Excerpt from the TB Business Journal: Existing single-family home sales were up 33 percent statewide and almost that high in Sarasota-Bradenton as real estate practitioners look back at the third quarter.
Home sales jumped 32 percent in Sarasota-Bradenton, the best increase in the Tampa Bay region, according to Florida Realtors. More than 2,300 homes were sold in the quarter, compared with 1,758 the year before.
Strong sales numbers also were experienced in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater as well as Lakeland-Winter Haven with both areas rising 20 percent. Nearly 7,800 homes were sold in the Greater Tampa area, compared with 6,502 the year before, while Lakeland’s numbers were up from 2,633 to 3,377. (….rest of housing in Tampa story from TB Business Journal)
Comments: With Unemployment in the Tampa Area pushing 12% and personal income continuing to drop, its hard to believe that housing sales are sustainable. Anecdotally, most residential brokers are telling me the sales are in the lower priced homes, taking advantage of the government programs. Meaningful housing numbers will follow a rise in employment.
