Florida Real Estate Continues to Show Strength
It is a recipe for a great market: higher median prices, more new listings, fewer days on the market and a stable level of inventory— that’s what happening right now in Florida, according to stats released last week.
The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes was $165,000 in February, up 10 percent from the year-ago period. And townhouse-condo properties in February had a statewide median sales price of $132,500, up 15.2 percent from a year-ago.
Compared to the rest of the nation, Florida prices seem a relative bargain.
The national median sales price for existing single-family homes in January, the most recent data available, was $188,900, up 10.4 percent from the previous year, and the national median existing condo price was $188,700, according to the National Association of Realtors.
There were 15,826 single-family home sales closed statewide last month, up 1.5 percent from the year-ago period. And new listings for single-family homes in the Sunshine State in February rose 11.6 percent year-over-year, while new townhouse-condo listings rose 4.2 percent.
Florida’s statewide townhome-condo sales totaled 7,578 last month, down 6.8 percent from February 2013. The closed sales data reflected fewer short sales last month: Short sales for condo-townhome properties fell 59.6 percent while short sales for single-family homes declined 51.9 percent, according to the Florida Association of Realtors
Inventory was at a 5.7-months’ supply last month for single-family homes and at a 6.1-months’ supply for townhouse-condo properties, according to the Florida Realtors.
“The majority of results for the residential market paint a picture of a normal growing market,” said Florida Realtors Chief Economist John Tuccillo. “The weaker results in sales for both single-family homes and townhouses and condos are solely the result of plummeting short sales. This is actually a good sign since short sales are falling because prices are rising, reducing the number of homes that fall into the potential short sales category.”
Myeloma Awareness Month
Last month, we ran into our good friend Ken Zeno.
Ken is a certified health and wellness coach and a volunteer for the International Myeloma Foundation. He was also recently diagnosed with this blood cancer.
Ken asked us to raise awareness of this disease and remind people that March “Myeloma Awareness Month.”
Myeloma is the second most common blood cancer affecting 750,000 people worldwide, 100,000 in the United States and 20,000 newly diagnosed cases annually. The majority of patients have never heard of it. Multiple Myeloma is a type of cancer that is caused by malignant plasma cells that proliferate in the bone marrow and can lead to anemia, infections, bone lesions and fractures, vertebral compressions, osteoporosis, severe pain and kidney dysfunction. Since the news reports that Tom Brokaw has Myeloma, there is increasing interest about the disease.
When Ken first heard he had multiple myeloma, in October 2013, he was shocked. He had never heard of Myeloma nor did family or friends. He notes that he has always tried to live a life-long healthy lifestyle, especially since he opened one of the first natural foods markets in Massachusetts in 1970. Myeloma symptoms can be easily dismissed or confused with other medical conditions and overlooked. In Ken’s case, he experienced extreme fatigue, kidney problems and arthritic-like pain in his joints. After three months of experiencing these symptoms, he saw a Nephrologist due to persistent increasing elevated creatinine levels in his blood. Ken underwent a Kidney biopsy and a subsequent Bone biopsy. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma was confirmed. Increased awareness about myeloma will help our local citizens and medical community recognize the symptoms sooner, leading to quicker diagnosis and treatment.
While there is no cure for multiple myeloma, there are many treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplantation and some novel and emerging therapies. Myeloma patients have a greater chance of survival today than years past due to increasing research in the efficacy of new drugs. For information on myeloma clinical trials see https://www.clinicaltrials.gov and type in “myeloma” in the search box. Ken is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment to bring the disease into remission. He is also researching evidence-based complementary treatment modalities with a goal to integrate them into his current treatment plan with hopes of guidance from knowledgeable professional healthcare providers. An integrative approach to recovery exemplifies Ken’s perspective towards health & wellness as well as prevention and rehabilitation.
With the support of the International Myeloma Foundation, Ken is an active member of the Boca Raton/Delray Beach, FL Multiple Myeloma Support Group. The group brings together myeloma patients, caregivers and family members to share their experiences and success with treatments and outcomes, as well as coping with side effects and general Myeloma information and resources. Notable Myeloma specialists have been invited to present the latest evidence-based therapeutic approaches to successful remission. The group meets the first Monday of the month at the Patch Reef Park Community Center. 2000 West Yamato Rd. in Boca Raton, FL (561-367-7035).
Because of the need to increase awareness, The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is designating “March as Myeloma Awareness Month”. The IMF fosters collaborative research, empowers people through education, provides support for patients and families and advocates for the healthcare needs of Myeloma patients. For information on the IMF call 1-800-452-2873 or www.myeloma.org
We wish Ken well and thank him for his advocacy and support.
Speak Your Mind