Newsletters Archives - Page 25 of 29 - Doiron Realty Services

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Why are more 2025-09-04

Gulf Coast
Real Estate Update

September 4th, 2025

Why Are More

Millionaires Renting?

The number of millionaire renters in the United States more than tripled since 2019.

Renting has emerged as a popular and economical option — even for those who can afford to buy. They’re choosing flexibility and liquidity over ownership.

According to a report from RentCafe the number of millionaire renters in the United States has more than tripled since 2019. The data excludes vacation and short-term rentals.

For those with the means, renting can free up cash to invest elsewhere, like in the stock market, where those investments can be sold quickly. Homes are taking longer to sell: The average time on the market surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time in July.

Of course, most affluent people still prize homeownership. The number of millionaire homeowners is more than 10 times the amount of millionaire renters.

Source: New York Times

Mortgage Rates

Tumble

Mortgage rates continue to trend down, increasing optimism for new buyers and current owners alike. As rates continue to drop, the number of homeowners who have the opportunity to refinance is expanding. In fact, the share of market mortgage applications that were for a refinance reached nearly 47%, the highest since October.

For Sale

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Not your Parents 2025-08-29

Gulf Coast
Real Estate Update

August 29th, 2025

Not Your Parents’

Housing Market

Today’s housing market features older buyers, fewer first-timers, rising prices and investor competition, making homeownership tougher for younger generations. Nearly 70% of adults over 65 believe the “American dream is still possible,” compared with just 39% of those under 30, according to a 2024 Pew survey. Baby boomers are buying more homes than millennials.

Median age of homebuyers

1981: 31 years old
2024: 56 years old (record high)

It’s easier to buy a home when you already own one. Today’s housing market increasingly pits homeowners with built-up equity against younger buyers trying to break in.

Market share of first-time buyers

1981: 44%
2024: 24% (record low)

Today’s homebuyers aren’t just competing with other families — they’re increasingly up against deep-pocketed investors.

Share of investor buyers

2001 (Q4): 1.9%
2024 (Q4): 13.5%

Read full article

Source: Florida Realtors

Mortgage Rates

Tick Down

Mortgage rates are at a 10-month low. Purchase demand continues to rise on the back of lower rates and solid economic growth. Though many potential homebuyers still face affordability challenges, consistently lower rates may provide them with the impetus to enter the market.

For Sale

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Florida getting 2025-08-21

Gulf Coast
Real Estate Update

August 21st, 2025

Florida Homeowners

Get an Insurance Break

Florida Peninsula Insurance, one of the state’s largest private property insurers, revealed last week that it was looking to significantly lower insurance premiums for its roughly 170,000 policyholders.

The company has filed a request with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation seeking approval of a statewide average decrease of 8.4% for homeowners’ premiums and a 12% reduction for condominium owners.

Experts suggest that Peninsula’s planned rate cut might be an early indicator that Florida’s distressed insurance industry is finally on the road to recovery.

Legislative reforms made in late 2022 have contributed to a measurable drop in frivolous lawsuits and inflated claims. As a result, there is a significant increase in the number of new companies competing in Florida and existing insurers have increased their capacity in the market.

Source: realtor.com

Mortgage Rates

Level Off

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage remained flat this week. Over the summer, rates have come down and purchase applications are outpacing 2024, though a number of homebuyers continue waiting on the sideline for rates to further decrease.

For Sale

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Millennials and Gen Z 2025-08-14

Gulf Coast
Real Estate Update

August 14th, 2025

Millennials and Gen Z

are redefining the

Housing Market

Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, currently represent the largest share of homebuyers in the U.S. and Canada. Their road to homeownership has been anything but traditional. Burdened by student debt and stagnant wage growth, many postponed their first purchase. Now, as their buying power matures, they’re entering the market with cautious determination. It’s not just about price. It’s about lifestyle. The home has become a workplace, a school, a daycare, and a refuge. Buyers now look for properties with dedicated office space, outdoor living areas, and adaptable layouts that can support evolving household needs.

Meanwhile, Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are just stepping into the homeownership market. Despite formidable obstacles like high interest rates and limited inventory, this generation shows remarkable ambition and speed in pursuing homeownership. For Gen Z, buying a home represents not just a milestone but a safeguard against financial instability, especially in a rental market that continues to push affordability boundaries.

Millennials and Gen Z aren’t just buying homes; they’re reshaping how homes are marketed, financed and supported. They expect sustainability as the default, not a luxury. They demand technology that simplifies, not complicates. And they want housing that aligns with their evolving lives, whether that means remote work, multigenerational living, or creative co-ownership.

Source: TurboHome-ResiClub

Mortgage Rates

Continue to Decline

Mortgage rates fell to their lowest level since October. Purchase application activity is improving as borrowers take advantage of the decline in mortgage rates.

For Sale

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

52% of buyers 2025-08-07

Gulf Coast
Real Estate Update

August 7th, 2025

52% of Homeowners

say they would accept

a mortgage rate up

to 6.00% on their next purchase

U.S. homeowners—excluding those who said they “plan to never sell” or “would pay all cash” for their next home—where asked, what’s the highest mortgage rate they would accept on their next home purchase. In Q1 2025, 41% of homeowners surveyed said they’d accept a mortgage rate up to 6.0% on their next purchase. In Q3 2025, 52% of homeowners said they’d accept a mortgage rate up to 6.0% on their next purchase.

Overall, there’s still low optimism that the sub-6.00% threshold will be unlocked in the next 12 months, with 72% of homeowners saying they expect the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate to be above 6.00% for the next year.

Source: TurboHome-ResiClub

Mortgage Rates

Continue to Decrease

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to its lowest level since April. The decline in rates increases prospective homebuyers’ purchasing power and Freddie Mac research shows that buyers can save thousands by getting quotes from a few different lenders.

For Sale

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Floridians face hidden 2025-08-01

Gulf Coast
Real Estate Update

July 18th, 2025

47.8% of Floridians

Will Face a

Hidden Home Equity

Tax If They Sell

Where Owners Are Over the Exclusion Limit

Florida’s climate and relative affordability have drawn millions of new residents over the years. Home values have grown, helping homeowners build significant equity. This surge in property values has pushed many, especially older residents who bought decades ago, over the federal capital gains tax thresholds. As they begin planning to downsize or relocate, many are surprised to discover the tax burden tied to their home equity gains—originally intended as a retirement cushion. This has led to a “stay-put penalty,” where homeowners delay selling to avoid taxes, thereby tightening housing inventory and sustaining high prices for younger buyers. The situation is poised to worsen: by 2035, nearly 94% of Florida homeowners are expected to surpass the $250,000 exclusion, and almost 69% will exceed the $500,000 cap. In response, lawmakers have proposed the More Homes on the Market Act, which would double the exclusion limits and index them to inflation, aiming to align tax policy with today’s real estate realities.

Source: realtor.com

High and Dry Pool Home

Three Bedroom – Two Bath – Two Car Garage

$750,000

Mortgage Rates

Inch Down

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage showed little movement, remaining within the same narrow range for the fourth consecutive week. Continued economic growth, along with moderating house prices and rising inventory, bodes well for buyers and sellers alike.

For Sale

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Florida Migration slows 2026-05-15

May 15th, 2026

Florida Migration Slows,

But Buyers Still Coming

Florida’s migration has slowed from its pandemic surge, but it hasn’t reversed. More people are still moving in than before 2020, though affordability is reshaping who can make the move, especially younger buyers, families and retirees. Data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the U.S. Census Bureau show migration has cooled since peaking in 2022. In 2025, about 393,000 driver’s license exchanges were recorded, down from the peak but still above the pre-pandemic average of roughly 358,000.

Demand is still there, but affordability is deciding who can buy. Younger buyers and families are facing higher barriers to entry. Retirees continue to drive activity, but rising insurance, taxes and condo costs could influence location choices and timing.

Florida’s economy is maturing, bringing a wider new employment opportunities in various industries for different ages and skill and education levels. Growth is coupled with higher insurance rates, special assessments and increased condo regulation. Bottom line: people still like living near the beach.

Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the U.S. Census Bureau

My Take: Florida’s economy is maturing, bringing new employment opportunities in various industries for different ages and skill and education levels. Growth is coupled with higher insurance rates, special assessments and increased condo regulation.

Bottom line: people still like living near the beach.

Mortgage Rates

Inch Down

Mortgage rates ticked down this week, averaging 6.36%. While purchase demand is softening, it remains above this time last year. Recent data also shows existing-home sales modestly edging up.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.36% as of May 14, 2026, slightly down from last week when it averaged 6.37%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.81%.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.71%, slightly down from last week when it averaged 5.72%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.92%.

For Sale

Newsletter Archive

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Inventory is rising 2026-05-07

MAy 7th, 2026

Inventory is rising

but

homes are selling faster

Markets that adjusted home prices earlier are now selling inventory more efficiently, even as high mortgage rates continue to weigh on the housing market.

In recent years, more homes for sale usually meant properties sat on the market longer. But that trend may be starting to change in 2026.

New data from HousingWire shows the housing market is becoming better at moving available inventory, even as more homes hit the market nationwide. National inventory rose 2.3% year over year in the latest weekly data, while absorbed listings — homes going under contract or selling — increased 17.5%. New pending sales were also up 10.7% from a year ago.

That does not mean the housing market is booming. It means buyers are still active when homes are priced correctly.

In today’s higher-rate environment, affordability remains the biggest challenge. Buyers have not disappeared, but they are being far more selective about price, monthly payments and location.

The result is a market where well-priced homes are continuing to sell, while sellers who are slow to adjust expectations are seeing homes sit longer.

Source: Housing Wire

My Take: There is a lot of pent up demand in the residential Real Estate market. Buyers have been waiting for affordability to improve and Sellers in our coastal markets have been waiting for the market to rebound. Increasingly buyers are getting used to the new normal mortgage rates in the 6% plus range. As sales pick up in the Northeast and Midwest, that equity will find its way to our coastal markets here in Florida.

Mortgage Rates

Average 6.37%

The 30 year fixed rate mortgage averaged 6.37% this week. Recent data points to slightly better conditions for buyers with a boost in new-home sales, median new-home prices being down to their lowest level since July 2021, and higher inventory than in recent years. Together, these trends could modestly ease affordability pressures through the spring homebuying season.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.37% as of May 7, 2026, up from last week when it averaged 6.30%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.76%.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.72%, up from last week when it averaged 5.64%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.89%.

For Sale

Newsletter Archive

Doiron Realty Services
Pete Doiron
Broker

727-391-2829

18395 Gulf Boulevard Suite 203

Indian Shores, FL 33785

Is Florida housing tanking? 2026-05-01

April 30th, 2026

Is Florida

Housing

Tanking?

Some national reports depict Florida as a housing market in deep trouble with dire headlines declaring

“Foreclosure filings jump,”

“Prices ‘dropping hard,'” and

“Florida among the biggest losers.”

Despite some national reports of a housing crisis, Florida’s market saw a rise in home sales and a near-record median price in March.
While foreclosure filings have increased year-over-year, they remain a small fraction of the levels seen during the 2010 housing crash.
Experts argue that claims of plummeting demand are misleading, as the state’s housing inventory and population have grown at a similar rate.
Price reductions on some listings are often corrections from unrealistic asking prices set during the unsustainable COVID-era housing boom.

Florida’s housing market began shifting in late 2022, when a 28-month streak of double-digit annual price gains came to an end. At its peak, prices rose as much as 27% in May 2021, driven by a surge of new residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That growth has since cooled. Population gains slowed from about 1,518 new residents per day in 2022 to 539 per day last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau—closer to the pre-pandemic pace of roughly 649 per day in 2019.

My Take: If you are just reading the headlines, you,re not getting the full picture. Unfortunately DOOM SELLS and gets clicks. Click bait Real Estate “Doomer Influencers” have been predicting a crash for the past 6 years. Context matters.

Mortgage Rates

Average 6.30%

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.30% this week. As rates had modestly declined the last few weeks, purchase demand has accelerated with purchase applications rising to over 20 percent above a year ago. It is clear that purchase demand continues to hold up as prospective buyers react to both modestly lower rates and more inventory to choose from than the last few years.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.30% as of April 30, 2026, up from last week when it averaged 6.23%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.76%.
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.64%, up from last week when it averaged 5.58%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.92%.

For Sale