Tampa Bay Times biz reporter Martin retires

Tampa Bay Times real estate reporter Susan Taylor Martin has retired, reports Florida Politics reporter Janelle Irwin Taylor.

Taylor writes, “Prior to working for the Times, Martin also worked for The Associated Press, Detroit News and the Orlando Sentinel.

“Locally, Martin was a staple for real estate reporting. She not only kept readers abreast of high-dollar or headline-grabbing transactions ranging from multimillion dollar mansions to apartment complexes and retail facilities, she also offered intrepid reports on real estate trends and interesting anecdotes on real estate in the post-recession era.

“In one report, she highlighted a Clearwater home that served as a reminder of the volatile ‘boom-bust-boom’ market spanning the years leading up to and following the 2008 housing market crash. The ranch style home changed ownership seven times over 13 years and sold at lows less than $100,000 and highs well-above $300,000. The report highlights what Martin does best — capturing people-centric stories to illustrate broader trends.

“In other report, Martin highlighted a Carollwood home where squatters took control of a property with a false deed and then tried to claim ownership — a trend that plagued the post-market crash real estate market as foreclosed properties often sat with ambiguous ownership.”

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