Condos on a cruise ship? Why a Florida developer plans luxury homes at sea.
The concept of private residences on sea has grabbed hype and headlines in recent years. Yet only a single condo ship, launched in 2002, now circles the globe. Meanwhile, several condo cruise efforts announced over the past few years failed to materialize. Russell Galbut believes he can succeed because of his expertise in real estate and cruising, and his long-standing relationships with shipyards and other essential services as cruise lines order new ships. Throughout the industry, 60 new ships are now on the order books. The timing is also right, he believes.[Source: Tampa Bay Times]
How secret flood histories cost Florida home buyers and mask state’s risk
A Miami Herald investigation reveals that in a state with massive amounts of vulnerable residential real estate, it’s difficult for the public to identify flood-prone neighborhoods and streets — and nearly impossible for prospective buyers to find the history of individual homes. [Source: Miami Herald]
Can an ‘AI agent’ get homebuyers to the finish line?
A new artificial intelligence platform designed to help buyers purchase a home — without an agent — is getting a trial run in one of the country's biggest real estate markets. Last week, Homa launched in Florida, positioning itself as an AI-powered alternative to a buyer's agent. The pitch? "Make offers on your terms, without agent pressure" — and no commissions fee — the website states. Notably, the company is only focused on buyers and made it clear that it's not trying to replace listing agents. [Source: Real Estate News]
Florida startup automates titles for homebuyers, saving money and time
When Ori Ohayon bought his first house, he spent around $5,000 on settlement costs, legal fees and title fees. Ohayon and Tory Ricalis founded Titl in 2022 and the Miami-based property technology startup went live this past January. “The process of buying a house will feel as seamless as buying a box of tissues on Amazon – you shouldn’t have these kinds of lags when it comes to such a big investment,” said Ohayon. [Source: Refresh Miami]
Here are the best homeowners insurance companies in Florida, ranked
With natural disasters being a relatively common problem in Florida, it’s little surprise how much of an issue it can be to find an effective homeowner’s insurance provider. That’s why U.S. News & World Report has released its list of the best homeowners insurance companies, providing some insight into which insurers are best suited to tackle these claims. [Source: Click Orlando]
$23.6 million
Outside Tampa, Florida, a lakefront estate with a life-size replica of the Oval Office is going on the market for $23.6 million. [Source: Wall Street Journal]
› A new Naples residential real estate deal: $225M. Yes, that's right
Your heart will skip a few beats over a residential real estate sale in Naples for $225 million. Three adjacent beachfront properties in exclusive Port Royal have sold for the combined price tag representing the priciest deal in Naples. It sets a new and unfathomable benchmark that will be hard to surpass given its uniqueness.
› Cape Coral, Punta Gorda among cities with largest decreases in home sale prices
Homeowners in the U.S. made a 50.2% average profit selling single-family homes and condos during the first quarter of 2025, according to data from land curator Attom’s most recent U.S. Homes Sales Report. That was down 3.2% from the previous quarter and down 4.8% from the first quarter of 2024. The national median profit margin for home sales has declined slightly, almost every quarter since summer 2022, but it still remains well above pre-pandemic levels.
› Pasco County OKs accessory dwelling units. 1 commissioner isn’t happy.
Pasco County adopted an ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units, but the decision didn’t come without some serious debate, especially from one of the idea’s earliest supporters. District 3 Commissioner Kathryn Starkey, a longtime advocate of ADUs as a tool to increase affordable housing, cast the lone “no” vote in a 5-1 decision. Her opposition wasn’t to the concept, but rather the approved size of the ADUs.
› Lennar plans homes on Miami-Dade agricultural site
Lennar Corp. has 10.26 acres of agricultural land in the Goulds neighborhood of southern Miami-Dade County under contract, as it seeks approval to build homes. Weston resident Orlando Villacis filed a pre-application with county officials for his property at the southeast corner of S.W. 127th Ave. and S.W. 212th St. The application indicates it’s under contract to Miami-based Lennar, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders.