News about properties and real estate
’08 foreclosure rate is on way to a record Foreclosure action in the first two months of 2008 was nearly three times greater than at the same time last year in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties. The 3,683 legal actions so far this year — actual lender takeovers, notices of delinquency and other advance warnings …
Continue reading “’08 foreclosure rate is on way to a record”
Tight credit spurs rentals There is a bright spot growing in the long-beleaguered rental market. Occupancy rose 3% last year at the 1,600 units in metro Detroit owned by Kaftan Enterprises, said owner Jeffrey Kaftan, who also is president of the Apartment Association of Michigan. “The apartment market has really been hurt for the past …
Bargains in Condos Over the past several years, condos — both newly built towers and converted apartments — sprang up like mushrooms after a spring rain. Now, the market is glutted and buyers are scarce. The National Association of Realtors reports that in November (the most recent data available), a 13-month supply of condos clogged …
South Floridians turn to alternative home insurance With major insurers poised to shed more property insurance policies this year, Florida residents will be shopping for alternatives. Two little-known options expected to become more popular are surplus-lines companies and self-insurance pools. Surplus lines and condo self-insurance pools aren’t subject to Florida rate regulations, so they may …
Continue reading “South Floridians turn to alternative home insurance”
Tenants: Be aware of landlords facing foreclosure While South Florida’s falling housing prices may favor renting rather than buying right now, the recent real estate bubble is also creating new risks for tenants. Plenty of homes and condos are available for lease because their owners can’t sell them, giving renters a variety of options. The …
Continue reading “Tenants: Be aware of landlords facing foreclosure”
Foreigners get `upper hand’ in Fla. housing market [South Florida] From atop any gleaming, half-sold condo project, South Florida’s housing market looks bleak. Viewed from abroad, it looks brighter. Just like everyone else, foreigners turned away from Florida’s housing market as the downturn took hold. Now, international shoppers from Europe and Latin America to Canada …
Continue reading “Foreigners get `upper hand’ in Fla. housing market [South Florida]”