Florida is one of the most famous states in the United States of America. Third in the country for its population density, this sunny state is known not only for its warm climate and hurricanes but also for real estate records. Real estate prices in Florida have been on the rise for years, making investing in this area a lucrative business. However, Florida residents occasionally show the world’s achievements in other areas, perhaps not about the prices for luxury villas but for their diversity.
Content:
- The most attractive state for foreigners
- The fastest-growing housing market in the US
- The largest real estate purchase made by one family
- The largest influx of New Yorkers into the state
- Funny Florida Records
The most attractive state for foreigners
The amount of people who want to buy a house in Florida is steadily growing. In 2022, the state became the most attractive for foreign citizens, as almost one-quarter of all purchases in the country were made here. At 24%, Florida far surpassed California, which accounted for just 11% of foreign-purchased real estate in the United States. The following three states on the list remained far behind with 8% of foreign citizens purchasing real estate in Texas, 7% in Arizona, and New York with a modest result of only 4%. Despite Chinese capital being first in the number of purchases of American real estate, houses in Florida are purchased predominantly by citizens of Canada, Europe and Latin America. The desire to get the opportunity to reside and relax in a warm climate sometimes outweighs other considerations among residents of the cooler Canadian or Northern European climates.
The fastest-growing housing market in the US
Real estate experts named Miami the most expensive housing market in the country in 2022. Florida apartment prices have skyrocketed as Americans continue to migrate to the country's southernmost state. At the same time, the cost of not only the proposed real estate has increased but also the costs of its maintenance and service. In February, the housing affordability index in Miami hit a record high of 78.7%. This is the proportion of their income that the average resident of this city should allocate to the cost of owning a home. The experts used a median home value of $589,000 and a projected that family income of $43,400 is needed. In practice, this situation rarely occurs as most Americans are pragmatic about mortgage payments and other housing expenses, therefore trying not to exceed the 30% threshold of family income for such payments. However, with the situation of a hot housing market in Miami and in Florida as a whole, this indicator reflects correctly.
The largest real estate purchase made by one family
The parents of famous billionaire, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, closed a deal in July to acquire their second home in Coral Gables which is a suburb of Miami. For the owner of one of the largest fortunes in the world, buying a $44 million villa in Florida is hardly significant, however even comparing purchases to other luxury villas in Miami, this purchase looks tremendous. Coral Gables is the location of the University of Miami which is one of the most important private research centres in the United States. Previously, the mother of the billionaire, Jackie Bezos and his stepfather Mike bought a nearby mansion for $34 million. Thus, the total amount of their investments in local real estate for the month amounted to $78 million which was a record for the town of Coral Gables.
The largest influx of New Yorkers into the state
In August 2022 another record was set with more than 40,000 New Yorkers changing their driver's license to the Florida version from January 2022. Given Americans' attachment to their cars, this figure is an accurate indication of the unusually high number of residents of the northern United States who moved south. In August alone, 5,838 New Yorkers changed their license to Florida, setting a monthly record in the history of such data collection. Among the reasons for the move, Americans cite the consequences of strict quarantine during the coronavirus epidemic, the growing crime in the state of New York and the difficulty in accessing decent schools in this metropolis.
Funny Florida Records
In April 2022, a 21-year-old Chihuahua from Florida became the longest-lived dog in the world. The dog, named Toby Keith, was adopted from a shelter a few months old by the shelter's worker, Gisela Shor. Chihuahuas typically live 12 to 18 years, therefore exceeding 20 years is unusual for this breed. Such a long-life expectancy for a dog is associated with a healthy diet, good living conditions and genetics. Toby Keith’s age was later recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
There are also human achievements in Florida, 60-year-old resident of Claremont, Asha Mandela, grew her hair 110 feet (33.5 meters) long, which was also duly registered by the representative of the Guinness Book of Records.
Whether these amusing records are due to the magnificent Florida climate is left for readers to decide.