Fort Lauderdale Blog

A New Breed of Real Estate Investor: The Value Investor

As the real estate market makes a joyous recovery, the media is ablaze with evidence that investment buyers are retreating—or are they?

Got Rentals? Relocation Renters May Be a Viable Option

By John Voket

These days, I am hearing about all the great benefits of owning rental property. But it’s not just about having available rental property, it’s about having rental space in the best possible location.

Ron Johnsey, who tracks relocation trends with Axiometrics (axiometrics.com) recently blogged that when it comes to determining the best place to buy and/or own an apartment property, it is important to examine the area’s economic and demographic variables such as job growth, net domestic migration and population trends, education, income levels and apartment market fundamentals.

Builder Confidence in the 55+ Housing Market Shows Significant Improvement in Second Quarter

Builder confidence in the 55+ housing market for single-family homes showed strong continued improvement in the second quarter of 2013 compared to the same period a year ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) latest 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.

Six Surprising Home Hazards

You might think home fires are due to someone leaving the oven running or the coffee pot on. However, an alarming number of appliance fires are caused by the units themselves as opposed to human error. The September 2013 issue of ShopSmart magazine, from Consumer Reports, indentifies six appliances that cause the most fires and tips on how to minimize the risk.

Simple Ways to Improve Personal Finances

(Family Features) As more Americans make strides towards responsible spending and debt management, there are still ways to improve the control of family finances.

According to a recent survey, less than half of cardholders always pay their entire credit card balance.

9 Ways to Avoid Food Poisoning

By Barbara Pronin

If you’ve ever had food poisoning, you know how unpleasant it can be. But you may not know how easy it is to put people at risk, even in your own home, and especially during warm weather.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers nine household tips for avoiding the food contamination that causes food poisoning and related illnesses:

Leading the Charge: Single Women Homebuyers Take the Industry by Storm

By Keith Loria

A 2012 report by the National Association of REALTORS® revealed that unmarried women make up 18 percent of those shopping for homes, compared to just 10 percent of single men. The report also noted that single women have been buying homes at almost twice the rate of single men for about two decades now.

Top Tips to Relax and Save on Labor Day Trips

Looking to plan a getaway for Labor Day weekend? Here are some tips for travelers who want to get out and explore over the long weekend without spending too much money.

1. Celebrate the long weekend in the Big Apple. The Wellington is available Sunday and Monday night for as little as $157 a night. Walk to Central Park or Broadway from the hotel.

Research Links Mortgage Interest Deduction with Economic Opportunity

The mortgage interest deduction (MID) is linked positively with intergenerational mobility – a measure of economic opportunity – according to new academic research from economists at Harvard and Berkeley. This paper comes on the heels of separate research showing that trading the MID for lower individual income tax rates results in lower economic growth.

Living the American Dream - Why Now's the Time to Own

By Keith Loria

From building equity to tax breaks—and even living a happier and healthier life—the perks of owning a home are myriad. And thanks to low interest rates and housing price drops, the American Dream of homeownership is more attainable than ever before.