Category: Florida

Florida housing market

Florida Capital Named Baby Boomers Favorite

The capital of Florida has been named the favorite U.S. city for baby boomers to retire by a Washington based economics research group. Tallahassee, Florida won out over 20 other cities considered for the prestigious award as the ideal place to retire. The southern city was selected after researchers considered a combination of factors, including… Continue reading Florida Capital Named Baby Boomers Favorite

Chinese Drywall Damage Tops 100,000 Homes

By Mike Colpitts Attorneys are working on a class action settlement with the makers of Chinese drywall that has damaged or destroyed more than 100,000 U.S. homes. But the drywall, which has been used in the construction of homes since as early as 2001 may soon be outlawed in the U.S. Homeowners in at least… Continue reading Chinese Drywall Damage Tops 100,000 Homes

Underwater Mortgage Reductions Likely

By Mike Colpitts Federal officials are reviewing the possibility of starting mortgage principal reductions for underwater homeowners, according to the chief executive officer of Freddie Mac. The review was triggered by a U.S. Treasury Department offer that would triple payments to mortgage investors who allow the reductions through the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). A… Continue reading Underwater Mortgage Reductions Likely

NAR President Says Home Prices Going Up

By Mike Colpitts The new president of the National Association of Realtors says that home prices have gotten so low there’s only one way for them to go – up. “People realize that homeownership is an investment in their future. Given an apparent over correction in most areas, over the long term home prices have… Continue reading NAR President Says Home Prices Going Up

Petition to Halt Strategic Defaults Launches

By Ryan Jackson A Florida loan officer angered by bank representatives telling homeowners to default on their underwater mortgages in efforts to be granted bank assisted short sales has started a petition drive to halt the massive movement. Pam Marron, a loan officer in Tampa, Florida for 27 years has posted the petition online at… Continue reading Petition to Halt Strategic Defaults Launches

Foreclosures Drop But on Pace to Hit Record

By Mike Colpitts Foreclosure filings dropped a slim 2% in February, but are still on pace to hit a new record volume for 2012, despite an increase in short sales by lenders on homes in default of their mortgages, according to RealtyTrac. February foreclosure activity in the 26 states with judicial foreclosures rose 2% from… Continue reading Foreclosures Drop But on Pace to Hit Record

60 Minutes Whistleblower Gets $18 Million

By Mike Colpitts A Florida attorney, who was one of the first in the nation to be a whistle blower in the banks robo-signing scandal by exposing her own foreclosure to public ridicule, will be paid $18 million to settle claims over the 2009 botched foreclosure of her condominium unit. West Palm Beach attorney Lynn… Continue reading 60 Minutes Whistleblower Gets $18 Million

U S Foreclosures Drop Huge

By Mike Colpitts Formal foreclosures or homes that were repossessed by their lenders accounted for 830,000 U.S. homes in 2011, a huge drop of 24% from 2010, according to real estate data research firm CoreLogic. The decline comes as a result of moratoriums enacted by the nation’s five largest mortgage lenders to study damage from… Continue reading U S Foreclosures Drop Huge