While here in Denver I received an email. “Rob, does what’s going on in Florida impact lenders?” I had to figure out if the author was asking about Disney/DeSantis, new Florida Man news, climate change, or insurance issues. Florida has a lot of cool things: manatees, Dry Tortugas National Park, Epcot Center, and cigar rollers in Tampa who do parties. Unfortunately it now has an additional insurance fee, as Florida has imposed a 1 percent “emergency” fee to property insurance premiums due to property-insurer insolvencies. Lenders in Florida often mention the Agencies, including HUD, and loan amounts. More specifically, many people living in Florida (“locals”) couldn’t buy their own homes due to wages versus values. Many of the Florida home loans that LOs have crossing their desks are now true jumbos. Buyers don’t get much in Tampa for $700k, and eastern Florida is worse. The loan limits are out of adjustment for the locals.
The suburbs have been home to some of the greatest writers, actors, sports stars and business pioneers of the past 150 years. Here, we highlight a wide range of people who were born or lived in the area during influential periods of their lives. Some you know well; others might surprise you.