Looking for 700,000 square feet for your business to stretch out in? Not many companies are. The Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal has put together a list of the largest vacant commercial real estate properties in the metro area.

Even though hundreds of new apartments have opened in the Twin Cities, places to rent are still getting more expensive and harder to find. Throughout the region, the average vacancy rate was 2.7 percent, and continues to tick downward. Rents are increasing.

The survey by Deloitte found people will spend more on 'non-gift' items, like parties and holiday decorations, than on buying presents. Spending on non-gift items increased 22 percent this year compared to last. On average, that equals about $600.

The St. Cloud Times reports pending home sales jumped more than 12 percent in 2011. Completed sales increased close to 44 percent from July through December. However, both the average and median sales prices declined last year.