Tag: home buying

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Home Buying Home Prices Mortgages Real Estate

Mortgage Rate Update

Mortgage interest rates have ticked up slightly over the past 30 days. As of this week, the average U.S. rate for a 30‑year fixed mortgage is 6.3%, compared with 6.22% a month ago. While most forecasts anticipated a gradual decline continuing through 2026 earlier this year, the likelihood of that decline is now probably no more likely than a likelihood of a small increase.

Relative to the long‑term average of 7.7%, today’s rates still offer meaningful savings, roughly $90 less per month for every $100,000 borrowed. Rates are also lower than they were a year ago. Over the past 12 months, the average monthly payment on a $100,000 30‑year fixed mortgage has dropped by about $30. For a borrower taking out the 2026 maximum conventional loan of $832,750, today’s payment would be approximately $250 lower than it would have been in April 2025.

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Home Buying Real Estate

ID Protection

Identity theft and scammers are active now more than ever before. The infographic below from Florida Realtors provides some good tips on protecting yourself in your next home transaction.

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Home Buying Real Estate

Buying from Out of the U.S.

Forida Realtors has put together the infographic below to provide foreign buyers with tools to ensure a smooth real estate transaction.

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Home Buying Home Selling Real Estate

Sarasota County Market Update for Single-Family Homes

The February 2026 snapshot for Sarasota County single‑family homes shows 625 closed sales, up 6.1% year‑over‑year, while the median sale price is $475,000, down 5.0% from a year ago. This combination, higher transaction volume alongside a falling median, suggests more homes are changing hands but at a different mix of properties than a year earlier. Overall activity is stronger, but price dynamics are signaling softness at the middle to upper end of the market.

Supply metrics reveal a notable pullback: active inventory is 3,420, down 20%, and new listings are 1,005, down 22% year‑over‑year. Despite fewer homes coming to market, new pending sales rose to 845, up 10%, indicating continued buyer interest and that a larger share of available listings are moving into contract. The steep inventory decline combined with rising pendings points to tighter supply conditions even as fewer sellers list homes.

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Home Buying Home Selling Real Estate

Manatee County Market Update for Single-Family Homes

The February 2026 snapshot for Manatee County single‑family homes shows 550 closed sales, a 10% increase year‑over‑year, and a median sale price of $489,634, up 2.9% from a year earlier. Overall activity appears stronger than last year, with closed transactions and prices both rising. These headline figures indicate continued market momentum heading into spring.

On the supply side, active inventory stands at 3,031 units, down 2.1% from a year ago, while new listings totaled 1,016, up 4.7% year‑over‑year. At the same time, new pending sales reached 714, an 11% increase, signaling that a larger share of inventory are moving quickly into contract prior to the end of our busy season. The combination of slightly lower inventory and rising pending sales points to persistent buyer demand relative to available supply.

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