Fort Lauderdale Blog

Report Shows Housing More Affordable for Working Households

The continuing economic recovery has improved housing affordability for low- and moderate-income working households, but housing costs are still a significant burden, especially to renters, according to a new report released today by the Center for Housing Policy, the research division of the National Housing Conference. Housing Landscape 2014 finds that after peaking at 23.7 percent in 2011, the share of working households with severe housing cost burdens fell in 2012 to 22.1 percent. Renters are much more likely to be severely cost burdened—25.4 percent of working renters spent more than half of household income on housing costs, compared to 18.6 percent of working homeowners.

Is It Legal to Drive with Pets in Your Lap?

By Jenny Tsay, Esq.

Pet lovers and annoyed drivers alike may be wondering: Is it legal to drive with pets in your lap?

The answer depends on your state's traffic laws. At least one state has an explicit statute that prohibits you from holding your pet while driving; in other states, drivers with animals in their laps can potentially be ticketed under distracted driving laws, according to USA Today.

Fixed Mortgage Rates Tick Up

Fort Lauderdale, Fl.

Freddie Mac recently released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates up slightly for the second week in a row.

4 Retirement Survival Tips for a Volatile Stock Market

More and more Americans – 28 percent in 2013 -- say they’re not at all confident they’ll have a comfortable retirement, according to an annual survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Even the wealthiest among us have concerns; 38 percent of U.S. multi-millionaires are not “very confident” about their retirement income, a 2013 U.S. Trust survey found.

Housing Gains Predicted for the Year

More modest gains are likely this year, according to the most recent Kiplinger Letter forecast. The national average of appreciation in home values is up 4 percent-4.5 percent, compared with a gain over 11 percent in 2013.