Sunday, January 21, 2007

TX: Most of us know very little about the people we live closest to Interviewed in Subdivided, Mr. Putnam makes the astounding assertion that, "In America, every 10 minutes more of additional commuting time cuts all forms of social connection by 10 percent. So 10 minutes more commuting time means 10 percent less churchgoing, 10 percent for your dinner parties, 10 percent for your dinners with the family, 10 percent for your club meetings and so on." 11:19:55 AM

Time shares hard to resell, so buy carefully "There is a secondary market for time shares," said Bill Rogers, founder of Timeshare User's Group, a 13-year-old Web site aimed at helping owners buy, sell, swap and rent their units. "But if you bought it from the developer, you would be lucky to get 50 cents on the dollar." 11:03:25 AM

FL: Destin Pointe Residents Fight for Beach Relief Homeowners on Destin Pointe are nervous as they watch the Gulf of Mexico shoreline inch ever closer to their million-dollar homes. Though a comprehensive beach restoration project for all of Destin's beaches west of Henderson Beach State Park could be a year and a half in the making, members of the Destin Pointe Owners Association today are asking local, state and federal governments to help protect their property now from rapid beach erosion on Holiday Isle 10:54:32 AM

FL: Handing over the Ranch These Lakewood Ranch residents and others brought skills from their work lives to a volunteer transition team that seems to have smoothly switched property management at Lakewood Ranch from developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch to the residents. "It was a group of very knowledgeable and very dedicated people who did a fantastic job," said Bob Weber, who represented SMR in the 18-month transition process that started in February 2005 and ended on Dec. 31, 2006. "The residents can feel comfortable with what they did." 10:51:28 AM

FL: Condo Sales Going To The Dogs in Palm Harbor Madison Oaks spokesperson John Heagney says being pet friendly is part of a new marketing strategy to attract more buyers, "What we found from experience is that a lot of the people who either requested information or are considering a place to buy, there's a consideration of whether or not we accept pets, was a very very strong element of their buying decision." 10:44:24 AM

CA: Inferno's Cause Still A Mystery The inferno on Thursday caused $6.6 million in damage -- and that number could grow. Federal investigators are working with local personnel, trying to determine a cause. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are sifting through the charred rubble of the four buildings that collapsed in a heap. 10:38:57 AM