Most homeowners don't need to know everything about the housing market. They just want answers to the common questions. 


If I listed today, would my home sell quickly?


Would buyers expect me to negotiate?


Are prices still holding up in my neighborhood?


Should I wait until next year?


The good news is you don't need to watch the market every day to answer those questions. Five local metrics tell most of the story. Together, they reveal how competitive the market is, how buyers are behaving, and what that means for homeowners in Yulee, Fernandina Beach or Amelia Island Florida. Here they are, and why you should know them.
1. Inventory: What's for Sale Near You
Inventory is the total number of homes for sale in your area right now. That one number tells you who holds the power in a negotiation.
Low inventory means fewer choices for buyers, which means more competition for your home if you list. High inventory means buyers have options, and you have to work . ...

In the first half of 2026, buyers saved about 27% on foreclosed homes listed for sale. This is on a national scale. And as of April, foreclosure listings made up 1.3% of total for-sale listings, the highest level in six years. 
New data from Realtor.com also shows foreclosed property listings, also called REO listings, are getting 26.5% more page views compared to typical home listings.
Yet they still sit 11 days longer, partly because foreclosure has a scary reputation for a lot of homebuyers. But that’s not the only reason. While these properties could be hidden opportunities, they’re not without risk. 
Here’s what’s driving the rise in foreclosures and the trade-offs that go with buying an REO property vs a seller-owned or newly-built home. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll know what to expect in Fernandina Beach and whether these homes are worth looking into. 
Why Foreclosures Are Ticking Up Again

Forecl ...

For the first time since 2023, more Americans say buying beats renting. 
 
That’s the headline stat from Bank of America’s 2026 Homebuyer Insights report. Based on responses to their national online survey, 53% of respondents say it’s better to buy a home in the current market than to rent or move in with family (47%).  Aside from that, other stats from the survey reveal some interesting trends, including improved levels of optimism around buying a home, despite ongoing affordability challenges. 
Read on to see why and how this impacts you as a buyer or seller in Fernandina Beach and Northeast Florida
How Americans Feel About Homeownership Right Now
According to the methodology details for Bank of America’s 2026 survey, respondents are adults 18 years of age or older who “make or share in household financial decisions, and who currently own a home/previously owned a home or plan to own a home in the future.” Of the 2,000 respt ...

First the disclosure: I do not sell insurance. I recommend talking with someone that does before making any changes. This is just to get you thinking...
 
If your homeowners insurance bill went up this year, you're not alone. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 71% of U.S. homeowners say their insurance costs have increased over the past few years. And it's not a small bump for most people. A full 42% say their costs have gone up "a lot." Here in Northeast Florida, I've been hearing the same thing from my clients. People open their renewal notice and do a double take. Some are calling their insurer for the first time in years. 
 
The good news is you're not stuck. There are concrete steps you can take to bring your premium down without putting your home at financial risk. Let’s walk through what's actually driving these increases and what's worth trying right now.
 
Why Premiums Have Climbed So Fast
The short version: insurance companies h. ...

Based on article by Ya?l Bizouati-Kennedy on April 13, 2026 for Realtor.com The Silent Killers of Real Estate Wealth: 6 Surprise Home Repairs That Cost the Most—and How To Avoid Them
Homeownership comes with a lot of things nobody warns you about. The mortgage you planned for. The $12,000 roof replacement? Not so much.
Most people know things break eventually. It's just part of owning a place. What catches us off guard is how fast a small problem can spiral once a home starts aging and repair costs keep climbing. A slow drip under the sink becomes a subfloor replacement. A rattling HVAC becomes a full system swap. It happens faster than you'd think, and rarely (if ever) at a convenient time.
The good news is most of these expensive surprises aren't actually that surprising if you know what to look for. The repairs that blindside homeowners tend to follow a pattern: they stay hidden, and then one day they don't. It feels random. It’s usually not. 
Knowing what tho ...