Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development
Northwest Florida Economy






Check out the latest studies from the Haas Center, including the Workforce Region Two Self-Sufficiency Study
and the Analysis of the Florida Film and Entertainment Industry.

EmploymentNorthwest Florida Employment
by Michael Scheibe, MBA
The unemployment rate for the Northwest Florida region in the fourth quarter of 2008 was 2.5 percent higher than it was in the fourth quarter of 2007. The unemployment rate identifies the percentage of people in the labor force that are seeking a job but do not have one. The labor force is the sum of those employed and unemployed, but it does not include the jobless who are not seeking employment such as full-time students and retirees.   More »


TourismFourth Quarter Bed Taxes Fall in 2008
by Melissa Neal, PhD
The economic downturn facing the nation has begun to affect the bed taxes collected locally. When compared with the rest of the year, the fall and winter seasons register the lowest bed tax collections.  This year, the months of October, November, and December were down a bit over the same time period in 2007.  Overall, area bed tax collections decreased slightly more than 8 percent over the fourth quarter 2007.  Bay County experienced the smallest decrease year over year, at -0.34%. Three counties – Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton – all experienced double digit drops from the same time period in 2007.  More »



Real EstateNorthwest Florida Real Estate Activity
by David Kane, BS
The fourth quarter of 2008 capped off a discouraging year on a discouraging note for real estate activity in NW Florida.  For the five-county region total home sales were down by an average of 21 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2007.  On balance however, not all the news was bad.  For the second consecutive quarter many areas within the state, particularly the southern and central regions, experienced increased sales activity.  According to the Florida Association of Realtors survey of MLS sales data within the twenty Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) that comprise the state, sales of existing single-family homes were up by 13 percent compared to last year.  Unfortunately for the three MSA’s that comprise the NW Florida region alone, sales of existing single-family homes declined by 9.6 percent.  Over the same time period the median sales price of an existing single-family home declined by a state-wide average of 26 percent, compared to a modest decline of only 5 percent in NW Florida.    More »

HousingHousing Affordability
by Anita Remesch, BS
In the fourth quarter of 2008, housing affordability increased due to decreases in mortgage interest rates and median home prices. The largest increase was felt in the Fort Walton Beach MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) with a 24.4 percent increase in housing affordability.  The Panama City MSA increased 15.2 percent and the Pensacola MSA increased 12.6 percent.  On the national level, housing affordability increased 24.2 percent.  More »

 

Retail SalesNorthwest Florida Retail Sales
by Michael Scheibe, MBA
The Northwest Florida region’s retail sales totaled over $4.5 billion in the third quarter of 2008, down 6.3 percent from the previous year. According to the Census Bureau, the retail sales figures for the nation increased 0.9 percent over the same period. The retail sales in the region are measured according to data on taxable retail sales that is collected and distributed by the Florida Department of Revenue.  More »

 

  








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