The Florida realtors have the January numbers out. "The pace for Florida’s existing home sales remained slow in January, according to the Florida Association of Realtors. Statewide, sales of single-family existing homes totaled 9,382 last month compared to 12,906 homes sold in January 2006 for a 27 percent decrease."

"Sales of existing condominiums in Florida also decreased last month, with a total of 3,007 condos sold statewide compared to 4,279 in January 2006 for a 30 percent decline, according to FAR."

The Herald Tribune. "Sales of existing homes dropped 8 percent in the Sarasota-Bradenton market during January, which was one of the best performances statewide. But prices dropped 20 percent in the two-county market, the biggest decrease in the state. The median sales price was $284,400 during January compared with $353,500 during the same 2006 month."

"The Charlotte County-North Port market reported a 20 percent drop in sales. The median sales price in Charlotte County-North Port during January was $199,400, a drop of 12 percent from $227,400 durign the same month in 2006."

The News Press. "The number and prices of homes sold in Lee County fell in January compared to a year ago, according to statistics released today. According to FAR, the number of single-family homes sold with the assistance of a Realtor fell 34 percent in January to 492 from 751 a year earlier. The median price fell 7 percent, from $287,200 to $266,900."

"For condominiums, the price fell 9 percent from $313,800 to $285,000 while the number of sales dropped 40 percent from 229 to 138."

"Charlotte County’s price for single-family homes fell 12 percent from $227,400 to $199,400 while the number of sales fell 20 percent from 194 to 155. For condominiums, Charlotte showed a drop of 5 percent from $185,000 to $175,000 while the number fell 56 percent from 45 to 20."

From MarketWatch. "Two home builders with operations in Florida said they're seeing quarterly losses driven in part by the Sunshine State's ailing housing market."

"Hovnanian Enterprises Inc., one of the nation's largest builders of homes, said Tuesday it expects to post a loss after charges for its fiscal first quarter ended Jan. 31. Hovnanian said it expects to book about $90 million in charges related to operations in Fort-Myers-Cape Coral, Fla., 'due to a continued decline in sales pace and general market conditions, as well as increasing cancellation rates, during the quarter.'"

"Hovnanian said net contracts in its fiscal first quarter fell 23% from a year earlier. The company said the Fort Myers-Cape Coral market 'continues to face increasing resale listings, including many home listings that were recently constructed and purchased by investors.'"

"Cancellations were 36% of gross contracts in the first quarter, or 29% excluding Fort Myers-Cape Coral."

"Analyst Daniel Oppenheim said the expected charges are related to Hovnanian's August 2005 acquisition of First Home Builders, a move to position itself in the Fort Myers-Cape Coral market. First Home builds in western Florida and provides financing."

"Oppenheim, in a note, estimated the $90 million expected charge represents nearly the entire purchase price of the First Home Builders acquisition, which speaks to the 'continued deterioration in the market.'"

"A tough Florida housing market also hit WCI Communities Inc. The tower and home builder said Tuesday it swung to a loss in the fourth quarter of $64.6 million, or $1.52 a share, as it booked real estate inventory impairment losses of $91.4 million."

"The Bonita Springs, Fla.-based company said margins were hit by greater use of incentives and discounts due to rising inventories of unsold new and existing homes in its markets. 'Our Florida markets, which account for approximately 85% of our business, experienced the greatest slowdown during 2006,' said CEO Jerry Starkey."

"In WCI's tower business, the CEO said defaults and construction delays negatively impacted earnings. The net number of new tower orders for the fourth quarter was negative 22, as defaults of 27 were greater than gross new orders of five, WCI said."

"Meanwhile, in the traditional home-building operations, revenue fell from a year earlier as 22% of buyers scheduled to close defaulted in the fourth quarter."

From Reuters. "'Because of the lack of visibility on demand, cancellations that we've experienced ... we're withdrawing the guidance that we provided previously and believe that the most important metrics for WCI to focus on during 2007 is cash flow and debt reduction,' Starkey said."

The St Petersburg Times. "In January, Tampa Bay area home sales plummeted 41 percent from a year earlier. Catastrophic? You wouldn't think so if you counted all the Realtors still on the job. In Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties, only about 10 percent of Realtors have failed to renew their licenses and memberships."

"'The Florida Association of Realtors expected a 20- to 30-percent reduction. We got nowhere near that. We think most Realtors are remaining optimistic,' said Heidi Beisner, president of the West Pasco Association of Realtors."

"Not everyone abhors a thinning of the herd. Realtors like Beisner rate quality as important as quantity. And quality tended to slip in the 2005 housing gold rush. 'Some people who had gotten lucky at first but didn't have a lot of experience have left,' she said. 'It's always good to know you're dealing with a real professional.'"

"Southwest Florida’s large unsold-home inventory has crippled the new-home building industry and forced other builders to desperate measures. 'I’ve got half the work I had a year ago,' said Cape Coral’s Jack Organo, owner of Bennett Marine Contracting & Construction. 'The phone just doesn’t ring as much anymore.'"

"When the housing market started to nosedive late in 2005, dock builders started sinking as well. 'Our business is down exactly 58 percent,' said Chris Mynhier, of Boat Lift U.S."

"'What we are going through is almost identical to what home builders are going through,' said Organo."

"A sagging real estate market is driving another market: unfinished single-family homes with weed-infested lots. There are 4,914 single-family homes for sale in Cape Coral, according to the MLS, said broker Scott Marinelli."

"The falling price of homes in the Cape has contributed to the problem, said Paul Dickson, city building official. Investors who built homes now could be walking away from the homes they hoped would give them $30,000 or more in profit, he said."

"A city-painted message warns people to stay away from the unfinished home at 1904 S.W. 54th St., which is about a half-mile from Cape Harbour's two high-rise condominium towers at the southern end of Chiquita Boulevard."

"'Notice unsafe building city of Cape Coral' is scrawled in red spray paint across the front and sides of the hulk."

"The empty canal-front lots on the street list at more than $500,000. Off-water homes have been assessed at more than $300,000 in the neighborhood, stated (a) property appraiser's Web site. 'This house just turns people away,' neighbor Bill Long said. 'It brings down all our values.'"

"Robert Schaeffer also says the property values in his Southwest 12th Avenue neighborhood have been affected by the downward trend in home sales. 'My neighborhood is far less than a few acres in size; however, look at what the neighbors have to face,' Schaeffer said. 'There are now a total of 41 homes for sale, rent or vacant in our neighborhood.'"

"Drive through Schaeffer's neighborhood and it is a patchwork of nicely kept single-story, stucco homes and an overgrown mess surrounding vacant homes."

"'My neighbors are sick and tired of the way our neighborhood looks and sadly it is now typical of so many other neighborhoods in Cape Coral,' Schaeffer said. 'We want our neighborhoods to look like they did five or six years ago and not like a slum filled with abandoned homes and overgrown properties.'"