Florida’s real estate sector feeling most confidence since 2007: survey

Signs of recovery in the housing market have Florida’s real estate professionals at their most confident since 2007, according to surveys by the University of Florida, Florida Current reported. Despite the state’s still-high unemployment rate and a proportion of distressed loans well above the national average, industry professionals report optimism that the market is improving. The confidence can be partially attributed to increasing trade with Latin America, the availability of affordable lots for new residential development and the nearly 66,000 jobs added to Florida’s economy during the first three months of 2012. [Florida Current]