Wow! Even in what is being referred to as a dismal market almost 7,000 existing homes sold in ONE MONTH in Florida in January!!! Also note the good positive outlook for the future in Par. 2 -
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ORLANDO, Fla. – Feb. 25, 2008 – The mortgage credit crunch and a sluggish economy continued to affect the sales pace of existing homes and condominiums in Florida in January. Statewide, sales of existing single-family homes totaled 6,737 last month while 9,360 homes sold in January 2007 for a decrease of 28 percent in the year-to-year comparison, according to the Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR).
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But some industry analysts expect sales activity to improve by the second half of the year, especially if the increased loan limit caps within the federal government’s economic stimulus package can be implemented quickly. In the latest market outlook from the National Association of Realtors®, Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says, “Existing-home sales have moved narrowly since last September, but when the full impact of higher loan limits for conventional mortgages begins to hit the market, there is likely to be a notable rise in home sales and prices. If higher limits are enacted very quickly, we’ll see a faster and more meaningful recovery by expanding safe, affordable financing in high-cost areas – that, in turn, would help to stimulate overall economic activity.”