You may think the rent’s too darned high – but a new report from the firm Stressa, finds that the Avon Park-Sebring metro area has a median rent estimate much lower than the national average.
While home prices began to accelerate rapidly in the second half of 2020 and have barely slowed, rents were stable throughout 2020 as federal COVID relief dollars and policies like eviction moratoriums helped keep renters in place. That all changed last year when rents began to see sharp increases as well.
Locally, the survey indicates local average rent is $1,090 a month – compared to the national average of $1,435 monthly. In the Highlands Metro area numbers ranged from just over $700 a month for a studio to $1,450 per-month for a 4-bedroom home.
The statistics come from the U.S, Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau.
The Historic Sports Car Racing Spring Fling wraps up today at the Sebring International Raceway. On tap are a couple of endurance races put on as part of the B.R.M. Chronographes Endurance Challenge.
Vintage, Historic, Classic, Modern and Prototypes will be put to the test there. It’s been a rare, mid-week competition for the annual opener for HSR at Sebring.
Grills fire up today for the annual Sebring Firemen’s 12 Hours of Barbecue. Today will be set-up for the competitors, who also are slated to start cooking. There will be a brace of food trucks on site with music set for tonight from the California Toe Jam Band and Hard Candy.
Tomorrow’s the big doings with a car show, corn hole tournament, farmer’s market and live music. Admission is free. There’s a $5 parking charge with that money to go to Sebring Youth Sports.
A couple of local entities will be benefitting from The Duke Energy Foundation and Duke Energy Florida. They have awarded more than $641,000 in grants to support a wide range of K-12 initiatives focused on energy and engineering education.
The Highlands County Education Foundation Inc is in line for $10,000. The money will help to provide STEM mini-grants to enhance creative and innovative instructional projects in the classroom. The program focuses on grants that specifically impact the areas of engineering and energy.
Meanwhile the Polk Education Foundation and Business Partners will get $40,000 to continue support for the Duke Energy Engage! Explore! Do Science! program that offers energy or engineering based mini-grants to teachers in the fourth through 12th grades.