[Times photo: Dirk Shadd]

Remodeling projects keep contractors busy, with businesses reporting no slowdown since Sept. 11. Story.

Home Front
Briefs and news of note

Community Living: Former secretary refuses to release minutes
Question: I am president of our homeowners association. A previous board member was secretary and took the minutes at the last annual meeting. She is no longer on the board. She has refused to turn over the minutes of that meeting, saying they will not be needed until the next annual meeting. She also has stated that she wants two members of a dissident group to read the minutes to ensure their accuracy before she turns them over to the current secretary. We plan to request the minutes in writing and, if we get no response, have our attorney request them. Is this a reasonable course of action? We do not want to wait until the next annual meeting and run the risk of not having minutes of this year's meeting.

Learn all about associations
CLEARWATER -- A free course on Florida condominium association operations will be from 9 a.m. to noon May 20 at the Holiday Inn Select, 3535 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater.

Do it yourself -- with some online help
Helpful Web sites for do-it-yourselfers:

House Values
St. Petersburg

Homebuyer U
The Community Service Foundation offers a free "Getting a Mortgage" class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 4, Palm Harbor Library, 2330 Nebraska Ave.. Learn how to qualify for a mortgage, select the right mortgage, find assistance programs for help with down payment or closing costs. Preregistration required; call (727) 461-0618 or e-mail csfhome@gte.net. Also: "Family Budgeting," three-part money management classes for people who want to buy a house but are having trouble coming up with a down payment. Classes show how to develop a budget, how to save, and provide a basic understanding of credit reports. Sequentialclasses held 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and May 7 and 28 at the Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth St. N., St. Petersburg. Participants must attend and complete three-part class series to receive certificate. Call (727) 461-0618 for reservations.

 

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Regional real estate links:
Tampa Bay Homes - Search local MLS listings, a service of Tampabay.com.
Florida Home Builders - features Florida developers with Web sites.

Other real estate links:
Cost of Living calculator: compares the cost of living in any two cities. Also includes links to Salary Calculator and Moving Calculator among other tools.
Home Buyer and Renter Consumer Information: From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Home Buying Tips: from the U.S. Government General Services Administration.
Realtor.com: includes info on buying and selling real estate, allows you to browse property ads in the U.S. and locate realtors.