The Bradenton Herald reports from Florida. "When a job opportunity led Heritage Harbour homeowner Richard Brody to move across the country, he knew selling his house would be rough. 'By the time I listed my home, the market had already gone sour,' Brody said."

"The Heritage Harbour Master Association sent a letter to Brody last month telling him the small For Sale sign he had in his yard is no longer allowed. 'We were flooded with complaints from homeowners because the neighborhood looked awful,' said Rob Allegra, Lennar division president for Sarasota/Manatee."

"Lennar, the developer and sole builder within Heritage Harbour, still maintains majority control in the homeowner's association because the neighborhood has not reached 90 percent completion. 'Developers will take every advantage they possibly can,' said (realtor) Peter Evans, who listed Brody's home. 'In the case of Heritage Harbour, they're going to continue doing things for their benefit.'"

"In East Manatee's adult community, The Cascades, the addendum was a way to weed out the investors that had been infiltrating the market, said Reine Jesel, sales manager at the Levitt and Sons community. 'They (Heritage Harbour) encouraged the investor and now they are irritated with them because they are cutting into their business,' Jesel said."

"Brody said it isn't just the banning of signs that is holding back the sale of his house. Priced at a point where he won't make a profit on the home, he still can't compete with the discounts of the developer. 'Several people who looked at my house in the last couple months have bought new houses because they're giving them away,' Brody said."

The News Press. "Lee County’s pace of construction slowed last year as a huge inventory of unsold houses piled up. That inventory has also led to a substantial drop in the median price of an existing home. November’s price was $258,600, down 12 percent from a year earlier."

"'I think building permits are down for a good reason right now,' (realtor) Brett Ellis said. 'Builders are canceling projects. Why wait six months, nine months for a new home to be built when you can get a new one already existing?'"

"Jim York, who has been building houses in Lee County for 11 years, said business was good in the first part of 2006 but that 'to be honest it’s pretty much dried up since then. There just hasn’t been a lot of activity.'"

The Orlando Sentinel. "The first Martha Stewart-inspired development in Florida will be built by KB Home on 31 acres southwest of Windermere, company representatives confirmed this week."

"Mark Kistler, an assistant professor at North Carolina State University, bought a home in July in the first Stewart-affiliated community, a development called Twin Lakes in Cary, N.C. He said Stewart's name did play a role in his family's decision."

"But the clincher for the sale was the price he got from the developer, who was eager to remove the home from its inventory after the first buyer backed out of a contract. Kistler said he paid about $359,000, or $41,000 less than the original asking price."

"A former instructor at the University of Florida, Kistler said he is still trying to sell his house near Gainesville, though after nine months he has had no takers for the 2,100-square-foot home offered for $309,900. 'The market here [near Raleigh] is definitely stronger than in Florida,' he said."

The Herald Tribune. "The first barrier island vacation rental that Warren Hickernell converted to a condominium-hotel sold out quickly, but that was the spring of 2005. Now Hickernell has millions tied up in a handful of former mom-and-pop motels that are hitting the market with fresh paint and granite countertops, but no buyers."

"'Look at the market; 2006 was a time where everybody stood on the sideline,' Hickernell said. 'It gave me time to get the renovations done. It also means there've been no pre-sales.'"

"Working with various partners, Hickernell has acquired vacation rental, motel and hotel properties on several barrier islands. He has gutted and renovated most of them with the idea of selling the units as small slices of paradise. Say 702 square feet for $653,900."

"In the meantime, he said weekends are booking strongly, though he did not have exact occupancy figures. The Capri was running a grand opening special of $89 per night on weekdays through Jan. 15. The Pearl Beach Inn on Manasota Key was offering three weekend nights for $350."

"Hickernell said the discounts are to attract a new clientele. 'All those renters are potential buyers,' he said."