• There are a record number of properties for sale in Florida, with 168,717 homes listed in February.
• Some cities have doubled the amount of listings on the market since last year.
• The biggest increase in listings from last year occurred in areas with more affordable homes.

Florida's housing market is cooling as a record-setting number of homes were listed for sale in February.

According to Realtor.com, 168,717 properties went on the market in February, the highest number the site has recorded since it started keeping track in 2016.

The total number of properties for sale in Florida jumped by 40% since February 2024, Realtor.com found. In some cities, there are more than double the number of listings compared to last year. Only seven cities out of the 252 Realtor.com tracked had fewer listings this year than last.

Economists and other housing-market experts use increases in inventory to identify areas where demand and competition for houses might be waning. There, homebuyers might start to have an edge over home sellers. Increased inventory is also an indicator that home prices could fall.

Even though Palm Beach real estate is experiencing what some brokers call a "Trump bump," with expensive properties changing hands, other parts of the state are getting cheaper.

"Home shoppers in Bradenton and Sarasota are in for a treat with climbing inventory, falling prices, and longer time on market," Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones said in the report. "Buyers are likely to find more seller flexibility as homeowners aim to attract buyer attention."

Because the pandemic housing boom led to record-low levels of inventory nationwide, more homes for sale can sometimes signal a return to normal rather than a housing-market decline. In some parts of Florida, however, the influx of homes on the market and other forces are already having an effect on property values.

Take Greenacres, Florida, an enclave 10 miles southwest of West Palm Beach. In January 2025, the median listing price was $259,950, 13% less than in January 2024.

Other factors are weighing on the Florida housing market, including relatively higher mortgage rates that stifle homebuyer demand, intensifying property damage from natural disasters, and rising homeowners' association, or HOA, fees.

Here are 17 Florida cities with the biggest increases in homes for sale year-over-year, according to data from Realtor.com. Homebuyers and investors may want to eye these spots for better deals and more negotiating power.

The Realtor.com data about homes on the market is from February 2025, while the median listing prices are from January, the most recent month available.

• My family of five chartered a yacht for six nights in the Bahamas for about $14,000.
• It had perks and felt luxurious and relaxing. We loved seeing many beautiful beaches.
• However, we felt isolated at times and uncomfortable for several reasons throughout the trip.

A decade ago, my husband hatched a plan to celebrate his 50th birthday on a boat — one we didn't have to pilot ourselves.

After extensive research, I made his dream come true by booking a private, captained six-night yacht charter in the Abacos, an island group in the Bahamas.

The private cruise cost about $14,000, including tips and groceries, and we boarded the 42-foot yacht on New Year's Eve.

Yacht charters are advertised as the ultimate in vacation freedom and luxury. In many ways, they deliver. We visited three locations most days, often having stunning white-sand beaches to ourselves.

Throughout the trip, we never had to drive or look for a parking spot. We didn't even have to plan — the captain just took us to all the best spots.

Despite the fun, beauty, and memories, we wouldn't do this again. Here are four reasons yachting isn't for our family.

Island hopping felt like traveling in a sealed bubble

It was so convenient to text our captain to pick us up the moment we finished exploring historic Hopetown or petting the swimming pigs at No Name Cay.

However, this convenience meant we barely spoke to anyone except each other and our skipper throughout the trip.

We loved all the family time, but we would have also loved to meet and connect with more local Bahamians.

It felt weird to have the captain with us day and night

Some folks have the expertise to charter a "bareboat" yacht and pilot it themselves, but we definitely do not.

Our captain did a good job getting us from place to place safely, and he added local expertise to the trip. But as an introvert, I sighed with relief when he retired to his cabin each evening.

As a mom, he also felt like one more person to worry about. For example, he didn't care for the groceries we'd bought to share.

Because of the holiday and the scarcity of markets in the Abacos, we weren't able to take him shopping for food right away. I spent that time worrying that we were starving our captain.

The yacht wasn't nearly as comfortable as we expected

The 42-foot yacht felt luxurious when we were reclining on deck, sipping bubbly.

When we were showering using a nozzle connected to the bathroom sink, smelling the used toilet paper in the trash? Not so much.

I'm sure superyachts used by the rich have more comforts. However, I found living aboard this (nearly new) Bali Catspace felt surprisingly similar to staying in an RV.

The mattresses felt no thicker than gym mats, the storage space was limited to a few hatches, and the quarters were — naturally — tight. I ended the trip with bruises on both arms from banging into grab bars.

Plus, despite taking medication, each of us felt a little seasick at times.

For a family, the cost can be prohibitive

The thing about a family vacation with children is that the parents often pay everyone's way. That's a big factor in making the yacht a one-time thing for our family.

The timing — necessitated by school schedules — made our trip even more expensive than average. Charter companies usually have longer minimum rentals and charge a higher fee during holidays.

I might consider chartering again, but only with friends who could share the cost.

Overall, I'm glad we tried chartering a private yacht at least once

These are the reasons I'll be framing a photo of our family wading in the most gorgeous clear waters we've ever seen but not making a plan for our next yacht charter.

Yachting very much felt out of our league, but I'm glad we tried it. After all, our typical family trip entails driving to a national park and home swapping to save money.

I'm already thinking about next winter's family vacation, though. It will involve hiking, cultural experiences — and no boats.

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• As the luxury slowdown continues, high-end fashion brands need resilient marketing strategies.
• Experiential campaigns and intergenerational omnichannel marketing can be effective.
• Labels are also launching more elevated collaborations, like Nike and Skims' new brand, NikeSkims.

When Lissy Von Schwarzkopf and I met on a video call in mid-February, she offered an apology within seconds.

As the chief business officer of Karla Otto, a global brand-building agency with luxury clients such as Nike, Valentino, and Loewe, Von Schwarzkopf's schedule is hectic, especially during the slew of first-quarter fashion weeks. Consequently, our meeting had to be pushed back from its initial time slot.

"I have to apologize. We had a bit of a crazy morning with a big client announcement," she said.

The announcement was that Nike and Kim Kardashian's Skims label were joining forces to create a womenswear brand called NikeSkims. The collaboration could be a game changer in the activewear space — and for Nike as it combats declining sales.

Von Schwarzkopf said NikeSkims, set to launch in April, exemplifies a marketing strategy that capitalizes on the combined renown of two major brands. This gives both businesses "a huge advantage because you're tapping into a whole new community and a whole new audience," she said.

Profit slumps hit some of the biggest high-end retailers last year, and the trend will likely persist. The luxury slowdown is forcing brands to rethink every facet of their business models, including their marketing strategies. As consumers clutch their dollars, upscale labels like Nike hope to loosen the grip by refining how they communicate their brand identity.

"Diamonds are made under pressure," Hannah Reed, a research manager at the market-research agency Walnut Unlimited, said. "The pressure is now on for luxury players, and hopefully, it'll be a time where they innovate and come back bigger and stronger."

Kubi Springer, the global marketing director of Avantgarde Brand Experience, a global brand-experience agency, put it frankly: "Brands evolve or they die," she said. "That is the reality."

A rundown on the luxury slowdown

Crafting resilient marketing strategies for luxury fashion requires a deep understanding of the economic forces shaping the industry.

Reed and Springer cited several factors contributing to luxury's waning momentum: In the US and the UK, inflation, higher taxes, and the rising cost of living have reduced consumer spending. Meanwhile, in China, a real estate crisis has affected spending power.

Reed said there's also a "reputation recession" as shoppers notice a drop in the quality of luxury products while their prices skyrocket.

President Donald Trump's big tariff push has luxury stakeholders feeling antsy as well.

"Everyone's on the edge of their seats at the moment, wondering what the trade tariffs will mean long term," Reed said. "It puts pressure on supply chains, so if you are based in Europe or Asia, those additional costs could add up to millions for luxury players."

Consumers, especially aspirational shoppers, are also shifting their spending habits and priorities. They're opting for secondhand shopping and choosing travel, dining, and other experiences over high-end-fashion purchases. In response, Von Schwarzkopf said, major fashion groups are cashing in on hospitality and travel-related ventures.

There's a caveat, though. While luxury markets in China and Western regions have generally decelerated, the Middle East, India, and Africa are seeing an upward trend.

An October report from Henley & Partners and New World Wealth forecast that more than 800 millionaires would relocate from Britain to the United Arab Emirates by the end of 2024 — partially because of changes to the UK's tax system. Springer said: "We're seeing places like Nigeria and Ghana getting an influx of people coming from the West, too, and that's impacting how luxury goods are selling."

Sade Teyibo, the founder of Fola PR, a communications and brand-development agency, has also noticed this shift.

"There are so many brands that want to tap into what's happening in Africa," said Teyibo, whose company is based in Lagos, Nigeria. "There's a cultural renaissance. We're at the center of fashion, music, design, and art."

Fola PR, which also operates in New York, primarily works with African companies, creatives, and entrepreneurs, helping them elevate their brands through partnerships, luxury product launches, and bespoke events. It also works with global brands that want to expand their reach into Africa.

Springer said that luxury retailers needed to consider all these factors to position themselves favorably in front of consumers and survive the slowdown. Here's how they can craft and market a durable brand identity amid economic uncertainty.

1. Invest in research that can guide communication strategies

Karla Otto has an in-house insights and analytics division that researches market and consumer trends, including influencer and sentiment data. It also offers bespoke reports and consulting services and publishes multiple industry white papers per year.

Its latest report, "Luxury's Great Reset," published in December, detailed key components it said would affect the luxury sector in the coming years. It forecast that community-driven campaigns and craftsmanship would be among the critical drivers of luxury goods purchases between now and 2027.

"Research is the starting point for everything that we do," Von Schwarzkopf said. "It influences all of our strategies that we bring back to our clients."

The key to building a creative strategy around data-driven research, she added, is to find a cultural, human-interest angle within the numbers. "Most of our brands have that interest in being a player in culture," though which cultural "playing field" needs to be carefully defined, she said.

2. Host personalized experiences for high-level and high-net-worth people

"The growth and demand around personalization is something that luxury brands need to take heed of," Springer said. On a basic level, that means analyzing shoppers' data to understand their behaviors and needs — but "personalization needs to go beyond that," she added.

Last year, the Inner Circle Experience, a company that organizes exclusive networking events, worked with Dior to host a private dinner for luxury stakeholders at the French label's Paris museum. Springer, who was a keynote speaker at the event, said there were about 70 guests, comprising high-net-worth individuals and "people like me who hold global marketing positions."

Attendees learned about the brand's history and how it wants to connect with consumers. "Somebody like me can tell this to their clients," Springer said, which could prompt collaborations with Dior or "inform PR messaging" about the label. Additionally, high-net-worth people feel more inclined to spend big bucks on a brand that has marketed to them in such a personal and exclusive way.

3. Market a brand as a force in the secondhand luxury space

Reed said "there's huge potential" in the secondhand luxury market, which Statista estimated could be worth over $3.6 billion by 2028. From a marketing perspective, she added, brands can craft resale initiatives around different target audiences. For example, a campaign highlighting circular fashion can resonate with Gen Z shoppers who care about sustainability.

Resale shopping also highlights the quality and desirability of vintage pieces. "Lots of people have been turning to archives to find old stock that isn't in circulation anymore," Reed said. "There's this excitement and treasure-hunting element to it."

Joining the secondhand luxury space — and playing a bigger role in the authentication process — can also help high-end labels regain control of their products' integrity and marketability.

"You see a lot of dupes and counterfeits. That's a huge issue for brands," she said. "A few players have caught on to the fact that they need to preserve their brand."

4. Expand omnichannel marketing strategies

Omnichannel marketing is crucial right now as brands need to reach global consumers through multiple touchpoints, Springer said.

Luxury labels need to have a digital presence on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat to connect with a younger demographic. "But at the same time, brands can't afford to leave out their older demographic that might still be looking at traditional marketing, like print PR or TV ads," Springer added.

She named Sephora's omnichannel marketing as a prime example. The company has in-store beauty consultants and digital smart mirrors, virtual try-on tools on its app and website, and traditional advertising in print and on TV.

"They understand if you do something like a billboard, you now need to have a QR code so that somebody can snap it on their phone, go to your website, try on a product virtually, and then go into the store on the weekend to buy it," Springer said.

5. Remain steadfast in the brand's ethos

Luxury labels need nimble marketing strategies during an economic slowdown, but they must maintain their brands' mission and core values.

Teyibo said concerns about the state of luxury are valid, but she's not particularly worried about it at her agency. "It doesn't matter what's happening or what the global climate is. Cultural currency and cultural capital are always more important," she said. "Brands and partners will find the budget for what they think is cool. Also, whatever the consumer feels is relevant and exciting, they will find the money to purchase or partake in."

6. Innovate and inspire through collaborations

Springer said the brands that are winning right now are cocreating with micro and macro influencers as well as celebrities.

Louis Vuitton has embraced this approach over the years, collaborating with the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami and tapping Pharrell Williams as its menswear creative director. Willy Chavarria and Kendrick Lamar have also developed a rapport, recently dropping a limited-edition Super Bowl collection. Then, of course, there's the forthcoming launch of NikeSkims.

This emphasis on collaboration reflects a broader shift in the luxury industry — one that calls for a deeper commitment to exciting and inventive artistry.

"Brands really need to look at design with more intention," Reed said. "Lean into craftsmanship and individuality. Focus on innovation and pushing your creative direction. That is where the luxury sector needs to regain its personality."

• Kroger's ex-CEO forfeited more than $11 million in bonus and stock payments when he resigned.
• Rodney McMullen still had hundreds of millions in Kroger stock, according to the filings.
• Kroger cited McMullen's "personal conduct" in announcing his resignation on Monday.

The former CEO of Kroger forfeited more than $11 million when he resigned from the grocery chain this week.

McMullen left behind $11.2 million in a potential bonus as well as stock and options when he left the company, Kroger's SEC filings show.

Without that compensation, McMullen still owned 6.6 million shares of Kroger, worth roughly $417 million at Tuesday's closing price.

McMullen also had total compensation as CEO of $15.7 million in 2023, according to an SEC filing. In 2022, his compensation totaled $19.2 million.

Kroger said on Monday that McMullen had resigned after an investigation into his "personal conduct."

The company didn't provide more information on what McMullen did but said that some of his actions were "inconsistent with Kroger's Policy on Business Ethics." Kroger said that McMullen's actions weren't connected to other Kroger associates or the company's financial performance.

McMullen was appointed Kroger's CEO in 2014. For two years, he oversaw the chain's proposed $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons, which fell apart in December.

Do you work at Kroger and have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at [email protected] or Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Richard Socher, a one-time AI boss at Salesforce, is building a search competitor to Google.
• Socher says Google's search monopoly is under threat as users are now eager to try alternatives.
• You.com is a potential dark horse in the contest to supersede Google Search.

In the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence, the once unassailable dominance of tech giants like Google is being challenged, says Richard Socher, founder and CEO of You.com.

Socher runs a competitor to Google that's built for knowledge workers. Established as a search engine, You.com has expanded its repertoire over the years by incorporating digital agents for writing essays, browsing the web, and other tasks. To date, the company has raised about $100 million in funding.

In an interview with Business Insider, Socher expressed a belief that the era of a single company maintaining an overwhelming, long-lasting monopoly in the tech industry, similar to what Google experienced in the search domain, is coming to an end.

Socher said users are now more inclined to explore new, artificial intelligence-charged options and switch between services more readily than in the past.

"This sort of insane, untouchable monopoly that Google had for 20 years, those days are over," Socher said. "I don't think any company will have such a strong monopoly for such a long time anymore because users are getting faster to switch and more eager to try out things."

This change in user behavior would imply that companies, even those with significant market power, can no longer rely on maintaining a monopoly based solely on inertia or default settings. Instead, these companies must continuously innovate and provide genuine value to retain their user base.

Meanwhile, new entrants and smaller players like You.com are seizing an opportunity to pick up users who are open to exploring alternatives.

Since launching in 2021, You.com says it has reached "millions" of people. The platform is free to use, with premium features available through a $15 monthly plan. You.com also provides enterprise customers with a toolkit designed to bring real-time web search and accuracy to their own applications.

The company tells Business Insider its revenue has skyrocketed since the beginning of 2024, reaching 100 times the amount earned the previous year.

Before he took on Google Search, Socher founded a deep-learning company called MetaMind that he sold to Salesforce. He became chief scientist at Salesforce, where he led the company's research efforts and worked on bringing natural language processing and computer vision to its platform.

In 2018, while at Salesforce, Socher published a paper alongside Bryan McCann, a fellow Salesforce research scientist, on multitask learning — a method in machine learning where a model is trained to perform multiple tasks at the same time. The paper influenced subsequent research in the field, with Dario Amodei and Ilya Sutskever citing it in a paper from their lab, OpenAI, a year later.

The research also seeded an idea for a new kind of search engine. Socher remembered thinking, "If you can have one neural network that answers all of your questions, why am I still going to Google where I get these lists of blue links?" In 2020, he and McCann left Salesforce to start You.com. Marc Benioff wrote one of the first checks.

The future of search is still up for grabs, and Socher will have more to contend with than Google. Companies like OpenAI and Perplexity are locked in a contest to offer the most popular chat-based search engine, and ChatGPT's hundreds of millions of active users make You.com's user base look feeble. Additionally, OpenAI has considered developing a web browser, The Information reported, while Perplexity has teased a web browser called Comet, which could provide more seamless and integrated user experiences.

In this environment, the real winners of search will be those who anticipate the next big shift and are nimble enough to lead it. As Socher put it, "I made peace with the fact that AI will just keep changing. We'll have to move quickly."

• I've worked at Costco for 19 years and am always keeping an eye out for the best new items.
• This month, shoppers seem to be loving the Igloo cooler bags and Casual Living throw blankets.
• The bakery is also carrying a new delicious-looking tiramisu cheesecake.

As a Costco employee of 19 years, I love scanning the shelves for great new finds. This month, the retailer is stocking lots of fun items, from tasty snacks to home essentials.

Here are nine things I recommend checking out at Costco this March.

Prices and product availability may vary by location.

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