Bloomington - Normal Housing "Snapshot" - Special Report

Beating the bust BLOOMINGTON - Never mind talk of bursting house sale bubbles and threats from increasing interest rates. Plenty of people want to live in the Twin Cities. Rental inspector sees the danger of violating common apartment codes BLOOMINGTON - When Andrew Alkire, a rental property inspector for the city of Bloomington, talks about the strange path smoke can travel, listen. Developers, cities getting closer to moving east BLOOMINGTON - Bloomington's growth to the east received a boost in 2005 with city and developer plans to push new home and business construction past Towanda Barnes Road. Downtown Bloomington building coming along BLOOMINGTON - At this point in the Ensenberger building rehab, Ward Waller and Merle Huff arguably have license to gloat. Number of houses sold tops 2004 BLOOMINGTON - A good housing market nationally usually means a good housing market in Bloomington-Normal. Last year was no exception. Hotel set for 2008 opening NORMAL - Construction of a downtown Marriott Hotel and Conference Center is set to begin June 15. Rising mortgage rates encourageriskier decisions Mortgage rates began a slow rise in 2005, leading some Twin City homebuyers to look at riskier variable-rate loans. Hotels going up, change hands BLOOMINGTON - While the planned $30 million, 220-room Marriott hotel in downtown Normal received most of the attention, several other major Twin City hotel projects were completed or got underway in 2005.