People are skittish about the economy's immediate future. Ask how things will be in a year and you hear a different story - and a remarkable show of optimism despite economists' widespread expectations that a serious recession is brewing. ...more

October 24, 2008

The number of homeowners ensnared in the foreclosure crisis grew by more than 70 percent in the third quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2007, according to data released Thursday. ...more

October 23, 2008

Two weeks ago, real estate agent Steve Fruit was examining the value of a Lake Placid house for the owners, who are thinking of selling. For tax purposes, the Highlands County Property Appraiser had valued the property at $254,769. ...more

October 19, 2008

Say an absentee landlord owns the house next to yours. Neither of you keep up your mortgage payments. ...more

October 18, 2008

City officials are focusing on West Tampa and Sulphur Springs as they work on a plan to combat the growing tide of abandoned homes stemming from the state's housing crisis. During the next year, Tampa is expected to receive $13.6 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's new Neighborhood Stabilization Program, a $3.92 billion emergency response to escalating foreclosures nationwide. ...more

October 17, 2008

The $700 billion financial rescue package did nothing to avert stock market meltdowns and perhaps a worldwide recession, U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney told business leaders Wednesday in Sebring and Avon Park. ...more

October 9, 2008

Community Association vice president and golf course task force chairman Ed Barnes drove his seven-member group to warp speed, and in 10 days (10 days, my friends is an unheard of blink of the Sun City Center eye), presented the Community Association Board of Directors with a proposal for the golf course evaluation to go forward, a statement of work and some ancillary material. This last item includes studying what it would cost to convert the North Lakes Course to "open space," or "green space," or "a park," and to maintain it as such. ...more

October 8, 2008

The biggest financial bailout in U.S. history failed in the U.S. House on Monday, with Republicans solidly rejecting the plan, and many Democrats joining them, even though President Bush said passage is essential to avoid bank failures and financial panic. ...more

September 30, 2008

Few actions taken by Congress have been as complicated as the proposed $700 billion rescue of Wall Street. Here's a closer look at how it would work. ...more

September 29, 2008

Brian Dean wanted to add a pool to his 1967 home in Safety Harbor, so he checked with his lender about obtaining a home equity loan. ...more

September 25, 2008