South Florida Real Estate

Self Employed? Tax Reporting Changes Coming

Anyone who is self-employed and receiving payments from peer-to-peer apps (PayPay, Venmo, etc.) have new tax reporting changes for the 2024 tax year. NEW YORK — Workers across different industries are increasingly receiving some or all of their income via apps. They include tutors, graphic designers, hair stylists and all kinds of independent and self-employed … Read more

Features That Make a Home an Outdoor Haven

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Homeowners and potential buyers are looking for features that allow them to enjoy the outside of their homes as much as the inside. Among them are backyard pickleball courts and weather-resistant landscaping. NEW YORK – As spring approaches, more homeowners are sizing up their outdoor space and making plans to ensure every square inch counts. … Read more

Steps to Improve Your Credit Score

A good credit score can mean having access to the best loan rates and terms, while a bad score can impact apartment rentals, employment and others NEW YORK – While your credit score is a three-digit number that’s automatically assigned to you, this is one area of your financial life where you have quite a … Read more

Florida Home to NAR 30-Under-30 Finalists

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Two Realtors from Florida are among the finalists for NAR’s 2024 30-Under-30 class. Voting for the Web Choice Winner opens April 3. ORLANDO – Two Florida young professionals – from Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale – are among 50 real estate industry rising stars who embody innovation, determination and selflessness, vying for Realtor® Magazine’s 30 … Read more

Average U.S. Mortgage Rates Climb

After a two-week slide, the average rates on 30-year and 15-year mortgages climbed up again. Rates are still far below the 23-year high in October. LOS ANGELES — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed back to nearly 7% this week, pushing up borrowing costs for home shoppers with the spring homebuying season underway. The … Read more

Low-Cost Ways to Build Name Recognition

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Building name recognition for a new real estate business doesn’t have to include expensive campaigns. Rather, agents can utilize free tools that can be effective, including community outreach. NEW YORK — Starting a real estate business can be arduous, but building and cultivating a client base doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Instead, agents … Read more

First-Time Buyers Optimistic About Housing Market

CHERRY HILL, N.J.— Despite lingering concerns around affordability and interest rates, most first-time homebuyers still feel optimistic about the housing market in 2024 and are ready to spend, according to an annual study from TD Bank. With home prices temporarily edging downward following their all-time high in 2023, according to the January Case-Shiller Index, TD’s … Read more

More People Moved to Polk County

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Polk County, located between Tampa and Orlando, was the nation’s top place to move from within the United States. BARTOW, Fla. — Polk County was the county more people moved to last year than any other county in the U.S., according to the estimates. More than 29,300 people moved last year to the county located … Read more

Housing Starts, Permits Rebound in February

The rise in single-family housing starts in February are the highest since April 2022. In the South, combined single-family and multifamily starts are 15.7% higher than the previous month. WASHINGTON – Single-family housing starts increased 10.7% in February to their highest level since April 2022, boosted by pent-up demand, moderating interest rates and a lack … Read more

Buyers Among Those Anxiously Awaiting Rate Cuts

The Fed is expected to play it safe when it meets later this week, keeping the benchmark interest rate unchanged as inflation has yet to meet the 2% target, experts say. WASHINGTON — Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s first cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective … Read more