Posts Tagged ‘USA’

Romantics searching for a Florida property might appreciate a few tips on how to keep the love alive in the state.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service has released some ideas of what married couples and first-daters can do to enjoy the beauty of the area on a low budget, reports Wakulla.com.

Director of the DEP Florida Park Service, Mike Bulock, said: "With 160 state parks in Florida, there are hundreds of opportunities for affordable recreation - from picnicking at a beach to stargazing at night."

A stargazing party will be held at the Silver River State Park on June 27th. Visitors can bring a blanket and a late night picnic with them as they lie back and take in the stars.

Beaches are always a popular and fun destination for couples and Caladesi Island State park is one of the most beautiful - Dr Beach, a ‘beachologist’ called Dr Stephen P Leatherman, voted it number one in America for 2008.

According to Broadway Florida, George Cloony was recently spotted on a date in Miami Beach with waitress and aspiring model Lucy Wolvert.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

Existing home sales of Florida property rose in May, according to housing information from the Florida Association of Realtors.

This is the ninth month in a row sales have increased in a year-on-year comparison.

In addition, May is the first time in a few months the sales price of condos and homes have been greater than the previous month.

Sales of houses rose 6.3 per cent and condos 3.8 per cent compared to April.

Dr Sean Snaith, director for the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness, said: "What is new in this month’s data release is that we are seeing evidence of prices beginning to firm.

"It is the first green shoot we have seen in some time as far as prices are concerned."

Meanwhile, the Marriot Vacation Club International has announced that three of its timeshare properties have been awarded the Florida Green Lodging Programme Designation environment certificate, reports Timeshares Daily.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Spanish property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

The price of island properties in Florida’s Palm Beach has dropped to something a little more "reasonable" this year.

PalmBeachPost.com said an increasing number of homes are appearing on the market for under $2million.

Engel & Volkers associate Liza Pulitzer said: "Two years ago, I would have only been able to find a building lot for $2 million. Now we’re seeing a pretty good number of houses at $2 million or less."

She attributed this availability to people becoming more realistic with what they think their house is worth.

However, Century 21 agent Douglas Rill believes the prices will not remain low for long. He said that properties currently being listed at under $1.5 million will disappear by 2010.

Last year, the average price a family home sold for in Palm Beach was $3,875,000, according to Leslie Evans, an attorney who tracks real estate on the island.

The first quarter of 2009 had seen an average price of $3.5 million.

Part of the areas popularity is its access to 47 miles of clean, Floridian beaches.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

People looking to move to Florida may be interested in news a bill is about to be decided about the insurance market there.

Governor Charlie Crist is about to decide whether to veto or sign the bill which - if passed - would partially deregulate the property insurance market in Florida, reports jacksonville.com.

He said: One of the things that I don’t want to see happen is an unfettered opportunity to raise property insurance rates."

Insurance companies would be able to charge rates that would be free of control by the Office of Insurance Regulation.

The creator of the bill, Bill Proctor, said the bill will give homeowners the choice whether they want to pay less for companies that might not be able to cover them if a storm hit or pay more for "more reliable insurance".

In related economic news, last week saw the American Bankers Association’s Economic Advisory Committee saw a 0.5 per cent rise in the country’s gross domestic product.

This rise could preceed a rise in property prices in Florida and beyond.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

House prices in the US will start to rise again next year as the economy recovers, it has been predicted.

The American Bankers Association’s Economic Advisory Committee forecast that the country’s recession is about to end, with the three months from July to September set to see a 0.5 per cent rise in gross domestic product.

Committee chairman Bruce Kasman said that this will gradually feed through into a small increase in house prices next year.

A recovery of values may help Florida property buyers, who could find that by purchasing now or soon they are doing so at or near the bottom of the market.

Last month property firm Mayfair International Realty predicted Miami would be one of the first cities in the country to recover.

Annette Reeve noted that March had seen an increase in buyer activity, with most being investors seeking new build homes.

She stated that this is "always a very good sign".

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

Florida stages its annual homage to the life and works of Ernest Hemingway when Key West holds a Papa lookalike contest in late July.

Held at Sloppy Joe’s bar, the event will be part of a festival that lasts from July 23rd to 26th.

Florida property seekers may enjoy recounting the life and times of the author, as well as joining in the event if they can sport a white beard and substantial waistline.

Other elements of the festival include Pamplona-style bull running and an arm wrestling contest.

Those looking to buy property in Florida find that now is the ideal time to do so, it was suggested this week.

In an interview with Overseas Property Mall, Ervin Matik of Florida property firm Matik Global Realty said that now is "absolutely the best time to buy in Florida".

He predicted that in three to five years time the market in the state will have recovered to its pre-credit crunch levels.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

The present is "absolutely the best time to buy in Florida", an expert has said.

Ervin Matik of Florida property firm Matik Global Realty told Overseas Property Mall that the market in the state is offering plenty of good reasons to buy, commenting that the market will recover to its pre-2008 levels in three to five years.

He noted that quality of life and fresh air are factors that attract many people to the state and commented that Florida property buyers from overseas can "buy a property where they know the industry grows every year due to vacationers".

Mr Matik said the best properties to buy are single family units with access to a swimming pool.

Earlier this week news-press.com reported that industry insiders believe the south-west Florida property market has hit the bottom and is starting to improve.

The president of First Community Bank of Southwest Florida David Hall told the news provider that the "healing process" appears to be underway as sales of cheaper homes are rising rapidly.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

The south-west Florida property market has reached its lowest point and is now starting to show signs of improvement, it has been stated.

Executive vice president of the Lee Building Industry Association Michael Reitmann told the Fort Myers-based news-press.com: "I think we are at the bottom."

Optimism was also expressed by president of First Community Bank of Southwest Florida David Hall, who stated: "I am thinking that the healing process is well on its way," commenting that homes selling for under $100,000 (£61,000) are starting to move very quickly.

Such news may interest those looking for Florida property bargains, particularly in the south-west of the state.

Those keen on buying there may be encouraged by an 11 per cent drop in the cost of moving to the US seen over the past two months.

Such a figure was calculated by overseas money exchange firm Foreign Currency Direct, based on trends in house prices and the effect of the rising value of sterling against the dollar, which has cut the cost of buying homes and also that of groceries.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

Moving to the US now costs 11 per cent less than it did in April this year, new research has revealed, something that could interest potential Florida property buyers.

Overseas exchange firm Foreign Currency Direct said the fall has been generated by the recent increase in value of sterling against the US dollar.

As well as making buying a home cheaper, the stronger pound also impacts on the price of everyday groceries, the company noted.

The result of this is that in the last two months the sterling cost of buying a home has dropped to £182,375 from £204,055.94, while a basket of groceries including egg, milk and bread has fallen from £4.94 to £4.42.

Over the past three months this cost has dropped by £21,680, the firm added, something that could further bolster those seeking a Florida property.

Yesterday saw the pound making gains against the dollar after the National Institute of Economic and Social Research produced data suggesting the UK recession may be over, with the economy growing in April and May.

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!

The pound has risen further against the dollar amid hints that the UK recession may have ended, meaning that Britons looking to purchase homes in the state may get more for their money.

Early trading today has seen the pound hitting highs of over $1.64, which means that those looking to change currencies to buy properties in Florida will be able to stretch their funds further and increase their choice.

Sterling’s surge - which has also seen it rise against other currencies such as the euro - was sparked by a report from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claiming that the UK economy grew slightly in April and May, suggesting the recession may be over.

Recent improvements in the value of the pound have already been leading to increased interest in property in the state from British buyers, according to a report out this month from money exchange firm Currency Index.

Spokesman for the firm Robin Haynes observed: "We are seeing a renewed demand for currency exchange as people pick up property bargains in Spain, Florida and elsewhere around the world."

Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of Florida property. Stop dreaming, start searching!