So far this week I see healines like the ones below and it gives me comfort...

Investors fuel home sales surge across S. Florida, nation

Home sales rose sharply in January across Palm Beach and Broward counties, the Florida Realtors said Wednesday. Palm Beach County had 745 existing homes trade hands, up 36 percent from a year ago. Broward sales increased 18 percent to 813. Existing condo sales in both counties also were robust.

Home sales surged across Florida and the nation. Many of the sales are cash deals from investors. Nationally, the share of first-time buyers in January slipped to 29 percent, down from 40 percent a year ago.

Housing Affordability Reaches 20 Year High

According to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI) data, "73.9 percent of all new and existing homes sold in the fourth quarter of 2010 were affordable to families earning the national median income of $64,400."

Floridians still confident about economy for second month

Consumer confidence among Floridians remained at 77 out of 100 in February, suggesting a sustainable and improved view of the economy, according to a new University of Florida (UF) survey.

The index rose seven points last month, an unexpected increase according to Chris McCarty, director of UF's Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research, considering the economic climate in Florida. However, he considers it noteworthy that the index didn't change dramatically this month.