When couples split, the home is a hot potato

During the real-estate boom, couples who divorced would fight over who got the house, betting that the winner could get rich from rapidly escalating prices. Spouses plunked down thousands to buy out their partner. Disposing of the ''marital asset'' was easy, since homes were selling in a day or two for inflated prices.

Real estate listings from Michael Y. Cannon

Location: 3211-3231 W. Flagler St. Seller: Estate of Esther R. Pupo, represented by Gloria T. Moises, personal representative. Buyer: 3211, LLC, represented by Henry Salum, managing member.

CONDO LINE

Roof assessment wasn't used up so why wasn't excess returned?

Q: I own a condominium with garden-style buildings. The board decided we needed to replace the roof on one of the buildings and created a special assessment of $40,000. Instead of replacing the roof they ended up only doing a patch job for much less, less than $3,000. I was outraged that we would have to pay for such a large assessment when not needed. I think the overage of the assessment should be returned to the owners. The president says they will keep the funds in an account. I do not trust...

WASHINGTON REPORT

How about a mortgage at a 2.99% fixed rate?

What will it take to get consumers off the sidelines to buy more houses and help stimulate the economy? How about a mortgage at a 2.99 percent fixed rate for 30 years for anyone who purchases a home before next July 1? Or how about a non-repayable federal tax credit of 10 percent of the home price up to $22,000?

WATCH IT GROW

Scarlet vine boldly climbs to the top

Name: Red jade-vine; mucuna vine Botanical name: Mucuna bennetti (syn: Mucuna novoguineensis ) Description: There aren't many vines that can compare with this scarlet beauty for sheer voluptuous shape and searing color. A vine in the bean family, this New Guinea native can be just as aggressive as the jade vine, Strongylodon macrobotrys, whose flower shapes these resemble. The hanging bunches of flowers, called racemes, are not as long as those on the jade, but that hardly matters. They will hang...

Dania shop specializes in treasures from the sea

The official name of this store is Alex's Flamingo Groves and Gift Shop, but some regulars simply refer to it as the shell shop. Indeed, it is a shop with lots of shells. Bins and bins highlight the twisty, speckled, smooth, prickly and rippled assortment of treasures from the sea. Teeny apple blossom shells are pink and white. Lion's paws are fan shaped. A Japanese slit looks like a generous dollop of whipped cream. More than 700 varieties are in stock, and most come from the Philippines, according...

REAL ESTARE

Kelsey Grammer trying to quick-flip houses

Actor Kelsey Grammer is trying to sell two Los Angeles houses he bought last year. Grammer, 53, of Cheers and Frasier, is asking $4.35 million for his estate in Bel-Air. He bought the 7,600-square-foot house, which was built in 1999, for $4.05 million.

HOT PROPERTY: HOLLYWOOD

Actor Ving Rhames lists Brentwood home

My all-time favorite award-show moment came in 1998 when best-actor winner Ving Rhames gave his Golden Globe to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon, saying: ''I feel that being an artist is about giving, and I'd like to give this to you.'' There was nary a dry eye in the house, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association later made a duplicate award for Rhames.

PLANT CLINIC

Time to take out twice-fallen tree

Q: We have a 25-foot avocado tree in our backyard. It has fallen over twice during the hurricanes of the last four years (both directions). We have had it supported with wood ever since. We had a great crop of avocados this year and the tree is very healthy.

Casual coastal chic: Comfortable furniture designed for smaller places coming soon

Three furniture makers soon will launch lines of coastal cottage-style furniture -- all designed to mimic the easygoing feel of a beach retreat.