Jairo A. Cardona

Broward County $1M & Up Condo Sales Rise Broward County $1M and up condo sales rose 79% year-over-year in July 2025, from 24 to 43. Broward condo cash buyers increased 8.6% year-over-year in July 2025, from 524 to 569.   Broward total condo sales declined 7.51% year-over-year in July 2025, from 1,132 to 1,047. The decline is due to elevated mortgage rates, lack of inventory at key price points and lack of FHA loans. The lack of Federal Housing Administration loans for many existing Miami condominium buildings is preventing further market strengthening. Of the 2,397 condominium buildings in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, only 21 are approved for FHA loans, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.   Just 0.9% of South Florida condo buildings are approved for FHA loans. Florida is the only state in the U.S. that requires a client to put down 25% for a limited review if the condo building doesn’t have enough in reserves. The requirement for every other state is 10%.  

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Greater Fort Lauderdale Area Residential Sales Drop 12 Percent in August High Mortgage Rates and Lean Inventory Cool the Market According to the Miami Association of Realtors, Broward County's housing market cooled in August 2025 as elevated mortgage rates and a shortage of listings at key price points weighed on demand, even as indicators suggest the market is moving toward a healthier balance after years of pandemic-era frenzy. Total residential sales fell 12.4% year-over-year to 1,989 transactions, down from 2,270 a year earlier, according to local market data. Single-family home sales dropped 12.6% to 1,015, while condominium closings declined 12.2% to 974. Despite the pullback in closed deals, new pending sales -- a forward-looking gauge of market activity -- rose 2.7% from a year earlier, signaling that buyer demand remains resilient in select segments. Pricing and Inventory Trends Diverge The median single-family home price climbed 3.1% year-over-year to $625,000, while the median existing condo price fell nearly 10% to $247,700 amid affordability pressures and tighter financing conditions. Just 0.9% of South Florida condo buildings are approved for FHA loans, limiting access for entry-level buyers. Florida also requires buyers to put down 25% for a limited review when condo reserves are insufficient -- more than double the 10% threshold in most other states. Inventory levels rose but remained well below pre-pandemic norms. Active listings at month's end totaled 16,559, up 20% year-over-year, while new listings fell 16.9% to 3,091, suggesting that many potential sellers remain on the sidelines. Single-family inventory increased 19.2% to 5,489 homes, and condo inventory jumped 20.5% to 11,070 units. Even so, the market remains split: single-family homes held 5.7 months of supply, indicating a seller's market, while condos reached 11.9 months, firmly favoring buyers. A balanced market typically ranges between six and nine months of supply. Foreign and Cash Buyers Keep Broward Competitive Foreign investment continues to underpin demand. International buyers accounted for 49% of all new South Florida construction, pre-construction, and condo conversion sales over the 18 months ending June 2025. Cash sales represented 37.2% of all Broward closings in August -- well above the 20% national average, per the National Association of Realtors. Among property types, 51.9% of condo transactions and 22.9% of single-family deals were all-cash. Analysts attribute the strength of cash purchases to affluent out-of-state and overseas buyers less affected by rising mortgage costs. Mortgage Rates and Market Pace Mortgage costs remain a headwind. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage stood at 6.26% as of Sept. 18, according to Freddie Mac. Homes are taking longer to sell: single-family properties averaged 47 days to contract, up from 32 days last year, while condos averaged 74 days, up from 56. -THE WORLD PROPERTY JOURNAL

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Most business owners never tap into the SBA 7(a) program — not because they don’t qualify, but because they don’t understand how to navigate it. The truth is, this loan is one of the most powerful tools for business acquisition, expansion, and refinancing. What we do is simplify the complexity — translating SBA language into real-world funding outcomes for entrepreneurs who are ready to grow. 🏦 If your business is scaling, the right structure can change everything. #SBA7A #BusinessFunding #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #FinanceLeadership

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Over 90% of South Florida condos are non-warrantable If you're an agent, buyer, or lender, this one’s for you. Skip the waiting game—here’s how to know before you commit. Follow for more title tips. #TheTitleGuy #MiamiRealEstate #CondoFinancing #WarrantableVsNonWarrantable #SouthFloridaMarket #RealEstateTips #KnowBeforeYouClose

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SBA 7(a) vs. SBA 504 Most business owners hear “SBA loan” and assume it’s all the same. In reality, different SBA programs are built for different situations. Some are better when the money is going toward real estate. Others are more flexible for things like equipment, refinancing, or working capital. What matters most is how the funds will be used and where the business is headed over the next several years. Both options can work really well when they are used the right way. The mistake we see most often is choosing based on rate before understanding which program actually fits the business.

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The debate over whether list prices belong in AVM testing is now front and center, as highlighted in a recent paper by Mark Sennott. For me, the principle is simple: the purpose of independent AVM testing is not to measure how well models perform under ideal or artificial conditions, but how accurately they perform in the real world—in environments like home equity lending and refinance, where there is no list price to rely on. Independence and rigor matter. When testing reflects production reality, lenders and investors can place true confidence in AVM results. That’s the work I’ve dedicated my career to advancing, and it’s encouraging to see the broader industry engaging in this important dialogue. Note: References in the paper about AVMetrics are the author’s alone. AVMetrics does not comment publicly on client relationships or confidential testing. #AVM #AVMs

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