Author: Roberta Murphy Thompson

National active housing listings increased by about 21% from August 2024 to August 2025 but remain 11% below August 2019 levels. Inventory has returned to 2019 levels in 14 states and Washington, D.C. In the Sun Belt and Mountain West, markets like Tampa and Austin have seen inventory near or surpass pre-pandemic levels due to slowed migration, rising mortgage rates, and increased new home supply, which cools resale markets. Continue…

Floridians can now apply again for the My Safe Florida Home program, which provides up to $10,000 for hurricane protection improvements. This year, Florida lawmakers allocated $280 million to the program, which has been highly popular and quickly exhausted funds in previous years. Continue to full article

Gov. Ron DeSantis is pushing for a property tax rebate of up to $1,000 for Florida homeowners with homestead exemptions, aiming to send checks by the end of 2025. Despite his efforts, legislative budget leaders have not seen a formal proposal. The Legislature is focusing on smaller tax cuts, and final budget negotiations are ongoing, with a vote expected by mid-June. DeSantis also suggested eliminating property taxes in fiscally constrained…

The Save Our Homes Act limits annual increases in assessed value of homesteaded properties to 3% or CPI, protecting homeowners from steep tax hikes. Portability lets homeowners transfer up to $500,000 of this benefit to a new Florida home, reducing its taxable value. The Homestead Exemption further lowers taxable value by exempting the first $25,000 and possibly more. These provisions promote fair, stable property taxation. Continue to full article