The Daily Soak - August 3

Still No Takers: Shaq Drops His Asking Price Again

Shaquille O'Neal left the Miami Heat for the Phoenix Suns last year, but his 20,000 square foot Star Island mansion (Map) is still on the market. Originally built in 1992 by former Heat player Rony Seikaly, Shaq bought the crib for $18 million in 2004 and listed it for $35 million in early 2007. The first $3 million price cut (to $32 million) was enough to spark rumors last November that A-Rod was buying the home, but that deal fell through. O'Neal must be restless this off-season because, aside from dissing former teammates, he just lowered the price another $3 million to $29 million. And while pro ballers are notorious for upgrading their cribs into the realm of functional obsolescence, Shaq's mansion has such tasteful outdoor amenities as a tennis court, a private dock and a beautiful infinity-edge pool. In stark contrast, take a look at the $1,000,000 pool Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas is building. When Gilbert finally puts his Virginia home on the market, future buyers will truly appreciate the private grotto filled with flat-screens, fish tanks and an inspirational mural of Gilbert standing in front of D.C. landmarks with a pit bull. (Photos)


Ft. Myers Vice: Code Enforcement Teams Walk on the Wild Side

Some local news teams tag along with the local vice or DEA squad to give viewers an inside look at the high-risk stakes of law enforcement. NBC2 in Fort Myers hitches a ride with Lee County's finest for a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat code enforcement sweep. Sure, crack dens filled with gun-toting outlaws are scary, but nothing compares to the sheer terror of entering an abandoned home stripped of its A/C unit and copper wiring. And who needs high-speed car chases, when you have the adrenaline-pumping excitement of filling out door tags? YOCA's (You Obviously Care Awards) are left on the doorknobs of well-maintained homes, while NOV's (Notice of Violations) are left for those cold-blooded, house-neglecting gangstas. Finally, things really heat up when the officers unholster their cordless drills and pump dozens of screws into unsuspecting plywood boards to secure any unsecure openings. All in a day's work on the mean streets of Southwest Florida's gated communities. (VideoLink)


Northeast Florida Housing Market "Coming Back In Pieces"

Housing data for the first six months of 2008 are cause for optimism in Northeast Florida and, if the momentum carries into the second-half of the year, evidence the recovery has legs. So far, local industry analysts are hanging their hats on the sharp drop in housing permits and the simultaneous increases in new home sales, existing home sales and median prices. Vacant single-family inventory in Northeast Florida also fell 34% to 3,596 homes from March 31 to June 30. Wachovia analyst Mark Vitner is not too concerned by the 69% increase in foreclosures in the region; he believes they will be snatched up by bargain-hunters, as long as banks don't tighten their lending guidelines too severely. Taking all of this data into consideration, Ray Rodriguez, owner of the Real Estate Strategy Center of North Florida, is hopeful, "It's a powerful indicator of market momentum that we're starting to move in a direction. Time will tell if it's a trend, but it's something good to value for the time being."