In reference to an article in the June 28 Tampa Tribune titled "Landlords not wanting to rent to families who have been foreclosed on, losing their homes." How dare they? How dare them pass judgment on a family's misfortunes and place them in a category of deadbeats, insinuating that they do not want to pay for a roof over their family's heads. Not everyone is looking for a "free ride" or out to get something for free. I realize that there are people out there like that, but you simply cannot stereotype all people that have had foreclosures or other misfortunes as deadbeat. ...more

July 3, 2008

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's office said today it has filed a lawsuit against Countrywide Financial for engaging in "deceptive and unfair trade practices." The suit says Countrywide, one of the nation's largest mortgage companies, knowingly put Florida borrowers into mortgages they couldn't afford or into loans with rates and penalties that were "misleading." ...more

July 1, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is set to discuss details of a lawsuit against Countrywide Financial Corp., the nation's largest mortgage lender. ...more

July 1, 2008

Rates on 30-year mortgages jumped to the highest level in nearly eight months, reflecting increased concerns about what the Federal Reserve might do to battle inflation. ...more

June 13, 2008

TRINITY -- Buyers are finding good deals on homes, but sellers often must slash the asking price or wait for a rebound in home values. Even Trinity, with many higher-end homes, tends to be no exception to the trends. ...more

June 11, 2008

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority has selected Reynolds, Smith & Hills Inc. as the civil engineer for Tampa International Airport's proposed $1 billion North Terminal complex. The terminal, which would add space for airlines and passengers, is projected to open in 2015. ...more

May 9, 2008

While other builders may focus only on the negative aspects of today's housing market, Charley Hannah, co-founder of Hannah Bartoletta Homes, has a different view. ...more

January 27, 2008

President Bush's plan to offer a little help for a few homeowners straining to repay adjustable-rate mortgages falls far short of financially rescuing anyone, but if it begins to restore market confidence it will be a success. ...more

December 12, 2007

Some credit card companies are raising interest rates on good customers even if they pay down their balances on time every month. The reason they cite is that the customer's credit rating has fallen elsewhere. A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee hearing on credit card practices heard the testimony of people who had a nasty surprise when they thought they were paying down their balances, but it turned out they were only paying off interest. Major credit card companies such as Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have said they will discontinue the practice of raising a customer's interest rate based solely on a change in their credit score. Capital One said its policy is not to change customers' interest rates if their credit scores go down. ...more

December 5, 2007

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday hinted that another interest rate cut may be needed to bolster the economy. The worsening credit crunch, a deepening housing slump and rising energy prices probably will create some "headwinds for the consumer in the months ahead," he said. ...more

November 30, 2007