Randal Jenkins Florida Real Estate Partners

10/16/2026

A buyer's agent is, in most transactions, paid out of the seller's side of the deal.

Which means the person reading your contract line by line, telling you which inspection findings are serious and which are just a house being a house, and arguing your corner when the appraisal comes in low, is generally not costing you anything directly.

Free copy of my buyer guide is yours if you want one.

https://randaljenkins.book.live/hp-buyer-book

10/16/2026

Buying Real Estate in the next year. Watch this week radio show. YOUTUBE Video:

Thinking about buying a home in the next year? This episode is for ...

10/15/2026

Mortgage rate averages hold steady, but economists expect further increases
Daily rate on 30-year loan dropped 12 basis points Thursday

The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.4% in the week ended Thursday, according to Freddie Mac. (Jesse Roehrer/CoStar)
The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.4% in the week ended Thursday, according to Freddie Mac. (Jesse Roehrer/CoStar)

By Moira Ritter

October 15, 2026
12:36 PM ET
Key takeaways:
Weekly mortgage rate averages held steady this week, with the 30-year, fixed-rate loan at 7.4%, unchanged from the prior week but up sharply from 6.27% a year ago.
Daily rates dropped more noticeably on Thursday, with the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage falling 12 basis points to 7.33% and the 15-year loan declining 16 basis points to 6.98%.
On Wednesday, mortgage giant Fannie Mae sharply raised its mortgage rate forecast to 7.4% for the fourth quarter and 7.5% for 2027.
After seven weeks of increases, mortgage rates have slowed — but economists warn there's no real relief in sight.

As of Thursday, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.4%, according to Freddie Mac's weekly reading. It's the same average as a week earlier, but it's much higher than the comparable week a year ago, when the loan averaged 6.27%.

The 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage dropped slightly, averaging 6.71% as of Thursday. Last week, the loan averaged 6.73% and a year ago, it stood at 5.52%.

Daily mortgage rates saw an even steeper decline. On Thursday afternoon, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell 12 basis points from a day earlier to 7.33% — a big drop for a single day. The 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage declined 16 basis points to 6.98%.

Inflation data puts pressure on market expectations
Thursday's data release comes a day after a report showing consumer prices grew much more than expected in September. The fallout from that data won't be included until next week's Freddie Mac report because it's a weekly average.

On an annual basis, prices rose 3.7% more than economists had expected. On a monthly basis, inflation was at its fastest pace since April. Much of that growth was driven by energy costs, which have been under serious upward pressure due to the ongoing war in Iran.

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Though inflation isn't explicitly tied to the mortgage market, it has indirect consequences; the data is a key piece of the Federal Reserve's policymaking. The central bank doesn't set mortgage rates, but its policy and outlook can weigh on lender behavior, especially in the mortgage market.

Wednesday's inflation reading showed a larger-than-expected jump, prompting economists and investors to prepare for another short-term interest rate hike when the Fed meets this month, signaling that the central bank expects inflation to stick around. In response, investors and lenders adjust, which can lead to higher borrowing costs elsewhere, including in the mortgage market.

"Uncertainty on inflation is being replaced by reality (as of yesterday and this morning), and higher rates will be necessary to fight inflation going forward," Homes.com chief residential economist Brad Case told Homes.com News.

10/14/2026

I sold a house last year that had been in the same family since 1961.

The legal side was settled before we listed, and that mattered more than anyone expected it to, because an estate still working its way through probate can stall a closing at exactly the moment you cannot afford a delay.

Clearing the house took the family most of a month, so we built that into the schedule instead of pretending it would take a weekend.

Once it was ready it sold in eleven days.

There is a chapter on this in my free book, and I will happily send you a copy.

https://randaljenkins.book.live/ca-biz-card-book

10/14/2026

ARM demand hits highest level in a year as mortgage rates climb
Overall loan applications fell for sixth straight week

The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.4% on a weekly basis as of Thursday. Above, homes outside of Boston. (Mitchell Hester/CoStar)

The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.4% on a weekly basis as of Thursday. Above, homes outside of Boston. (Mitchell Hester/CoStar)

By Moira Ritter

October 14, 2026

7:00 AM ET

Key takeaways:

The share of adjustable-rate mortgage applications climbed to 10.5%, the highest level in a year, as the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage hit 7.4%, its highest weekly average since November 2023.
Overall mortgage applications fell 2.7% for the sixth consecutive week, driven by a 4% drop in purchase activity and a 0.4% dip in refinance activity compared to the previous week.
A 5/1 ARM averaged 6.54% this week, letting borrowers lock in that rate for five years before it adjusts annually, though planning for the loan's timeline matters most.
As mortgage rates keep rising, demand is drying up — but more borrowers are opting for adjustable-rate loans to gain a more affordable entry point into the market.

In the week ended Friday, overall mortgage demand slowed 2.7% compared to a week earlier, according to data released on Wednesday by the Mortgage Bankers Association. It's the sixth consecutive week that demand has weakened.

That was driven by a 0.4% weekly decrease in refinance activity and a 4% weekly drop in purchase activity. Refinances are down 56% from a year ago, and purchases are 16% lower than this time last year.

The slowdown comes as the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage sits at 7.4%, its highest weekly average since November 2023. While this has sidelined some buyers, it has others relying "more on ARM loans to help lower their monthly payments," according to Joel Kan, MBA's vice president and deputy chief economist.

Indeed, the share of ARM applications rose to 10.5%, the highest level since October 2025, according to Wednesday's report.

ARMs can create a smoother transition to homeownership
ARMs are just one of the tools lenders are using to help borrowers in today's elevated mortgage rate environment.

Unlike fixed-rate mortgages that come with a set interest rate, ARMs are characterized by variable interest rates. Borrowers lock in one rate for a set period — five or seven years, for example — and that rate is usually lower than you would get with a conventional, fixed-rate loan.

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It's an alternative that can create a more palatable entry to homeownership, according to Brad Case, chief residential economist for Homes.com, but it's important that borrowers ask the right questions and consider the unpredictability of an adjustable loan.

"The cost of an ARM depends not only on what happens to interest rates, but how long you plan to keep that loan," Case wrote in an analysis. "In the end, this choice isn't really about predicting interest rates. It's about planning for uncertainty and figuring out whether the loan's timeline lines up with your timeline."

Related content:

Mortgage rates top 7%: Why more borrowers are turning to ARMs and buydowns
Mortgage rates climb to another three-year high
Analysis: Buying can still beat renting, even with mortgage rates above 7%.
On Wednesday, for example, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that the average 5/1 ARM was asking 6.54%, nearly one basis point below the 30-year, fixed-rate loan. If a borrower opted for that ARM, they'd be locked into a 6.54% mortgage for five years. Once that period lapsed, their rate could adjust once a year.

"If you sell the home or refinance before that period ends, you could benefit from those lower monthly payments without ever seeing the rate adjusts," Case explained. "Even if the mortgage lasts a few years beyond the initial fixed period, the savings accumulated at the beginning may offset higher payments later."

There are cases where that can backfire, though, he added.

"The risk arrives if the borrower keeps the ARM and the rate adjusts upward," he said. "So, the practical test is not simply whether rates are expected to rise; it’s whether the borrower can afford the higher payment."

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Writer
Moira Ritter
Moira Ritter is an award‑winning real estate journalist for Homes.com News, specializing in the California housing market. She’s passionate about translating complex housing data into stories that resonate with everyday readers, from shifting mortgage rates to the trends reshaping affordability across the country. Her reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina earned honors from the National Association

10/13/2026

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10/13/2026

Three factors that can help buyers secure lower rates

By Amy Connolly

Realtor.com research finds that credit scores, down payments and lender choice can influence the mortgage rate a buyer receives, even when average rates are high.

Mortgage rates above 7% can make buyers feel as though affordability is largely out of their hands. But new Realtor.com research shows that rates can vary widely among borrowers.

An analysis of Freddie Mac loan data found that the middle 80% of borrowers received rates spanning nearly a full percentage point in a single month. That difference can translate into thousands of dollars in buying power.

The research points to three areas buyers can influence: their credit score, down payment and choice of lender.

Credit matters
Borrowers with stronger credit generally received better rates, with some of the biggest benefits happending to buyers who cross key credit-score thresholds.

For example, Realtor.com found that improving a credit score from 680 to 720 was associated with an 11-basis-point lower rate. For a buyer with a $2,000 monthly principal-and-interest budget, that translated to about $3,200 in additional purchasing power.

“Focusing on keeping a good credit score will provide the best benefit for getting a better rate and mortgage terms overall,” Sarah DeFlorio, vice president of mortgage banking at William Raveis Mortgage, told Realtor.com.

Improving credit can take time, however, making it something prospective buyers may want to address well before applying for a mortgage.

Down payment help, especially at key thresholds
Putting more money down can help buyers secure a lower mortgage rate, but Realtor.com found that the biggest benefits tend to occur at certain thresholds.

Crossing the 10% down mark produced the largest rate improvement below 20%, lowering the rate by about 5.5 basis points. Moving from 15%-19% down to 20% produced only a small additional rate reduction, although reaching 20% can eliminate private mortgage insurance on a conventional loan.

Larger down payments can produce more substantial savings. Realtor.com found that moving from 20% to 40% or more down lowered the rate by about 17.5 basis points, adding roughly $5,400 in purchasing power for a buyer with a $2,000 monthly principal-and-interest budget.

Shopping lenders pays off
Comparing lenders may be the quickest step buyers can take. Realtor.com found meaningful rate differences among lenders even after accounting for borrowers' financial background and local markets.

Buyers should consider:

Rates and fees: A lower advertised rate may come with additional upfront costs.
Loan options: Different lenders may offer programs that better fit a buyer's circumstances.
Closing needs: Buyers should also consider whether a lender can meet financing and contract deadlines.
The research focused on conventional loans acquired by Freddie Mac and did not include FHA, VA, jumbo or portfolio loans.

© 2026 Florida Realtors®

10/12/2026

Sellers ask what they are actually paying for, and it is a fair thing to ask out loud.

Pricing comes first, and it has less to do with opinion than with knowing exactly which three houses on which three streets a buyer will be weighing yours against next month.

Then the marketing, meaning photographs that survive a phone screen, a description that sounds like a home rather than a spec sheet, and enough reach that you end up with more than one interested party, because one party is not a negotiation.

After that it turns into logistics: showings scheduled around your actual life, paperwork chased, the lender and the title company nudged along every few days.

And then the negotiating, which is usually where the compensation earns itself back several times over.

Very little of that is glamorous, but it is most of the job.

Ask me for a free copy of my book if you want the longer version.

https://randaljenkins.book.live/ca-biz-card-book

10/12/2026

Florida DBPR Issues Emergency Orders to Support Hurricane Isaias Response and Recovery

October 11, 2026

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) filed Emergency Order 2026-01, as amended by Emergency Order 2026-02, to waive or modify statutes and rules that would prevent, hinder, or delay Florida’s response to Hurricane Isaias.

The emergency orders provide the following for businesses and professionals in Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington Counties.

DBPR Emergency Order 2026-01 and Amended DBPR Emergency Order 2026-02 provide the following:

Certified and Registered Contractors
Suspends certain provisions of section 489.113(3), Florida Statutes, to allow certified or registered general contractors, building contractors, or residential contractors to perform roofing work for the repair or installation of any roof type when providing contracting services without having to subcontract roof work.
Suspends certain provisions of section 489.117, Florida Statutes, to allow registered contractors to work outside of the geographic scope limitations or requirements provided in section 489.117(1)(b) and (c), Florida Statutes, when providing services, subject to additional requirements outlined in the emergency order.
Suspends certain provisions of section 489.513, Florida Statutes, to allow registered electrical and alarm system contractors to work outside of the geographic scope limitations or requirements provided in section 489.513(5), Florida Statutes, when providing services, subject to additional requirements outlined in the emergency order.
Clarifies that the installation of non-permanent, emergency tarps to relieve damage caused by Hurricane Isaias falls within the exemptions listed in section 489.103(6), Florida Statutes.
Suspends certain provisions of Part XVI of Chapter 468, Florida Statutes, to allow businesses or persons engaging in mold remediation to remove water-damaged materials from hurricane-related water-damaged properties without licensure as a mold remediator under Chapter 468, Florida Statutes, so long as they are not holding themselves out for hire to the public as mold remediators or otherwise engaging in other mold remediation activities.
License Renewals
Board of Cosmetology: Extends certain renewal and continuing education deadlines to November 6, 2026, for the following licenses: Cosmetologists, Nail Specialists, Facial Specialists, and Full Specialists.
Drugs, Devices, and Cosmetics: Extends certain renewal deadlines to November 30, 2026, for all licenses established by sections 499.012(5)(a), 499.028(11)(b), 499.62(6), and 499.832(1), Florida Statutes, and Rules 61N-1.015(10)(a) and 61N-1.018, Florida Administrative Code, including Prescription Drug Wholesalers, Prescription Drug Wholesalers – Broker Only, and Out-of-State-Prescription Drug Wholesalers.
Yacht and Ship Brokers: Extends certain renewal deadlines to November 30, 2026, for Yacht and Ship Brokers and Salespersons with renewal deadlines from September 9, 2026, through November 1, 2026.
Drugs, Devices, and Cosmetics
Suspends the change-of-location fee of $100 when an onsite inspection is required and $25 when an onsite inspection is not required, pursuant to Rule 61N-1.018(4)(f), Florida Administrative Code.
Hotels, Restaurants, and Elevator Safety
Suspends and amends the provisions of sections 509.102(1)(b) and 509.102(3), Florida Statutes, and Rules 61C-1.002(6)(a)3 and 61C-4.0161(3)(c), Florida Administrative Code, regarding the time that a public food service establishment may operate a temporary commercial kitchen, the location of a temporary commercial kitchen, the requirement that a public food service establishment provide notice of a temporary commercial kitchen, and the requirement that a mobile food dispensing vehicle only serve food in individually portioned and packaged or prepackaged containers. Public food service establishments operating a temporary commercial kitchen must provide advance notice to the Division of Hotels and Restaurants before opening at DBPR’s temporary food establishment page.
Suspends certain provisions of section 509.013(4)(a), Florida Statutes, to allow public lodging establishments to rent to individuals whose residences were rendered uninhabitable due to destruction or damage caused by Hurricane Isaias for any period of time without penalty.
Suspends certain provisions of section 509.242(2), Florida Statutes, so an existing public lodging establishment does not need a separate license if stays by people displaced from residences made uninhabitable by Hurricane Isaias cause 25 percent or more of its units to fall within a different lodging classification during the emergency order.
Waives the $250 fee required by section 399.03(2), Florida Statutes, for the installation or relocation of an elevator and the $200 fee required by section 399.03(2), Florida Statutes, for the alteration of an elevator, when such elevators are currently licensed by DBPR and the work arises from damage caused by Hurricane Isaias.
Suspends the provisions of section 399.03(4), Florida Statutes, and Rule 61C-5.006(1)(c), Florida Administrative Code, regarding the installation, relocation, or alteration of an elevator in specific situations.
Suspends and amends the provisions of section 509.032(3), Florida Statutes, and Rule 61C-1.002(3)(a)4., Florida Administrative Code, regarding temporary food service events and licensure of public food service establishments and other food service vendors for temporary food service events, subject to sanitation requirements. Sponsors of temporary food service events must provide advance notice to the Division of Hotels and Restaurants before the event at DBPR’s temporary food establishment page.
Alcoholic Beverages and To***co
Suspends and tolls all time requirements and deadlines for licensees and permittees filing monthly reports and returns as required by sections 210.02, 210.09, 210.55, 561.50, and 561.55, Florida Statutes, until November 30, 2026.
Clarifies that law enforcement officers within the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and To***co have the authority to enforce laws throughout the state, including aiding in the enforcement of laws prohibiting unlicensed activity as provided in Chapter 455, Florida Statutes.
Veterinarians
Suspends the $200 fee for the issuance of a temporary license to out-of-state veterinarians during an emergency described by section 474.2125, Florida Statutes.
Mobile Homes, Residential Condominium Directors, and Homeowner Association Directors
Suspends and tolls payment of the annual $4 fee per mobile home, as established by section 723.007(1), Florida Statutes, and the $1 surcharge, as established by section 723.007(2), Florida Statutes, until December 4, 2026.
Suspends and tolls the existing written certification or educational certificate requirements for residential condominium directors, as set forth in section 718.112(2)(d)4.b.(II), Florida Statutes, for 30 days from the date of Emergency Order 2026-01.
Suspends and tolls the existing written certification or educational certificate requirements for homeowner association directors, as set forth in section 720.3033, Florida Statutes, for 30 days from the date of Emergency Order 2026-01.
Relocation Fees
Waives the total relocation fee for Barbershops, Cosmetology Salons, Veterinary Premises, Veterinary Limited Services, and Talent Agency licenses and permits. The emergency order also waives fees for adding a Real Estate Office branch or an additional Real Estate School location.
For more information, review DBPR Emergency Order 2026-01 and Amended DBPR Emergency Order 2026-02. To find other storm-related orders and updates, visit the DBPR Emergency Webpage.
# # #

The Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses and regulates nearly 1.7 million businesses and professionals in the State of Florida across more than 30 fields of industry. The Department’s mission is to license efficiently and regulate fairly. For more information, visit MyFloridaLicense.com.

Follow on X and Facebook, .DBPR on Instagram, and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation on LinkedIn for important information and updates on matters relating to Florida’s business and professional licensing.

10/12/2026

https://409home.com/FHA

What every buyer should know about financing.