Insurance Reform : Premiums still rising sharply
This article reports the highlights from legislation passed in 2021 and 2022, key aspects of the My Safe Florida Home program, and includes comments from insurance agents on the impact on homeowners’ insurance premiums.
The background
Over the last 2-3 years it has become increasingly difficult to get insurance on a property with a roof more than 15 years old – and here I am talking of the asphalt roof prevalent in Florida.
Part of the problem stems from Hurricane Irma and the widespread fraud after that event when roof contractors got homeowners to sign up for new roofs based upon “hurricane damage.”
In 2021, Florida represented just 6.9% of total homeowner’s claims, but 76% of the nation’s homeowner’s lawsuits, and many insurers either withdrew from Florida or became insolvent.
2021 Legislation
A comprehensive property insurance reform bill was passed and signed into law in 2021, introducing several measures to tackle the escalating insurance costs within the state.
One significant change included in the bill was the limitation on contractors’ practices concerning insurance claims for roof damage. This measure aimed to curb fraudulent activities and ensure fair practices within the industry. Additionally, the bill placed limitations on the fees that attorneys representing claimants can receive, preventing excessive charges.
The legislation mandated that policyholders had to file claims within two years of a loss, in an attempt to streamline the claims process and ensure timely resolution. It also strengthened the oversight of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) on companies affiliated with Florida property insurers.
2022 Legislation
In 2022, additional property insurance reforms were enacted to address ongoing issues in the property insurance market. These reforms included: (more…)
Naples Single Family Market Summary YTD May
Overall in Naples, the median price of Single Famly homes sold in the first 5 months of 2023 increased 4% on a 25% decrease in sales. As usual, there were variations by area.
In July I will publish a report showing the breakdown by Quarters and also showing a longer-term view as in my Q1 statistics.
And read these articles:
Florida News
5 things people don’t know about Naples
How to protect your house from title fraud
News from District 2
Q1 Market Stats (more…)
Naples Condo Market Summary YTD 2023
In Naples overall, the median price of Condos sold in the first 5 months of 2023 increased 15% on a 21% decrease in sales, with variations from area to area.
In July I will publish reports showing the breakdown by Quarters and also showing a longer-term view as in my Q1 statistics.
And read these articles:
Florida News
5 things people don’t know about Naples
How to protect your house from title fraud
News from District 2
Q1 Market Stats (more…)
Naples Villa Market Summary YTD 2023
Overall in Naples, the median price of Villas sold in the first 5 months of 2023 was steady on a 28% decrease in sales, with variations from area to area.
In July I will publish reports showing the breakdown by Quarters and also showing a longer-term view as in my Q1 statistics.
And read these articles:
Florida News
5 things people don’t know about Naples
How to protect your house from title fraud
News from District 2
Q1 Market Stats (more…)
Naples May Market Summary
A more detailed analysis will be published shortly.
And read these articles:
Florida News
5 things people don’t know about Naples
News from District 2
Q1 Market Stats
Naples a top city for corporate headquarters post-pandemic
Naples grabs No. 1 spot on this ‘Best Places to Live’ list
Two signs inflation is slowing
During the supply problems of recent years, two products that seemed to be particularly affected – and whose prices rose sharply – were kitchen appliances and cars.
Here are two indications from my mailbox this week that the situation has changed (the first is from a car dealer, the second from Home Depot):
And read these articles:
Mortgage and Economic commentary
Why Mortgage rates Will Fall
What drives Mortgage Rates in one chart
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”* (more…)
First Quarter Market Stats
Here are the Q1 stats (and 3-year history) for areas:
Naples Q1 2023 Stats
Bonita Springs_Q1 2023 Stats
and communities:
Bay Forest Q1 2023 Stats
Bonita Bay Q1 2023 Stats
Imperial Golf Estates Q1 2023 Stats
Island Walk Q1 2023 Stats
Pelican Bay_Q1 2023 Stats
Pelican Marsh Q1 2023 Stats
And read these articles:
What drives Mortgage Rates in one chart
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”*
HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND?
Why Mortgage rates Will Fall
Sales Up, Prices Down After 131-Month Streak
Existing-home sales reversed a 12-month slide in February, registering the largest monthly percentage increase since July 2020, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Month-over-month sales rose in all four major U.S. regions – but they also all saw year-over-year declines.
February median existing home prices fell for the first time in 131 months– almost eleven years – according to NAR. The median existing-home price for all housing types was $363,000, a decline of 0.2% from February 2022 ($363,700), as prices climbed in the Midwest and South yet waned in the Northeast and West.
Total existing-home sales – completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – climbed 14.5% from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.58 million in February. Year-over-year, sales fell 22.6% (down from 5.92 million in February 2022).
Total housing inventory at the end of February was 980,000 units, identical to January and up 15.3% from one year ago (850,000). Unsold inventory sits at a 2.6-month supply at the current sales pace, down 10.3% from January but up from 1.7 months in February 2022.
Properties typically remained on the market for 34 days in February, up from 33 days in January and 18 days in February 2022. Still, most homes (57%) sold in February were on the market for less than a month.
Buyer types (more…)
Naples a top city for corporate headquarters post-pandemic
Move over New York and Chicago. Step aside San Francisco.A new study names Naples as a top city for corporate headquarters post-pandemic. Additionally Naples grabs No. 1 spot on this ‘Best Places to Live’ list
The Boyd Co., a corporate site selection consultant based in Princeton, New Jersey, conducted the national study.
The results reflect the “new normal” of remote work and the growing “fiscal and quality of life challenges” in more traditional hubs for head offices, such as “The Big Apple.”
The study included an examination of annual operating expenses and a review of state tax structures.
The cost analysis is based on operating a new, top tier Class A, 75,000-square-foot corporate headquarters, with 200 administrative support workers, from top to bottom.
The estimated outlay in Naples: Roughly $19.2 million a year.That compared to more than $21.1 million in Everett, Washington, the most expensive to operate in, and less than $17.8 million in East Brainerd, Tennessee, the cheapest – among the top cities named in the study.
Asked if the study is confined to city limits, John Boyd, principal of The Boyd Co., said it’s not, with labor pools, support services and real estate options extending beyond those boundaries.For Naples, that means “you should assume the wider Collier County.”
The study factored in all major geographically-variable cost factors considered critical to the corporate site selection process, including labor, real estate, construction, utilities, taxes and travel.(Naples Daily News)
And read these articles:
What drives Mortgage Rates in one chart
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”*
HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND? (more…)
Naples Area January Market Video Report
Here is a short video to accompany the graphic. Note that this is an overview – contact me for more specific area or community updates.
Mot mentioned in the video: the median Single Family sale price increased 6% to $715,000, and the median Condo price increased 13.5% to $482,500.
Pending sales rebounded as the new year began. In fact, pending sales in January were remarkably higher than pending sales not only in December (682), but also compared to January 2019 (660) and January 2020 (892). Though compared to last January’s phenomenal sales activity, pending sales this January decreased 20.5 percent to 1,092 pending sales from 1,373 pending sales in January 2022.
And read these articles:
What drives Mortgage Rates in one chart
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”*
HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND?
Why Mortgage rates Will Fall
Buyers Undeterred in Ian’s Hardest-Hit Areas
Home Prices After Ian? Probably Going Up
How have home prices behaved after previous major Hurricanes?
How to protect your house from title fraud
Expansion Plans for Fort Myers Airport
Guide to Buying and Selling in Southwest Florida
Market Summaries
The story in 2022 was that prices continued to rise, while sale dropped sharply
Bonita Springs 2022 Housing Market Report
Florida Market Update in 4 minutes
Sales Resemble Pre-Pandemic — But Not Pricing & Inventory
- Andrew Oliver, M.B.E., M.B.A.
Real Estate Advisor
Andrew.Oliver@Compass.com
m 617.834.8205
Bonita Springs 2022 Housing Market Report
Prices continued to rise until the Fourth Quarter (Q4), although the combination of the seasonal lull and Hurricane Ian make Q4 likely to contain anomalies. Sales dropped sharply throughout the year.
And read these recent articles:
Lies, Damned Lies and Inflation “Statistics”* HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND?
Why Mortgage rates Will Fall
Buyers Undeterred in Ian’s Hardest-Hit Areas (more…)
Naples 2022 Housing Market Report
The story in 2022 was that prices continued to rise, while sales dropped sharply.
And read these recent articles: (more…)
HOW AND WHEN WILL HOUSING REBOUND?
National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Chief Economist Robert Dietz recently provided this housing industry overview in the bi-weekly e-newsletter Eye on the Economy.
Housing data for the end of 2022 illustrate a market continuing to weaken because of low housing affordability, largely as a result of elevated mortgage interest rates. At the start of 2023, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is near 6.5%, down from a near 20-year high of 7.1% in early November.
However, forecasters expect the Federal Reserve will end its path of rate increases at the end of the first quarter. This should lead to sustainable declines for mortgage rates in the second half of 2023 and into 2024, enough to spur a rebound for single-family construction.
And more construction is needed over the long term: A new NAHB study estimates the housing market is underbuilt by 1.5 million homes. (more…)
Coming Soon: 3 bedroom/2 bathroom condo in Laurel Oaks at Pelican Bay.
My real estate team, The Feins Group, has a listing hitting the market very soon. You can view professional photos, take the virtual 3D-walkthrough tour, and read all about the features here
Serene water views and plenty of sunshine await you from this bright, fully-furnished 3 bedroom/2 bathroom condo in Laurel Oaks at Pelican Bay.
The 2nd-floor end-unit boasts 1481 square feet of living area and includes a southwest-facing balcony overlooking the community lake.
With vaulted ceilings peaking at 13 feet high, hurricane-impact glass throughout, and a new hot water heater (2021), this property is a can’t-miss.
Contact me ASAP on 617.834.8205 to see this property in person!
And read these recent articles: (more…)
Imperial Golf Estates Year End 2022 Review
There are no more sales in Imperial Golf Estates scheduled to close this year, so here are the year-end numbers which demonstrate a frequently heard refrain this year: prices up, sales down.
Highlights (more…)