Notes from Charlotte County

In hard and discouraging times, even small signs of hope really stand out. Below are the results of a recent poll by ZOGBY.com, which finds that the majority of Americans feel that there is no time like present to buy a home. There are lots and lots of homes on the market, fantastic prices, great mortgage rates and with the right Realtor (US!), you can land a truly great bargain which will stand the test of time as a good investment. Call us and we’ll show you some of these amazing buys!

WASHINGTON – April 18, 2008 – A new Reuters/Zombie poll finds that more than half (54 percent) of Americans now think it’s a good time to buy a home. While consumers still view the economy with a wary eye, confidence also improved in April, rebounding to 95.5 percent from a low of 87.7 in March.

“Despite months of negative economic news, the overall mood of Americans is showing some signs of improvement – even though most still believe the U.S. is in the midst of a recession,” the poll says. The Reuters/Zogby Index includes 10 poll questions that gauge perception of the state of the country and the economy.

Nearly three in four Americans (71 percent) believe the U.S. economy is currently in a recession, a slight decrease from 74 percent who said the same last month. This month’s survey also finds fewer Americans give their personal financial situation a negative rating (47 percent), compared 54 percent who said the same in March. Slightly more than half (53 percent) rate their personal financial situation as excellent or good, compared to 46 percent last month who felt the same.

The telephone survey included 1,049 likely voters nationwide and was conducted April 10-12, 2008. It carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

For a methodology statement on this poll, please visit:
http://www.zogby.com/methodology/readmeth.dbm?ID=1292

Skybus, the Columbus, Ohio-based regional airline ceased operations Saturday, in the face of mounting financial concerns and announced plans to file for bankruptcy protection early next week. Skybus was the only airline since the 1980s to offer commercial service in and out of the Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda. It operated out of the recently completed Bailey Terminal where it operated for only four months.

"We're disappointed. However, we feel like Skybus has proved our market," said Airport Authority Executive Director Gary Quill, who added that the airline had 40,000 passengers coming through the airport in March. "Clearly, we're a good prospect in the future for someone else or possibly Skybus, if they emerge from bankruptcy." Quill went on to indicate that the Airport Authority has been in conversation with other air carriers.