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HOME PRICES According to NAR (National Association of Realtors), many areas of the nation showed
double-digit annual home price appreciation in the fourth quarter, although the overall
pace of growth has cooled slightly. With a 48 percent one-year rise, Cape Coral-Fort Myers
ranked second nationally; Orlando ranked third at 42 percent.
BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME What hurricanes? Commercial and residential Realtors with a market niche based on the state's tourism industry were not disappointed in 2005. The preliminary number of visitors to the state released yesterday showed a record number of tourists, which fueled demand for single-family homes used for short-term rentals, hotels or related service industries. According to Gov. Jeb Bush, a new record-high of 85.8 million visitors in 2005 represents an increase of 7.6 percent over the same period in 2004, based on research from Visit Florida, the state's official source for travel planning. It also marks the first time annual visitation to Florida has exceeded the 80 million mark. Domestic travel to Florida increased 7.7 percent to more than 79 million in 2005 with domestic visitors representing 92 percent of total visits. Internationally, an estimated 2.1 million Canadians visited Florida in 2005, an 8.2 percent increase from 2004. Overseas travel to Florida increased by as much as 6.3 percent over 2004, to 4.7 million in 2005. Article From 'Florida Real Estate News' NEW HOME SALES The median price of a new home was up in January to $238,100, compared with $229,000 in December. The median is the point where half the homes sold for more and half for less. The National Association of Realtors reported earlier this month that a record 72 metropolitan areas saw double-digit gains in home prices in the final three months of 2005 compared to the price levels at the end of 2004. From 'Florida Real Estate News' FLORIDA JOBS Looking for a job? Try Florida. For the second year in a row, Florida metro areas dominate the top rankings of the Milken Institute Best Performing Cities Index, a measurement of where jobs are being created in America. For 2005, Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville ranks No. 1, followed by Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 2 and Naples-Marco Island in third place. From 'Florida Real Estate News' |
