Florida Consumer Confidence - May 2012

Consumer confidence among Floridians rose three points in May to 77, nine points higher than May of 2011. Three of the four index components rose, one declined and one stayed the same. Perceptions of personal finances now compared to a year ago fell one point to 62 while expectations of personal finances a year from now jumped eight points to 87. Expectations of U.S. economic conditions over the next year rose one point to 74 while expectations of the U.S. economy over the next five years rose five points to 81. Perceptions as to whether it is a good time to buy big ticket items remained unchanged at 80. Several events will occur in January 2013 without intervention by Congress and the White House. These include the expiration of the Bush tax cuts that will result in higher taxes for most American households, automatic spending cuts for both domestic and military spending, also known as sequestration, and an impending battle over raising the debt ceiling again, which led to a decline in consumer confidence last year in August. These events are only now making their way into the news and are probably not factored into the growth in optimism among respondents.

Who can fix Florida condo, HOA communities?

Who shoulders the most responsibility to keep Florida's condominium and homeowners communities running properly, financially and socially? The board of directors? Owners? Lawmakers? Actually, each of those entities owns an equal slice of the responsibility pie, and moreover, the power to make a difference. But they need to work more closely and congruously in order to help the state's shared communities weather these tough times, as associations continue to deal with revenue shortfalls caused by the foreclosure crisis and troubled economy..

Naples Area Board of Realtors: Median prices continue to climb

Prices and optimism in the Naples area housing market continue to climb. For the fifth consecutive month, overall median prices increased, according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island). The median closed price increased 22 percent overall in April 2012 compared to April 2011. Meanwhile, inventory continues to decline.

Source: Fort Myers News Press / Posted 05/31/12 at 1623 EDST