GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Consumer Sentiment among Floridians fell two points in April to 73 from the previous month’s revised figure of 75, marking a three-month decline, according to a monthly University of Florida survey.
All five categories measured by the survey dropped. Respondents’ overall assessment that their personal finances are stronger now than they were a year ago fell three points to 59. Their expectations of being better off financially a year from now fell four points to 78.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Consumer Sentiment among Floridians fell two points in March to 74, repeating a trend seen last year, according to a monthly University of Florida survey.
The reviving Northeast Florida economy is coming up for air after the brutal recession, but one remnant of the downturn is still holding back the recovery — the high number of homeowners underwater on their mortgages.
In the Jacksonville area, about 45 percent of property owners with mortgages owe more than the homes are worth, according to CoreLogic, a California company that tracks the real estate industry.
That is double the rate for the nation. And it casts a long shadow on other positive economic trends.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Consumer Sentiment among Floridians rose three points to 69 in December, reflecting a cautious optimism in the economy, according to a recent University of Florida survey. Though the latest figure is only one point below the level set in December 2010, it also marks the highest rank in the past nine months.
The index used by UF researchers in the survey is benchmarked to 1966, which means a value of 100 represents the same level of confidence for that year. The lowest index possible is a 2; the highest is 150.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s Consumer Sentiment Index rose this month to 64, up three points from a revised mark of 61 in August, which was only two points higher than the record low of 59 set in June 2008, according to a new University of Florida survey.
“The increase in confidence this month was mostly a rebound from very low levels in August,” said Chris McCarty, director of UF’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research and Survey Research Center, which conducted the survey.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Consumer Sentiment among Floridians remained at 68 in May, ending three consecutive months of decline, according to a new University of Florida survey.
The numbers do not look good. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 17 percent of the homes in Florida are vacant - the second-highest vacancy rate in the nation behind Vermont. And in Palm Beach County it's worse - 18 percent of the homes are vacant.
When Florida voters head to the polls on Nov. 2, 2010, aside from casting votes for public office, they’ll also have six state constitutional amendments to mull over.
One of the proposals up for a vote, Amendment 4, aims to put land use changes before local voters, and has sparked heated debate.
