Why Supreme Court will not hear homestead exemption case

12 Dec

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Supreme Court will not hear homestead exemption case The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday declined to hear an appeal of a case that involved a married couple having homestead exemptions in two states. Justices, as is common, did not explain their reasons for turning down the appeal filed by Broward County resident Venice Endsley, who... Read more »

Citizens Ins releases wish list for Legislature

12 Dec

Herold

1945 0

Did you know that Citizens Ins releases wish list for Legislature The only reason the average premium for Citizens Property Insurance Corp. customers is around $2,500 a year is a state law limiting increases to 10 percent a year. Otherwise, increases in claims payouts over the past year would have put renewing Citizens customers on... Read more »

Do you know how to decorate differently when trying to sell

12 Dec

Herold

2095 0

Decorate differently when trying to sell Some home sellers use the holidays to showcase the warmth and character of their home to potential buyers – but they should be careful not to cover up their home’s finest attributes. A recent article by Houzz columnist Neila Deen at Houzz provides tips for holiday decorating when a... Read more »

Did you know that homeownership investors help with downpayments

12 Dec

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Homeownership investors help with downpayments A buying program called “homeownership investors” can help buyers purchase a larger home than they could otherwise afford or, in some cases, help a buyer qualify for a home he or she could not afford otherwise. On the front end, the process simply gives homebuyers money towards a downpayment –... Read more »

A golden window for retirees who wish to downsize

09 Dec

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A golden window for retirees who wish to downsize Downsizing can allow near-retirees to beef up their retirement nest egg late in the game. And now could be the time to get a jump on higher mortgage rates ahead, writes financial journalist Kira Brecht, which the National Association of Realtors® forecasts in 2017. Near-retirees ready... Read more »

Did you know thay water claims could lead to more Citizens policies?

09 Dec

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Water claims could lead to more Citizens policies Increases in water-damage claims – primarily in South Florida – will likely reverse years of downsizing by state-backed Citizens Property Insurance, board members were told Wednesday as they approved a hike in the corporation’s operating budget. Citizens President and CEO Barry Gilway said efforts to shed policies... Read more »

Can HOA ban solar panels?

09 Dec

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HOA ban solar panels I live in a community with a homeowner’s association and want to put some solar panels on my roof to be more energy-efficient. Our board members aren’t letting me because they say it would violate the rules about how our community is supposed to look. Can they stop me from doing... Read more »

Why lenders still do not use best credit scoring models

09 Dec

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Lenders still do not use best credit scoring models You probably know that your credit score is a crucial factor in your ability to qualify for a mortgage. You might also know that your score can vary depending on the type of scoring model your lender uses. If it’s an old, outdated version you might... Read more »

Flipping down in 3Q but 4 Fla metros in top 10

09 Dec

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Flipping down in 3Q but 4 Fla metros in top 10 ATTOM Data Solutions’ Q3 2016 U.S. Home Flipping Report finds an overall drop in the percentage of homes being flipped. ATTOM defines a home flip as a property sold in an arms-length sale for the second time within a 12-month period. Florida saw a... Read more »

30 year mortgage rates rise to four point thirteen percent

09 Dec

Herold

1947 0

30 year mortgage rates rise to four point thirteen percent Long-term U.S. mortgage rates climbed for the sixth straight week in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election win, marking new highs for the year. Mortgage giant Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on a 30-year fixed rate loan jumped this week to 4.13 percent... Read more »