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Thursday's Daily Pulse

Pike Rowley
Pike Rowley, Florida managing director at Avison Young, says the company is targeting all major markets in the state.
» Brokerage revival

Brokerage revival in Florida real estate

The recovery of commercial real estate in Florida has seen a revival in firm-building. Franklin Street, a Tampa-based commercial real estate services firm, started in 2006 and now is up to 200 employees in four main offices in Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville and Atlanta. Full story...

Click the regions below for a roundup of news about commercial real estate:
» Jacksonville
» Orlando
» Tampa Bay
» Southwest Florida
» Palm Beach County
» Broward County
» Miami


Mortgage-reduction aid nears cutoff for applications

Since the Florida Housing Finance Corp. launched its new principal-reduction program last Wednesday, 22,000 Florida homeowners have applied for the aid. The state agency will cut off the online process once it receives 25,000 applications. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]


Florida Blue says it didn’t drop members, just insurance plans

This month, Florida Blue, the state’s largest and oldest health insurer, notified 300,000 members that when their plans expire in 2014 they must enroll in new plans that comply with requirements of the ACA that insurers offer coverage to everyone, regardless of pre-existing conditions, and that plans cover 10 “essential health benefits." [Source: Miami Herald]


Retirees and low-wage workers weigh on economic growth

As millions of baby boomers retire, income growth will provide less oomph for the economy in the next 20 years. The labor force that remains will include a growing share of workers with less earning power. Together, the trends will act as a brake on consumer spending, limiting the economy’s long-term growth potential. [Source: Businessweek]


Residential developers raise caution flag

If, as the saying goes, there’s a time for every purpose, then this is the season for caution. Even though the real estate market is rebounding, industry leaders say savvy players should expect the inevitable downturn, and plan accordingly. [Source: Miami Today]


ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Venice Museum and Archives eyes expansion
Patrons of the Venice Museum and Archives say it is in cramped quarters, with limited exhibit space and much of the historic building devoted to storage of city records and other documents.

› Old Town will keep Halloween scares going year round
Halloween soon will be a memory for this year, but the haunted-house business will live on at Old Town, the retail and entertainment complex in Kissimmee.

› Port of Tampa unveils new $56 million petroleum terminal
The Port of Tampa bills itself as the energy gateway to West and Central Florida. On Wednesday, it unveiled a new $56 million petroleum terminal that will keep the region's cars and planes fueled for generations.

› India, Colombia seek Miami airport’s consulting
Since its creation in March, the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department’s consulting business has been contacted by five foreign entities that have inquired about its services, the department said.


Go to page 2 for more stories ...

› Trader Joe's coming to St. Petersburg
After weeks of speculation, Trader Joe's confirmed today it will open a store in St. Petersburg, the second planned for the Tampa Bay area. The announcement comes less than three months after Trader Joe's said it will open a store in Tampa.

› 2013 already a record year for manatee deaths in Florida
With two months to go in the year, 2013 already is the deadliest year on record for manatees in Florida, the Save the Manatee Club said Thursday.

› Sen. Bill Nelson requests probe of Florida unemployment system
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is wading into Florida's unemployment benefits swamp, calling for a federal investigation into the state's troubled roll-out of its new $63 million claims processing system.

› Growing confidence along with fresh veggies
While many students were blearily making their way to second period Monday morning, five special-education students from Buchholz High were jumping into their work with zeal.