Southwest Florida Real Estate News and Market Insight
Market data, mortgage rate movement, housing policy, and property news from across the country and here at home in Collier and Lee counties. Anything that affects what a home in Naples, Bonita Springs, or Estero is worth, and what it costs to own one, is worth understanding before it shows up in your closing statement or your tax bill.
Builders greet 2026 squeezed by policy flux and margin erosion

By the time the homebuilding industry reaches Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, the stakes will be unmistakable. That date marks more than the unofficial kickoff to Spring Selling Season, for U.S. homebuilders large and small. It signals the point at which months of price capitulation, incentive laye
Read MoreNAMB urges FHA to end lifetime mortgage insurance rule

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) is urging the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to end its “life of loan” mortgage insurance rule and let borrowers cancel premiums once they’ve paid down their loan to 78% of their home’s value. NAMB believes the policy is outdated and unfair.
Read MoreFinancing flows in South Florida as projects nab over $300M in loans

South Florida’s capital markets showed renewed momentum to start the year, with three major financings totaling roughly $308 million for a pair of multifamily projects in Miami-Dade County, and a six-year-old office tower in Fort Lauderdale. The trio of deals signals lenders’ continued confidence i
Read MoreL.A.’s Mansion Tax Has Raised $1 Billion—These Neighborhoods Are Paying the Most

The "mansion tax"—formally known as Los Angeles’ Measure ULA transfer tax—is approaching its third year in place and has generated more than $1 billion in revenue for the city. The policy adds a 4% tax on the total transaction for property sales of $5.3 million to $10.6 million and a 5.5% rate for s
Read More-

Actress Aubrey Plaza has relisted the Los Angeles home where her husband, Jeff Baena, died, putting the dwelling back on the market with a significantly discounted asking price of $5.75 million. Plaza, 41, originally listed the four-bedroom dwelling for $6.5 million in September, eight months after
Read More What a 10% Credit Card Rate Cap Could Mean for Homeowners

The cost of borrowing money is sky-high these days, from mortgage rates to interest rates on credit cards. In an effort to alleviate some financial strain plaguing Americans, President Trump proposed a 10% cap on credit card interest rates this last week. How or if credit card companies will comply
Read MoreLuxury Presence raises $37M to push CRM platform development

Luxury Presence has raised $22 million in a Series C equity financing round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners, and secured an additional $15 million in debt financing from J.P. Morgan. New funding will support development of Luxury Presence’s new artificial intelligence (AI)–driven customer relation
Read MoreTop Houston agent leaves Compass for Douglas Elliman

Douglas Elliman has gained a top producing agent in Houston. On Tuesday, Dana Johnson announced that she was leaving Compass after six years to join Douglas Elliman. Johnson’s announcement comes less than a week after Compass announced it had closed its acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate. “At this
Read MoreMax Stokes splits from Fox & Stokes to launch N.J. Compass team

As Compass finalizes its $1.6 billion merger with Anywhere, one of North Jersey’s most closely watched luxury real estate teams is undergoing a major transition. Max Stokes — a founding principal of Compass’ Ridgewood, N.J., office and a top-producing agent in Bergen County — is splitting from the F
Read MoreEngel & Völkers gains top California team from Sotheby’s

One of Sotheby’s International Realty’s top luxury teams is making the move over to Engel & Völkers. On Tuesday, Truszkowski Freedman & Associates announced its departure from Sotheby’s, an Anywhere brand that is now owned by Compass. The team, which is based on California’s Monterey Peninsula, is
Read MoreBillionaire Randal Kirk finds buyer for Manalapan manse asking $90M

Billionaire Randal Kirk found a buyer for his oceanfront Manalapan mansion after a $44 million price cut. The contract is one of the 22 buyers signed between Jan. 5 and Jan. 12 for luxury properties in Palm Beach County, according to Douglas Elliman’s Eklund-Gomes team. The homes that went pending l
Read MoreLawmakers move to restrict private listings in Washington

Lawmakers in Washington state are weighing in on the real estate industry’s private listing debate. On Monday, state legislators introduced a bill that seeks to amend an existing state statute related to real estate licensing laws by restricting the use of private listing networks in the state. The
Read MoreHouse bill seeks higher VA loan fees to fund veterans’ benefits

Mortgage trade groups are closely monitoring a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would raise fees on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgages to help fund other veterans’ benefits.The Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act of 2025 (H.R. 6047) — introduced
Read More-

Mike Tomlin has stepped down as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after 19 years, according to multiple reports, following the team's 30-6 wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans—their seventh consecutive first-round exit from the NFL playoffs. According to ESPN, Tomlin, 53, announced his
Read More -

"Avatar" actress Zoe Saldaña has officially broken the record for the highest-grossing actor of all time, dethroning her fellow Marvel star Scarlett Johansson in the process. Saldaña, 47, officially claimed the honor thanks to her role in "Avatar: Fire and Ash," the third installment in James Camero
Read More Real estate rallies behind West Palm Beach mayoral frontrunner

Christina Lambert, the frontrunner in West Palm Beach’s 2027 mayoral race, has real estate’s vote. At least that’s what campaign finance filings show. Lambert has raised more than $1 million since launching her run for mayor last year, between direct donations and contributions to the political act
Read MoreBillionaire Frank McCourt narrowly nabs initial approval for mixed-use project in Wellington

Wellington narrowly approved zoning changes that would allow former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Mike Meldman’s Discovery Land Company to transform a polo field into a mixed-use project with homes, an equestrian complex and private club. On Monday, the village council voted 3 to 2 on
Read MoreNaples Botanical Garden to Unveil “ChromaFlora”

Myrmecophila brysiana. Photo courtesy of Naples Botanical Garden It’s all about the beauty of color at “ChromaFlora,” Naples Botanical Garden’s outdoor exhibit January 24 through May 25. The botanical origin of pigments and the biological reason for colorful floral hues will be explored in the vario
Read MoreAt Home with Richie Cacace and Maurizio Gamba

Richie Cacace and Maurizio Gamba bring their global style and vision to Southwest Florida—choosing to reside within the Olde Cypress community. Photo by Nick Shirghio Eight years ago, after enjoying the excitement of New York City for 20 years and thriving in a successful career in retail advertisin
Read MoreTania Buckrell Pos Advises on Fine Art

Georg Baselitz’s Zero Dom (2015) is a bronze patinated sculpture positioned (in the home of Chantal Voorbraak) to interact with Anselm Kiefer’s painting, 30 000 000 Jahre (2014). Photo by Nick Shirghio Tania Buckrell Pos regards art as essential to the human experience. As she points out, art is eve
Read More
Categories
Recent Posts










