It’s Over: Florida Fairly Lucky as 2020 Hurricane Season Ends
The most active season on record ended at midnight. Strong storm activity, notably in the latter half, still sent storms largely away from Sunshine State shores.
NAR: Oct. Pending Home Sales Down 1.1%
Year-to-year pending sales surged 20.2%, but only one region – the South, which includes Fla. – had a month-to-month increase (0.1%). NAR Economist Yun thinks rising prices hurt affordability and deterred some buyers, but the lack of inventory is an ongoing problem.
Congress Must Reauthorize Government Spending by Dec. 11
The unusual atmosphere in Washington might delay a funding extension, which could slow some closings. Most observers don’t expect that – but it’s not a sure thing.
iBuyers Less Competitive – Their Biz Model Holds Them Back
Successful iBuyers need a stable market, reliable automated appraisals and some sellers afraid their home won’t sell quickly – and the current market doesn’t offer those.
New Home Sales Mostly Unchanged in October
Commerce Dept.: Oct. new-home sales changed little from seasonally adjusted Sept. numbers, but they’re still 41.5% higher than they were one year ago.
What Will the New Post-Pandemic Normal Look Like?
Businesses plan for the future, but the pandemic presented a challenge: Will it be largely gone by summer? If so, a Harvard University study outlines likely changes, and researchers predict which pandemic changes will fade away – and which will probably stay.
CoStar Buys Real Estate Software Platform Homesnap
The all-cash $250M deal enables CoStar to market combined commercial and residential products like advertising to brokerages that operate in both real estate sectors.
Demand for Fencing Skyrockets as Owners Seek Privacy
If fences make good neighbors, there are a lot more good neighbors out there. Lumber costs have gone up, but many buyers want “toppers” to make an existing one higher.
Number of Fla. Homes Behind on Rent or a Mortgage? 51%
Census Bureau: Fla. has more people struggling with housing costs than any other state. More than half in a survey think eviction or foreclosure is “somewhat likely.”
3 Fla. Metros in Top 20 for Sales of New Homes
New home construction is up 8.6% year-to-year, with Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa three of the top 20 U.S. metro areas for new-home sales.