What are squatters' rights? New Florida law targets occupancy fight

What are squatters' rights? New Florida law targets occupancy fight

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Wednesday the "Property Rights" bill, which aims to help homeowners remove squatters more quickly. Standing in front of a lectern that read "Ending the Squatters Scam," DeSantis said this is the first bill of its kind in the U.S. Squatting cases have made national headlines recently. Here is what to know about Florida's new effort to stop squatters and how it compares to other states. More from USA Today and NBC Miami.

Florida's real estate agents could see changes in their pay

There are more real estate agents in Florida than any other state in the U.S. But this month, the National Association of Realtors reached a settlement in a lawsuit that could affect the way these agents are paid. For decades, the seller of a house would pay the commission of the buyer’s agent, which has usually been 5-6%. With the settlement, that rate could be cut in the next few years, according to Stephen Brobeck with the Consumer Federation of America. [Source: WFSU]

Florida has 7 of top 10 most expensive neighborhoods in America. Here's where they are

Florida has 7 of top 10 most expensive neighborhoods in America. Here's where they are Lianna Norman USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida SKIP Florida might have one of the fastest-growing populations in the country, but that isn’t because it’s a cheap place to rent or buy a home. The most expensive neighborhood to buy a home nationwide is in Florida, according to a recent study from home services company Neighborly’s home painting service Five Star Painting. [Source: Naples Daily News]

Fight over whether DeSantis should veto vacation rental bill escalates

A persistently contentious debate about regulating vacation rentals has escalated into a clash between two powerful industry groups after the Florida Legislature passed a measure that would significantly restrict how local governments can oversee the properties. The bill, finalized in the waning days of the 2024 legislative session, has drawn intense opposition from vacation-rental management companies, coastal community leaders and Florida Realtors, an influential real-estate industry group that is urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto the measure. [Source: News Service of Florida]

Can home buyers or sellers in Florida get money back from the Realtor settlement? Find out if you qualify

Thanks to a new $418 million class action settlement, announced Friday, the cost of buying or selling a home may drop and you may be eligible for money back if you sold a home in the last few years. A class action lawsuit that alleges the National Association of Realtors — the largest professional organization in the U.S. — and four real estate brokerage firms, Re/Max, Anywhere Real Estate, Keller Williams Realty and Homeservices of America, conspired to keep commissions high. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]

ALSO TRENDING:

› The end of single-family-only home suburbs? Miami-Dade zoning rule impact could be ‘sweeping’ [Miami Herald]
Effectively, the rule appears to spell the end of exclusively single-family zoning — long a sacred cow in suburban Miami and the rest of the country — across unincorporated Miami-Dade. Some land-use experts say the potential impact in vast stretches of the county could be significant over time as low-density housing is gradually replaced with denser infill development.

› Where Tampa Bay homes face flood risk in next 30 years [Axios]
The share of Pinellas County properties with a significant risk of flooding is projected to increase by 18% in the next 30 years, according to the nonprofit First Street Foundation. All Tampa Bay area counties other than Polk face a projected increase in the number of homes at risk of flooding, per the First Street Foundation data.

› Controversial Disney affordable housing project moves forward, startling opponents [Orlando Business Journal]
Plans by Disney for an affordable housing village are moving forward after Orange County voted 4-2 to transmit the plans to state agencies for the next step in their review, despite intensely emotional opposition. There was an audible gasp in the commission chambers on March 26 when, after more than three hours of sometimes contentious debate, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings made the motion to transmit, which was immediately seconded by Commissioner Maya Uribe, District 3.

› What's trending in Tallahassee development: Student housing surge, state worker shift [Tallahassee Democrat]
Tallahassee's commercial real estate market is holding strong in retail with student housing and big projects on the horizon poised to create a long-term impact. The Annual Commercial Real Estate Update, organized by developer NAI TALCOR, offered a snapshot of local, regional and national trends and insight on where development is headed.

Tags: Real Estate eNews

Previous Real Estate Updates:

• Now might be the time to move to Florida as inventory levels surge and sellers slash prices
• Florida home values have more than doubled in the past decade
• Florida insurance market full of ‘low quality' companies, study finds
• Real estate pros say Florida's future looks bright
• Is trouble brewing in Florida's housing market? Here's what the data says
• Florida is growing. Can affordable housing keep up?
• Florida condo sales plummet despite falling prices and rise in 'motivated' sellers
• Want to get rich quick selling Florida real estate? Think again.