IT'S DIFFICULT FOR A WORKING PERSON TO FIND A PLACE...

Anyone who has sought to buy or rent a new residence will tell you that the Central Florida housing market has become red hot, and thus much more expensive. It's increasingly difficult for potential homebuyers to find a place for less than a six-figure sum, and those who have to rent are facing waiting lists.

The Orlando Sentinel reports this morning that in Orange County, the apartment occupancy rate is 95.1 percent...it's highest level in over five years. That figure is according to a survey by Maitland research firm Charles Wayne Consulting. The high occupancy rate is not only due to the ever increasing population of the area, but a number of apartment complexes are being converted to condominums. More than 8,900 units were converted in the past 16 months.

The numbers in the Tampa Bay area, although the figures I've read are nearly (if not over) a year old, seem to support the general trend. And, of course, the Lakeland/Winter Haven market would simply follow along as the I-4 corridor boom continues unabated. The only difference in Polk County is that there are not the high number of condominuims here than throughout the rest of the region.

I recently signed a new lease for my apartment, although I feared a hefty rent increase. Thankfully, while the rent did increase slightly, it was not nearly as much as expected. The idea of having to search for a new place to live was something I did not want to face, especially with the lack of affordable housing in the area.