Your Key to the Beach

More Americans want a smaller home in the suburbs

Sherry Armstrong — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:57:00 GMT

NEW YORK – Dec. 6, 2010 – McMansions are rapidly becoming the housing equivalent of harvest gold appliances as more Americans opt for smaller residential footprints, according to a consumer lifestyle survey. In the Relocation.com lifestyle...(read more)

NAR wants FICO credit scoring model revised

Sherry Armstrong — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:22:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – Nov. 24, 2010 – The 1.1-million-member National Association of Realtors (NAR) is calling on Fair Isaac Corp., developer of the FICO score, to take immediate action to mitigate the negative impact on consumers when banks suddenly...(read more)

Moody’s hopeful on recovery, notes pent-up Florida demand

Sherry Armstrong — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:04:00 GMT

The pace of the national recovery is moderating and the lift spurred by nearly $800 billion in federal stimulus spending is fading, but there are several promising signs that growth will continue, including in Florida, a leading national fiscal analyst...(read more)

Pending home sales slip - modest recovery in 2011

Sherry Armstrong — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 23:55:00 GMT

Pending home sales slip - modest recovery in 2011 NEW ORLEANS - November 5, 2010 - Pending home sales dropped out after two monthly increases, signaling an uneven recovery entering the year 2011 with few near term disruptions from the foreclosure moratorium,...(read more)

Florida’s existing condo sales up in September 2010

Sherry Armstrong — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 00:37:00 GMT

Sales of existing condominiums in Florida rose 10 percent in September, with a total of 5,675 condos sold statewide compared to 5,140 units sold in September 2009, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Ten of Florida’s...(read more)

Appraisals continue to be low and sink some deals

Sherry Armstrong — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:45:00 GMT

With foreclosures a large share of property sales in some areas, appraisers continue to factor in the sale price of foreclosed properties when setting values of regular properties. Appraisers are aware the practice isn’t ideal, but in some markets...(read more)

Mortgage rates match low of 4.32%

Sherry Armstrong — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:14:00 GMT

Mortgage rates for 30 years found the lowest in decades, and prices for 15 years, the loans fell to their lowest point in nearly 20 years. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average 30-year fixed loan fell to 4.32 percent, the lowest record...(read more)

Congress has promised to limit nearly $730K

Sherry Armstrong — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:17:00 GMT

October 1, 2010 - Congress has extended a policy that allows housing market expensive real estate, mortgages backed by the government to guarantee nearly $ 730,000. The legislators of the Congress voted to maintain the maximum amount of loans guaranteed...(read more)

More International Buyers for Florida

Sherry Armstrong — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:52:00 GMT

A number of factors have contributed to the decline in home sales nationally and in Florida in particular, but the growing importance of foreign buyers has offset some of the damage. About two of three real estate agents of the state had at least one...(read more)

Sinkholes swallowing Citizens

Sherry Armstrong — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:11:00 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sept. 8, 2010 – Citizens Property Insurance Corp. asked state regulators Tuesday for a premium increase, in part because sinkhole costs are swallowing up more and more of the company’s money. The company is asking...(read more)

FHA short refinance option now available

Sherry Armstrong — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:21:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – Sept. 8, 2010 – In an effort to help responsible homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their property, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) now provides a new refinancing option for...(read more)

10 tips for hiring a home remodeling contractor

Sherry Armstrong — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:55:00 GMT

YORK, Pa., – Sept. 3, 2010 – An uptick in homeowners are opting to remodel to increase a potential sales price or just upgrade their living space. According to StateofLife.com, remodelers should keep the following in mind: Tip No. 1: Does...(read more)

Florida population grows again

Sherry Armstrong — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:51:00 GMT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After declining for the first time since the end of World War II, Florida’s population grew once again last year, a hopeful yet tentative sign that the worst of the recession may have passed, according to the latest preliminary...(read more)

FHA Gives Home Buyers One-Month Window

Sherry Armstrong — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:50:00 GMT

September 1, 2010--The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is giving homeowners and buyers until October 4 to lock in a low monthly insurance premium, according to Gibran Nicholas, chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that trains and certifies...(read more)

Nearly half of the 1.3 million homeowners leave Obama mortgage-aid program

Sherry Armstrong — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:58:00 GMT

“The government program as currently structured is petering out. It is taking in fewer homeowners, more are dropping out and fewer people are ending up in permanent modifications,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics....(read more)