Gov. Charlie Crist met Wednesday with more than a dozen Realtors, who offered generally positive news about the uptick in the residential real estate market.

"As goes your business, so goes Florida," Crist told them.

Typical of the news Crist heard came from Wendell Davis of Jacksonville, who said: "Sales are increasing. Inventories are reducing."

All was not rosy: Some agents said banks won't lend money for commercial real estate projects. Realtors Gary Schraut in Brooksville and Sheri Meadows in Ocala said rising unemployment remains a major problem. Crist said Tuesday's passage of rail projects by the Legislature is one way to address that.

"You're this Democrat's favorite Republican," Broward Realtor Summer Greene told Crist.

All of the talk was music to Crist's ears.

"Obviously, I believe that the economy has stabilized," Crist said.

-- Steve Bousquet