Like other home builders across the state, Steve O’Dowd is looking forward to a strong year. As president of Park Square Homes, a production builder in Orlando, O’Dowd expects to almost double his sales volume this year. “Last year we closed about 450 homes,” he says, “and we should reach about 800 this year.”

As a Realtor who sells property mostly in Pinellas County, which is nearly overbuilt, I don't deal with too many builders, unless I'm selling in some of the more suburban areas of Hillsborough County, which is where Tampa is located.

Home sales are predicted to remain strong, and prices sure to go up in more overbuilt areas, while buyers can often find a more affordable home in a newly built home development located in an area that is not yet overbuilt or very close to getting there.

Click here to read the article in the most recent issue of Florida Trend to find out more about what's going on in Florida's real estate market.

-John Mudd