Thursday's Daily Pulse

Will Short Gorham | 4/12/2012

"Tsunami" of foreclosure complaints swamps Florida Bar

The Florida Bar has fielded nearly 1,400 complaints against attorneys relating to the housing crisis, an unprecedented amount that has buried investigators and forced the group to rethink how it will handle widespread grievances in the future. The complaint categories - mortgage fraud, foreclosure fraud, loan modification misconduct - didn't even exist three years ago, said Ken Marvin, director of lawyer regulation for the Florida Bar. [Source: Palm Beach Post]

Related Florida Trend Archived Content
» The Florida Bar steps up its diversity efforts
» Florida Bar President Scott Hawkins is On Guard

---

Delinquent mortgages fall in South Florida

Lenders in South Florida continue to see a decline in homeowners late in paying their mortgages as South Floridians are among the nation's leaders in getting loan modifications. Bank of America, which is hosting a free three-day homeowner assistance event this weekend in Miami Beach, has seen the number of homeowners at least 60 days late, drop by about a third in less than a year, said Jessica Garcia, vice president for the bank's national mortgage outreach. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

---

UF to make case for higher tuition increases

Gov. Rick Scott has said he would consider signing a bill allowing the University of Florida to make higher tuition increases if university officials showed him they're providing a good return on the state's investment in the institution. Thursday, UF President Bernie Machen will get his chance to make that case. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

---

Florida Trend Exclusive
Florida lifestyles: Concierges

Premier Concierge Services
Tampa Bay / New York City - premierconciergeservices.com

Jodi Jacolow

Jodi Jacolow started her company 10 years ago under the name of Just Ask Jodi. Once she had too many clients to handle alone she expanded the business, eventually opening an office in New York. "Ninety percent of the business I get is through referrals and word of mouth," she says.

Price for services: $45 per hour on an a la carte basis

Oddest request: "I had a client with a pet alligator who hired me to help design an alligator habitat. Another, a pro athlete, had me hand carry his Super Bowl ring and fur coat to a different state when he got traded."

» More Florida concierge services

---

Fed sees good news in South Florida housing

South Florida real estate received a shout-out Wednesday from the Federal Reserve. A generally upbeat Beige Book — the Fed’s monthly summary of the nation’s economic health — included a rosy dispatch about real estate in the Sunshine State. [Source: Miami Herald]

---

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› HealthSouth construction going well [Ocala Star-Banner]
As Marion County's economy continues struggling to get people back to work, the health care sector remains one of the fastest growing. Nowhere is that seen on a larger scale than the $21 million facility being built on Southwest 19th Avenue Road in Ocala.

› Florida blueberries start early, may run later than usual [The Packer]
Buyers should expect the Florida blueberry season to run longer than normal. Though stunted by a February freeze, grower-shippers expect harvesting to run into June. Florida harvests normally finish by May 20.

› Albertsons Closing Most Florida Stores, Plant City Distribution Center [Lakeland Ledger]
Albertsons continues to fade in Florida. The Boise, Idaho-based supermarket chain plans to close 13 of its 17 remaining stores in Florida by June 9 and will cease operations at a distribution center in Plant City.

› Home building jumps in Tampa Bay area [Tampa Bay Times]
Tampa Bay area home builders pounded a lot more nails in the first three months of this year than in the first quarter of 2011. New housing starts jumped 26.8 percent in the first quarter, according to Tampa's Metrostudy, a national company that tracks the construction industry.

Go to page 2 for more stories ...