Several of our sellers have called us to ask if they should decorate their homes for the holidays. Most of the time this is absolutely appropriate. I always like going into a beautifully adorned home this time of year...especially one with a "real" tree! It always smells so nice. I would say you really must use discretion, but it has nothing to do with holiday displays. If your home is
Read MoreBeautiful new listing located directly on over 150' of Naples Bay waterfront! Breathtaking views of sunsets and city lights across the bay...sit by the pool and watch dolphins jump as boats cruise by...This is waterfront living at its best! Spacious 4 bedroom residence has been meticulously maintained. Close to beaches and all the wonderful downtown amenities. Additional photographs and a virtual tour can be viewed at https://www.naplesrealestate.com/ or call today
Read MoreChip and I are up at our cabin in the mountains of North Carolina with 3 of our kids and 5 of our grandkids. When I woke up this morning and looked outside the early sun was peeping over the distant mountains, streaming through the trees and dancing on the frosty branches. Bear Pen mountain is visible through the bare trees this time of year...the back of the house faces
Read MoreThis bar graph depicts the market share of 7 of the top real estate companies in Southwest Florida based on information obtained from SunshineMLS and FtMyersMLS for the periods beginning on January 1st 2007 through October 31st, 2008. The blue bars represent 2008. As you can see, Coldwell Banker Residential is #1 with a 12.3% market share. You can make the graph full size by moving the cursor over it
Read MoreI started my day early (about 4:00 am) working on the details concerning a counter offer...the home is listed around $1 million...the buyer offered considerably less...the seller would not even counter...NEVER has the divide between what a seller thinks his home is worth and what a buyer is willing to pay been so great! Next, I went to see a very nice couple who bought a condo from me about
Read MoreA lot of good things come out of our weekly sales meetings...I've been attending sales meetings every Wednesday morning for over 27 years. Some are better than others; some have interesting guest speakers, MLS trends & statistics...We get to tout new listings, share ideas, discuss price adjustments... This morning my broker wrote 3 things up on his easel... 1. Stocks 2. Real Estate 3. A Coffee Can With one question
Read MorePresident Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th Armistice Day to commemorate the end of WW I. Congress changed the name to Veteran's Day in 1954, now a legal holiday in the United States. On this Veteran's Day, please join us in remembering those who have served our nation with valor and bravery. We salute you and respectfully recognize the selfless act of putting ones own life on the line for freedom
Read MoreThings really picked up the first week of November. Showings are up, sign calls are up, Internet leads are up...even morale is up. I thought I'd share a few more stats with those readers who have called and asked questions about specific neighborhoods and the market in general. In the first week of November 2007 the local multiple listing system reported 98 residential properties going under contract (also known as
Read MoreI have always loved this time of year... When I was a little girl, I used to look forward to raking leaves with my grandpa...the laughter, the jumping into piles and the smell of burning leaves vivid in my memory. I would say the changing colors of the leaves is the one thing I miss the most living here in Naples...Oh, snow on Christmas morning always a child's favorite, but
Read MoreTwo wonderful speeches last night... McCain's words brought tears to my eyes as I watched this hero concede in a most honorable and gentle manner. I believe the world looked at him with admiration and the utmost respect which few people have ever deserved more.. Obama's speech inspired a nation. I was equally proud of his accomplishment, the obvious emotion as he expressed so eloquently his awareness of the place
Read MoreMy alarm was set for 6:00 am, I was up and out of the house with such enthusiasm this morning. Wanting to get to my precinct early, expecting long lines...at first I thought they moved the precinct without telling me. "Am I at the wrong place?" I actually found a parking place right up front and once inside I checked in immediately...It felt a little funny going back to the
Read MoreOctober, which is typically a big listing month, saw a 7% decrease in listings taken when compared to last October. New listings this year totaled 1,696, in October 2007 new listings totaled 1,818. This information is based on data derived from the Naples Multiple Listing System known as SunshineMLS, and only Residential listings in Naples were used for the results. The really good news is our "Pending" sales were way
Read MoreIt will be nice for this election to be over...I can't count how many times in the past month the prospects I have talked with have used it as an excuse to put off making a decision...."Oh, after the election we will be in a better position to make a decision"...or, "We are waiting to see who wins before we book a trip to Naples to look at real estate..."
Read MoreYears ago when I first got into this business my dad gave me a bit of advice...He told me not to talk about politics or religion with my customers. My first broker told me the same thing...and the first big company I worked for even went so far as to prohibit us from placing bumper stickers on our vehicles or campaign signs on our lawns. It was part of the
Read MoreThe timing of the Coldwell Banker 10-day Sale nationwide could not have come at a worse time. After months of preparation and nearly 30,000 homes open across the country, news of the stock market plummeting on the preceding Friday kept most buyers away. Last Sunday's turnout was minimal at best; an average here in Naples of 1.2 visitors per open house. However, time heals all things...the market watchers know that
Read MoreI get a lot of calls from folks reading my blog asking that I continue adding more statistics. They say they enjoy reading the Naples Real Estate NUMB3RS...so, here goes: Year To Date: SunshineMLS, the southwest Florida multiple listing database, which includes (but is not limited to) Bonita Springs, Estero, Cape Coral, Ft Myers and Ft Myers Beach, Lehigh Acres and Naples (including Golden Gate and Golden Gate Estates) has
Read MoreLast week I conducted a survey on this blog and the results might surprise you. I asked readers to choose from the following answers when asked what they look for when selecting a real estate professional: Market knowledge and successYears of experience and designationsEasy to work with and trustMarketing capabilities and company reputation83% of those polled selected "Easy to work with and trust" , followed by "Marketing capabilities and company
Read MoreMy vision when I began this blog was to do my best to report as much positive news as possible. Up to now, this has not been the easiest task...However, again this morning, the front page of the local section of The Naples Daily News reports "Naples see increase in home sales". The article goes on to say that, 'pending sales are up in all six geographic areas that the
Read MoreWe thought we might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, then last week's stock market plunged (in case you didn't hear)...and we had to take a step back again and make sure it wasn't an oncoming train! As it turns out, Monday saw the single largest gain in history on Wall Street...and (now here's the really good news)...our site has had record breaking inquiries in the
Read MoreToday, www.NaplesRealEstate.com is happy to report some more interesting rankings about Naples that I think you will find interesting. There are 67 counties in the state of Florida. Collier County is the largest; in fact, it is the largest county land-wise east of the Mississippi River, a total of 2,305 square miles. More than 80% of Collier County is set aside as preserve lands! Naples was selected as #1 Best
Read MoreBe Thankful for what you have, and you will end up having more- Focus on what you don't have, and you will never have enough.
Read MoreHere are a few interesting statistics: Currently in Naples there are 10,264 Active residential listings. 4,581 are priced under $300,000. 4,402 are priced over $1 million. 12% of the current residential listings in Naples are Short Sales. 81% of the short sales are priced below $300,000. The Average Sold Price in the past 12 months is $587,612. with a trend line decreasing from approximately $700,000. in October 2007 to just
Read MoreIn a market "plagued by a two year price slump", Coldwell Banker is asking its sellers to slash prices! We estimate nearly 30,000 sellers across the U.S. will reduce their list price during the 10-day sales event with the hope that it will increase activity. Click on this link to read the full story as seen in REUTERS yesterday 10/06/08: http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN0228964320081006 Jim Gillespie, chief executive of Coldwell Banker, was also
Read MoreWhen I began this blog I wanted to try to keep it as upbeat and positive as possible. You hear enough gloom and doom without me adding to in, right? ...and the truth is, it is my nature to look for the good in each person and in each and every situation... -Around the office, in my circle of friends, and in my family, I am known as "the happy
Read MoreThe quality of life in Naples is tough to beat...Our doctors and world-class hospitals are at the forefront of medicine...Staying fit and healthy comes naturally to Naples residents. The gyms and spas are too numerous to mention. -and There are so many natural attractions, too: beautiful beaches, preserves and parks...boating, fishing, eco-tours, sanctuaries...not to mention golf. More private golf holes per-capita than any other city in the world! So many
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