Florida Real Estate Market | Florida Team Realty

Tax Time and Tax Benefits

On April 3, 2011, in Florida Real Estate Blog, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

Tax season is underway and deadline is just around the corner. American home owners are once again enjoying the benefit of the mortgage interest deduction. The ability to deduct the interest paid on a mortgage can mean significant savings for these home owners. For example, a family who bought a home last year with a$200,000, [...]

How Restructuring Fannie and Freddie Affects Florida

On March 31, 2011, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate, by Marc Vitorillo

The Obama administration recently called for an orderly transition from the current form of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac secondary mortgage market to a new structure that would allow home buyers continued access to affordable, sustainable mortgages. Without functioning mortgage markets, people cannot buy or sell homes. To ensure a smooth transition, it’s important [...]

First Time Homebuyers Getting the Cold Shoulder

On March 29, 2011, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate, by Marc Vitorillo

Many first-time homebuyers are sitting on the sidelines of the U.S. housing market, hampering its ability to gain traction. Last month, 34 percent of existing-home purchases were made by first-time buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors. In January, they were 29 percent of the market, the lowest since NAR surveys started tracking them [...]

Florida’s Existing Home, Condo Sales Up in January 2011

On March 6, 2011, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate, Florida Real Estate Blog, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

Florida’s existing home and existing condo sales rose in January, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Existing home sales increased 14 percent last month with a total of 12,151 homes sold statewide compared to 10,702 homes sold in January 2010, according to Florida Realtors. January’s statewide sales of existing condos rose [...]

Florida Real Estate, Existing Home and Condo Sales Up in December 2010

On January 31, 2011, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

The statistics are now available for Florida Real Estate in December 2010. Sales of existing homes and condominiums in Florida rose in December, a positive trend also reported at the close of 2010 as statewide sales activity posted gains over the previous year, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. A total [...]

Florida’s Existing Home, Condo Sales Up in August 2010

On October 1, 2010, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate Blog, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

The statistics are in for August 2010. Sales of existing homes in Florida rose 1 percent in August, with a total of 13,997 homes sold statewide compared to 13,908 homes sold in August 2009, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. Statewide existing home sales in August increased 3 percent over statewide [...]

Florida in 2010: Rent or Buy a Home?

On June 14, 2010, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate, Florida Real Estate Blog, by Marc Vitorillo

First time home buyers have a lot to consider this summer when making the decision to rent or buy a home: interest rates are at all-time lows, there’s still plenty of housing stock and prices are at or near their lowest in years. Still, deciding whether to buy a home or rent an apartment can [...]

Homeowners to Get Help with Troubled Loans

On June 10, 2010, in Florida Foreclosures, Florida Real Estate Blog, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

To reduce the number of foreclosure cases burdening the courts, the Florida Supreme Court ordered judges in the Sunshine State to implement a mediation program. The 12th Judicial Circuit covering Sarasota and Manatee counties has become the 10th to do so. Beginning June 21, owners of homestead properties in foreclosure will have an opportunity to [...]

Proposal: Florida Property Tax Breaks for Gulf Owners

On June 9, 2010, in Buyer Tips, Florida Property Tax, Florida Real Estate Blog, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

Gulf coast property owners impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill could get a property tax break. Gov. Charlie Crist wants that issue to be discussed as part of a special session of the Florida Legislature that he hopes to call as early as next month. Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink pushed Crist to embrace [...]

Florida Existing-Home Sales Continue to Improve in April 2010

On May 24, 2010, in Buyer Tips, Florida Real Estate Blog, Seller Tips, by Marc Vitorillo

Florida existing-home sales rose again in April with buyers motivated by the tax credit, improving consumer confidence and favorable affordability conditions, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 7.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.77 million units [...]