Insurers Stop for Storm – Should Return Mon.
Buyers who need property insurance to close are out of luck while a hurricane threatens Fla., but many insurers expect to start writing policies again on Mon.
Ethics Complaint Rests on ‘As Soon As Practical’
During negotiations, a listing broker created a dual (variable rate) commission arrangement on the fly and reached an agreement. But they didn’t have time to disclose that change to a potential cooperating broker. Does the Code require disclosure every single time, no matter what?
It’s Here: Answers to Many of Your Legal Hotline Questions
Florida Realtors Legal Hotline is a great resource and free member benefit, but you may not need us. Many callers ask basic-information type questions, like, “There are so many riders – which one should I use?” Here are answers to your simplest questions.
Disagreeing Realtors May Both be Right – Or Wrong
There’s often more than one way to interpret a rule. When warring sides can’t agree, it’s up to a judge, jury or panel to decide.
No Buyer Deposit = No Contract, Right?
What if a buyer and seller sign a contract but the buyer fails to submit the agreed-upon deposit? Some Realtors think the seller is then free to relist the property – but if they call the Legal Hotline to confirm it, they find the issue isn’t quite that simple.
Background and Credit Checks May Lead to Lawsuits
Property managers and other real estate professionals should follow these steps to stay in compliance with federal and state consumer data regulations.
Hurricanes, Transactions and Contract Clauses
The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contract has clauses that deal with casualty and bad-weather events. Here are the top four in the AS IS contract.
New-Home Sales Surged 28.8% Higher in Aug.
NAHB credits a short-term decline in mortgage rates (to 5.3%) as a reason for the uptick, with new-home inventory remaining at an elevated 8.1-months’ supply.
Consumer Confidence Up, Second Month in a Row
The Conference Board credits “jobs, wages and declining gas prices” for the 4.4-point Sept. rise. Both current outlooks and future expectations increased.
Case-Shiller Home Prices: ‘Forceful Deceleration’
The national Home Price index reported a 15.8% annual gain in July, down from 18.1% in June – the largest price deceleration in the history of the index.