Home Selling Advice: What You Should Know About Today's Homebuyers…

Many parts of the country are seeing an uptick in real estate activity. We've been hearing for months now that buyers have returned; that it has become cheaper to own than to rent in many markets; and that sellers are realizing their once unsaleable homes may have a market.
If you're a seller, it's helpful to understand the mindset of today's buyer, to understand what they've been through and what they're willing to do -- or not do -- to get the home they want.
By Brendon DeSimone http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2013/01/22/home-selling-advice-know-buyers/

Six Reasons Housing Inventory Keeps Declining…

Home sales in December dropped by 1% from November, the National Association of Realtors reported on Tuesday, but still stood nearly 13% above the levels of one year ago. That means home sales have risen from the year-ago month for 18 straight months. http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2013/01/22/six-reasons-housing-inventory-keeps-declining/

Protect your home: Lessons from Sandy

You can never be totally prepared for a natural disaster. But you can learn from the experience and take steps to reduce the destruction the next time Mother Nature throws a curve ball. Here, four key things homeowners should take to heart in the wake of the historic storm Sandy.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/01/01/real_estate/home-storm-protection.moneymag/index.html?section=money_realestate

FL releases info on state insurance companies

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has released its 2012 Fast Facts report, created to give interested parties statistical data about Florida’s insurance market. The report compiles financial and regulatory information, insurance premium volume, number of domestic insurance companies and related entities, enforcement actions/consumer recoveries, public hearings and more.

http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=285522

Special Report: Real estate provisions in 'fiscal cliff' bill

Daily Briefing: Wednesday, January 2, 2013
A service for members of Florida Realtors

Special Report: Real estate provisions in 'fiscal cliff' bill WASHINGTON - Jan. 2, 2013 - Yesterday, the House and Senate passed H.R. 8, legislation to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff." Following are real estate-related provisions of the bill, which President Obama plans to sign into law today: • Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act extended to January 1, 2014. In place since 2007, the act provided a tax break for homeowners who struggled through financial hardship such as a foreclosure, and were granted mortgage debt forgiveness. In the past several months, National Association of Realtors (NAR) issued numerous calls to action urging its million-plus Realtor members to ask lawmakers to extend the tax break for another year. More than a quarter of all transactions involve distressed properties, the NAR said in its plea. "Homeowners shouldn't be forced to pay a tax on money they've already lost with cash they never received." • Deduction for mortgage insurance premiums for filers making below $110,000 is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012. • The 15-year straight-line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements on commercial properties is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012. • The 10 percent tax credit (up to $500) for homeowners for energy efficiency improvements to existing homes is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012. • "Pease limitations" that reduce the value of itemized deductions are permanently repealed for most taxpayers but will be reinstituted for high-income filers. "Pease" limitations will only apply to individuals earning more than $250,000 and joint filers earning more than $300,000. The thresholds are indexed for inflation so will rise over time. Under the formula, filers gradually lose the value of their total itemized deductions up to a total of a 20% reduction. First enacted in 1990 and named for Ohio Congressman Don Pease, who proposed the idea, the limitations continued throughout the Clinton years. The limitations were gradually phased out starting in 2003 and eliminated in 2010. Reinstitution of these limits has far less impact on the mortgage interest deduction than a hard dollar deduction cap, percentage deduction cap or reduction of the amount of mortgage interest deduction that can be claimed. • The capital gains rate remains at 15 percent for individuals earning less than $400,000 per year and couples earning less than $450,000.  Any gains above these amounts will be taxed at 20 percent. The $250,000/$500,000 exclusion for the sale of principle residence remains.