Yes Jim, we are back in Texas.
It seems eas soon as we got ther the real estate market went to away as it has on the west coast as well. My deal was to set up a development in Fort Myers and I did so. As soon as we finished it they had us put up barracades and they closed it down. It was not just that one development but many of them. There are many builders in that region holding there breaths. It is amazing to me that they still think the baby boomers are going to come in, in truckloads and save their butts. If you look at the surveys that NAHB has performed over the last five years you will know that simply is not going to happen. But them some people are just more hard headed than others.
Nothing like spending $555M of Bob Tolls money though.
We traded the hurricanes there for the hail storm here. We have been back a couple of weeks now and are trying to get situated. (sp). I really did not like the region that much at all, even in Naples. The people are just plain rude. The beaches are filthy, bad filthy. Red tide and dead fish and plants all over the beach for as far as you can see. The water stinks like nothing I have even smelt in my life and it is VERY EXPENSIVE. Christmas day it was 82* by 10:00AM.
I must admit the summers are not as hot or dry as they are here. It rained every day for four months at 3:00. Yes everyday at the same time. You could set your watch by it. The winters were not too cold either. I guess that is why the snowbirds go there, but I assure you it is no fun to live there at all. I have been in beach communities where evrything is wonderful, and I am sure many years ago it was there as well. But that was then and this is now.
We are glad to be back in Texas. I am looking forward to catching up with everyone.
Sorry Kristen, but my spelling still isn't any good.