Karen Sweatlock, Realtor, John R Wood Properties

05/15/2020

The unemployment rate for those with less than a HS diploma is now a staggering 21.2%, up from just 5.2% at the end of 2019. For those with a HS diploma, the respective numbers are 17.2%, up from 3.7% in 12/19. For those with some college the numbers are 15% and 2.7%. For employees with a bachelor.....

04/28/2020

The economy has taken a big hit because of the coronavirus pandemic. But local professionals in a major industry are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Southwest Florida realtors are starting to notice signs that activity is on the upswing, and their sales are improving. “Was off to a succes...

03/13/2020

As the coronavirus hits pandemic status, Homes.com explores the housing impact.

02/01/2020

The US manufacturing sector is in its worst shape since the end of the Great Recession in 6/09 and is firmly shrinking; it’s the second time since the end of the Great Recession. Although this contraction is slightly worse than the last manufacturing recession of 15Q4, which was mild, like then th...

02/01/2020

US new home sales fell to an annual rate of 694,000 in 12/19; a mildly disappointing end to a dismal decade which saw single-family new-homes sales average just 484,000/year. In the prior decade (2000-2009), single-family sales averaged 901,000, in the 1990s they were 700,000/year, in the 1980s 610,...

02/01/2020

The Friday File: Last Sunday, Kobe Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter, and six others were killed in a helicopter crash in LA. Bryant began making history when at 17 he became the youngest NBA player ever. During his 20-year career he was an 18-time All-Star, won five NBA titles, two Olympic gold....

02/01/2020

Awesome results in a few weeks!

You can do this!

01/21/2020

December housing starts jumped an amazing 40.8% Y-o-Y! Single-family rose 29.6% Y-o-Y, while multifamily rose a staggering 74.6% Y-o-Y, although CY2019 starts grew just 3.2% versus CY2018. The December rise is entirely weather related; Midwest starts jumped 85.4% Y-o-Y and in the West 72.7%. Less we...

12/18/2019

November housing starts came in at an annualized rate of 1.365 million, up a strong 13.6% Y-o-Y. Single-family starts were up 16.7% Y-o-Y; multifamily was up 4.4% Y-o-Y. Despite these seemingly strong Y-o-Y numbers, YTD starts are up a scant 0.6%. This is because 2018 started well but ended badly as...

12/10/2019

Net jobs growth of 266,000 in November, along with upward revisions to September and October totaling 41,000, and a slight decline in the unemployment rate to 3.5% makes this a solid job report. Better yet, average job growth over the past three months has averaged 205,000, the best since 1/19. The....

12/09/2019

Naples and Southwest Florida have been our home since 1958!