Repairs to drought-stricken flower beds and sales of freezers designed to hold bought-in-bulk food helped Lowe's Cos. post a better-than-expected second-quarter profit. ...more

August 19, 2008

New federal help for the big mortgage lenders and first-time homebuyers could help revive Tampa's housing market. The quicker markets stabilize, the less taxpayers will have to pay in the complex bill with an unknown price tag. ...more

August 5, 2008

The Bay area's housing market is weak, but there are signs that home sales are starting to stabilize. In other parts of the country, though, selling a home is getting tougher, according to two reports from real estate groups Thursday. ...more

July 25, 2008

How did Tampa Bay's housing market fare in June? Well, it depends on how you look at it. Slightly more single-family homes sold in June than in May, and the median sales price rose by more than $2,000, according to existing home sales data released today by the Florida Association of Realtors. The median price — in which half the homes sold for more and half for less — was $178,700, up from $176,100 in May. ...more

July 24, 2008

Not Exactly Re: Jim Gibson's "Feedback" letter to the editor in the July 23 edition of Hernando Today. ...more

July 24, 2008

The county commission is scheduled to hold a hearing on Aug 5 on the reduction of current impact fees by 25 percent for a minimum of 18 months, in order to share in the $20 million state affordable housing fund for first-time home buyers. While this measure is being praised by institutions with ties to the housing industry and it appears by Commissioner Russell's comments on July 15 in the Hernando Today that he agrees, there are numerous things they are not talking about. ...more

July 23, 2008

Borrowers' Responsibility Regarding "Feds Adopt Plan To Protect Borrowers From Shady Lending Practices" (Nation/World, July 14): ...more

July 19, 2008

A beat-the-deadline rush to file permits for apartment construction in New York City lifted housing starts to unexpectedly high levels in June, but it was no cause for rejoicing. Construction of single-family homes nationwide fell to the slowest pace in 17 years. ...more

July 18, 2008

For years, Tampa Bay welcomed thousands of new residents who fueled a frenetic real estate climate and one of the fastest-growing job markets in the country. ...more

July 11, 2008

First the bad news: The moribund housing industry has put a major crimp in Pasco County's road-building plans. ...more

June 29, 2008