Latest news with #Floridians
Forbes
6 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Prices Are Down, But Buying A Home Is Still Out of Reach
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. Yes, home prices are rising more slowly. No, that doesn't mean homes are any easier to afford. According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index, U.S. home prices rose 2.3% year-over-year, down from April's 2.7% gain. Month-over-month, prices ticked up just 0.4% before seasonal adjustment. But even with that 'cooling,' the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says the median existing-home price hit a record high of $435,300 in June. Existing home sales fell 2.7% month-over-month, despite a modest bump in inventory. Experts say these challenges are likely to persist through the year . Still, those willing to be flexible on location may find more budget-friendly options, especially in areas where local conditions now carry more weight than national housing trends. In other words: homes still cost more, buyers are fewer and the rising price slowdown isn't helping most Americans unless they're willing to relocate to more affordable areas. Here's the hard math: In Florida, the median income for a single earner is $65,801, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Following the commonly recommended rule of spending no more than three times your annual income on a home, that would suggest buying a home priced around $197,400. But the actual median sales price for a single-family home in Florida was $412,000 in June, according to Florida Realtors—more than six times the median income. Even though that price is down 3.5% from a year earlier, it's still far above what many Floridians can afford without taking on significant debt. In California, a one-earner household brings in about $76,190, which should put their target home price near $228,570. Yet California's actual statewide median price for existing single‑family homes stood at $899,560 in June, according to the California Association of Realtors. That's nearly 12 times the median income—an affordability gap that even seasoned financial advisers would call unsustainable. Financial advisers may still recommend the three-times guideline, but for many Americans in 2025, the numbers no longer add up, even before accounting for interest, taxes and insurance. New York once again led all Case-Shiller cities with a 7.4% year-over-year gain in May. Chicago followed with 6.1%, and Detroit came in at 4.9%. These increases continue the trend of stronger growth in the Midwest and Northeast metro areas. On the other end of the spectrum, Tampa's home prices dropped by 2.4%—the seventh straight month of annual declines for the city. Several Western cities also showed signs of weakening; San Francisco prices slipped by 0.6%. Los Angeles increased just 1.1%, while San Diego and Phoenix posted minimal gains of 0.4% and 0.9%, respectively. Nationally, prices rose 2.3% from a year ago. But nearly all of that growth happened in the last six months. Monthly trends suggest fatigue is setting in. After seasonal adjustment, prices declined 0.3% in May. That was the third month in a row of adjusted price drops. Even in cooling markets, buyers are not seeing much relief. The problem is not just the sale price of a home. It is the mortgage rate, the cost of insurance, the property taxes and the growing gap between wages and what homes actually cost. As of mid-July, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at 6.74%, according to Freddie Mac. That's only slightly lower than this time last year, but still high enough to choke affordability. If rates were to fall to 6%, NAR's Lawrence Yun estimates 160,000 more renters could become homeowners. But until then, rising home prices and elevated borrowing costs are working in tandem to keep the market locked up. A $400,000 home with a 30-year mortgage at a 7% rate with a 20% down payment equals a monthly mortgage payment of nearly $2,130, excluding taxes and insurance. That payment alone can eat up 40% or more of a median earner's take-home pay in states like Arizona, Nevada or North Carolina. Borrowers who comparison shop often get better deals than those who don't. Lenders reserve the best rates for those with a credit score above 740. According to Experian, those with a 780 or higher get the best rates. Even a 20-point bump can cut your payment significantly. Sellers in slower markets may offer credits, rate buydowns or pay closing costs just to get deals done. FHA, VA and local agencies (like CalHFA or MassHousing) offer lower down payments, better rates, down payment assistance programs and even grants for qualified buyers. If you're open to relocating, aim for places where paychecks and home prices actually make sense. Prices aren't crashing—but they're not accelerating, either. This is a market of sharp elbows and thin margins. Here's where preparation beats timing, and compromise is king. If you're waiting for a big drop, you might miss your window. But if you're strategic about your budget, your lender, and your location, you can still get in the door. Just maybe not your dream door. Yet.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shaq tells Mike Tyson retiring to The Villages in Florida is ‘the dream scenario,' here's why
Retired NBA legend and former Floridian Shaquille O'Neal, 53, wants to retire to Ocala, Florida, for an eye-opening reason: The rumors about The Villages that have circulated among Floridians for years. If you don't know, The Villages is one of the largest retirement communities in the U.S., spanning three counties and boasting more than 80,000 residents aged 55 and over. Most Floridians who know about The Villages have likely heard a rumor that went viral in 2023, about the community's high rate of STDs and a 'loofah code' that Villages residents allegedly use to signal to others what their sexual preferences are. That, coupled with true stories of seniors getting caught having sex in public places in the retirement community, created quite a reputation for The Villages – so much so that Shaq wants to move there because of the rumors, he told Mike Tyson on his podcast recently. 'For years, The Villages has been batting down stories that claim there's a higher incidence of sexually transmitted disease there than in Miami,' Columnist Frank Cerabino wrote for The Palm Beach Post in 2023. Here's what Shaq said about his 'dream retirement scenario' and a quick explanation of what the real 'loofah code' at The Villages is. More on Shaq: How he 'flipped the script,' expanding fortune after retirement What is the name of Shaq's podcast? Shaq calls retiring to The Villages his 'dream retirement scenario' Shaq's podcast, 'The Big Podcast with Shaq,' is a weekly show that he hosts with sportscaster Adam Lefkoe, covering a wide variety of topics, from sports to personal life and entertainment. New episodes drop every Wednesday. Last week, with Mike Tyson there as a guest, Lefkoe asked Shaq what his 'dream retirement scenario' is. Shaq said that he doesn't want to be in an old folks' home and doesn't want his kids to have to take care of him. 'The dream scenario is: There's this place called The Villages. The Villages is an old folks' home, but they have the highest rate of STDs. I want to be there,' Shaq told Lefkoe and Tyson. 'When I get to 65 and I can't move, take me down to Ocala, Florida. Just drop me off my boy.' Did Shaq ever live in Florida? Yes! Shaq now lives in Texas, but has owned four different Florida homes in his robust real estate portfolio, according to Architectural Digest. If you didn't know, Shaq played for the Orlando Magic for four NBA seasons in the late '90s and a decade later won a championship on one of his three seasons with the Miami Heat. The NBA legend has owned two homes in the Miami area and two homes in the Orlando area. The Villages rumors: "Loofah code" at Florida's largest retirement community more about confused than enthused What is The Villages in Florida known for? Villages 'loofah code' went viral The Villages is primarily well-known for its size. With more than 80,000 residents – around 79,000 in 2020 – it's one of the biggest (if not, the biggest) retirement communities in the U.S. 'The Villages is home to the world's largest recreation department, has more golf courses than any other community in the world, is home to three town squares (with a fourth one just announced) where residents go to eat and shop and enjoy free nightly entertainment, and is home to roughly 100 restaurants,' says. But it isn't The Villages' recreational opportunities or golf courses that have caught online attention. Like Shaq, many people have heard rumors in the last few years that The Villages is a community of very sexually active seniors who use a 'code' to learn each other's sexual preferences. A theory on Reddit took flight in 2023, when someone posted about the different-colored loofahs that residents put on their cars. But according to Palm Beach Post columnist Frank Cerabino and Ryan Erisman, who publishes the 'Inside the Bubble' blog about life in The Villages, the stories about residents using color-coded loofah signals aren't true. According to reports and comments from former employees on the original Reddit thread, the 'loofah code' is actually a way for some seniors to locate their car in parking lots. Contributing: Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post This article originally appeared on Florida Today: The Villages in Florida is Shaq's 'dream retirement.' Here's why Solve the daily Crossword
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Florida stiffed Texas company $7.5M for work on Haiti rescue flights, lawsuit says
A Texas-based company filed a federal lawsuit this week against the Florida Division of Emergency Management, alleging it is owed more than $7.5 million after the firm helped evacuate people from war-torn Haiti in 2024. TAD Recovery Services, LLC, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in the federal Northern District of Florida. The lawsuit described the company's services as moving 'materials, supplies and personnel in and out of various locations around the USA and elsewhere in the world, often on an emergency basis due to catastrophic weather situations and/or rapidly developing geopolitical conflicts.' The lawsuit said the Division of Emergency Management contacted the company in March 2024 'to get involved with helping to evacuate children from the Tim Tebow Foundation in Haiti.' It said that 'morphed' into the Division of Emergency Management asking the company to provide broader services related to evacuating Floridians and other people from Haiti. The lawsuit alleges the company is owed $7,544,031. Gov. Ron DeSantis said in an April 24, 2024, news release that the state had rescued 722 Americans from Haiti.
Politico
3 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Playbook: ‘The center of everything'
Presented by With help from Eli Okun, Bethany Irvine and Ali Bianco Good Saturday morning. This is Kimberly Leonard, the Florida Playbook author, writing from Miami. Get in touch. MAGA VS. MAHA?: How are partisan politics affecting the Food and Drug Administration? FDA Commissioner Marty Makary sat down with Playbook's Dasha Burns to discuss that and more for 'The Conversation.' That episode drops tomorrow, but we have an early clip for you of Makary's response to far-right activist Laura Loomer's attacks on top FDA vaccine regulator Vinay Prasad for past remarks that she believes were not aligned with President Donald Trump's agenda. Watch the clip … Subscribe to 'The Conversation' on YouTube, Apple Podcasts or Spotify DRIVING THE DAY 'THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING': President Donald Trump is in Scotland. But to understand where we are six months into his second term, look no further than Florida. This week's announcement that Trump wanted longtime loyalist state Sen. Joe Gruters, a former Republican Party of Florida chair, as the next leader of the Republican National Committee was just the latest example of Trump turning to his adopted home state to enact his agenda. The New York native has spent decades in Florida. In the White House, he has Floridians all around him, from chief of staff Susie Wiles to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. And now, Florida-tested policies on everything from education to the environment have been exported to Washington. 'Florida is the center of everything,' said former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, a host at One America News Network. 'It's awesome.' Plenty of people called it. When your author was reporting in Washington over Trump's inauguration, Florida Republicans and lobbyists were beside themselves with glee about what it would mean to be a major power player in the new administration. Despite being a huge state, Florida had historically been viewed as the loud, embarrassing uncle of American politics. Trump changed that. 'The combination of Mar-a-Lago, a modern-day castle, and Trump, a modern-day king, has attracted all types,' said prominent trial attorney John Morgan, who's been a megadonor to Democrats but left the party in 2017 to become an unaffiliated voter. It's worth taking stock of just how dominant Florida continues to be. Amid the Jeffrey Epstein saga, Florida has remained prominent. During the last two days, Justice Department officials were in Tallahassee interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell, the former socialite convicted of conspiring with Epstein in his child sex-trafficking scheme. She's serving a 20-year prison sentence in the Sunshine State, where police and prosecutors said Epstein sexually abused girls at his mansion in Palm Beach. On policy, there are plenty of examples of Florida's influence — from the Trump administration scouring Department of Education funding for progressive causes to banning transgender athletes from women's sports. Cabinet members brought attention to Chinese ownership of US land and the Environmental Protection Agency posted fact pages about geoengineering. It's all familiar to Floridians. Transgender athletes have been banned from women's sports for more than four years and state officials restricted how schools teach race, sexual orientation and gender identity. A 2023 Florida law blocks some Chinese citizens from owning land in the state and GOP state lawmakers prohibited weather modification this past session. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday during a press conference in the Everglades that all these actions were 'things conservatives have wanted to see done for a long time.' 'We've seen problems, we've responded to the voters that have elected us here and we've led in ways that I think have paved the way for more progress to happen nationally,' he said. But national politics are also influencing Florida. After all, DeSantis was able to win the GOP nomination in 2018 thanks to Trump's endorsement and running on the MAGA agenda. He's still enacting that agenda, especially by pushing the state to play a big role in Trump's illegal immigration crackdown with projects such as the 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center. Inspired by DOGE, DeSantis and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia have also been raking through local government spending to blast programs they see as wasteful or 'woke.' 'Florida has adopted and replicated President Trump's America First agenda and has created many emerging leaders to carry on the MAGA torch,' White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers tells Playbook. 'President Trump appreciates Gov. DeSantis' work and they will continue to advance the same goal — Making America Great Again.' So where does Florida go from here? Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate GOP Rep. Byron Donalds has been saying that if elected he wants to turn Florida into the go-to state for tech, aerospace and finance. The state is also setting its sights even beyond the earth's atmosphere, with a push to have NASA headquarters moved here from Washington. 'As we say in FL-01, 'Y'all come!'' Gaetz said. 'But leave your Democrat voter registration cards north of the Mason-Dixon line.' 9 THINGS THAT STUCK WITH US 1. DEALMAKER-IN-CHIEF: Today, Trump is in Scotland, where he'll spend the day golfing at his Turnberry resort. But it's not all leisure: Tomorrow, he'll meet in person with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, raising hopes of a trade deal with the E.U. ahead of Trump's self-imposed Aug. 1 deadline, WSJ's Max Colchester and Kim Mackrael report. Von der Leyen said yesterday that she and Trump had a good call on Friday, as Europe increasingly seems amenable to accepting a baseline 15 percent tariff on most goods, including on cars. But European officials aren't celebrating just yet: Trump's 'penchant for last-minute reversals' hangs over the negotiations, POLITICO's Daniel Desrochers and colleagues write. 2. THE EPSTEIN CRISIS: The Justice Department wrapped its interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted child sex trafficker and associate of Jeffrey Epstein, yesterday — totaling nine hours over two days. The DOJ granted Maxwell limited immunity in exchange for her participation, per ABC's Katherine Faulders and Aaron Katersky. Maxwell has, for the moment at least, become the center of the spiraling Epstein discourse, as WaPo's Jonathan Edwards writes. Some Epstein survivors worry that Trump will consider pardoning her; one tells NYT's Glenn Thrush and Valerie Crowder that such a move would be a 'crumbling of this justice system.' Maxwell's legal team is still making a decision on whether she will honor a congressional subpoena and appear for testimony before House lawmakers in early August, POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Meredith Lee Hill report. Meanwhile: Democrats are trying to get a copy of the Epstein birthday book in which Trump reportedly drew a nude woman and wrote an inscription. Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) have written to attorneys for Epstein's estate asking for a 'complete, unredacted copy,' Axios' Andrew Solender reports. 3. FOR YOUR RADAR: HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is preparing to get rid of all of the members of a health advisory panel that decides what preventative treatments — including cancer screenings — must be covered by insurance, WSJ's Liz Essley Whyte scooped. All 16 will be dismissed because he 'views them as too 'woke,'' per WSJ. It comes just after the task force's July meeting was suddenly postponed earlier this month. 4. ON THE HILL: Some Republicans who supported a tax hike on gamblers in the megabill are now looking to reverse the policy, with House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) calling its inclusion a 'mistake' by the Senate, NBC's Sahil Kapur reports. … Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) is pushing a conversation about cognitive decline due to age, despite the pushback from her fellow members of Congress, NYT's Annie Karni writes. … Despite the Senate's efforts to save PEPFAR, the U.S. program to combat HIV/AIDS abroad, alarm bells are still ringing as the Trump administration considers gutting it, per NBC's Andrea Mitchell and Abigail Williams. Though it was rescued at the 11th hour from the cuts in an earlier version of the megabill, the funding still isn't coming through. 2026 watch: Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) met with the White House recently about the possibility of jumping into the Texas senate race, Semafor's Burgess Everett and Shelby Talcott report. … Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who is now a contender for the GOP Senate nomination in New Hampshire, has been blasting diversity programs and 'woke' ideology on the campaign trail. But the Washington Examiner's Ramsey Touchberry reports that he touted DEI efforts while serving as dean and president of New England Law. … Wiley Nickel is out of the North Carolina Senate race, and has endorsed former Gov. Roy Cooper, WRAL's Andy Specht scooped. Cooper is expected to announce his candidacy this coming week. … Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune is heading to North Carolina to fundraise for Michael Whatley's recently launched Senate bid, Axios' Alex Isenstadt reports. A headline Dems won't like: 'Democrats Get Lowest Rating From Voters in 35 Years, WSJ Poll Finds,' by WSJ's Aaron Zitner 5. GAZA LATEST: At least 25 people in Gaza were killed overnight in Israeli airstrikes as ceasefire talks reach a standstill, per AP's Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy. The starvation crisis is expected to worsen imminently, as aid groups are running out of specialized therapeutic food that saves malnourished kids, Reuters' Olivia Le Poidevin and colleagues scooped. Israel said yesterday they'll allow countries to airdrop aid in, which now has the U.K., Jordan and the UAE scrambling to get supplies into Gaza, NYT's Aaron Boxerman writes. And contrary to the Israeli government's posture, there is no proof that Hamas has systematically stolen humanitarian aid from Gaza, two senior Israeli officials told NYT's Natan Odenheimer. Unclear path forward: While Hamas negotiators said ceasefire talks would resume next week, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel is considering 'alternative options,' per Reuters. 6. THE MAGA REVOLUTION: The State Department announced yesterday that Darren Beattie will be acting president of the U.S. Institute of Peace, POLITICO's Jacob Wendler reports. Beattie was fired from his speechwriting gig in Trump's first term for speaking at a white nationalist conference, and drew widespread condemnation for a 2024 social media post in which he wrote 'competent white men must be in charge if you want things to work.' Laying down a marker: Two top officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — Steve Volz and Jeff Dillen, who led the 'Sharpiegate' investigation during Trump's first term — were put on leave this week, WaPo's Anusha Mathur and Hannah Natanson report. Who's in: Trump's war against Fed Chair Jerome Powell has its biggest champion in Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Pulte's been leading the charge against Powell on social media, even drafting the letter to possibly fire him earlier this month, and NYT's Alan Rappeport and Matthew Goldstein report it's all bringing him closer to Trump. As astra, per aspera: NASA will lose about 3,870 employees through its voluntary resignation program as part of Trump's push to cut the federal workforce, Bloomberg's Sana Pashankar and Loren Grush write. The bigger push: The Trump administration looked to institute mass layoffs across 17 different agencies, with a series of 40 requests sent in March and April to OPM to approve procedural moves for RIF's, according to recent court filings reported by POLITICO's Sam Ogozalek. 7. SCHOOL TIES: 'White House Will Release $5.5 Billion for Schools, After Surprise Delay,' by NYT's Sarah Mervosh: 'President Trump had faced growing pressure over the delay from within his own party, including from 10 Senate Republicans who had signed a rare public letter urging the White House to release the funds. … The money was part of nearly $7 billion in education funding that had been approved by Congress and was set to be released by July 1, before the Trump administration abruptly withheld it a day before the deadline. … The unexpected delay sent school districts around the country scrounging for the lost dollars, unsure when or whether the money might come through.' 8. IMMIGRATION FILES: The Trump administration's new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, has plans to change the H-1B visa program, he told NYT's Hamed Aleaziz. The changes could affect the wages of skilled foreign workers. Edlow also said he plans to change the U.S. citizenship test, which he deemed as 'not very difficult.' … A federal judge yesterday threw out Trump's lawsuit that would have forced Illinois and the city of Chicago to abandon their so-called sanctuary city policies and aid ICE agents, POLITICO's Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein write. … A top U.S. embassy official in South Africa asked if non-white South African Afrikaners could apply for Trump's refugee program, and were told by a State Department official that the program is only for white people, Reuters' Ted Hesson and colleagues scooped. 9. PLAYING DEFENSE: 'The Navy secretary is trying to limit a deputy's role — before he's even confirmed,' by POLITICO's Jack Detsch and colleagues: 'Navy Secretary John Phelan is attempting to curb the role of the service's No. 2 civilian leader even before President Donald Trump's pick arrives at the Pentagon … Phelan and his chief of staff, Jon Harrison, last week reassigned the top two aides who were supposed to help Navy undersecretary nominee Hung Cao navigate the role once he's confirmed .… Phelan and Harrison don't know Cao and worry he will undercut their efforts to centralize authority within the Navy, especially since he is a former naval officer who has Trump's ear.' CLICKER — 'The nation's cartoonists on the week in politics,' edited by Matt Wuerker — 16 funnies GREAT WEEKEND READS: — 'Mary Had Schizophrenia — Then Suddenly She Didn't,' by The New Yorker's Rachel Aviv: 'Some psychiatric patients may actually have treatable autoimmune conditions. But what happens to the newly sane?' — 'Competing Conspiracy Theories Consume Trump's Washington,' by NYT's Peter Baker: 'No commander in chief in his lifetime has been as consumed by conspiracy theories as President Trump and now they seem to be consuming him.' — 'No One Was Supposed to Leave Alive,' by the Atlantic's Gisela Salim-Peyer: 'Venezuelans deported by the Trump administration say they were tortured during their four months in CECOT.' — 'Dry Taps, Empty Lakes, Shuttered Cities: A Water Crisis Batters Iran,' by NYT's Farnaz Fassihi, Sanam Mahoozi and Leily Nikounazar: 'After a five-year drought and decades of mismanagement, Tehran is at risk of running out of water in several weeks, the government warned.' — 'Trump Perfects the Art of Making Powerful People Squirm on Camera,' by WSJ's Meridith McGraw and Annie Linskey: 'One of the hallmarks of Trump's second term has been his ability to put others on the spot.' — 'We Found Your Bag!' by the Cut's Wells Tower: 'It's at a superstore in Alabama, along with everyone else's lost luggage.' TALK OF THE TOWN One of Venezuela's Little League baseball teams was blocked from the championship tournament in the U.S. because the team was denied travel visas. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has to pay $2,733.28 to the brand that made her 2021 Met Gala dress following an investigation by the House Ethics Committee. MEDIA CORNER — Project Veritas withdrew its yearslong libel lawsuit against the New York Times yesterday without a settlement. TRANSITIONS — Joel Valdez is now acting deputy press secretary for the Pentagon. He most recently was comms director and senior adviser for Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and has previously worked for Matt Gaetz. … Jennifer Kuskowski is now SVP of government affairs and public policy at Edwards Lifesciences. She previously was a VP and head of government affairs for the Americas at Siemens Healthineers. WEDDING — James Tucker Higgins and Emma Marie Newburger, via NYT: 'James Tucker Higgins had an instant crush when he met Emma Marie Newburger in July 2018 in CNBC's newsroom in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. … They wed July 12 in front of 98 guests at Cielo Farms, an event space and winery in Malibu, Calif.' HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) … Center for American Progress' Patrick Gaspard … Maura Corbett of Glen Echo Group and Orchestra … Erin Gloria Ryan … Bill Raines … Nick Muzin of Stonington Global (5-0) … Andrew Romeo … U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia Richard Buangan … Allison Dong of House Budget … Emily Kane of Sen. Maggie Hassan's (D-N.H.) office … Julie Anbender … Scott Sforza of Scott Sforza & Associates … former Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) … Jonathan Davidson … Lara Costello … Ashley Allison … Joe Jackson of Sen. Cynthia Lummis' (R-Wyo.) office … Mike McConnell … Sonny Bunch … David Mayorga … Oscar Goodman … POLITICO's Aayush Prasad … Andrew Gillum … Jacinda Ardern THE SHOWS (Full Sunday show listings here): POLITICO 'The Conversation with Dasha Burns': Marty Makary ABC 'This Week': Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) … Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). Legal Panel: Chris Christie and Sarah Isgur. Panel: Donna Brazile, Reince Priebus and Rachael Bade. MSNBC 'The Weekend: Primetime': Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.)... Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas)... Dan Osborn. MSNBC 'The Weekend': Maryland Gov. Wes Moore ... Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.)... Eric Holder… Mike Gordon. CNN 'State of the Union': Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) … Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) … OMB Director Russ Vought. Panel: Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Alyssa Farah Griffin, Jamal Simmons and Shermichael Singleton. FOX 'Fox News Sunday': Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick … Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) … Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.). Legal panel: Jonathan Turley and Ilya Shapiro. Panel: Stef Kight, Mario Parker, Kevin Roberts and Juan Williams. NewsNation 'The Hill Sunday': John Bolton … Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) … Chris Sununu. Panel: Andrew Desiderio, David Drucker, Emily Brooks and Kellie Meyer. CBS 'Face the Nation': OMB Director Russ Vought … Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) … Jean‑Noël Barrot … Ted Carter. NBC 'Meet the Press': Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) … Speaker Mike Johnson … Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Panel: Peter Baker, Amna Nawaz, Carlos Curbelo and Jeh Johnson. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@ or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn't happen without our editor Zack Stanton, deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
Motor 1
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘That's Exactly Why:' Florida Driver Gets Stuck Behind Toyota That Won't Turn on Green Light. She Says It's an Insurance Scam
A Florida driver believes she captured footage of a commuter attempting to embroil her in a car accident scam. Snooks ( @babysnooks ) posted a TikTok showing footage of the purported hoax. Numerous commenters agreed with her evaluation of the incident. They believe the driver was, in fact, trying to ensnare her into a staged collision. Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Snooks's video begins with her at a stop behind a metallic brown Toyota RAV4. The rear of the vehicle has sustained some visible impact, as its hatch is crumpled inward. Although the light is green, the RAV4 remains motionless, its right turn signal blinking intermittently. She writes in a text overlay of her video, 'In case you wonder what it's like driving in Tampa.' She isn't just calling out poor driving habits. Snooks believes she caught the RAV4 driver attempting to frame her for an accident. 'Here's another insurance scam,' she pens. She honks at the car, but it remains motionless. After sounding her horn several times, she leans on the steering wheel, emitting a constant stream of noise at the RAV4. She can be heard laughing as she continues to record. 'I don't care,' Snooks says as her video comes to a close. Her TikTok has accrued over 708,000 views as of this writing. Florida: Scam Central Gulf Live reported in October 2024 that the Sunshine State is a hotbed for con jobs. The outlet cited statistics gathered by Investor Loss Center , which placed the state as 'the country's ultimate frontier of fraud.' Trending Now 'Her Insurance Card Is on Her Phone:' Range Rover Driver Gets Rear-Ended. Then the Person Tries to 'Gaslight' Her Over Damage Texas Woman Gets Scammed Out of $30,000 During Facebook Marketplace Truck Purchase. Here's What She Overlooked According to data, there were 1,020 reports of scams for every 100,000 residents. The most common cases of fraudulent activity were rooted in what the website referred to as 'impostor' scams. There are other types of dubious claims made by Floridians as well. Florida Daily writes that the area has only seen a rise in 'staged accidents' throughout 2024, too. Mike Friedlander, a rep for the Insurance Information Institute, told the outlet that 'unscrupulous actors are increasingly capitalizing on busy roadways.' He added that they're staging 'collisions and cash in on insurance payouts, particularly in high-traffic states.' These false reports aren't just affecting insurance companies. They're impacting drivers as well. Friedlander purportedly said consumers are paying between $100 and $300 extra in annual premiums due to such scams. The same article said that Florida's increase in auto insurance fraud and subsequent premium upticks are second only to New York and California. Florida Daily quoted Friedlander as saying that multiple entities often work together in order to extricate money from insurance companies and the drivers they cover. 'These criminals are also working in collaboration with unscrupulous medical professionals,' Friedlander remarked. He said injury clinics and attorneys are often in on the con. He said these fraudulent reports amount to expenditures of around $20 billion every year. Common Collision Scams The Department of Motor Vehicles posted a list of staged accidents that con artists routinely try to lure unsuspecting drivers into. One known as the 'swoop and stop' involves multiple vehicles. 'A car will suddenly pull in front of yours and stop,' the DMV writes. 'Another vehicle will simultaneously pull up alongside your car, preventing you from swerving to avoid an accident.' The DMV also says people will brake-check drivers behind them in an attempt to get rear-ended. Scammers may also try to T-Bone your car at an intersection while phony witnesses known as "shady helpers" are in the area, the DMV reports. These witnesses will pretend to be helpers and report to officers that you were the one at fault for the accident. The DMV additionally writes that sometimes drivers will wait in front of you and then wave you around. Then, when you attempt to pass them in the same lane, they accelerate. When the cops show up, the driver will deny ever waving you ahead and try to pin the accident on you, the DMV warns. The DMV suggests immediately notifying the police in the event of an accident and gathering as much information about the other driver, damage, and conditions. Get their driver's license number, vehicle registration info, car insurance provider, and name, address, and phone number. It may be a good idea to get their general height, weight, and ethnicity. And take pictures of the damage on both vehicles along with multiple angles of the scene. The DMV further recommends never settling accidents outside of insurance. 'Don't ever settle on site with cash; always report the accident to your car insurance company, and let them know if you suspect a scam,' it writes. Experts advise that one of the best tools for combatting insurance scams is a dashboard camera, particularly one that records multiple angles. If you have to go to court to dispute false claims made by a scammer, video and audio can provide potentially indisputable evidence to counter their lies. Capitalizing on Road Rage Numerous folks who responded to Snooks' video believed the driver in front of her was indeed attempting insurance fraud. 'That's exactly why their car looks like that,' one TikToker penned. Another wrote, 'Yall must not live in bigger cities here in Florida. This is 1000% someone trying to rage bait people behind them to then possibly get money from their insurance. Very common.' Someone else who said they also live in Tampa relayed that this type of behavior is par for the course for accident scammers. 'If you aren't from Tampa you don't get an opinion,' they said. 'That is an insurance scam and it's clear. No one knows how to [expletive] drive here.' This TikToker echoed the aforementioned sentiment, penning, 'If you live in Tampa and don't drive with a dash cam you're risking it.' Motor1 has reached out to Snooks via TikTok comment for further information. We'll update this article if she responds. More From Motor1 'Instead of Paying $300:' Woman Buys Toyota. Then She Buys Keyfob for $12 Off Amazon and Programs It Herself 'Quick Sue the Sun:' Toyota RAV4 Driver Parks Car in Front of House. Then It Starts Melting Insurers uncover 300 false claims every day as motor scams increase 'I've Never Heard of This:' Customer Rents Tesla in Florida. Then Hertz Worker Says Something Shocking About Electric Vehicles Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
