Also firming up the area's multifamily market is a projectedincrease of 33,000 jobs by the end of the year, a 2.7% gain and thelargest regional employment expansion in four years.

"Business costs and sales prices are lower [in the Tampa area]compared to other regions and help to attract national investors,"says Steven M. Ekovich, the firm's Florida regional manager."Increased buyer demand and available capital have helped to raiseprices year-to-date, and the higher than normal sales volume isexpected to continue through the final months of the year."

A major national investor who has already committed to the areais New York-based Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. The world'slargest provider of technology infrastructure plans to invest $34million in facilities and equipment in the city, Ekovich says. DTCCexpects to employ 500 workers in its new Hillsborough Countyoperations center.