Check out the latest studies from the Haas Center.
 

Northwest Florida Employment
by Michael Scheibe, MBA
The unemployment rate for the Northwest Florida region in the first quarter of 2010 was 2.3 percent higher than it was in the first quarter of 2009. The unemployment rate identifies the percentage of people in the labor force that are seeking a job but do not have one. The labor force is the sum of those employed and unemployed, but it does not include the jobless who are not seeking employment such as full-time students and retirees. More »

Northwest Florida Real Estate Activity
by David Kane, BS
The first quarter of 2010 began the year along the same upward trajectory as was seen during most of 2009.  Almost across the board sales were up significantly from a year ago, in both the NW Florida region and throughout the state.    For the five-county NW Florida region as a whole, total home sales were up by a combined average of 25.3 percent compared to the first quarter of 2009.  Home re-sales were up by 26.7 percent overall and new home sales increased by 12.7 percent.  For the state this is the seventh consecutive quarter that Florida has reported higher (than the corresponding quarter of the previous year) sales of existing homes.  According to the Florida Association of Realtors survey of MLS sales data within the twenty Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) that comprise the state, sales of existing single-family homes were up by 24 percent compared to last year.  For the three MSA’s that comprise NW Florida the combined increase in existing home sales was 16.3 percent.  Over the same time period the median sales price of an existing single-family home declined by a statewide average of 5 percent - down to $133,800.  In the NW Florida region, however, the decline was only 1.3 percent, bringing the median sale price to $160,660 – a full 20.0 percent higher than the statewide average.  Regarding median sales prices the most important thing to note is that the rate of decline has diminished significantly over the past several quarters, indicating that the bottom of the price fall is probably close at hand. More »

Housing Affordability
by Anita Remesch, BS
In the first quarter of 2009, housing affordability increased in Panama City MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) and Pensacola MSA due to decreases in median home prices and interest rates. The largest increase was felt in the Panama City MSA with a 14.2 percent increase in housing affordability.  The Pensacola MSA increased 3.9 percent.  The Fort Walton Beach MSA decreased 2.2 percent largely due to an increase in median home prices and a decrease in median income.  On the national level, housing affordability increased 12.9 percent. More »

Northwest Florida Retail Sales
by Michael Scheibe, MBA
The Northwest Florida region’s taxable retail sales totaled almost $3.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009, down 2 percent from the previous year. Despite the region as a whole being down 2 percent from the previous year, one county gained. Jackson County increased sales by 3 percent. The largest percentage decline among the 16 counties was Gulf County at -13.5 percent. The retail sales in the region are measured according to data on taxable retail sales that is collected and distributed by the Florida Department of Revenue. More »

Bed Tax Numbers
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