THIS IS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS COMING UP, BREATHING LIFE BACK INTO FLORIDA'S CITRUS INDUSTRY.

HOW SIGNS OF STABILITY OFFER HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE FLORIDA ORANGE.

AS THE NUMBER OF RARE FORMS OF CANCER BEGINS TO RISE, WE EXAMINE WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE, LIVER AND DIGESTIVE HEALTH.

AND GUESS WHERE MILLION DOLLAR HOMES ARE POPPING UP IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THE LATEST ON REAL ESTATE MARKET TRENDS.

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS OF STEADY DECLINE IN PRODUCTION, FLORIDA'S CITRUS INDUSTRY APPEARS TO BE STABILIZING THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EXPECTS FLORIDA TO PRODUCE 12 MILLION BOXES OF CITRUS THE SEASON.

THE NUMBER IS DOWN NEARLY 15% FROM LAST SEASON.

BUT GROWERS ARE OPTIMISTIC.

FLORIDA HAD NO MAJOR STORMS AND RECEIVED NEARLY 140 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE STATE AIMED AT DEVELOPING NEW RESEARCH TO FIGHT DISEASE.

>> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE CITRUS INDUSTRY.

>> WE ARE NOW JOINED BY A 4TH GENERATION CITRUS GROWER.

PAUL MATTER.

HE IS THE CITRUS COMMISSIONER FOR COLLIER, LEE AND HENDRY COUNTIES AND THE PRESIDENT OF EVERGLADES.

HARVESTING MR MATTER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY FROM THE OFFICE IN BELLE GLADE.

>> THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING.

>> THIS YEAR, FLORIDA'S ORANGE PRODUCTION IS ESTIMATED THAT 12 MILLION BOXES WHICH WOULD BE COMPARABLE TO LAST YEAR'S SEASON.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THE CITRUS INDUSTRY HAS STABILIZED >> WELL, I THINK THE FIRST THING IS WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH GOOD WEATHER THIS PAST YEAR.

WE DID NOT HAVE A HURRICANE OR ANY REAL TROPICAL DEPRESSIONS THAT CAUSED IT ANY HARM TO OUR INDUSTRY, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE SOME THERAPIES AVAILABLE TO US NOW, ALL THAT HAVE HAVE REALLY HELPED STABILIZE THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE THERAPIES YOU MENTION?

>> SO WE HAVE AN INJECTION THAT PLACED DIRECTLY INTO THE OF THE TREE BY DRILLING A HOLE THAT IS A HAVING A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE BACTERIAL LOAD INSIDE THE TREES.

SO THAT REMEDY, BUT SO FOR THE THERAPY, BY ITSELF HAS MADE A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE.

IT OUR ABILITY TO KEEP TREES ALIVE.

>> LAST YEAR YOU SPOKE WITH US AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL USE OF INDIVIDUAL PROTECTIVE COVERS TO HELP PROTECT YOUNG TREES.

CAN YOU UPDATE US ON ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGY IS BEING USED OUT TO HELP BOOST THE CITRUS OUTPUT.

>> WELL, CERTAINLY THAT'S A BIT WAS A BIG STEP.

IT SELLS RELATIVELY SIMPLE SIMPLICITY, BUT IT HAS BEEN A THE IMAGE FOR CITRUS GROWERS PLANNING IN TREES TO USE THESE BAGS TO PROTECT THE TREES FROM EVERYTHING FROM DE READING THE FULL EDGE TO CATERPILLARS AND THERE ARE REAL SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHICH WAS CITRUS ELLIPSE.

IT KEEPS THEM FROM AFFECTING THOSE YOUNG TREES, ALLOWS THOSE TREES TO GET OFF TO A REALLY GOOD START.

AND THE EXTRA WORK THAT CREATES IS GOOD FOR COLD WEATHER, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED A MONTH AGO AND AND THEY'VE OR WILL EXPERIENCE OR GET IN THE MORNING.

BUT IT ALSO KEEPS THE TREES WARM AND ALLOWS THEM TO GROW MORE MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S THAT BY ITSELF HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A POTENTIALLY HAVE SOME TREES THAT.

THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED THAT ARE OR TALLER TO THE DISEASE AND OF THOSE TREES ARE BEING PLANTED.

NOW THEY GROW THE NURSERIES AND WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY.

>> HOW IMPORTANT ARE SEASONAL MIGRANT WORKERS TO THE SUCCESS OF FARMING AND HAS RECENT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IMPACTED YOUR ABILITY TO FIND ENOUGH WORKERS FOR HARVESTING.

>> SO I THINK IN FLORIDA BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND AND INDUSTRIES OF OUR LABOR POOL WAS DEPLETED AND A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, DECADES AGO.

SO MOST GROWERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA ARE USING THE H 2 A PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE ONLY LEGAL METHOD OF BRINGING A 4 WORKERS INTO THE UNITED STATES TO WORK IN AGRICULTURE.

SO FLORIDA HAS BEEN PRETTY STABLE.

AT LEAST THE CITRUS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN PRETTY STABLE.

LABOR POOL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS USING THE PROGRAM.

>> AND LAST YEAR, LEE COUNTY'S LARGEST GROWER, A INCORPORATED LEFT THE CITRUS BUSINESS ALTOGETHER, TURNING ITS FOCUS TO LAND DEVELOPMENT AFTER ENDURING A TERRIBLE TIME IN CITRUS.

DO YOU EXPECT OTHER CITRUS COMPANIES TO SORT OF FOLDING GIVE UP AS WELL?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY 2 DECADES STARTING IN 2004 WITH HURRICANE CHARLEY.

AT THE SAME TIME, FIGHTING CAKE OR AND THEN GREENING OF FOLLOWING OF THE 4 HURRICANES THAT TOOK PLACE.

CHARLIE FRANCIS JEANNE AND WILL LOOK THEN AGAIN, HERE WE AND HE AND A FOLLOW.

SO IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY OCCUPATION FOR FOR FOR THIS FOR A FARMER AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHY.

GROWERS HAVE NOT CONTINUED TO TO REMAIN IN THE INDUSTRY ADJUST UNFORTUNATELY THIS AS AN UNSUSTAINABLE FOR SOME.

BUT SOME GROWERS HAVE BEEN IN THE PATH OF GROWTH FOR THE TABLE.

2 TO USE THEIR LAND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

ROWERS OF THE IN AN AREA WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONVERT TO SUGARCANE OR MAYBE SOME OTHER CROP UP.

MAYBE STRAWBERRIES.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF GROWERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT THEIR LAND IS TRULY SO TRUST LAND ENOUGH LIKE THOSE GROWERS, ARE THERE NO STILL IN THE INDUSTRY OR THEY'RE JUST PAUSING WAITING TO GET BACK INTO THE INDUSTRY AS THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY CATCHES UP WITH WITH WHAT WE NEED.

>> NOW YOU TOLD ME YOU USED TO PRODUCE 1 MILLION BOXES OF CITRUS EVERY YEAR LAST YEAR.

YOU PRODUCE JUST 100,000 BOXES.

WHAT HOPE DO YOU HAVE FOR THE CITRUS INDUSTRY IN FLORIDA?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY THERE'S GROUPS THAT MAY NEVER BECOME AN ORANGE GROVE OVER AGAIN, WHETHER IT HAVE HOUSES ON IT OR SOME OTHER CONVERSION, A BABY, ITS SOLAR PANELS.

BUT FOR THE REMAINING ACREAGE, I HOPE THAT THE YIELDS THAT THESE NEW TREES PRODUCE WILL BE BETTER.

AND AND THE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE HAD FOR SO MANY YEARS WILL REMAIN THERE FOR US, TOO.

TO SUPPORT.

SO I THINK THAT ALL THE THINGS ARE ALIGNING TO MAKE FOR REALLY A REALLY POSITIVE INDUSTRY AGAIN IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

AND I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

>> YES, YOU HAVE HOPE, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SHARING WITH US YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR INSIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> FOR MORE ON OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF FLORIDA'S CITRUS INDUSTRY.

>> YOU CAN HEAD TO OUR WEB SITE AT WGCU DOT ORG.

COMING UP, THE STRUGGLES OF DETECTING RARE FORMS OF CANCER.

WHY REGULAR CHECKUPS ARE JUST PART OF THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE TO GET YOU AHEAD OF THE DISEASE.

THIS YEAR.

NEARLY 150,000 CASES OF COLORECTAL CANCER ARE EXPECTED TO BE DIAGNOSED IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE SAYS THE CANCER IS BECOMING MORE COMMON IN YOUNGER PEOPLE WITH ONE IN 5 NEW PATIENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 55 WGCUS TEDDY BYRNE SHARES.

THE STORY OF ONE MAN DIAGNOSED WITH THE DISEASE DESPITE SHOWING NO SYMPTOMS.

>> OKAY.

YOU SAY I HAVE CANCER MOORE.

43, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

>> TIM BECKNER STILL REMEMBERS THE SHOCK.

HE FELT AFTER BEING TOLD HE HAD COLORECTAL CANCER LAST YEAR.

MY OLDEST DAUGHTER JUST GRADUATED COLLEGE.

MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER.

>> AND JUST GOT DONE WITH CARE GARDEN.

SHE STARTING TE BALL.

>> NOW AS OPPOSED TO HELP COACH IN HER VERY FIRST PRACTICE IS THE DAY I FIND OUT THAT CANCER.

>> TIM SAYS HE WOULD HAVE NEVER KNOWN SOMETHING WAS WRONG.

HAD HE NOT GONE TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER GETTING SICK ON VACATION?

>> AND WHAT CAME BACK WAS THAT I HAD SALMONELLA.

>> AND A MILD CASE OF DIVERTICULITIS.

HE WAS GIVEN ANTIBIOTICS, WHICH HELPED.

BUT AS DOCTOR THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET A COLONOSCOPY, TOO.

>> SOMETIMES IN A FEW PERCENTAGE OF PATIENTS, THEY HAVE SOMETHING ELSE MIMIC AND A LIGHT IS AJ CUSHION ROW IS A COLORECTAL SURGEON AT CLEVELAND CLINIC.

MIND STATION WAS THAT HIS ALASKA WAS GOING TO BE NORMAL BECAUSE THIS WAS A YOUNG, HEALTHY GUY WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE GO IN AND I FIND A MASK ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS COLON.

>> TIM ENDED UP GETTING A 3RD OF HIS LARGE INTESTINE REMOVED.

FORTUNATELY, HE DIDN'T NEED ANY OTHER TREATMENT AND NOW HE'S BACK TO DOING WHAT HE LOVES MOST.

BEING A DAD.

I'M A DAD.

>> AS I DO SO I ENJOYED JUST HANGING OUT THEM AND HOPEFULLY GET I GOT BACK ON THE GOLF COURSE.

AND THAT'S MY.

THAT'S MY ONE GOAL FOR MYSELF.

>> WGCU NEWS IM TEDDY BYRNE >> COLANGELO CARCINOMA ALSO NOTICE PILED THAT CANCER IS A RARE AND AGGRESSIVE FORM OF CANCER.

DOCTORS SAY IT IS ALSO EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSED MOST VILE DUCT CANCER.

PATIENTS ARE 65 AND OLDER, AND THEY OFTEN FACE A VERY POOR PROGNOSIS.

FOR MORE ON VILE DUCT CANCER.

WE ARE NOW JOINED BY DR ALEXEI NOVIKOV DR.

NOVACK HALF IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S DIVISION OF GASTROENTEROLOGY DOCTOR NOVIKOV.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY.

>> DOCTOR, CAN YOU FIRST EXPLAIN WHAT IS VILE DUCT CANCER?

>> ABOUT THE CANCER IS ESSENTIALLY A MALIGNANCY TO KNEEL OF THE BILE DUCT E IT'S SOMEWHAT RELATED TO PANCREATIC AND GALL BLADDER CANCER.

AND YET IT IS DISTINCT IN THE SENSE THAT IT HAS A DISTINCTLY BAD PROGNOSIS THE AVERAGE SURVIVAL OF DEFICIT THINK GOLD.

LOT OF TAKE A LUNCH CARCINOMA IS ABOUT 5 TO 7 MONTHS.

>> THAT'S THAT'S A TERRIBLE PROGNOSIS.

WHY IS THIS SUCH A A DIFFICULT DISEASE TO DIAGNOSE AND TO DETECT?

>> PARTLY HAS TO DO WITH THE BIOLOGY OF A BILE DUCT CANCER, CLINTON CARCINOMA AND BECAUSE OF JUST BECAUSE OF HOW IT IS BIOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT THAN SPECIAL.

HE DOESN'T QUITE LEND ITSELF TO BEING SEEN VERY WELL IN CROSS SECTION IMAGING, SUCH AS MRIS AND CT SCANS.

YOU CAN STILL SEE IT, BUT NOT ALL THE CANCERS WILL BE SEEN AND CERTAINLY EARLY STAGES OF CANCER MIGHT NOT BE SEEN AS WELL.

THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN WE YOU KNOW, FOR US TO EFFECTIVELY TREAT COLORED YOUR WE NEED TO HAVE A SAMPLE OF HIS CANCER IN IT.

THAT IS WHAT I DO FOR A INTERNATIONAL DESK OF THIS.

AND WE EMPLOY DIFFERENT IN THIS TOPIC, METHODS SUCH AS AND THIS COMPANY CULTURE SOUNDS IN THE RCP.

WHEN WE GET INSIDE THE BILE DUCTS TO DIAGNOSE THIS CANCER OFF THE BILE DUCT, I NORMALLY STANDARD SAMPLING METHODS SOMETIMES OFTENTIMES ARE INSUFFICIENT.

AND AGAIN, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT CANCER ITSELF IS PRETTY.

IT'S CURRENTLY CAUGHT EXPLAIN.

BUT THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF CANCER CELLS IN.

IT HAS A LOT OF INFLAMMATION THAT SURROUNDS IT.

IT HAS A LOT OF TISSUE.

THAT IS ME BY INFLAMMATORY CELLS.

BUT OFTENTIMES WHAT DID AT THE BIOPSIES FROM INSIDE THE BILE DUCTS.

THE BRUSHING IS WILL COME OUT ON DIAGNOSTIC OR INCONCLUSIVE AND THAT MAKES THINGS HARD BECAUSE THEN THE PATIENTS WOULD NEED TO DO FOR ADDITIONAL SIMPLY PROCEDURES WHICH DELAYS THE TIME FROM ONSET OF SYMPTOMS OR ONSET OF CONCERN TO UNTIL UNTIL THE TIME THAT THE EFFECTIVE THERAPY CAN BE PROVIDED FOR THIS PATIENT.

TO ME, THAT IS 6 DEGREES.

THAT'S WHY IT'S HARD.

>> EXCUSE ME.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT IS THE BILE DUCT FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BILE DUCT ISN'T, WHAT IT DOES.

>> BILE DUCTS ARE IT'S IT'S A IT'S KIND OF HARD TO EXPLAIN.

BUT BY ABOUT SO YOU HAVE A LIVER RIGHT.

>> AND THE LIVER IS A A VERY IMPORTANT ORGAN IN THAT >> IN RECYCLING OF USED RED BLOOD CELLS IN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AMONG MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS THAT LIVE OR DOES IT MAKE SMILE OKAY.

ONCE THE BY LIZ ME BY LAW HAS TO SOMEHOW BE TRANSPORTED IN THE SMALL BOWEL BECAUSE BOWED BY LUTZ SELF ACTUALLY PLAYS A NUMBER OF REALLY IMPORTANT ROLES, INDIGESTION, IN MAINTENANCE, ALL OF YOUR NORMAL BODILY FUNCTIONS.

BUT THE WAY TRANSPORT IT AND WE'RE GONNA GET TO THAT IS, IN FACT, THROUGH THE BILE DUCTS.

AND SO INSIDE THE LIVER RIGHT THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED THE BILL A RETREAT AND THIS TREE IS THAT.

SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.

IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE TREE.

IT HAS LITTLE BRANCHES THAT KIND OF COME TOGETHER TO FORM BIGGER AND BIGGER, BIGGER DUCKS UNTIL YOU GET TO SOMETHING CALLED A MAIN DOCKED OR COMING BY TO COME IN BILE DUCT AND THAT DACA ACTUALLY INTER'S INTO THAT.

THE WIDE NUMB AND THAT'S STRUCTURED ABILITY TREE IS WHAT ENABLES THE LIVER TO BASICALLY SEND THE BILE INTO THIS MOBILE WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE USED FOR THE GESTURE.

HOPEFULLY THAT EXPLAINS IT.

IT CERTAINLY DOES.

>> NOW WE KNOW THE BOOST OF THOSE DIAGNOSED ARE OVER THE AGE OF 65.

WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN OLDER AGE AND THIS PARTICULAR CANCER?

>> WELL, WE FIND THAT THIS IS AN INTERESTING KIND, THE CONVERSATION SO LET'S JUST STEP BACK FOR A SECOND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU CAN BE SOME CLASSIFIED INTO DIFFERENT TYPES.

THERE'S ENTRY ABOUT IT.

THERE'S PRETTY KYLER AND THERE'S EXTREME BIDEN CLINCH A CARCINOMA AND THEY'RE KIND OF DESIGNATED BASED ON WHERE THE CANCER HAPPENS, EITHER THAT HAPPENS IN THE BILE DUCTS, INSIDE THE LIVER, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE LIVER OR REALLY OUTSIDE THE LIVER.

WE GENERALLY SPEAKING.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT'S THE CANCER OF OLDER FOLKS AND IT HAS TO DO SOMETHING.

WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AND WHAT CAUSES GOING TO QUESTION THEM.

WE THINK ABOUT SOMETIMES WE WE SUSPECT THAT MAYBE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES, BUT, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, CANCER IS A DISEASE OF OLDER FOLKS.

WE DO KNOW THAT RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN THERE'S THERE'S INTERESTING DATA THAT PROBABILITY OF HAVING KHALID YOUR HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY YOUNGER POPULATION, BUT IT HAS BEEN.

WELL, THERE'S DATA ONLY FOR THE INTERNET.

BACK ON YOUR OF THAT IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY YOUNGER.

SO TO SAY AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

IT COULD BE OBESITY COULD BE ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR TRIGGER OR ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGER AT THIS POINT.

>> IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE OUR RISK OF GETTING THIS KIND OF CANCER?

>> NOT AT THIS TIME.

SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE AWARE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS SCREENING FOR COLON TO QUESTION AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION AND CANCER.

IT MEANS TO BE OF RELATIVELY RARE CANCER WILL, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT WE DIAGNOSE ABOUT 10,000 CASES OF COVID.

YOUR MEAN, THERE'S THIS PER YEAR.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE COUNTRY HAS CLOSE TO ABOUT 350 MILLION PEOPLE IN IT IN IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD AS YOU'LL DIAGNOSED 10,000 CASES OF CALANDRA YOU WILL DIAGNOSE CLOSE TO A MILLION CASES OF COLON CANCER.

SO IT IS A RARE CANCER THAT BEING SAID THERE ARE SPECIFIC GROUPS THAT WILL HAVE A HIGHER RISK EXAMPLE WOULD BE PEOPLE WITH PRIMARIES CLOSING COLIN JUDGES, WHICH IS NOTHING IN DISEASE OF THE LIVER CAR TIES BY INFLAMMATION CHRONIC INFLAMMATION OF THE BILE DUCTS.

SO THESE GUYS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING CLINCH.

A ABOUT 10% RISK IN A LIFETIME.

BUT FOR GENERAL POPULATION, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR LIVER HEALTH, PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR LIVER NUMBERS.

AND IF YOUR LIVER NUMBERS ALSO, WE CALL OF LEFTIES ARE ELEVATED.

THAT WOULD BE A TIME TO BE EVALUATED BY A SPECIALIST WHO CAN I QUICKLY EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON?

AND IF THERE'S A CONCERN TO GET APPROPRIATE, HIGH-QUALITY CHRIS IMAGING THAT CAN LEAD TO AN EARLIER DIAGNOSIS.

>> SO THERE'S NO SPECIFIC SYMPTOM THAT WOULD ALERT ONE THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THIS.

>> THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS UNLESS IT'S LONGER OR MORE.

YOU KNOW THAT.

ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THIS KIND OF LIKE JAUNDICE OR YELLOWING OF THE SKIN YELLOWING OF THE EYES AND DARK URINE THAT HAPPENS.

AND THAT IS CERTAINLY A SIGN TO BE VALUED BY A DOCTOR.

BUT IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A SPECIFIC SIGN, MEANING THAT MANY DISEASES CAN GIVE THAT THING AND IT DOES HAPPEN.

LOOK, LEGIT COURSE NUMBER.

BUT IT HAPPENS RELATIVELY.

A LEADER IN THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE.

WE DON'T HAVE A VERY LATE TO DETECT THIS THING EARLY.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.

YOUR TIME.

AND JOINING US TODAY, DOCTOR NOVACK HALF.

>> IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME.

>> AFTER THE BREAK, FIND OUT WHERE MILLION DOLLAR HOME LISTINGS ARE POPPING UP IN AN AREA OF LEE COUNTY KNOWN FOR ITS AFFORDABILITY.

FOLLOWING A SERIES.

OF COURSE, CORRECTIONS SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S HOUSING MARKET IS ENTERING A BUYER'S MARKET.

HOWEVER, DESPITE AN OVERALL FALLING HOME PRICES AND AN INCREASE IN INVENTORY, SOME AREAS OF LEE COUNTY ARE SEEING REAL ESTATE SURPRISES.

MILLION DOLLAR HOMES ARE NOW ON THE MARKET IN LEHIGH ACRES.

THAT'S FAR BEYOND THE AVERAGE HOME LISTING PRICE OF $330,000.

SO ARE THESE MARKET ABERRATIONS OR SOMETHING MORE?

JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT TRENDS IN OUR MARKET.

DANNY GRIMES, A 40 YEAR VETERAN OF REAL ESTATE.

HIS TEAM HAS SOLD MORE THAN 1 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF HOMES.

DENIS, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

YOU'RE MY PLEASURE.

FOR 25 YEARS, YOU HAVE BEEN THE KEY NOTE, SPEAKER OF MARKET WATCH.

NOW.

IT'S CALLED MARKET TRENDS.

IT'S THE LARGEST REAL ESTATE FORECASTING EVENT OF ITS KIND IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

IT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK IN FORT MYERS.

FIRST, CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW WILL LOWER MORTGAGE RATES IMPACT OUR MARKET ARE BUYERS AND OUR SELLERS.

>> WELL, FOR THOSE FINANCE, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY PAYING CASH.

IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL.

BUT FOR THOSE IN THE FINANCE AND MAKES THE WHOLE MORE AFFORDABLE.

EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND AFFORDABILITY.

YOU KNOW, OUR MARKET IS DONE REALLY WELL UP UNTIL THAT TIME, OF COURSE.

AND IT EXPLODED DURING THE COVID YEARS.

AND WE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT NOT ONLY THE HIGHER INTEREST RATES, BUT THEN HIGHER HOME PRICES IN AND THEN WE HAD HURRICANE IAN IT IN THE LEAD TO HIGHER INSURANCE PRICES, WHICH LED TO HIGHER HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION PRICES IN TAXES.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THE AFFORDABILITY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

FELL OFF EVERYONE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE'S RADAR BECAUSE OF ALL OF THOSE TEAMS COMBINE OTHER FALLING INTEREST RATES WHICH ARE HOVERED ABOUT 6%.

WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MAGIC NUMBER AND IT HAS INCREASE BUYER INTEREST OF OUR ACTIVITY.

AND THERE ARE STILL SOME BUYERS OUT THERE WAITING FOR SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

AND THAT'S THAT 3 OR 4% INTEREST RATE THAT WE HAD A FEW YEARS AGO.

>> CAN YOU TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON IN LEHIGH?

IT'S NORMALLY VIEWED AS A PRETTY AFFORDABLE AREA FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN WORKING EAST OF 75.

BUT I UNDERSTAND AT LEAST 3 HOMES HAVE HIT THE MARKET RECENTLY PRICED AT OVER 1 MILLION DOLLARS.

UNHEARD OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH US.

>> WELL, THERE'S A SAYING IN REAL ESTATE, THE TIME SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS.

AND I REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW.

IT WAS 2020 OR NOT.

I'VE BEEN SELLING HOMES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FOR 40 YEARS, BUT THERE WAS A DAY WHEN CAPE CORAL HAD ITS FIRST MILLION DOLLARS SALE AND EVERYBODY WAS CELEBRATING.

WELL LAST YEAR ABOUT 250 HOMES SOLD IN CAPE CORAL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.

SO IT'S NOT A KIND OF OLD HAT.

NOW, THE NEW KID IN TOWN, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE SEVEN-FIGURE HOMES IS IN LEE HOT, THE VERY FIRST SALE OF A SEVEN-FIGURE HOME JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO PLACE LAST YEAR.

JENNIFER.

AND THIS YEAR, THERE ARE 3 HOMES ON THE MARKET CURRENTLY OVER 1 MILLION DOLLARS.

ONE AS MUCH AS 1.5 MILLION.

>> WHAT IS DRIVING THIS?

WHAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT?

>> WELL, I SAID, YOU KNOW.

>> TIME SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS.

AND SO WHAT I THINK IS GOING ON THERE AT LEHIGH IS STILL AFFORDABLE.

IT WILL PROBABLY REMAIN AFFORDABLE.

IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE AREAS IN THE COUNTY.

NOW YOU MENTIONED THE MARKET RUN PROGRAM WHICH IS COMING UP NEXT WEEK.

WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF NEW, A NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HEADING OUT ON STATE ROAD.

82 ALL THE WAY OUT TOWARDS 29.

AND SO WE'RE LEHIGH USED TO APPEAR KIND OF LIKE WAY OUT.

IT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE CENTRAL AND WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, LEHIGH.

AND AS THE DEMOGRAPHICS IS THAT.

ROUGHLY 60% OR MAYBE JUST OVER 60% OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS.

THERE ARE LATIN.

A LATINO OR HISPANIC.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT'S THEY'RE FAMILY ORIENTED.

SO PEOPLE LIKE TO LIVE NEXT TO THEIR FAMILIES.

AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT THE PRICE PRICE RAIN SPREAD A LITTLE BIT.

AND YOU ARE FINDING POCKETS OF HOMES THAT ARE MUCH LARGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IMMEDIATELY.

PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE AROUND THEIR FAMILY.

>> VERY INTERESTING WOULD.

I'M SO EXCITED TO LOOK FORWARD AND SEE WHAT IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE OUT IN THAT QUARTER, ESPECIALLY AT LEHIGH NOW, CAPE CORAL, AS WE KNOW, HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF MULTIPLE NATIONAL ARTICLES WITH DISMAL NEWS CALLING IT THE WORST HOUSING MARKET IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

CAN YOU SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE ON THE CAPE CORAL HOUSING MARKET AS A LOCAL REALTOR FOR 40 YEARS?

YOU'VE BEEN IN THE AREA.

WHAT WHAT IS YOUR PERSPECTIVE?

>> WELL, THAT ALL STEMMED THIS PAST SUMMER, WALL STREET JOURNAL WROTE AN ARTICLE CALLED CAPEL THE WORST MARKET IN THE COUNTRY AND IT GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHY.

NOW YOU'RE IN JOURNALISM.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS.

A STORY.

THEN THERE'S THE STORY THAT WHOLE ARTICLE IS BASED ON A STORY.

THEY TALKED ABOUT SOMEONE WHO BOUGHT AFTER THE COVID YEARS AFTER THE PEAK OF THE MARKET AND THEY HAD THEIR HOME ON THE MARKET AND BASICALLY BECAUSE THEY PAID MORE FOR IT AND THEY ADD THEY WANTED TO GET A CERTAIN PRICE AND THE PRICE, THE MARKET IT EXCEPT THE PRICE.

SO THEY HAD TO LOWER THE PRICE QUITE A BIT IN ORDER FOR TO SELL.

AND SO THEY'RE TAKING THAT AS A STORY SAYING THE BALL, ALL THE SELLERS AND CAPE CORAL HAVE TO LOWER THEIR PRICE CONSIDERABLY IN ORDER TO SELL.

WELL, THAT'S NOT THE STORY.

THE STORY IS THAT HOME PRICES ARE UP AND I HAVE THE DATA.

HOME PRICES ARE UP DOUBLE DIGITS FROM 2019 WAS WAS JUST BEFORE COVID.

SO IN REALITY, HOMEOWNERS IN CAPE CORAL AND ALL OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HAVE WON THE OF EQUITY IF THEY'VE OWN PRIOR TO 2022.

PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT AFTER 2022 BECAUSE THE MARKET STARTING TO CORRECT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE WHAT WE CALL KIND OF UPSIDE DOWN.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FOCUSED ON.

AND WHEN I SAW THAT, I HAVE TO GET ON FACEBOOK AND I DON'T GET ON IT THAT OFTEN.

AND I GAVE THEM THE REBUTTAL AND THAT THAT MY MY REBUTTAL KIND OF WENT VIRAL BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE NEEDED TO HEAR THE STORY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA.

THE STORY IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WHEN IT COMES TO RESIDENTIAL IS OUR MARKET IS HEALING BECAUSE IT EXPLODED DURING COVID.

WE HAD 2 YEARS ARE ACTUALLY 15 MONTHS A YEAR AFTER ON GROWTH THAT COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED.

NOW OUR MARKET IS COMING BACK DOWN TO EARTH.

YES, THAT MEANS LOWERING PRICES, BUT THEY'RE STILL WELL ABOVE RATIONAL VALUES.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR TIME TODAY.

DANNY.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> COMING UP TOMORROW, HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS.

WE EXAMINE THE REASON HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS LEFT THE CARIBBEAN NATION AND THE CONDITIONS THEY COULD BE FORCED TO RETURN TO THAT STORY AND MORE ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

MAKE SURE YOU HEAD TO WGCU DOT ORG WHERE YOU WILL FIND ALL OF OUR STORIES.

PLUS THE EXTENDED INTERVIEWS GREAT EVENING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN TUESDAY RIGHT HERE ON SOUTHWEST FLORIDA IN FOCUS.