Tampa, Fla.-Area Housing Boom Just Keeps Going and Going - 2004-03-26
Home sales in the Tampa Bay area exploded almost 30 percent last month, confounding but delighting local brokers and indicating that the red-hot housing market of recent years is far from over.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in February was 5.64 percent, compared with 5.84 percent a year ago.
Read the full story at Builder Online

Consumer Spending Grows by 0.2 Percent - 2004-03-26
Consumers, a key force shaping the economic recovery, were more subdued in February, increasing their spending by only 0.2 percent.

And, they say that tax refunds arriving in mailboxes during the spring and extra cash coming from home-mortgage refinancings may give consumers an incentive to spend more, juicing up economic growth.
Read the full story at Porterville Recorder