Things To Do In SW Florida

By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage fell again this week, slipping close to its low point so far this year.

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The decline brings the average long-term mortgage rate to 6.19% from 6.23% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.69%.

This is the second straight weekly drop in the average rate after three straight increases. It’s now at the lowest level since Oct. 30, when it was at 6.17%, the lowest level in more than a year.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell this week. The rate averaged 5.44%, down from 5.51% last week. A year ago, it was 5.96%, Freddie Mac said. read more

The tourism industry, as measured by tourist tax collections, continues its boom in Orange County.

On the heels of a record-setting 2024-25, the Tourist Development Tax (TDT) raked in $33.9 million in October, the start of the new fiscal year, according to numbers released Thursday by Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond, whose office tracks the receipts.

Diamond said the surge out of the gate was surprising.

“These collections are especially impressive because the federal government was shut down during the entire month of October,” Diamond said, noting the shutdown limited air travel, affected federal workers’ earnings and likely caused some to put off vacations.

Revenues generated by the county’s 6% surcharge added to the cost of a hotel room, a home-sharing rental like Airbnb or VRBO and other short-term lodging options were up more than $4.4 million or 15% from a year ago, Diamond’s figures show.

The revenue report generally trails collections by about five weeks. The November figures are set for release in January. read more

LONDON (AP) — WhatsApp faces an antitrust investigation in the European Union, where regulators said Thursday that they’re looking into the messaging service’s artificial intelligence policy.

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The European Commission said it opened the formal investigation because of concerns about WhatsApp’s move to limit access for third-party AI providers.

WhatsApp, owned by Facebook parent Meta Platforms, rolled out its AI chatbot feature for European Union users in March after delays.

The Commission, which is the bloc’s executive arm, said a recent policy update could mean that rival AI companies are blocked from offering their AI assistants on the platform, while Meta’s chatbot service remains accessible to users. Regulators are scrutinizing new terms and conditions for business customers, who can use AI assistants to communicate with customers over WhatsApp. read more

A place built for entertaining needs new hosts.

The mansion, dubbed Maison du Lac, at 570 Manor Rd. in Maitland, is listed for $12.5 million, according to a report in GrowthSpotter.

At a time when even the White House is getting enhancements to its entertainment capabilities, this mansion’s party-hosting bonafides are in place.

“The house is really big, and it looks almost like a ballroom. It’s not just luxurious, but it almost makes you feel like you can throw a ball. You can throw events in the house,” said listing agent Maggie Walas with Fortune Christie’s International Real Estate. “It’s not over the top, but it’s enough to feel special. Whoever walks in is like Wow, the wow factor is [huge.] I sell a lot of high-end homes, but I never got an impression like I get from this house.”

The 11,668-square-foot lakefront estate was built in 1996 but was recently overhauled.

“I would send you the photos from the previous house, how it looked before, you’ll be like, ‘Oh my God’,” she said. read more

By MORIAH BALINGIT

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the children of wealthy households leave the nest, they often benefit from their parents’ largesse in the form of a trust fund. Less affluent peers may receive nothing at all — or even be expected to support their families when they become adults.

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But what if all children, regardless of their family’s circumstances, could get a financial boost when they turn 18?

That’s the idea behind “Trump Accounts,” a lesser-known provision of President Donald Trump’s tax legislation. The bill, signed into law earlier this year, gives $1,000 to every newborn, so long as their parents open an account. That money is invested in the stock market by private firms, and the child can access the funds when they turn 18. The parents of older children can also open accounts, but they won’t get the $1,000 bonus. read more