Real Estate Blog

Hurricane season in Florida runs from June to November with August to October being the most likely months that a hurricane may hit. Knowing what to do with your boat in the event of a hurricane, is a responsibility that can save not only your boat, but lives as well.

Boat Preparations Prior to Hurricane Warnings

1. Ensure your boat is in good working order and that all equipment is secured.
2. Seal windows and doors with duct tape, shut sea cocks, and cap off or plug all water fittings.
3. Make a record of the inventory on your boat. Move items that do not need to be on your boat.
4. Check with city police and county sheriff departments, state marine patrols, and the Coast guard to see if there are local plans for boats in your area.
5. Have a…

Wise investors are heading to South Florida's West Palm Beach to purchase rental properties.

According to the latest MarketPulse report, capitalization rates of 12.4 percent in West Palm Beach are the highest in the country. The cap rate for West Palm Beach single-family homes is 3.8 percent higher than the January 2012 national average cap rate of 8.6 percent.

Across the country, rental demand is high and supply is low. If you are a single-family home investor, now is an ideal time to consider purchasing a home in West Palm Beach.

Historically a place of wealth and a holiday destination for royalty and celebrities, West Palm Beach continues to enchant residents and tourists with beautiful beaches and a tropical climate.

Looking for West…

Florida is known for its diverse communities. Golf communities, boating communities, gated communities, retirement communities, and family communities are just some of the more typical Florida communities.

Current research suggests that a growing number of home buyers are considering green communities and/or sustainable communities in their search for a home. Home buyers are asking questions such as: Are environmental concerns or issues addressed in the covenants, codes and restrictions? Are the homes Energy Star® compliant? Have water conservation devices been installed in the homes? Does the community have a long-term environmental plan? Have any native area preservation strategies been employed? What materials have been used to build the home?…

Today the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development released a report showing that although December, 2011 had a higher number of new homes sales than January 2012, new home sales in January 2012 were still above last year’s average.

In January 2012, twenty-two thousand new homes were sold at prices 0.9 percent less than in December 2011 and 3.5 percent greater than in January 2011. Spikes in housing prices in 2011 can be attributed to the homebuyer tax credit being in effect.

David Crowe, the chief economist of NAHB believes the slow, steady recovery of the housing market coincides with economic and job growth. Builders will likely not be out of work this year, since increased new home sales has resulted in record low…

In areas such as Palm Beach, housing prices, new home permitting, and employment are on the rise. As a result, South Florida is now considered one of the most improved areas in terms of showing economic recovery. Out of 98 markets nationally showing improvement, 7 of those markets were in South Florida.

While this is good news, some economists and real estate analysts are more reserved, saying that improvements to the South Florida housing market will be slow as the economy continues to become more stabilized.

[Palm Beach Post].

This March, US home prices are expected to reach the bottom of the market.

Recent studies are predicting that both the CoreLogic Index and the Case-Shiller Index will valley in March. However, because the data these indices use is from several months prior, the March prediction actually corresponds to current conditions.

These predictions are based on the price-to-rent ratio as well as the real price of homes, or home prices after being adjusted for inflation. After balllooning in the mid-2000s, both these factors have now returned to normal historical levels. As well, with listing inventory on the decline and with policies created to ease the pressure from distressed sales, the price free-fall will stop.

Although this is good news, according to…

Business leaders in the Sunshine State are seeking to end the large tax increase expected to hit businesses in the upcoming year . . . . . read more.