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If Maxine Waters Takes Over the House … It's a week since the midterm elections results were declared and the Democrats took over the House of Representatives. Now, come January 2019, the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees the United States banking system, is also likely to get a new Chair in the form of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-California). A vocal critic of the current administration, Waters is expected to get tough on big banks calling for more regulations on financial institutions. Right after the elections, Waters released a statement indicating that she would make it a key priority to ensure “that [the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection] can be allowed to resume its essential role of protecting consumers from harmful practices without interference from the Trump Administration.” This could put her on a course to butt heads with BCFP Acting Director Mulvaney, or his appointed successor, Trump nominee Kathy Kraninger, assuming she is confirmed (...

Miami Single-Family Luxury Homes Sales Rise 16.2 Percent Miami single-family luxury home sales jumped 16.2 percent in 1Q 2018, rising from 185 transactions to 215. Miami existing condo luxury home sales increased 8.4 percent year over year from 190 to 206. POSSIBLE MARKET TRIGGER Federal tax reform, sets a deductions cap for income, sales and property taxes at $10,000. The new cap is leading more residents of states with high property values and state income tax to purchase properties in states such as Florida, which has no state income tax and a pro-business tax structure. INTEREST RATES According to Freddie Mac, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.27 percent for 1Q 2017, up from the 4.17 percent average recorded during the same quarter a year earlier. MIAMI DADE  RESIDENTIAL SALES REPORT Total existing residential home sales Declined 6.5 %  from 6,169 to 5,770 in 1 Q 2018 Total sales volume of $2.6 billion in 1Q 2018, a decline from ...