personal items so buyers can see themselves using it.
Average Mortgage Rates Unchanged – Third Week in a Row
The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.73% this week, just as it did the previous two weeks. But one year ago, the FRM averaged 3.47%.
NAR: All Metro Areas Saw Home Prices Rise in 4Q 2020
Of those metros, 88% (161 areas) saw double-digit price increases. Two Fla. metros were among the 10 highest price gainers: Naples at 29.9% and Crestview at 28.6%.
Zillow Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire ShowingTime
ShowingTime has a working relationship with hundreds of MLSs across North America, with a network that includes almost a million real estate agents.
5 Fla. Towns in Top 10 ‘Affordable Places to Retire’
55place.com listed the most affordable retirement towns in the U.S., and 5 Fla. metros made the top 10, including No. 1 Boynton Beach and No. 2 Sarasota.
FHFA Extends Forbearance, Foreclosure and Eviction Moratoriums
At-risk homeowners can now postpone mortgage payments (via forbearance) for 15 months. Foreclosure and REO-related eviction bans run until March 31.
Study: Does Affordable Housing Lower Nearby Home Values?
Redfin economists analyzed 220K sales in 26 metros over a 13-year period. In most suburbs (18 of the 26) they found no appreciable price difference after affordable housing was built – and in four metros, local prices actually rose higher. But it also lowered prices in four metros.
New Program Encourages More Black RE Agents
NAREB says that 6% of real estate agents are Black, and a program sponsored by HomeLight will support and encourage new Black agents to enter the business.