West Pasco home sales rose 14 percent in 2013
NEW PORT RICHEY — The number of residential real estate sales in West Pasco County increased by 14 percent in 2013, according to statistics posted by the West Pasco Board of Realtors. The board reports 4,506 closed sales compared to 3,960 in 2012. The year ended with an increase despite lower sales in October, November and December 2013 compared to the year before. Tougher credit requirements and flood insurance increases have both been cited as drags on the market in the fourth quarter. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners released a new report in December that ranks Florida as the most expensive state in the nation for home insurance. The average premium for a typical homeowner’s policy is $1,933 in Florida, four times the cost of a policy in Idaho, the cheapest state for homeowner’s insurance. Homeowner’s insurance is twice as expensive in Florida as the national average. The study was conducted on rates for 2011, and rates have risen since then. Condominium and