Things To Do In SW Florida

By ALEX VEIGA and MAE ANDERSON, Associated Press Business Writers

Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You’ll be paying more to do so.

The Trump administration’s tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China — some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks — are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects.

The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S. housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales.

We Buy Houses in San Francisco, which purchases foreclosed homes and then typically renovates and sells them, is increasing prices on its refurbished properties between 7% and 12%. That’s even after saving $52,000 in costs by stockpiling 62% more Canadian lumber than usual. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Federal Reserve officials last met in late January, things looked pretty good: Hiring was solid. The economy had just grown at a solid pace in last year’s final quarter. And inflation, while stubborn, had fallen sharply from its peak more than two years ago.

What a difference seven weeks makes.

As the Fed prepares to meet Tuesday and Wednesday, the central bank and its chair, Jerome Powell, are potentially headed to a much tougher spot. Inflation improved last month but is still high and tariffs could push it higher. At the same time, ongoing tariff threats as well as sharp cuts to government spending and jobs have tanked consumer and business confidence, which could weigh on the economy and even push up unemployment.

The toxic combination of still-high inflation and a weak or stagnant economy is often referred to as “stagflation,” a term that haunts central bankers. It is what bedeviled the United States in the 1970s, when even deep recessions didn’t kill inflation. read more

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — US shoppers stepped up their spending a just bit in February after a sharp pullback the previous month, signaling that Americans are spending more cautiously as concerns about the direction of the economy mount.

Retail sales rose just 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, the Commerce Department said Monday. Sales rose at grocery stores, home and garden stores, and online retailers. Sales fell at auto dealers, restaurants, and electronics stores.

The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and government spending cuts have led to widespread uncertainty among consumers and businesses.

On Friday, a measure of consumer sentiment fell sharply for the third straight month and is now down more than 20% since December. Respondents to the University of Michigan’s survey cited policy uncertainty as a leading reason for the gloomier outlook. While the respondents were divided sharply by party — sentiment about the current economy fell among Republican by much less than for Democrats — Republicans’ confidence in the economy’s future dropped 10%. read more

NASA bumped up the return flight home plans for the SpaceX Crew-9 mission that includes a pair of astronauts who were left behind on the International Space Station by Boeing’s Starliner.

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived to the station on June 6, 2024 for what was supposed to have been as short as an eight-day stay, but have now been on board for 9 1/2 months.

They are now slated to fly home with Crew-9 commander and NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who flew up to the station last September aboard the Crew Dragon Freedom. The four will climb aboard the spacecraft late Monday and undock from the space station at 1:05 a.m. Tuesday.

Splashdown is slated off the Florida coast about 17 hours later at 5:57 p.m.

The quartet’s departure will come about two full days after the arrival of Crew-10 to the station, which brought the orbiting science laboratory’s population up to 11 temporarily. NASA had planned on having Crew-9 leave no earlier than Wednesday, but are taking advantage of good weather conditions in the primary landing spot off Florida’s Gulf Coast. read more

Kaká, an internationally renowned former soccer player who had a three-season stint with Orlando City, has sold his Isleworth mansion with a soccer field in a side yard for $4.35 million.

The 6,665-square-foot home, located on a 0.7-acre lot at 5410 Monterrey Club Ct. in Isleworth, has six bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms. The home, which sold in late February, overlooks a portion of the Isleworth Golf & Country Club and provides spectacular views of a private body of water that isn’t accessible from the Butler Chain of Lakes.

“This home is truly unique because of its incredible setting. It sits on a quiet cul-de-sac with breathtaking views of Hourglass Pond, creating a sense of peace and privacy that’s hard to find,” listing agent Luis Martins of On Me Realty told GrowthSpotter.

“What really stands out to me is the perfect balance between luxury and comfort,” Martins said. “The six spacious bedrooms make it easy to host family and friends without ever feeling crowded. The outdoor space is just as impressive, with a summer kitchen and an oversized pool that’s perfect for entertaining. And the lower level is a hidden gem—with a cozy kitchenette and a billiard room, it’s the ideal spot to unwind. Everything about this home feels like a retreat.” read more