SI Real Estate Tampa and The Beaches

An Extension Could Mean More Jobs and Stronger Economic Stabilization Home builders, finally seeing positive movement in the housing market, are fighting to extend the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit for an additional year. As members of Congress return home for the August congressional recess, the National Association of Home Builders is urging its more than 200,000 members to contact their lawmakers, asking them to help create more jobs and set the stage for a strong recovery by extending the credit program. "If Congress acts to extend the tax credit program, it would spur 383,000 additional home sales, including 80,000 housing starts, creating nearly 350,000 jobs over the coming year." said the NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. "That's good for the economy and good for America." Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Economy.com, says a healthy housing market is one of the leading indicators for an economic recovery. A secure real estate market is a n...

While some U.S. buyers may still be uncertain whether or not it is time to step off the fence and buy their dream home or condo in Florida, international investors are showing increased confidence in an early Florida real estate market recovery and are quickly taking advantage of the deeply discounted prices. Foreign buyers continue to recognize the U.S. real estate market as a desirable, profitable and secure investment and the weak U.S. dollar partnered with the housing surplus has made the U.S., and particularly the Florida, real estate market even more attractive, according to an article by the Gerson Lehrman Group. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Realtors , in cooperation with the Florida Association of Realtors , half of the Florida Realtors surveyed indicated that more than 25% of their business now comes from international clients. These foreign investors come from all over the world and have shown a particular interest in the Tampa Bay, Sarasota-Bra...