Real Estate Talk, Larry Lang

South Florida News

South Florida Business News - Local South Florida News \| The South Florida Business Journal
Mercantil Commercebank of Coral Gables gets $70M infusion	9/4/2008 3:56 PM
Mercantil Commercebank of Coral Gables said it is receiving $70 million in capital from its holding company, which will help it open two new branches in Palm Beach County and another in Broward County.
Homeowners Choice to pick up more Citizens' policies	9/4/2008 2:06 PM
Florida regulators approved a proposal from Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Co. to increase its policy takeout authorization from Citizens Property Insurance Corp. (HCIIU)
Study: Healthcare costs to rise	9/4/2008 1:40 PM
Fifty-nine percent of companies intend to keep down rising health care costs in 2009 by raising workers' deductibles, copays or out-of-pocket spending limits, according to a survey by the Mercer consulting firm. (MMC)
Boca investment firm sued by Mervyn’s	9/4/2008 12:50 PM
Department store chain Mervyn’s is suing Target Corp. and three private equity firms, including one in Boca Raton, claiming that the 2004 buyout deal that split Mervyn's from Target was fraudulent and pushed Mervyn's into bankruptcy by taking away valuable real estate.
FPL gets approval for three projects	9/4/2008 11:48 AM
The Florida Public Service Commission on Thursday approved three Florida Power & Light Co. projects, which the company says will allow it to provide customers with “affordable, cleaner and more efficient” energy sources. (FPL)
Pilots union files suit against Spirit	9/4/2008 10:58 AM
The Air Line Pilots Association has filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Miramar-based Spirit Airlines.
Boca Raton brokers sanctioned for misconduct	9/4/2008 10:49 AM
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) said Thursday that it has barred two brokers and suspended a third for two years for their roles in selling complex and high-risk mortgage-backed securities, called collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), to retail customers.
Ocwen: Subprime mortgage delinquencies down	9/4/2008 10:18 AM
Ocwen Financial Corp. reported Thursday that delinquencies on the subprime mortgages it handles flattened or declined this summer, in large part due to its loan modification program.
Law firms announce alliance	9/4/2008 10:17 AM
Two Miami-based law firms, Diaz Reus and Cordero & Associates, announced a strategic alliance aimed at boosting their international and immigration practices.
Metropolitan Health expands agreement with Humana	9/4/2008 9:15 AM
Metropolitan Health Networks on Thursday said Metcare of Florida, its wholly owned provider service network subsidiary, is expanding its agreement with Humana to provide services to nine more Florida counties.

NYT > Real Estate
Buying Into the Vineyard Lifestyle	9/4/2008 8:41 PM
Despite the declining housing market, developers are finding that homes built around wineries are still selling among wealthier buyers.
Havens \| Hill City, S.D.: A Spot in the Black Hills for the Golden Years	9/4/2008 8:54 PM
South Dakota’s Hill City is attracting retirees who seek scenic beauty, a bit of culture, laid-back attitudes and modest home and land prices.
Your Second Home \| Stocking the Staples: Rule No. 1: Don’t Run Short	9/4/2008 8:52 PM
Some second-home staples are harder to remember.
Living Here \| Houseboats: At Home Afloat	9/4/2008 9:20 PM
“It has everything — and more — that you’d find in a great condominium. "
Breaking Ground: Costa Blanca & The Gateway Grand Residences	9/4/2008 9:04 PM
A sports-focused residential development, and a beachfront condominium tower.
International Real Estate: For Sale in ... Montreal	9/4/2008 8:45 AM
A one-bedroom penthouse apartment with panoramic views of Montreal is on the market for $1,866,400.
Property Values: What You Get for ... $150,000	9/4/2008 9:03 AM
A converted schoolhouse in Bridgewater Corners, Vt.; a two-bedroom co-op in Chicago; and a two-bedroom houseboat in Portland, Ore.
Renovating a French Mill	9/3/2008 1:14 AM
A secluded mill has been transformed into a site for weeklong vacation packages themed around French cooking, architecture, art or bike rides through the Loire countryside.
The Ultimate Luxury: A Garage	9/2/2008 11:26 AM
It adds convenience, privacy and security. And the oversize door is handy for moving big objects in or out. One owner even turned his garage into a music room.
Thrifty Ways to Upgrade a Building	9/3/2008 4:59 PM
There are plenty of opportunities for cut-rate quality-of-life enhancements for co-ops and condominiums.
The Hunt: As Priorities Change, Perseverance Pays Off	8/30/2008 11:41 PM
When Nick Kravitz and his wife, Hongyu Adella Lin-Kravitz, decided they wanted to move to a bigger home, they took months shopping for homes and neighborhoods.
Living In \| Norwood, the Bronx: Where the Spirit of Renewal Rises Again	8/31/2008 1:24 AM
Norwood, which suffered neglect in the 1980s and ’90s, is once again sprucing itself up. Its roads, with steep grades and closely packed wood-frame houses, almost recall San Francisco’s.
Streetscapes \| The Diamond District: An Unshowy Setting for Gems	8/30/2008 11:43 PM
The diamond district seems so firmly a part of Manhattan that it is hard to imagine any other destination for shoppers seeking high-priced gems, but in fact there once was one.
The Backyard in New York City: An Urban Oasis	8/31/2008 8:27 AM
Screened from all but the envious eyes of aerial neighbors, the backyard is the most counterintuitive of New York spaces.
Upper West Side: Little Boxes, Far From the Hillside	8/30/2008 11:02 PM
Eight stories above Broadway and 97th Street, construction is near completion on three little houses that sit atop a turn-of-the-century apartment building.
Habitats \| Tudor City: The Well-Edited Nest	8/30/2008 11:42 PM
Rose Cirigliano has turned her 320-square-foot efficiency apartment into a survivors’ camp where every item has a reason for being, or else.
Powering Up	8/28/2008 11:26 PM
The 3,800-acre Three Rivers Recreation Area in Oregon is home to more than 500 off-the-grid vacation homes.
Away: A Floating Investment	8/28/2008 11:27 PM
A boat can be a place to ride out the market while giving a developing second-home destination a long-term test run.
Havens \| West Wildwood, N.J.: A ‘Gated’ Community Surrounded by Water	9/4/2008 4:51 PM
West Wildwood is so small that you wouldn’t know it was there unless someone told you. And that’s just how the people who live and vacation there want it.
Your Second Home \| Rules for Guests: When Friendships Are Tested	8/29/2008 11:08 AM
A few simple strategies will let you be a warm host to bad houseguests without losing control.
High & Low \| Aspen, Colo., Condominiums: Deep Pockets Required	8/29/2008 12:56 AM
Prices in Aspen range up to about $12 million for a five-bedroom town-house-style condominium.
Breaking Ground: W Hollywood Hotel & Residences and Limoncito	8/28/2008 11:34 PM
An urban hotel and residences in Los Angeles, and a residential enclave in an existing beachfront community in Costa Rica.
Mortgages: Check Credit Unions for Deals	8/30/2008 11:46 PM
Credit union mortgages are not typically marketed through brokers, yet they have grown increasingly attractive in recent months.

South Florida News