Lee families bitter over builder [South Florida]

Lee families bitter over builder [South Florida] RL Homes goes broke, won’t finish 120 projects Ken Smith’s family should have celebrated Thanksgiving in their new Lehigh home. Instead, Smith, his wife, Barbara Pandoff, 35, and boys Adam, 14 and Cayleb, 5, remain in a two-bedroom Fort Myers apartment where mom and dad sleep on a …

Only the Strongest Survive [New York City]

Only the Strongest Survive [New York City] Although qualifying to rent an apartment in New York City is not yet as tough as winning admission to Harvard or Yale, it increasingly feels that way to a large contingent of aspiring tenants — even if they actually attended Harvard or Yale and easily passed muster with …

Wal-Mart construction sends land prices soaring [Central Florida]

Wal-Mart construction sends land prices soaring Since construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter began across the street, Debbie Leahy has been bombarded with offers to buy her home. For-sale signs dot her neighbors’ lots and line the rural highway. And she can’t go into town without being asked, “Have you sold yet?” or told the latest …

Wealth gap swallows up American dream [South Florida]

Wealth gap swallows up American dream [South Florida] In the luxurious neighborhood of Port Royal, home to the likes of mystery writer Janet Evanovich and mutual fund magnate John Donahue, homeowners are insulated from many of life’s daily cares — including the real estate slump. This year, 15 estates in the country club community have …

Crime fighters fall prey to pitch [Central Florida]

Crime fighters fall prey to pitch [Central Florida] Crime fighters fall prey to pitch As many as a dozen Orange County sheriff’s employees, including a top administrator, believed so strongly in an investment venture that they never questioned it or its executives. Despite years of law-enforcement experience and exposure to scam alerts and fraud investigations, …

Proposal tees off some in Errol [Central Florida]

Proposal tees off some in Errol [Central Florida] It’s a subdivision divided. Amid the undulating green hills and century-old oaks of Errol Estate, residents are lining up on either side of the tee about how best to get the golf-course community on firm financial footing. It is longtime residents versus new, and club members versus …