Florida House rolls out property tax cut proposals

As Gov. Ron DeSantis continues a push to let voters decide whether to slash property taxes, House Speaker Daniel Perez this week rolled out a series of proposed constitutional amendments for next year’s ballot. The House’s plans seek to cut taxes on homesteaded properties without impacting funding for schools and law enforcement. Another proposal (HJR 205), sponsored by Rep. Juan Carlos Porras, R-Miami, would exempt people ages 65 and older from paying non-school taxes on their homes. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Florida housing market changes direction

The number of homes for sale across Florida is “finally declining after two full years of consistently rising,” according to real estate analyst Mike Simonsen, founder and CEO of Altos Research. For the expert, it signals that buyers might not find the same kind of seller they could have found earlier this year, desperate to offload their properties. Instead, the number of sellers removing their listings from the market is increasing. [Source: Newsweek]

South Florida cities rank among highest in national 'House Poor' rankings. Hialeah tops the U.S. list

A new report from ConsumerAffairs reveals that South Florida is home to three of the 10 most "house poor" cities in America, with Hialeah ranking as the city with the highest housing burden nationally. The term "house poor" applies to homeowners who spend significantly more than the commonly recommended 28% of their salary on housing costs. The concentration of severely cost-burdened homeowners in the metro region — Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach — paints a stark financial picture for thousands of local families. [Source: WLRN]

The smoke and mirrors behind Kissimmee’s Magic Development

The founders of Magic Development promised to bring high design, sexy architecture and a world-famous luxury brand to Kissimmee’s W192 corridor. But in the end, it was a magic show, based on illusion and sleight of hand. This is the story of developers who collected $87 million in deposits from hundreds of investors, but six years later have closed on just 18 units. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

In Tampa, 3D printing is being used to build homes. Here’s how

In Tampa, a robot will soon be laying the groundwork for a new home. Layer by layer, concrete will be printed to form the walls of Tampa’s first 3D home, a project that could help redefine, or enhance, how affordable housing is built in the city. Work began this month at an infill property where a single story, 1,450-square-foot home will mark a technological milestone, according to Will Crawford, the acquisitions and special projects manager for the Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa.[Source: Tampa Bay Times]

STAT OF THE WEEK
17,700
At the start of 2025, the tri-county South Florida region had roughly 25,315 condo units listed for resale, about 17,700 of them “vintage”—buildings 30 years or older. [Source: Islander News]

ALSO TRENDING:

› This St. Pete Beach bar claims it owns the beach. The city is pushing back [Tampa Bay Times]
“No trespassing” signs posted outside a popular St. Pete Beach bar have sparked a debate among community members about who owns the beach. Now city and state officials are getting involved to settle the score. The Florida Constitution protects public access for all land below the mean high water line said Thomas Ankersen, a professor emeritus at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and emeritus director of the university’s Conservation Clinic.

› JWB helps renters with down payments during housing crisis [Jax Today]
Local property firm JWB Real Estate Capital is helping some of its renters with down payments to buy their own homes as a way to address Jacksonville’s affordable housing crisis. The company’s down payment assistance program, JWB Cares, announced Tuesday that its Welcome Home Fund is distributing $20,000 to each of eight families for down payments.

› Dave's House to break ground on Sanford housing community for adults with mental illness, disabilities [Orlando Business Journal]
A residential community development offering permanent affordable and supportive housing for adults with disabilities and serious mental illness is scheduled to break ground along an infill area in Sanford as early as the fourth quarter of 2026. The Dave’s House at Celery Community project at 2340 Celery Ave. will consist of eight duplex homes offering independent living for 31 residents upon its completion in 2028. Residential units will consist of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans.

› Another longtime South Florida luxury homebuilder files for bankruptcy [South Florida Business Journal]
Another South Florida homebuilder that develops luxury custom homes has gone bankrupt. Signature Builders Group filed for Chapter 7 liquidation on Oct. 15, listing less than $21,000 in assets and more than $1.6 million in debts. The petition was submitted in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in West Palm Beach by the Boynton Beach-based company's manager, Philip Colnon.

Voluntary pre-K participation rates:
County	2005-06	2009-10
Broward	47.11%	66.51%
Indian River	66.54	79.12
Martin	67.17	82.02
Okeechobee	48.64	64.45
Palm Beach	44.34	69.36
St. Lucie	48.41	81.90
Source: Florida Office of Economic & Demographic Research

An Earlier Start