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ALEX FERRERAS | “The latest housing data from the Florida Association of Realtors has revealed that the Sunshine State’s housing market is now in recovery mode – despite the fact the state suffered massive foreclosure losses over the last 6 years. Florida is not only witnessing double-digit gains in statewide home sales, new listings, pending salesRead more

William R. Levesque, Times Staff Writer | Scott and Jill Kelley’s posh home on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa is in foreclosure. CAROLINA HIDALGO | Times “Attorneys had gathered in a conference room to question the Tampa socialite who had unwittingly triggered the scandal that ended the career of CIA director David Petraeus. Jill Kelley’s house isRead more

Brian Bandell | South Florida Business Journal | “O.J. Simpson didn’t fare as well in front of Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Gisela Cardonne Ely as he did before Judge Lance Ito, as the former judge sent his Kendall home to foreclosure auction. The football legend, currently in a Nevada prison after a robbery and kidnapping conviction, lost an $892,283 foreclosure judgmentRead more

By KEVIN WIATROWSKI | Tribune staff | “An audit of Tampa’s Neighborhood Empowerment division has found the agency failed to collect more than $450,000 in registration fees for foreclosed properties this year. The report prompted a dressing down of division director Jake Slater during Thursday’s Tampa City Council meeting. Slater’s division oversees the city’s foreclosure registryRead more

By Christine DeGangi | AOL Real Estate | “Maryland’s foreclosure starts in July increased 275 percent from last year, according to RealtyTrac’s July 2013 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report. Overall Maryland foreclosure activity — including default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — saw a 148 percent increase since July 2012 with one in every 598 housing units inRead more

ILYCE GLINK | Moneywatch | CBS News | “Throughout the housing crisis, short sales have generally been praised as a good deal for everyone: distressed homeowners get a chance to avoid foreclosure, banks recoup more money from the sale and buyers get a great deal. But it’s not all roses. In fact, in some areasRead more

PRWeb.com | Digital Journal | HARP Mortgage Lender (http://harpmortgagelender.com) , a national network of mortgage professionals who are approved for the Home Affordable Refinance Program, reported that Florida HARP applications have dropped in the second quarter of 2013 as mortgage rates continue to rise. The Florida Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) was revised in late 2011Read more

by Kim Miller | Palm Beach Post | “A steep drop in Palm Beach County foreclosure filings last month may be the result of the state’s new fast-track foreclosure law, which requires lenders to file specific documents with the initial case. Attorney Heather Hatch, (L), looks over documents with Louise Plasse, (R), a lawyer fromRead more

Drew Harwell | Tampa Bay Times | “Tampa Bay home prices last month made their highest year-over-year jump since the housing boom, soaring 27 percent over July 2012 and reenergizing worries about a new bubble. The typical single-family home here sold last month for $172,000, the highest median price in five years, as buyers clawedRead more

Jeff Harrington | Tampa Bay Times |  “The latest job cuts will be split between two Chase locations near Tampa International Airport and are effective Oct. 11. JPMorgan Chase is closing several business units in Tampa set up to help distressed homeowners, a decision that signifies an improving economy even as it triggers more than 600Read more