Jennifer Cook's (jennifercook) Blog

Foreign investors see Florida as a stable and a secure place to invest in real estate. They can easily purchase property here unlike some other countries where it is very difficult for foreigners to own real estate properties. The fall in the value of the U. S dollar and also extremely low real e...

Shadow Inventory is a term that we are getting to hear more and more often. What exactly does this term mean? In basic layman terms, shadow inventory refers to the houses that have been either placed in foreclosure or those that have been owned by lenders as a result of the loans being overdue by...

    The most popular and much awaited October edition of the U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook by Freddie Mac was finally released and it clearly shows that the demand for houses on rent is increasing fast. Also, the report has labelled the new multifamily sector as a strong and positive s...

    According to Freddie Mac, the rate on the 30 year fixed loan went up to 4.12 % as compared to the 3.94% that it was in the week prior.  It has fallen below 4 % for the first time in history. There has also been a new record set on the average rate on the 15 year fixed mortgage as it increased...

  If you have a property or multiple properties that you are looking at giving out on rent, it is always better to hire a property management company rather than manage everything yourself.  A property management company can take care of all your maintenance as well as customer service renting is...

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). The FHFA hopes that the new program, which eases eligibility rules, will double the number of homeowners currently able to lower their mortgage payments. How does new program, extended...

October's Consumer Confidence Index was at its lowest point since March 2009, when the U.S. was in the heart of the recession. The Index represents how secure consumers feel about overall economic conditions during the next six months. According to an Associated Press article by Ann D'Innocenzio,...

Favored by the eco-conscious, solar power is clean, renewable, occurs during the time of greatest power usage, and eliminates the need for an expensive power grid. Until recently, however, the cost of the panels and their installation have made it prohibitive for most energy consumers. This is ch...

Are business leases in the state being taxed correctly? The Florida Department of Revenue hopes to discover the answer to this question in a hotly contested, upcoming study. Florida realtors worry that the Department of Revenue has a hidden agenda, and that the study is just a first step toward h...

Unlike traditional loans with their higher downpayment requirements, FHA-insured loans have become the loan of choice for condominium buyers. According to Benny L. Kass, writing for washingtonpost.com, in 2010, the FHA issued between 30 and 40 percent of all condominium loans. This data was compi...