When John Deanthony agreed Jan. 8 to sell his Sarasota-based multimillion-dollar air-conditioning business, he says it wasn't the slumping Gulf Coast residential construction market that got him. Instead, it was something even more out of his control: age.The nation's economy will slow this year, but there won't be a recession, says David Jones, the chairman of Fort Myers-based Investors' Security Trust. Epicurean Life, a Sarasota-based conglomerate of upscale restaurants, grocery stores and gift shops put up for sale three months ago, is attracting a unique lot of potential buyers, from local to international players - many, apparently with the resources to consider the $31 million price tag. It's rare when investment bank analysts recommend investors sell a stock, especially one that's rewarded shareholders so well in recent years.The shares of Bonita Springs-based homebuilder WCI Communities rose nearly 3% on Jan. 9 after Hotchkis and Wiley Capital Management announced they had amassed nearly 16% of the company's stock.Despite the significant slowing of new-home sales, investors are paying a slight premium to buy bonds of the Ave Maria residential development project in eastern Collier County, recent data shows.The rush is on to file for building-permit applications in Lee County before impact fees rise substantially in February.Not such a bad year for Tampa home sales
