Gwendolyn Strutko, Real Estate Professional

06/08/2026

05/19/2026

https://www.georgiamls.com/158-hart-rd.../10761631

04/19/2026

HOA living is becoming the norm, and it’s not cheap. In 2024, 65.7% of new homes were built within an HOA, the second-highest share on record, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

HOA fees now average $200 to $400 a month nationwide and can top $1,000 in some markets, depending on location and amenities, according to HOA Start.

04/19/2026

Lenders repossessed 45% more homes this year. Over 1,100 Florida properties are now listed as short sales.

And some are coming in at $100,000+ below what the previous owner paid.

Here's what's actually happening in Florida real estate right now and why it matters.

Florida now ranks third worst in the entire country for foreclosure rates according to ATTOM's Q1 2026 report released this week.

One in every 750 housing units has a foreclosure filing. The state had over 10,000 foreclosure starts in Q1 alone.

But the foreclosure numbers are only part of the story.

Florida homeowners pay 4.5 times the national average for property insurance. Coastal homeowners in places like Broward County are paying upward of $8,700 a year just for coverage.

That's not a mortgage payment. That's just insurance.

When you stack that on top of current interest rates near 6%, HOA assessments in condo buildings running $20,000 to $400,000 per unit in some cases, and home values that have already dropped 7% to 13% from pandemic peaks in markets like Cape Coral and North Port, the math stops working for a lot of owners.

Seven of the ten coolest housing markets in the entire country right now are in Florida.

For sellers who bought at 2021 and 2022 prices with 3% mortgages, refinancing isn't an option and holding isn't working. That's how you end up with 1,100 short sales on Zillow.

For buyers who've been waiting for motivated sellers and real discounts, that window is opening.

The deals don't announce themselves. You have to be watching.

04/18/2026

Sounds like my grandbaby!!! ❤️❤️❤️

04/18/2026

Proof that kids do lie at an early age!!! 😐🙃😊

04/18/2026

Today, I closed the final chapter of my Dad's home, yet the memories we created within those walls: Love, Laughter, Lessons, and History, will forever be locked within my heart. Love you Dad - Gwen

04/17/2026

ANOTHER ONE SOLD! However, bittersweet farewells and new beginnings - this beautiful home has found its forever owner.

Wishing the new homeowner a lifetime of happiness in their "Forever Home" and sending heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this journey special. - Gwendolyn Strutko