Talk to any resident or visitor and they’ll tell you that Miami Beach has it all: sun, sand, and salsa—not to mention world-class cuisine, shopping, and entertainment. What tourist hasn’t considered delaying his or her flight home to stick around in paradise just one more day? But to government officials and the local tourism industry, …
Category Archives: General
From a veteran appraiser, an assessment of Tampa Bay’s housing market
In real estate transactions, the most visible players are the agents representing buyers and sellers. But it is the work of appraisers that helps determine the true value of a home and what a bank is willing to lend. Joni Herndon of Tampa has been a state-certified residential appraiser since 1985, maintaining a strong reputation …
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Mall mania! Hot shopping spots expanding across South Florida
There’s a gold rush on for retail in South Florida.Developers and mall operators want to renovate and expand shopping centers across the region. New retail is popping up, too, especially open-air “high-street” shops with surprisingly gourmet dining — a breezy contrast to the enclosed suburban malls of old. The cost of all that investment runs …
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Foreclosure rate below 2 percent [South Florida]
For the first time in at least seven years, the foreclosure rate has dipped below 2 percent in the Sarasota-Manatee region. The rate of foreclosures among outstanding mortgages in the two counties fell to 1.91 percent in October, down sharply from its peak of 12.23 percent in June 2011, according to data provider CoreLogic. While …
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Report finds homeownership ‘unattainable’ for most residents in Little Haiti
The rising costs of living and housing, coupled with sluggish wage growth across Miami, are making home ownership unattainable for most low-and middle-income residents in Little Haiti, a recent housing analysis found. In its December report, the Haitian American Community Development Coalition, or HACDC, found that when compared to the rest of the city, Little …
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Underwater on your mortgage? The HARP program could help
Thousands of Michigan homeowners are still eligible to refinance under HARP in 2016. Wayne County, for example, had nearly 9,100 eligible homeowners as of June 2015. What would stop someone from making a move and filling out forms to save an extra $100 or $200 a month on a mortgage payment? Especially if that person lived in …
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