Evening star., 1928-05-13
RY /. A. FLEMING.

Florida has quickly regained hei
prestige as Winter resort. The past
season was continued we'll into April
while Miamis leading hotels kept open
house into May awaiting the coming oil
the hosts of Shriners In specials and
via the Dixie Highway.
Several causes have contributed tC
the recovery of the tourist trade with
better train service one of the most Inn
portant. one night out to Eastern and
two nights to Midwestern points Tor
nadoes have been forgotten and the
devotees Of the links find that they can
play every day in the season--that rain
easily gives way to sunshine and that
wet grounds are a matter of a few MN
utes only.
Climate, while not always ideal, is Sc
much better than the brand furnished
to Northerners in their home towns
that 1t is deeply appreciated, Highway
travel has been very heavy and the
north-bound trains even as late as May
were we'll filled.
West coast resorts filled up early and
East coast hotels the middle OF Janu-
ary. There was no cutting and slash
ing of rates by hotel managers, but there
was a little hesitation in pressing rates
to higher levels. apparently a dread OF
checking the rebound In its initial
movement
Real Estate Flat.
There has been no improvement ir
the demand for real estate. Where
there has been betterment is in the
settlement of transactions made during
the boom period. chiefly by the taking
back of title In exchange for the small
AsaxRFN fNnV IA 10 - In -
called purchases were made. In many
cases this has been accomplished the
best way possible, by mutual agreement
In others courts have been appealed tC
for recovery of title and often by de-
fault. with service of suit by publication
Former real estate men have beer
busily engaged either In finding some
other kind of employment or In moving
from Florida. so that this very un.
favorable feature of the situation ha!
been alleviated Realtors, there ar,
still some in every town, are now wait.
Ing for the rebound. which they conf
IDENTIFY expect will arrive before another
year has passed, belief that require:
that one be an optimist.
Boom Has Not Hurt.
The boom and its collapse have moi
hurt Florida nor its people, although
there are many who overstayed theil
market and have big paper losses
expectations unrealized but even ir
the cases where title has been retaker
the sellers have received fairly gooc
down payments.
1t is the people who rushed into
Florida with no idea of ever making
their homes there, securing option.
and so-called binders" with small
cash payments and some who paic
down large sums for important acreage
that have sustained the large losses
Then too, some buyers have paid out
on their contracts for property thai
has little or no value right now anc
was worthless even at the peak of ths
boom. These are they who bought
without seeing.
Right now real estate Is in the dumps
An occasio" nj sale Is reported, with
many rune. IS as TO the price paid with
no actual knowledge save that 1t was
a bargain from the center OF the
counter.
Asking prices have generally been re.
duced two-thirds, while a cash custo-
mer would be welcomed and almost
permitted 70 name his own price.
Building operations have been at a
standstill all year TO date and bond
issues by towns cities, counties, drain
age districts. etc. paving, gas or water
once SO easy to put over, are in the