An apartment complex offering all-inclusive amenities and island-style cottages on a lake is the latest development to dive into the luxury student housing market near the University of South Florida campus. ...more

March 18, 2009

Carol Carrier never thought she'd become a landlord. But when the real estate market tanked and her two sons couldn't sell the condominium they'd bought as an investment on Harbour Island, they turned to Mom. They wanted her to help them rent the one-bedroom unit until the market improved. ...more

January 11, 2009

The Tampa Bay area's falling home prices - and perceived bargains - are slowly luring buyers back into the market. ...more

November 16, 2008

Tucked amid row upon row of apartments along 15th Street north of Fowler Avenue, a sprawling complex is under construction. ...more

September 10, 2008

Tampa Housing Authority Commissioner Karen Peoples has abused her position of power, shirked her responsibilities as a renter and gone out of her way to malign people perceived as enemies. And you, the taxpayer, have subsidized her stay in public housing for 24 years. ...more

July 18, 2008

Developer Michael DeMarcay never considered putting condominiums on the 7.9 acres that Synergy Properties bought from the city five years ago. ...more

June 18, 2008

When Tiffany Duffie makes out her $995 rent check each month, she tucks a little money away in the family's house fund. ...more

May 3, 2008

TAMPA -- When Tiffany Duffie makes out her $995 rent check each month, she tucks a little money away in the family's house fund. For the past year and a half, the family of four has rented a two-bedroom unit at The Pavillions at Ballast Point in south Tampa. They love the location, near MacDill Air Force Base, where her husband is stationed. They look out on mature trees from a small patio where they keep the children's bicycles and outside toys. Money is tight, and Duffie said she fears that if her rent goes up, they won't be able to save for a down payment on a home. And because of the credit crunch, she worries the family might not qualify for a mortgage. "I really want a house," she said. "I want a yard for my kids. It would be so nice to have something to call your own." As the economy weakens, more people who would have qualified for home loans a few years ago no longer do. And scores of homeowners losing their homes in foreclosure are turning to apartments. Others who could qualify for a mortgage are opting for luxury apartments instead, seeking to wait out the housing bust. The mixture is starting to heat up Tampa Bay's apartment market, which has struggled to fill thousands of units the past couple of years as renters rushed to buy homes. Anticipating increased demand, developers are shifting focus, too, from home building to apartment construction. There are 3,646 units either under construction or recently completed in Hillsborough and Polk counties, according to Triad Research & Consulting. Another 12,300 units are proposed for construction this year or next in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties, the firm said. ...more

May 2, 2008

Forever in their memory will be their Channel District home. Sam Jensen proposed to Jennifer Carpenter, his girlfriend of four years, on the balcony of their penthouse at Ventana, a glass-rich condominium complex at Kennedy Boulevard and Channelside Drive. ...more

February 7, 2008

Frank Saia and Bob Langlois settled in just fine after moving to the SkyPoint high-rise in June. In fact, they already want a larger unit. ...more

February 7, 2008