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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
April data shows Tampa is 6th hottest buyers market, Redfin study
The Brief According to a new Redfin study, Tampa is the sixth-hottest buyer's market, April data shows. Six Florida cities are included in the top 10, including Miami, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. Economic uncertainty and mortgage rates could be behind this shift, according to Redfin. TAMPA - Redfin researchers looked at the number of active MLS listings and compared that to pending sales and the time between a buyer's first tour to their purchase. According to April 2025 data by Redfin, these are the Top 10 Buyer's Markets, where sellers outnumber buyers: Miami, FL West Palm Beach, FL Fort Lauderdale, FL Austin, TX Jacksonville, FL Tampa, FL Phoenix, AZ Las Vegas, NV Orlando, FL Nashville, TN What they're saying "It's a much more relaxed time for a buyer to buy a home than it was three, four years ago. It used to be five days on market on average -- and in very hot markets, sometimes two: it didn't even make it past the weekend," Ali St Cyr with Tomlin St Cyr Real Estate Services said. "Buyers now have a lot more options to look at when they're considering a home." Since some time has passed since Florida's big boom during COVID, some sellers may still be living in the past, local real estate agents told FOX 13. "They believe that their property has increased in value over the last year. So they're pricing it higher than what they should, and that's where you're seeing that price decrease, homes are staying on the market a little bit longer, and buyers are able to negotiate a little more," St Cyr said. Dig deeper Other factors behind this recent shift to a buyer's market could be economic uncertainty and mortgage rates, experts with Redfin add. "And then I think the last hurricane season really scared a lot of people," Mia Annibale with RE/MAX Collective said. "Being stressed out for the whole month of October took a toll on some people, and they didn't want to have the stress of it anymore. So we saw sales just because of that alone." When talking to clients selling their home, Annibale said coming to an agreement on the list price can sometimes be difficult. "Everybody's home is special, it's unique, it has a story, it has its perks," Annibale said. "But if you want a home to move in this market, you need to price it aggressively to be honest." READ: Governor DeSantis touts Florida job growth as manufacturer announces new facility Annibale told FOX 13 about a recent conversation she had with a client as they discussed the listing price. "I said, just to give you statistics, there are 182 single-family homes for sale in a two-mile radius -- two miles! -- of your home," Annibale said. Both buyers and sellers, who play their cards right, can still do well in this market, local real estate agents told FOX 13. "We're still in a very balanced market. There's nothing to panic about. You just have a little more time on market and a little bit more back and forth between the buyer and seller in the sales process," St Cyr said. "If sellers are realistic about their price and buyers have opportunity to get a concession, this can be a positive thing for both sides," Annibale added. CLICK HERE:>>>Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia. WATCH FOX 13 NEWS: STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘My body, my choice': Idaho House committee passes bill to prohibit government mask mandates
A protester's sign encouraging no COVID-19-related mandates rests against an end table in the Idaho House's lobby at the Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, on Nov. 15, 2021. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun) A bill to prohibit government mask mandates is moving forward to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives. The House State Affairs Committee in a 13-2 vote on Monday morning advanced House Bill 32, a bill that would prohibit the state, cities, counties, public health districts, school districts and state officers from mandating the use of masks, face shields or coverings to prevent the spread of contagious diseases. All Republicans on the committee voted in favor of the bill, while its two Democrats voted against it. The state of Idaho never had a mask mandate during the pandemic and local governments, like the city of Boise, haven't issued a mask mandate or masking recommendations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when nearly 4,600 Idahoans died from the virus between 2020 and 2022, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bill does include an exemption for hospitals, health care workers and vocational sessions where wearing protective facemasks is mandatory, such as the welding industry. Bill sponsor Rep. Robert Beiswenger, R-Horseshoe Bend, said the bill would not cost any taxpayer dollars, and it would give Idahoans more freedom because they wouldn't have to worry about getting arrested or fines from officials for not wearing a mask. Rep. Todd Achilles, D-Boise, asked Beiswenger if he had consulted with any health officials when drafting the bill. 'No, I didn't,' Beiswenger said. 'This is more of a moral issue here.' Health experts have stated that wearing a mask can help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission. According to the CDC, when worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious particles. The bill is one of many attempts Idaho legislators have made to prohibit government mask mandates. Last year a nearly identical bill, House Bill 493, passed the House, but it was not introduced to the Idaho Senate. Nine people testified in favor of the bill, with some arguing that mask mandates are 'tyranny,' others pointing to their Christian faith, and some arguing that masks do not prevent the spread of viruses. Yvonne St Cyr testified in favor of the bill. St Cyr was recently pardoned from President Donald Trump for felony charges related to obstructing and interfering with law enforcement at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Weeks before her Jan. 6 arrest, St Cyr was arrested after protesting outside a Central District Health board meeting where the board was expected to vote on a local mask mandate, the AP News previously reported. St Cyr was originally arrested under a trespassing charge, according to the Boise Police Department. 'My body, my choice,' St Cyr told the committee. 'I'm a sovereign being, and no one's going to tell me that I need to cover my mouth and breathe. My breath is sacred, and I will fight with every breath I have to make sure that my freedoms are not taken away. This mask mandate was taking away my freedom… I'm a healthy woman, and I wasn't going to be unhealthy because somebody was scared or feared a disease.' Two people testified in opposition to the bill, including Heather Stout who said during the COVID-19 pandemic, her family was terrified of contracting the virus because she had a member with an autoimmune disease. 'This is not a question of personal freedoms,' Stout said. 'This is about our humanity, about how we care for our neighbors and our communities. Please continue to allow our state officials to help curb the progression and spread of contagious and infectious diseases by any means possible.' Kelly Packer, the executive director of the Association of Idaho Cities, also opposed the bill, arguing it blocks elected officials' authority to make informed decisions, and potentially affects them when making decisions in the future. The committee voted to send the bill to the House floor with a recommendation that it pass. If passed by the House, the bill will move to the Senate for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
