Gov. Charlie Crist calls Florida real estate a bargain

Where some folks see plunging home values, Gov. Charlie Crist smells a buying opportunity. He noted February's jump in Florida home sales at a Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce forum Monday, then offered a prediction: You'll be kicking yourself in two or three years if you don't buy at today's prices. "When is the last time you recall Florida real estate being a bargain?" Crist said. "My friends up North are buying in (Miami Beach's) Singer Island and Treasure Island. Be hopeful." Gov. Sunshine also was juiced about the state's surge in power from the sun. By next year, Florida will have more solar power installations than any state but California. "Why couldn't a place called the Sunshine State be the leader in solar power throughout the world?" he asked.