Pensacola Florida Real Estate, Perdido Key Waterfront for Sale - Licensed in Florida and Alabama

Florida real estate brokerages keep buying -- and selling -- other brokerages. In recent deals, ERA Trans World Realty joined Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Inc., Prudential Florida WCI Realty acquired Prudential Geisinger Realty, Inc., and Prudential Tropical Realty expanded into Pinellas County with the purchase of Homefront Realty, Inc.

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REVITALIZATION

Florida City, recipient of federal funds as an empowerment zone, voted earlier this week to issue up to $75 million in bonds to build a theme park, water park and family entertainment center. The city hopes to recoup losses suffered from Hurricane Andrew and the closing of Homestead Air Force Base.

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REGULATIONS

OSHA issued a new regulation concerning home offices earlier this week -- but never mind. Yesterday, it was rescinded. Under the now-cancelled regulation, employees' home offices were to be regulated as if they were on the job site, with appropriate concern for ergonomics and accident coverage through workers comp.

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CONSTRUCTION

UF plans to develop a building construction academy to address the nationwide labor shortage. If successful, it should help developers deliver homes faster, and help resale home buyers make repairs and install upgrades before moving in.

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MARKET WATCH: CAPE CANAVERAL

The area surrounding Cape Canaveral may attract a new high-tech business -- Beal Aerospace Technologies Inc. -- and support 130 new high-income workers. The state of Florida has already submitted a business development proposal to the Texas-based firm.

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********************************************************** LOOK INTO YOUR CRYSTAL BALL

Ask five executives at major real estate firms around the state to predict the future and you're likely to get 15 different answers. But surprisingly, when the editors of Florida Realtor magazine polled some of the industry's heavy hitters about real estate trends over the next five to 10 years, there was a lot of consensus on some very hot topics. For one, nearly every exec interviewed said complete online transactions are unlikely, for one simple reason: buyers and sellers still want to have a skilled real estate professional by their side to manage the complexities of a transaction.

Other predictions:

* Demographic trends and in-migration will mean strong demand for Florida homes.
* Consolidation in the real estate industry will continue, although smaller firms will spring up to serve niche markets.
* Standards of performance will be higher for associates.

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