Southwest Florida Real Estate News and Market Insight

The objection deadline in the final approval process for commission lawsuit settlements reached by eXp World Holdings and Weichert Realtors in the Hooper commission lawsuit brought out several familiar names for those who have closely followed the commission lawsuit saga.  On Friday, the Gibson home

Living in the U.S. just got more expensive if you're on a certain visa. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Sept. 18 requiring companies to pay a new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas for highly skilled workers. "The H-1B nonimmigrant visa program was created to bring temporary workers into the

Halloween decorating has become bigger, bolder, and more competitive in recent years (think 12-foot skeletons and elaborate sound-and-light shows!) But for homeowners in HOA communities, rules around what’s allowed can dampen spooky season fun. With HOA restrictions on holiday decor becoming more an

American workers have grown more confident in the past year about their finances in retirement, according to survey data released this week by the Nationwide Retirement Institute. But this sentiment “may not be grounded in financial knowledge” as many people are making decisions that could negativel

Former Seattle Seahawks star Shaun Alexander has announced that his wife, Valerie, is pregnant with their 14th child—11 years after the couple snapped up a compound in Virginia, where they have since raised their growing brood. Shaun, 48, who wed his 46-year-old wife in 2002, shared the news during

Christie’s International Real Estate added a brokerage in Northeast Florida that had $1 billion in sales volume last year. Christie’s brought in former Engel & Völkers firm First Coast, according to a press release. The newly named Christie’s International Real Estate First Coast, led by founder Cor

Mortgage rates this week for a 30-year fixed loan increased to 6.3%, up from 6.26% last week, marking the first increase in the rate in several weeks. So what impact does this have on your monthly mortgage payment? And what does this mean for homebuyers? Here’s the monthly cost of purchasing a typic

Developer Neighborlee Living, led by Kurt Jetta, won approval from Palm Beach County for a four-story, 38-unit affordable multifamily project with micro-units as small as 240 square feet.  The county commission greenlit the project, dubbed Neighborlee Living Westgate, at a zoning hearing on Thursday

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy has kicked off the 2025 Ryder Cup by sharing a gushing tribute to its host nation, calling the U.S. the "best country in the world," while insisting that he still resides very much in America—despite building his family a lavish new mansion in the U.K. McIlroy, 36, i

Alaska homeowners are paying some of the lowest insurance premiums in the nation, even as rates across the country climb to historic highs. Rising costs in coastal states like Florida and Louisiana have fueled widespread concern over affordability, but data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Realto

Former model and reality star Yolanda Hadid has put her family's iconic Pennsylvania farm on the market for $10.88 million—after turning the rundown estate into a "sanctuary and safe haven" where her supermodel daughters, Gigi and Bella, were able to escape the spotlight. Yolanda, 61, who earned her

Buying a first home often comes with equal parts excitement and stress. With saving for a down payment, covering closing costs, and competing against investors, many would-be buyers may feel locked out. The city of Detroit wants to help residents become homeowners. The boost is through a $25,000 dow

A $1.5 million Jersey Shore home sale just collapsed in court, after a federal judge ruled that the sellers knowingly concealed nearly $400,000 worth of unpermitted renovations. It’s a cautionary tale for homeowners and sellers everywhere: Fixing up your home without following construction standards

There are homes, there are estates, and then there is NBA legend Tony Parker's extraordinary Texas property, which has made a very bold return to the market—complete with an iconic private waterpark and a new elevated asking price of $20 million. At first glance, you would be forgiven for mistaking

A stunning 81.43-acre Hudson Valley compound with an 1800s farmhouse, luxurious pool house, guesthouse, and auto showroom has just hit the market in Stone Ridge, NY, for $9.5 million. The picture-perfect property includes a large swimming pool surrounded by hydrangeas, rolling fields and meadows, te

Homebuyers sitting on the sidelines have been seeing federal mortgage rates hovering above 6%, but the good news is—depending on what state you live in—you may find lower rates. The current interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is 6.3% for the week ending Sept. 25, according to Freddie Mac. Mor

Former Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr. has revealed a unique strategy for avoiding getting involved with a potential gold digger: insisting a romantic partner pay their fair share of the rent, even though he earns around $38 million a year. Porter, 27, opened up about his fears about dating w

Boulder real estate professional Julie Meko has joined The Bernardi Group, a Coldwell Banker Realty team that ranks as the company’s top small team in the Boulder, Colo., region. Meko — a licensed Realtor in Colorado since 1998 — has represented some of Boulder’s major residential projects. She is k

Frank Aazami, a longtime luxury real estate adviser in Arizona, has joined Compass. Aazami, who previously worked with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, is bringing along several of his colleagues from the Private Client Group team — including Dinesh Wilson, Fletcher Wilcox and Zoya Pedenko.

I recently gave a talk to a few hundred real estate professionals in Chicago. I started with the map below of the U.S. showing the days on market for pending home sales in different states. It’s a stark illustration that the country is divided into two distinct real estate markets.  The states with