A tax cut on commercial rents, a streamlined foreclosure process and anything that can be done to shrink the size of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. tops a list of legislative priorities for Florida Realtors going into the 2013 Legislative session, the statewide group announced.
The organization says the state should streamline its judicial review process in most foreclosure cases. Florida, which leads the nation in foreclosure rates, has one of the longest foreclosure processes in the country, more than double the national average of 318 days. The group backs measures to reduce the time banks have to come after homeowners while also setting up a faster process for uncontested claims. The Realtors also called on lawmakers to repeal a 6-percent sales tax on tenant leases and fully fund the state’s affordable housing program, which has been the target of trust fund sweeps in recent years. “A stable and growing real estate market is crucial to getting our citizens back to work, revitalizing our communities and renewing the promise of Florida’s future,” said Florida Realtors President Dean Ashe in a statement.
