Things To Do In SW Florida

Growth in Central Florida continues to barrel forward, powered by double-digit increases in overall land values in Apopka, St. Cloud and much of Lake County, according to new reports from the region’s property appraisers.

Recently released “Best Estimates of Taxable Values,” annual reports the elected appraisers are required to provide to taxing authorities, show rising property values and billions in new construction have helped boost county tax rolls across the region over the past 12 months.

“I don’t see it slowing down.” said Orange County Property Appraiser Amy Mercado. “We’ve been pretty stable all along.”

Mercado said the best estimate of Orange County total market value for 2024 is $330.6 billion, up 5 percent from $313.9 billion in 2023. That includes $5.9 billion in new construction.

Total residential property values in Orange County rose about 9%, or $13.9 billion, to a new record high of $166.9 billion.

Apopka, the county’s second-largest city, boasts the greatest percentage increase in total taxable values from 2023, up 21% to $7.17 billion. Mercado said the total includes $403 million in new industrial construction and $155.6 million in new apartment construction. Orlando, by far the region’s largest city, is up 5 percent year over year. read more

By Chanelle Bessette | NerdWallet

Combining finances with a partner can happen at any stage of your relationship, even if you’ve been married to your partner for a long time. It can be a great opportunity for a couple to get on the same page about what they want their financial future to look like, especially when it comes to big considerations such as child care, homeownership and retirement.

An academic study published in the Journal of Consumer Research in 2023 found that couples with joint bank accounts experience less financial conflict and greater harmony within their relationships. The study results indicated that couples who merged their finances had a strong sense of financial partnership. In contrast, couples with separate bank accounts tended to operate in a more “tit for tat” financial exchange.

If you and your partner feel like it’s time to combine your finances, here’s how you can work toward merging your money.

Taking the plunge on merging finances with your partner

Perhaps you’ve kept your finances separate out of convenience, but now you’re getting tired of making online transfers to your partner for every shared expense. Or maybe you’ve got a considerable expense coming up and you want to streamline your accounts. read more