Things To Do In SW Florida

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in November from the previous month, but slowed compared to a year earlier for the first time since May despite average long-term mortgage rates holding near their low point for the year.

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Existing home sales rose 0.5% in last month from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Friday.

Sales fell 1% compared with November last year. The latest sales figure came in slightly below the 4.14 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Through the first 11 months of this year, home sales are down 0.5% compared to the same period last year. read more

More homebuyers have been backing out of home-purchase agreements in many parts of Florida and across the U.S., a new analysis shows.

Florida and Texas are seeing more newly built homes “than anywhere else in the country,” leading some buyers to back out of deals because they feel they might find a better option, according to Redfin, a real estate data and service provider.

About 53,000 home-purchase agreements — or 15.1% of homes that went under contract in October — got canceled in the U.S. that month, according to a recent Redfin analysis. That’s up from 14.3% in October 2024.

And several metropolitan parts of Florida saw higher cancellation rates in October when compared to a year earlier:

— Fort Lauderdale region: A fifth of overall pending sales, or 20%, fell out of contract in October, or higher than the 17.5% recorded in October 2024.

— Miami region: 17.6% of pending sales fell out of contract in October. It was 16.6% a year earlier.

— Orlando region: 19.1% of pending sales fell out of contract in October, higher than the 18.6% documented a year earlier. read more

Giving gifts gets expensive, amiright?

A new NerdWallet survey finds that 82% of Americans plan to purchase gifts this holiday season. And 65% of these holiday shoppers are concerned about tariffs impacting their holiday gift shopping this year.

One solution? Fewer pricey presents, more affordable ones, some that’ll garner a laugh. For this list, we’re thinking outside the sock. Get it?

Prices are current at the time of this writing, but you know the holidays. Things could get cheaper or more expensive.

Silly stocking stuffers you (probably, maybe?) won’t regret buying

1. Wearable blanket: Prices vary

In a world obsessed with comfort (my grandpa is rolling his eyes from above), cozy gifts are always a hit, even the silly ones. Enter the wearable blanket, which, according to Google Trends, is something people actually want.

Here’s one that started it all: Snuggie. Buy it for someone with high self-esteem. The Original is $25.

Why it’s not a total waste of money: Snuggies are comfortable and winters are cold.

2. Tortilla blanket: $16.97 (60-inch size, beige)

I never thought a piece of fabric would make me hungry, but tortilla blankets do. This gift idea is trending and really funny when you take a look. Blankets like this one on Amazon are an easy way to get a smile out of your gift recipient. read more

Sloth World is rapidly approaching a grand opening on Orlando’s International Drive, its executives say.

The 7,500-square-foot facility will be home to more than 40 sloths living in a rainforest-inspired setting. And while it will operate near the heart of Central Florida’s tourism district, its mission is more scientific in nature, says Ben Agresta, owner and president of Sloth World.

“We want people to know that there’s really four, kind of core, things to Sloth World — conservation, education, research and a gentle bit of entertainment value,” Agresta said.

The attraction — which he calls a Slotharium — is expected to open in February.

Sloth World visitors will wander in small groups through the experience on a guided tour that lasts about an hour.

“You’re going to experience what a sloth really does,” Agresta said, adding that the setting should encourage their natural behaviors.

“There’s no cages, there’s no screens, there’s no enclosures, there’s no hidden rooms and secret passages,” he said. “It’s a completely decked-out rainforest. The temperatures are accurate, the humidity is accurate, the air exchange is accurate. Their food is perfect, their veterinary care is perfect. There are no predators. There are no diseases for them to catch.” read more

With Orange County breaking ground this week on a pricey expansion of its Convention Center, a Texas developer is spending $75 million on renovations to modernize each of its convention center hotels.

Houston-based RIDA Development teamed up with Los Angeles-based Ares Management last year to buy the Hyatt Regency Orlando, one of four hotels with skybridge connections to the OCCC, for over $1 billion. RIDA developed and still owns the Hilton Orlando, which just received a top-to-bottom renovation.

RIDA CEO Ira Mitzner told GrowthSpotter the improvements will extend to indoor and outdoor common areas, restaurants, bars, meeting and event space, as well as each guest room. The last of the Hilton’s 1,425 guestrooms will be completed by the end of the month.

“So between between the Hilton and the Hyatt, not only did we purchase the Hyatt, but we are in the process of spending a total of $150 million, because we believe that in order for the convention center to succeed, especially with its expansion, it means its surrounding branded hotels have to reinvest in themselves so that our our guests, the conventioners, when they come back to their hotel room, will have a high-quality, four-diamond-plus experience,” Mitzner said. read more