From floridarealtors.org
Floridians’ consumer sentiment in February rose more than a point, to 94.7, compared to January. It’s the seventh straight month for an increase, according to the University of Florida survey.
“Economic optimism among Floridians continues to advance as many of the fundamentals show improvement,” says Chris McCarty, director of UF’s Survey Research Center in the Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
Theincrease stemmed largely from a significant increase in Floridians’ views of their personal finances now compared to one year earlier.
That component rose 7.6 points to 85.1, its highest level since June 2006 when the Florida housing market was at its peak. Among Floridians under age 60, it jumped from 84.2 in January to 92.5; for those age 60 or older, it ticked up marginally from 64.1 to 64.7.
Perceptions that it’s a good time to buy big-ticket items, such as a car or appliances, rose 2.2 points to 100.8.