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Broward takes step forward on affordable-housing plan
Source: Inside Track
Jan 23, 2009 7:35 am
The Broward County Planning Council took the first step Thursday in considering the use of public school and other agencies’ land for workers’ housing.
Under state budget cuts, land takes back seat
Source: Inside Track
Jan 23, 2009 7:35 am
Millions of dollars are being swept from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and its programs this year to help make up for the state’s $2.3 billion revenue shortfall.
Family finds ‘dream house’ after search
Source: Inside Track
Jan 23, 2009 7:34 am
Pining for a chance to own a “dream home” in Miami Beach, Jason Rosenhaus, vice president of sports agency Rosenhaus Sports, purchased a high-end home in the city’s Mid-Beach section at a discount price.
Chief Tobin urges action on funding
Source: Inside Track
Jan 23, 2009 7:32 am
In the face of a state budget crisis, Broward Chief Circuit Judge Victor Tobin warned attorneys Thursday of the need to push for justice system funding in Tallahassee.
Seller financing helps solve tough lending market
Source: Inside Track
Jan 23, 2009 7:31 am
Eugene Howard opened the yellow folder on his desk and grabbed a document, a recently modified mortgage. He had decided to give a borrower another year to pay back a loan due this month. The real estate lawyer and investor won’t get back the $2.1 m…
Driving dips in Florida, U.S. as economy cools
Source: Times
Jan 23, 2009 2:54 am
Wake up and good morning. Motorists in Florida cut their driving by more than 1-billion miles in November, according to new data from the Federal Highway Administration, a sign that the weak economy kept more drivers off the road in...
How to shrink state-backed Citizens insurance
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 10:28 pm
A state panel wrapped up its recommendations today on how to shrink Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-run property insurer that is Florida's largest. The legislature created the Citizens Mission Review Task Force to explore how to make Ci…
Fines for Citizens insurance policyholders?
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 4:55 pm
A state panel exploring how to shrink Citizens Property Insurance Corp. recommends, among other things, creating fines or other penalties for signing up with the state-backed insurer without meeting certain requirements. For instance, insurance agen…
In 'most-wired' city rankings, Tampa slips
Source: Times
Jan 22, 2009 4:07 pm
In the race among cities for bragging rights as the "most wired," Tampa did okay though it slipped in the annual ranking published today by Forbes magazine. Tampa fell to 16th among 30 major cities from 15th last year. A...
Watch out for tax preparers who promise consumers big refunds
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 2:41 pm
Everyone could use an extra buck, but Florida consumers are being warned to watch out for tax preparers who promise or charge too much.In a alert issued today, Attorney General Bill McCollum's office advised consumers to ask about service fees...
Universal Orlando lays off 70 employees
Source: Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 2:00 pm
Universal Orlando laid off approximately 70 employees today, as it and other resorts confront an increasingly dire economic outlook. Although the cuts amount to less than 1 percent of Universal's 13,000 local employees, they illustrate the company's …
Does peanut butter salmonella scare you? Make your own cheap
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 1:42 pm
If there is any good news about food recalls is that they tend to wake consumer up to options. Take peanut butter, for example.While no peanut butter brands in jars have been recalled, at least 125 products containing peanut butter...
SEC charges Nadel with fraud, diverting funds
Source: Times
Jan 22, 2009 12:51 pm
It's official. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged (missing since Jan. 14) Sarasota money manager Art Nadel, 76, with fraud in connection with six hedge funds for which he acted as the principal investment advisor. According to the SEC’s…
New home construction hits record lows in Tampa
Source: Times
Jan 22, 2009 12:35 pm
The loss of confidence born of the credit crisis hobbled Tampa Bay area builders at the end of 2008. Local builders started only 932 homes in the last quarter of 2008. That's a record low going back a couple of...
Recession May Cause More To Drive Uninsured
Source: Post
Jan 22, 2009 11:50 am
Approximately one in six drivers across the United States may be driving uninsured by 2010, according to a recent study from the Insurance Research Council, an industry group. The council found a strong correlation between the percent of uninsured mo…
Seinfeld, Obama and foreclosures
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 10:34 am
Remember the Seinfeld episode when Kramer started smoking and was stunned to see what the cigars were doing to his appearance? "Look away," he said. "I'm hideous." The same could be said of the following foreclosure numbers from Condo Vultures, a B…
Occupancy at Orlando area hotels increases in December
Source: Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 9:47 am
After six straight months of year-over-year occupancy declines, Orlando's hotels squeezed out a gain in December. The area's hotels filled 61.3 percent of their rooms, up 1.2 percent from December 2007, according to data from Smith Travel Research, a…
International Builder's Show numbers down in Las Vegas
Source: Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 9:43 am
The International Builder's Show, which in the glory days of the housing boom floodedd Orlando with about 105,000 big-spending industry execs, is somewhat of a shadow of its former self in Las Vegas this year. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports today.…
Special Report Bankruptcy: Liquidity crisis aids practice of bankruptcy while hurting struggling businesses
Source: Inside Track
Jan 22, 2009 7:44 am
In the midst of a global financial crisis and deepening recession, soaring foreclosure rates and bankruptcy filings are having increasingly broader impacts on national, regional and local economies.
Televangelist’s daughter in middle of alimony mess
Source: Inside Track
Jan 22, 2009 7:43 am
The made-for-TV divorce of televangelist Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda has taken another twist as his daughter, the church’s chief financial officer, fights a contempt order.
Boca Developers says Cerberus suit part of smear campaign
Source: Inside Track
Jan 22, 2009 7:43 am
South Florida developers Brian Street and James Cohen, whose projects include the redevelopment of Las Olas Riverfront in Fort Lauderdale and Biscayne Landing in North Miami, say giant hedge fund Cerberus Capital Management intentionally sought news …
Banks no longer hide foreclosed properties
Source: Inside Track
Jan 22, 2009 7:43 am
Lenders have always tried to be discreet when marketing their foreclosed properties for sale. They feared the associated stigma and the appearance that they made too many bad loans.
Rays' Silverman: 'Regional' culture still lacking
Source: Times
Jan 22, 2009 7:26 am
Wake up, good morning and batter up. Tampa Bay Rays president Matt Silverman hit a familiar subject on unfamiliar turf Wednesday night, telling a packed room at the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner that regionalism -- embracing..…
Citizens task force meets today
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 7:24 am
A state panel meets today in Jacksonville to explore how to return the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to an insurer of last resort for Florida property owners. Earlier this month, the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Mission Review …
Watch out for e-mail linking to fake Obama Web sites
Source: Sun-Sentinel
Jan 22, 2009 4:31 am
If you get an e-mail reporting Pres. Obama doesn't want to be president, ignore it.More importantly, don't click a thing or you could be linked to a fake Obama Web site, warns Microsoft. Pres. Obama fever has spread to spammers...