With Florida’s unemployment rate dropping to single digits, will confidence in the economy continue to build? Read more about the economic recovery in Florida in this article.

Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 9.9 percent in December, the first time the rate has fallen below 10 percent in more than two and a half years.

Slowing banks are becoming more confident in the commercial real estate market. Find out more about the types of deals that are getting done and how banks are helping.

In what appears to be a sign of things to come, U.S. Bank recently closed on an $18 million construction loan for NoBe Bay, a 98-unit waterfront condominium project.

Lakeland Electric recently completed the first phase of a 5.5 megawatt (MW) solar farm located on the northwest corner of the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport property.

RealEstateRama

Sperry Van Ness International, a national commercial real estate brokerage franchisor, today announced the launch of the “Million Books for Kids” project. One million books are being donated by Better World Books in 2012 to promote literacy among low-income children by providing books to the 100,000 kids with no books to read in their home.

As we look forward to a new year, I am pleased to share my thoughts on the very memorable 12 months past, and to offer my outlook for the commercial real estate market in 2012. Before I do, I would be remiss if I did not thank the Sperry Van Ness clients, Advisors, staff, and fellow brokers for their contributions in driving us forward in spite of the unpredictable times. I know that I speak for all SVN Advisors and staff when I wish you a prosperous New Year.

A Year of Fits and Starts for Commercial Real Estate
This is a preview of The Year Ahead – 2012.

Will two new projects in Ft. Lauderdale attract the tenants needed to revive the New River district? Read more to find out.

Paul Owers | Sun Sentinel

Two recent deals for properties in distress along the New River are expected to help renew a key stretch of downtown Fort Lauderdale, although the developers face challenges, an expert says.

As the commercial real estate market starts to warm up, other signs of the improving economy are validated as well. The year end flurry of deal activity of SVN Florida advisors around the state show that investors and users are now sensing that the “best time to buy or lease is NOW” . Prices and lease rates may be headed back up again.

Donna Gehrke-White | Sun Sentinel

The Sunshine State’s economy should further rebound in 2012, with South Florida outperforming what turned out to be a disappointing 2011, several indicators show.

Will 2012 bring access to more commercial real estate loans? Economist, Dr. Chandan, discusses the effects of legacy distress on the market.

Dr. Sam Chandan | GlobeSt.com

As reported in our most recent Bank Default and Lending Report, the combined default rate on banks’ commercial and multifamily mortgage loans fell to 3.75 percent in the third quarter of 2011.

Will the new year mean more jobs for the Miami-Dade area? Read more about the plans for a new business park that could bring 6,000 jobs.

Oscar Pedro Musibay | South Florida Business Journal

Liberty Property Trust company’s proposed 1.6 million-square-foot business park, to be called Miami International Tradeport, will add $135 million in value to Miami-Dade County’s tax base, generate 4,000 construction jobs, and 2,000 full-time jobs upon completion in five to seven years.

Two of Florida’s metropolitan areas plans for increasing their workforce in 2012 ranks on Forbes’ list for 2012.

Susan Adams | Forbes

Though Florida was hard hit by the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, and unemployment in the state sits 1.5% above the national average at 10.1%, in the first quarter of 2012, employers in two of Florida’s metropolitan areas are planning to increase their workforces at a rate that outpaces every other metro area in the country, according to employment services firm Manpower Group’s latest employment outlook survey.