You’re in a difficult situation at the moment. The current mortgage rates are incredibly tempting, but you don’t plan on selling for at least another few years. It can be tough to get the stars to perfectly align for a home sale—more on that in next month’s blog—but it just might be the right time to refinance. A typical mortgage rate for well-qualified borrowers is just above 3 percent. The best predictions at the Read More
4 Ways Employers Often Violate the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act)
As COVID-related work leave is ending and things gradually get back to normal, many workers still have FMLA leave for serious health conditions. The FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) grants certain workers 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. Employers with at least 50 employees are required to offer FMLA leave to employees who have been with the company for one year and worked at least 1,250 hours during the Read More
Will the Red-Hot Housing Market Cool Off Anytime Soon?
To the surprise—and relief—of many Floridians, the COVID-19 pandemic did little to quell the motivations of home buyers AND sellers. In fact, home prices went soaring, as buyers showed few signs of delaying their purchases, partly buoyed by historically low interest rates. Vaccines are now going into arms. The economy is slowly coming back, COVID-19 variants notwithstanding. And, the Federal Reserve is poised Read More
Changes to Florida Homeowners Insurance
A bill which was passed by the Florida legislature on the last day of the most recent legislative session, signed by Gov. DeSantis, and went into effect on July 1, 2021 aims to provide some relief for homeowners insurance policyholders who’ve seen their premiums dramatically increase in recent years. The bill, SB 76, implements several changes to existing state insurance laws to accomplish this, but Florida Read More
Mechanic’s Liens and Their Impact on Florida Real Property
The success of just about every construction project depends on the strength of its underlying contracts. Contracts give assurance to prime contractors and subcontractors that they will be compensated for services rendered. In Florida, these construction professionals have another legal tool at their disposal to encourage project and property owners to disburse payments. This is called a mechanic’s lien, and it Read More
Workplace Protections for Florida Mothers
As any mother (or parent) knows, life sure doesn’t stop for you after you’ve had a newborn. Many mothers feel they must go back to work days after giving birth, either by financial necessity or from fear of losing their jobs. Fortunately, there are a handful of protections for pregnant and nursing mothers in the workplace. Family and Medical Leave Act As long as your employer has at least 50 employees within a Read More
Your Homeowners Insurance Premiums Are Going Up—If They Haven’t Already
Florida’s insurance carriers have claimed, for years, that they are in dire financial straits. While there are plenty of indicators otherwise, the bottom line for policyholders in the Sunshine State is that carriers will attempt to recoup these alleged losses through any means possible. Some Florida homeowners have already seen dramatic increases in their premiums, and others should prepare for future Read More
Buying a House in Florida Soon? Our Firm Can Help
As life slowly gets back to normal across the country, the residential real estate market is roaring back. Few places are currently illustrating this trend more forcefully than the Sunshine State. While we’re waiting on statistics that show a more complete picture of Florida real estate transactions for the first quarter of 2021, all indications are that January 2021 continued the trend of rising home prices and a Read More
What Constitutes a Hostile Work Environment?
Almost all workers — full-time or part-time, employee or independent contractor — has some aspect of their jobs that is less than desirable. Plenty of workers have bosses (and coworkers) that are jerks. Very rarely do those two situations result in an actual hostile work environment; there is quite a high bar workers must clear in order to convince a civil court they were victims of a hostile work environment. Salas Read More
Why You Need an Attorney Before You Submit an Insurance Claim
If you’re fortunate, you have had the same insurance provider for years (or even decades). You probably have built a relationship with your agent and see the team as your allies. After submitting every payment in full, on time for years, you experience what you believe is a covered loss to your house. You assume that the claims process will be fairly straightforward and you will be compensated fairly. Unfortunately, Read More
