House panel approves bill to create ombudsman, appeals process for HOA disputes

Article Courtesy of Florida PoliticsBy Scott PowersPublished January 22, 2022 HB 1033 seeks to keep HOA disputes from reaching the courts. Floridians who tussle with homeowners associations (HOAs) could soon see a few more layers of process before anyone gets …

Roof repair schemes, runaway litigation push Florida insurers to the brink

Article Courtesy of ABC Action NewsBy Michael PaluskaPublished January 25, 2022 TAMPA — Homeowner’s insurance rates will continue to go up for at least two more years as legislators work to control lawsuits filed by attorneys on behalf of roofing …

Loans for Condos? New Rules Start to Have an Effect

Article Courtesy of Florida RealtorsBy Jeff LazersonPublished January 27, 2022 Fannie’s tighter loan requirements post-Surfside collapse started Jan. 1; Freddie’s start Feb. 28. In the meantime, the list of no-loan condo projects will likely keep growing. A nightmare scenario looms …

Repair contractors’ newest billing strategy leaves homeowners on the hook if insurers don’t pay

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel By Ron Hurtibise Published November 25, 2021 Imagine receiving an unexpected $7,500 invoice telling you that your payment is more than 30 days past due and that you’re responsible for it if your homeowner’s insurance doesn’t …

Get ready to dig deeper: Despite reforms, insurers warn consumers that more rate hikes are coming

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel By Ron Hurtibise Published October 26, 2021 Homeowners hoping for an end to steep property insurance rate increases next year might as well start looking for other expenses to trim. It’s not happening. Costs won’t be …

The Laws Pertaining To Condos And HOAs Must Be Reformed

Article Courtesy of  The Doral Family Journal By Edda Pujadas Published November 11, 2021 The main objective of the proposed reform is to achieve that the communities and the management of their funds are properly handled. The most important points …

Judge approves sale of Surfside property where condo collapse killed 98

Article Courtesy of  Local 10 WLPG News By Michael Putney Published October 5 , 2021 WATCH VIDEO SURFSIDE – Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman approved on Thursday a sale agreement of the property in Surfside where a 12-story building …

Florida task force makes recommendations on condo safety

Article Courtesy of The Orlando Sentinel By Brendan Farrington Published October 19, 2021 TALLAHASSEE — Florida legislators should overhaul the state’s condominium laws in the wake of the Surfside building collapse that killed 98 to address inspections, ensuring proper reserves are …

What you need to know about pending changes to Florida insurance laws

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel By Ron Hurtibise Published May 14, 2021 No one was thrilled with the insurance changes that were passed on the final day of the Florida Legislature’s spring session — not the insurance industry and not consumers’ …

As hurricane season approaches, three insurers are canceling thousands of Florida customers

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel By Ron Hurtibise Published May 20, 2021 As another hurricane season bears down on the state, more than 50,000 Florida home insurance customers will soon receive notices that their policies have been canceled or won’t be …