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By Alexandra Clough – Palm Beach Post Staff Writer “The red-hot housing market just put up a warning flag. Existing home sales dropped in February from the previous month, and the National Association of Realtors isn’t sugar-coating the news. Although Chief Economist Lawrence Yun cited winter blizzards and stock market declines as factors, the mainRead more

By Jeff Ostrowski – Palm Beach Post Staff Writer “Amid growing concerns about a housing affordability squeeze in Palm Beach County, a glimmer of hope emerged from this year’s legislative session. State lawmakers approved $200 million for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP, a program that offers mortgages and down payment assistance to middle-incomeRead more

  “The Florida Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott didn’t see eye to eye on much during the 2016 session, but they both acknowledged education spending should go up. Even then, however, they couldn’t agree on how to do it. Scott wanted to pay for it almost entirely by increasing a share of property taxes knownRead more

Article:  housingwire.com “Foreclosure processes take longer and even slow the market down in its recovery process in states that require judicial foreclosures, according to Pro Teck. Pro Teck’s monthly Home Value Forecast ranks the single-family home markets in the top 200 core based statistical areas demonstrates the road blocks faced by those in judicial states.Read more

Article: housingwire.com “As part of the growing movement to further protect real estate agents and Realtors when they are showing a house, the state of Florida is currently considering legislation that would ensure harsher penalties for attacks on real estate agents. According to an article from the Palm Beach Post, the bill (SB 214) isRead more

Article: housingwire.com “‘Rising rents’ are quickly encroaching upon ‘a life event’ as the top reason homebuyers will look to purchase a home. As it stands, one in four homebuyers is looking to purchase because their rent is too high, according to a Redfin survey of 750 homebuyers this month. Redfin noted that this is upRead more

Article: housingwire.com “It’s official. Confirming plans that HousingWire brought to light late last year and further revealed earlier this year, Nationstar Mortgage will indeed be launching a massive rebranding later this year and changing its name to Mr. Cooper. Nationstar CEO Jay Bray confirmed the company’s plan to rebrand as Mr. Cooper during a callRead more

Tampabay.com Article: “ST. PETERSBURG — This Friday’s foreclosure auction of the much-maligned Mosley Motel has been canceled because its owners have filed for bankruptcy. A nuisance for some of its Historic Kenwood neighbors, the Mosley has racked up more than $40,000 in city fines. Residents had hoped a new owner would improve the property. TheresaRead more

Article via: Noah Pransky, WTSP: “TAMPA BAY, Florida – Thousands of homeowners will be eligible for restitution after Florida’s attorney general struck an eight-figure settlement with KB Home, one of the largest homebuilders in the Southeast, over widespread construction defects and problematic business practices.  The deal comes three-and-a-half years after 10Investigates first exposed shoddy construction andRead more

Article via: CBS, wtsp.com: “With Goldman Sachs recently agreeing to pay $5.1 billion to settle claims related to its role in the 2008 mortgage scandal, the firm became the latest big Wall Street bank to reach a deal with the U.S. government. As part of the settlement, $1.8 billion is to be set aside for programs toRead more