Members
of the Big Cypress Sportsmen’s Alliance will hold a demonstration on
Sunday to protest a land use plan they say doesn’t provide enough
access for ATVs, swamp buggies and other off road vehicles in the Big
Cypress National Preserve.  WGCU’s John Davis reports.

Lee had the highest f foreclosure rate per capita than any other county in the state in June. The devolving situation is keeping a group of housing counselors very busy. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

August numbers released Wednesday by the Florida Association of Realtors show that while prices continue to plummet, the number of existing homes is increasing in some markets. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry reports.

A little-known rule under the Save Our Homes amendment to Florida’s Constitution means that some people may see an increase in their home’s taxable value this year, even through its market value declined or stayed the same. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry reports.

The number of homes sold in four communities by the Bonita Bay Group in Southwest Florida doubled in January versus a year ago.

A total of 28 homes were sold in Verandah in Fort Myers, Mediterra in North Naples, Sandoval in Cape Coral and TwinEagles in Naples. Bonita Bay Group’s President & CEO Kitty Green told WGCU’s Mike Kiniry that so far February’s keeping the same doubling pace, but that it’s still too soon to call it a trend…

October sales numbers released Wednesday by the Florida Association of Realtors show the state’s housing market continues to deflate, including here in Southwest Florida. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry reports.

Numbers from the 3rd Quarter of 2007 released Wednesday by the Florida Association of Realtors show a continuing decline in the region’s housing market. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry reports.

Southwest Florida’s housing downturn continued in August – according to numbers released Tuesday by the Florida Association of Realtors. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more…

New real estate numbers are out for Southwest Florida and they show a continued slowdown. Another month and another steep drop in the number of homes sold. Home prices in August remained basically flat or a bit lower over the same period last year. But home sales keep plummeting: 45-percent fewer sales in Naples, 29-percent in Lee County and 30-percent in Charlotte. Florida Association of Realtors spokeswoman Marla Martin says that’s just a return to real estate normalcy.

“Historically, you know going back three or four years, what you’re seeing is not really what’s happening in terms of sales. It’s just a reaction to what was probably the best year yet. Last year, the peak year.”

The median home price in Naples last month dipped to 469-thousand dollars. Fort Myers/Cape Coral was 264-thousand. Punta Gorda checked-in at 210-thousand and Sarasota 310-thousand. The median is the price where half the homes sell above that amount and half below.

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Southwest Florida’s formally red-hot housing market continues to show signs of a slow-down. New sales numbers for August released today (yesterday) show home prices remaining flat or a little lower. But the biggest statistic is a steep decline in the number of homes sold. About one-third less in Lee and Charlotte Counties...and almost a 50-percent drop in Naples. Florida Association of Realtors spokeswoman Marla Martin says this is the slowdown economists had predicted and it’s no cause for concern.

“Sales pace is slowing down. It’s becoming a more normal market which is hard for people to remember because we’ve had five years of a very fast pace of sales. And that means that buyers and sellers are more into balance.”

Martin says buyers now have more time to examine prospective homes without fear of them selling so quickly. She also notes prices continue to come down and sellers are offering extra incentives for a quick sale.

Lee County Property Appraiser Ken Wilkinson wants Florida’s “Save Our Homes law” to become portable. He traveled to Orlando yesterday to present his plan to a state tax reform committee.
Save our homes caps tax increases on primary homes to 3-percent a year. It’s been lauded since its inception by homeowners statewide…but there’s a catch. Longtime residents face huge tax increases if they move elsewhere in Florida…because its savings aren’t portable. Wilkinson wrote the original Save Our Homes amendment back in the early 90’s…

“Because in my opinion the legislature wasn’t moving in the right direction a group of citizens in Lee County and around the state put together a constitutional amendment…we were able to get it on the ballot. That is what Save Our Home is…now I’m faced with the same situation.”

Lawmakers proposed several bills during the last legislative session that provide portability - but none passed. Wilkinson’s plan would allow homeowners to take some of their savings to another home in Florida. His group needs about 650-thousand signatures to put the idea before voters in 2008.

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Lee County Property Appraiser Ken Wilkinson wants the tax benefit of Save Our Homes to become portable. He’s formed a non-profit corporation to focus support on the issue…and to gather signatures to get an amendment on the 2008 ballot. Wilkinson wrote the Original Save Our Homes amendment – passed by Floridians in 1992. It caps property tax increases on primary residences to 3 percent a year.
He says the problem is -- as property values increase some long time residents are becoming trapped in their homes… because if they move to another house they could face huge tax increases.

“Save Our Homes did some phenomenal things – beyond our expectations. It allows you to stay in your house. But because it’s been so successful some people, many people are finding that they are locked in. See what we’re trying to do? Give the homeowner the flexibility.”

Wilkinson’s idea would work this way: If your home has a MARKET value of 400-thousand, but is being assessed by the county at only 200-thousand, thanks to Save Our Homes…your current savings is 50-percent. So if you then sold your home and bought another one for 600-thousand…the new assessment would be half that …or 300-thousand. The group needs about 650-thousand signatures to get the amendment on the ballot in 2008.