The construction and building activity in the Southeast is been picking up in the last year and is expected to keep this trend for the next year. While the panelists varied in the estimates the increase results in construction, majority will be the number of new construction starts in 2012 will likely top this year’s total by 50 percent. “You’ve now got development companies that have ramped back up, so there are people out there in all the markets trying to get product,” said Greg Bonifield, a partner at Arlington, Va.-based Woodfield Investments. Overall analysis determine that South Florida and Carolinas are the most attractive places to invest in United States. The increase in construction will help boost multifamily construction, and there is a tremendous bidding pressure to deliver assets in time. “Apartments are the asset class where buyers are back. So we’re seeing sites that formerly would have gone to condos that would’ve gone to office that would’ve gone to retail now coming to us.”

It’s that time of the year!  A heater is the only resource to take the chill off an apartment. But the flow of warm air can become a dangerous and damaging device if it’s left unattended of being misused. People tend to find their own ways of heating up their place, such as using kitchen stoves or ovens to stay warm. This unorthodox ideas could lead to accidents or damage to the property, it is strongly recommended to follow the tips to obtain the same outcome without putting property/life at risk.

The American Red Cross offers these tips to help prevent a home fire from alternate heating sources:

1.  Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves, or fireplaces.
2.  Portable heaters and fireplaces should never be left unattended. Turn off space heaters and make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home.
3. If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
4. When buying a space heater, look for models that shut off automatically if the heater falls over as another safety measure.
5. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
6. Keep fire in your fireplace by using a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs.
7. Have wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, and furnaces professionally inspected and cleaned once a year.