Remember your youth? The days when you couldn't wait for class to let out so you could surf, swim, dance, hunt, fish, golf, etc.? Then we enter the workforce and our play time is reduced, which is understandable. Next we add marriage and children and before you know it, each day is consumed and the "fun" activities are seldom, if at all. We lose our balance. We've all done this at some point, even if work is all we're trying to balance.

Several months back, I made a list of all the things that bring a smile to my face. Like this picture of the Mad Blue Bird. Each and every time I see it, I smile. It's the new screen saver on my lap top and it's framed and on a wall in my home. I always have white daisies around now. It's like having a bouquet of sunshine near you. I make time for the beach. I'm thirty minutes away, yet I made excuses for not putting forth the effort. Even if it's three in the afternoon, I can still go. I love to go to the movies and get popcorn. The two just go hand in hand. I also love to read greeting cards, whether in a store or online. Some of them crack me up. I adore my children and love spending time with them, even the teen versions. Each of these things brings me joy, along with a list of other possibilities.

It's important we keep a balance in our lives - too much work, too much high fat food, too much alcohol, all take a toll on us. What puts a smile on your face? What helps you relax and to refocus? Make a list and start including those things in your daily life. Find your balance, and make sure you are included.

I hope you made plans to join us in two weeks at Longboat Key Club &
and Resort. We have so much fun and so many smiles in store for you. We are going to Rock the House!

Michele Stropoli

Executive Director  

The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything!

Study says Viginia, Florida have best building codes

Virginia and Florida have received good marks in a survey that looks at building codes in hurricane-prone states. The Tampa-based Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety conducted an analysis, evaluation, and comparison of building code and enforcement systems for residential buildings in the 18 states most vulnerable to catastrophic hurricanes in the U.S. Florida... Read More

Pearsall, TX to Require Masonry in New Construction

Pearsall, a fast-growing South Texas city, has decided to join a growing state trend and require minimum percentages of masonry for new construction, reports the Texas Masonry Council. Located 54 miles south of San Antonio, Pearsall is the county seat of Frio County. It lies within the Eagle Ford Shale Play, a major oil and gas exploration and production area... Read More

New Transportation Bill Passes

...Congress finally authorized a new surface transportation program! The House voted 373 to 52, while the Senate voted 74 to 19. The bill now heads to President Obama for his signature. This newest program will cover 27-months, totaling nearly $120 billion. Although the bill lacks some of the industry's priorities, it's passage allows for continued funding of transportation construction projects and provides economic certainty to the industry; two items NRMCA has lobbied Congress on relentlessly for the last four consecutive years. Read More

Are Personal Guarantees Still Worth the Paper on Which They're Printed?

A frequently recurring topic among credit professionals is the use of personal guarantees when setting up a credit relationship. Once a given necessity, more credit professionals are wondering if the juice is worth the squeeze, so to speak. Still, plenty of experts continue to take a "why not" go after all remedies approach when asked if personal guarantees are worth... Read More

Evaluating the ROI in Going 'Green'

When the environmental movement of this century began to really gain steam a few years ago, many companies decided to "go green" in a variety of ways. While some companies implemented recycling programs to... Read More

More homebuyers willing to pay for 'green' features

A year ago, Dave and Sandy Spencer were paying $500 a month in utility bills for a 2,700-square-foot, four-bed, three-bath home in Haile Plantation. After semi-retiring and downsizing to an 1,800-square-foot, three-bed... Read More

What's happening in housing

Home builders started work on more single-family homes in May and requested the most permits to build homes and apartments in three and a half years. The increase suggests the housing market is slowly recovering even as other areas of the economy have weakened. The Commerce Department... Read More

Multifamily Market Up

The Multifamily Production Index (MPI), a leading indicator for the multifamily market provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), recently recorded its highest reading since... Read More

Home prices rise in nearly all major US cities

Home prices rose in nearly all major U.S. cities in April from March, further evidence of a housing market that is slowly improving even while the job market slumps. The Standard and Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index... Read More

Delinquency Rates Down

Loan delinquency rates have dropped along with foreclosures, putting a squeeze on the supply of distressed properties that have dominated Southwest Florida's real estate market for years, according to... Read More

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Housing experts predict rent rise in 2012

Real estate experts project that rent prices will increase the remainder of this year in the Tampa Bay area. A rosier employment picture, dropping vacancy rates and a decrease in new... Read More

Housing market uptick seen especially in west Orange County

Home builders for months have been telling me that west Orange County is where it's at. For example, a land partnership is planning to start development this year on an estimated $33.8 million residential... Read More

WCI Communities raises $175 million

WCI Communities, which obtained bankruptcy court protection during the real estate downturn, is continuing its comeback by raising $175 million of new capital, including a $125 million term note due in 2017 and... Read More

Lennar stock rebounds

Lennar Corp. shares were up $1.75, or 7.39 percent, to $25.43 in late afternoon trading Tuesday amid ongoing attention by short sellers.  Marketwatch cited an index by the Institute for Supply Management as the reason for... Read More

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In South Florida, a Sign of Economic Turnaround

Development applications, often seen as a leading indicator of future construction activity, have hit a seven-year high in West Palm Beach, reports Alex Sanz. New figures compiled by the city's planning division showed 2012 had seen the highest level of activity since 2005. Since October, the city had received more than $243,000 in planning-related application fees - 94% of what it expected for the entire year.

- From Sunburn 06/25/12(Daily Florida Read of What's Hot in Florida)

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Florida back as a draw to transplants

Those out-of-staters who once streamed into Florida with loaded U-Hauls to settle here have been returning. They will continue to settle in the Sunshine State in the years ahead - for both jobs and a warm place to retire to, researchers are now predicting. After the Great Recession... Read More

Orlando Ranks No. 19 in Daily Population Growth

The Orlando metropolitan area ranked No. 19 in the nation and No. 3 in the state for daily population growth, according to a new On Numbers analysis of newly released population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.Read More

Real estate remains No. 1 economic generator in state

Florida's real estate industry is generating less of the state's economy than it did before the recession, but it is still by far the state's biggest private industry. A report on the state gross domestic product was released the past...Read More

Bankruptcy filings statewide down in 2011

Bankruptcy filings in Orlando were down significantly compared to the past couple of years. And it seems that trend is along the same lines statewide. According to the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts... Read More

Economic report shows signs of hope for Florida

Florida's economy grew last year, but at a slower pace than the previous year and slower than most states. The unemployment rate has dropped significantly, but not primarily because of job creation. Housing sales and prices are rebounding, but problems... Read More

What to do if your customer files for bankruptcy protection?

If your customer files for bankruptcy protection, there are a few steps you can take to help protect yourself and a few issues of which you should be aware. Bankruptcies are generally filed under Chapters 7, 11 and 13. Regardless of which chapter a customer elects, the steps you should take are substantially the same. Upon notice of the bankruptcy, you should file a proof of claim. In the event proceeds from the bankruptcy estate are paid to creditors, you might not get paid... Read More

The Ten Most Interesting Florida State Legislative Races

With qualifying over, there is now a chance to look at the field as a whole and the races to watch. The following ten races aren't necessarily ranked in the order of the most competitive, or the most likely to flip, but instead from my perspective, are going to be the most interesting to watch.Because of the plot lines in the state senate, there are more state senate races than... Read More

Economic and Political Commentary by Jim Bleech: The Blast

...We have a number of interesting topics this month. While I can't resist my normal opinionated input, this month we will be talking about a whole mess of bare facts and figures. I have done an abnormal amount of research and even had some "off the record" discussions with some leading economists. With promises to not quote by name, I had several open the... Read More

Time management: 10 steps to improve sales effectiveness

Hard to believe the first quarter of 2012 is already "in the books." Summer is right around the corner, and after Memorial Day you'll be thinking about vacations and summer travel. Next thing you know... Read More

8 Core Beliefs of Extraordinary Bosses

A few years back, I interviewed some of the most successful CEOs in the world in order to discover their management secrets. Read More

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"The difference in assumptions and expectations is simply communication... without it, we assume and are often disappointed,and with it, we can create agreed upon expectations that are measurable and work for all included!"

-- Debbie Lundberg, 2012 FICAP Rocks! Convention Guest Speaker

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