Related Group sees a St. Petersburg condo tower in its future

ST. PETERSBURG — Miami’s Related Group, one of Florida’s top developers, would like to build an “iconic’’ condo tower in downtown St. Petersburg, the company’s chairman and CEO says. Though the idea is very preliminary, it shows the continuing interest in what has become one of the trendiest downtowns in the state. And while Related
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2018 look ahead: Luxury hotels, new flights and airport projects mark Tampa’s tourism industry

Tampa International Airport and the prospect of two new luxury hotels promise to make the region an even hotter tourism destination. The pressure is on in 2018 for Tampa International Airport to match or surpass a strong year of passenger growth and move into the second phase of its massive $2.6 billion, multiyear master plan. A
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Remodeling for profit? Unlikely

Home renovations as an investment for a future sale with hopes of recovering the improvement costs are a dicey prospect at best. Real estate agents and remodeling construction specialists caution against that assumption. “Hardly anything will offer a net profit,” says Barry Grooms, Realtor, broker and co-owner of SaraBay Real Estate with his wife, Sherry.
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St. Pete takes major step in building its new pier

The St. Petersburg City Council on Thursday approved an $18 million payment to the construction manager for a new pier. That payment would be the final portion of what was owed to the construction manager, Skanska, under an agreement that put a guaranteed maximum price on the work. About $13.5 million has already been spent
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Two Clearwater Beach hotels among top 10 in Florida

Both the Sandpearl Resort and Opal Sands Resort were ranked near the top on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards for top resorts in Florida. The 253-room Sandpearl was No. 7 while the 230-room Opal Sands was ranked No. 8 on the list, which also has the Resort at Longboat Key in Sarasota in

Kitchen remodels offer big paybacks at resale

Homeowners looking for a remodeling project may be smart to tackle a kitchen renovation if they’re looking for projects with the strongest buyer appeal and higher returns on their investment at resale. Kitchen renovations and upgrades are among the top remodeling projects most likely to add value to a home at resale and most likely

Will Hurricane Irma slow Tampa Bay’s booming real estate market?

Expecting the worst from Hurricane Irma, Tampa real estate agent Jeff Shelton fled to Atlanta where wind-whipped trees toppled onto two rental properties he owns. Back in Florida, his house and beachfront condo both survived Irma unscathed. That’s the kind of story he’s happy to share with clients. “I’ve got two executives with a major
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Vinik-Cascade team reveals conceptual design for Water Street Tampa (Renderings)

Strategic Property Partners has revealed the conceptual design of the first phase of its mixed-use district — and it’s essentially a new, tree-lined city between the Channel district waterfront and the central business district. SPP, the real estate holding company controlled by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik and Cascade Investment LLC, on Tuesday rolled out a
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What do buyers think when they step inside your listing?

CHICAGO – Aug. 16, 2017 – If an interior designer walked through the front doors of your listing, what would their first impression be? Traffic flow “The first thing I notice is whether or not the furniture placement promotes good flow of traffic,” says Lorelie Brown, a Showhomes franchisee in Charleston, S.C. Open floor plans
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Amazon’s Alexa adds more real estate skills

SEATTLE – Aug. 4, 2017 – More companies are finding ways to integrate digital voice assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa, into showcasing real estate information. Coldwell Banker focused more on voice-assisted devices after a consumer survey earlier this year found that 72 percent of Americans with smart home products want voice control. By the end of
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