Tampa Bay area housing recovery far off, economist says

Tampa Bay area home sales, dragged down by tight credit and weak population growth, will be anything but spectacular over the next four years, according to a housing forecast released Tuesday by Florida economist Hank Fishkind. Between now and 2012, Fishkind predicts flat or modestly weaker home sales in Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties and a gradual sales increase in Hillsborough County. In Fishkind's view, prices will slowly rise as the market consumes the surplus that's kept the "for sale" listings clogged with more than 30,000 homes. The average price increase through 2012 will range from a 9.1 percent in Hernando County to 17.2 percent in Pasco County.

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