NAR: International interest in U.S. homeownership increases
A large majority of Realtors report that the changes in value to the U.S. dollar have had a strong impact on the international real estate business. To understand more on this issue and several other factors that have contributed to an increase in international buyer interest in the U.S., click here.

Foreclosures: One-third of Fla. Sales
With homebuyers and investors purchasing foreclosure properties in large numbers and at substantial discounts it’s no wonder they accounted for one third of Florida’s property sales. , click here.

Florida existing condo sales rise in November
ORLANDO, Fla. – Jan. 3, 2011 – Sales of existing condominiums in Florida rose 11 percent in November, with a total of 5,411 condos sold statewide compared to 4,860 units sold in November 2009, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®., click here.

Florida home prices expected to dip 10%
Despite Miami's 12-percent jump in median home prices late last year, Florida's residential market still hasn't hit bottom, click here.

South Florida bank repos up 79 percent
Banks repossessed 79 percent more properties this year than in the year before, with 54,400 South Florida properties seized, click here.

Short sales spike across South Florida in 2010
The number of homeowners completing short sales rose sharply across South Florida in 2010, following the release of government guidelines designed to simplify the process., click here.

Foreigners flock to Florida real estate bargains
Foreign tourists are snapping up bargain-priced apartments and houses in Florida, taking advantage of such deals as $70,000 to $100,000 apartments in popular South Beach, click here.

Florida’s existing home, condo sales up in Dec. and for 2010
ales of existing homes and condominiums in Florida rose in December, a positive trend also reported at the close of 2010 as statewide sales activity posted gains over the previous year, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors, click here.

Luxury condo taken over in `friendly foreclosure'
A $73 million luxury condominium building on the southern tip of Miami Beach has gone back to its lender, after a foreclosure auction Tuesday., click here.

Florida Realtors issues international profile
ORLANDO, Fla. – Aug. 31 2011 – To assess the significance of foreign homebuyers in Florida, the National Association of Realtors®, in cooperation with Florida Realtors, asked the state’s Realtors about working with international clients. The survey was similar to last year’s survey as reported in Profile of International Home Buyers in Florida, 2010. The survey was conducted during late June/early July based on information supplied by Florida Realtor members who supplied information from the past 12 months. A total of 1024 responses were received, of which 787 (77 percent of respondents) said they had served foreign clients. Foreigners participated in about 25 percent of all Florida residential sales in the 12 months ending June 2011; the estimate is subject to plus or minus 5 percent error. Nationally, the level of international sales is relatively small – in the neighborhood of 3 percent of all transactions. However, Florida’s international sales are a major portion of the market. Major survey results • Approximately 25 percent of all sales in Florida are to foreigners. • Nearly all sales are for cash. • Foreign purchasers buy upper end homes with a median price of approximately $174,700. • International investors cite value as a major reason for their purchase – the discounted prices of U.S. real estate coupled with the weaker U.S. dollar. • Canadians were the top investors in U.S. property, with the United Kingdom now less important than in 2010. Brazil and Venezuela have become more important. International demand for U.S. property differs in significant ways from internal demand. The important domestic market drivers – jobs, consumer confidence, family formation and economic growth – have negatively impacted domestic transactions. However, international sales have different market drivers – perceptions of value relative to foreign comps, the desire to diversify assets, potential vacation use, rental opportunities, and an interest in placing assets in areas with well-defined and secure property rights. The Profile of International Home Buying Activity 2011 finds that the international market has grown slightly in recent years, and somewhat offsets declining demand internally. There is rising affluence throughout the world, and clients come from a wide variety of countries purchase U.S. real estate. Four states – Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas – accounted for 58 percent of total U.S. residential home sales to non-resident foreigners. Florida accounted for 31 percent of total U.S. residential home sales to non-resident foreigners in the same time period. The complete survey is available online on the research page of floridarealtors.org. © 2011 Florida Realtors®, click here.

Home listing prices rising in Florida
Florida cities have had the largest year-over-year increases in average list prices, according to the latest real estate data from Realtor.com. Based on August data of 2.2 million listings in 146 markets, Florida cities make up nine of the top 10 places for highest year-over-year list price spikes. , click here.