Florida real estate sales rise - 2005-02-25
Florida existing single-family home sales increased by 10 percent in January from a year ago, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. Statewide, sales of single-family existing homes totaled 15,567 last month, compared with 14,204 homes sold a year ago.

The statewide median sales price last month climbed 24 percent to $204,900; a year ago, it was $164,900. In January 2000, the statewide median sales price for single-family homes was $109,200, resulting in an increase of 87.6 percent over the five-year-period.
Read the full story at Inman.com

Trips and traps lurk in home equity offers - 2005-02-25
You have seen them in hundreds of television and newspaper ads. Offers to obtain easy cash from the equity in your home, so that you can pay off your monstrous credit-card bills, home improvement costs and other things you owe.

A home equity loan is a straight loan, usually set up for up to 70 percent or 75 percent of the equity in your house - although some lenders will go as high as 125 percent - usually at a fixed rate of about 6.9 percent.
Read the full story at Whittier Daily News