The Boston Red Sox set a new spring training ticket sales record over last weekend for their inaugural season at JetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers. Naturally, the grand opening of their new 106-acre spring training complex off Daniels Parkway helped spur major fan enthusiasm.

The number of tickets sold on December 17–18 was 34,705. That breaks the old record of 34,315 tickets sold for the 2007 spring training season. Tickets are still available for the March 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24 games. To purchase tickets you can visit www.redsox.com or order by phone at (877) 733-7699.

You can read more about the new stadium here – Red Sox New Ft. Myers Stadium

Continue Reading Red Sox Set New Spring Training Ticket Sales Record

Tags: living, SW Florida

We are often asked about where our clients can play a round of golf while they are here visiting Southwest Florida. To that end, we are providing the following list of golf courses that are open to the public for play.

A few of them are located in some of our most sought after communities including Lely Resort, Miromar Lakes and Tiburon. In addition, many of the area’s other golf clubs will also allow for play by those individuals interested in purchasing a home within their host community.

Local SW Florida Public Golf Courses:

Bonita Bay East Golf: 239-353-5100

Cypress Woods Golf: 239-592-7860

Heritage Bay Golf: 239-353-2561

Hibiscus Golf Club: 239-596-1000

Lely Flamingo Island Club: 239-793-2223

Continue Reading Local Public Golf Courses

Tags: living, SW Florida

In a recently released 2010 report compiled by PNC Financial Services and IHS Global Insight, the Naples real estate market ranks as the 15th most undervalued housing market in the country. That’s quite a change from just four years ago, when the city had the dubious rank as the No.1 most overvalued market among the nearly 300 reviewed in the study.

According to the report, “Naples real estate now sells at a 29% discount and the median home price is just $165,000, down from more than $390,000″ at its peak, when almost 84% of the homes were considered being valued at above fair market price. Today, Atlantic City, NJ is now ranked No.1 as the most overvalued metro area and Las Vegas is considered the most undervalued, having homes now selling for about 41% below fair market value. Two other Florida cities also made it very close to the top of the list as being undervalued. Vero Beach came in at No. 2 and the Cape Coral real estate market came in ranked No.5.

Continue Reading Naples Real Estate Values – A Tale of Extremes

Tags: living, markets

Nature enthusiasts, paddlers, hikers, bird watchers and sightseers now will have a wonderful new opportunity to explore the Everglades via the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge just east and south of Naples.

Starting today, a new trailhead and boardwalk at the 35,000 acre park will provide visitors access to hiking trails and a canoe and kayak launch allowing them to explore all the splendor the Ten Thousand Islands area has to offer. Young and old alike will have the opportunity to see sunning alligators, great blue herons, manatees, and all the beauty that Mother Nature provides at this easy to access nature preserve. Fishermen and hunters (with permits) will also be welcomed in the mangrove filled back country marsh.

Continue Reading Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Opens to Public

Tags: living, parks, SW Florida

In a recent independent national poll conducted by IHS Global Insight Regional Estate Service, two destinations in Florida appeared in the top five most undervalued places to live in the United States.

The first Florida destination to appear in the poll is the cosmopolitan, quaint, and cultural city of Naples. Known as the “Crown Jewel” of the Southwest Florida gulf coast, Naples offers residents plenty of golf, beaches, and fishing in an enchanting and sun-drenched environment. And, after home prices plummeted by nearly 50% from the first quarter of 2006 to the first quarter of this year, real estate in this upscale community looks increasingly tempting to buyers. IHS Global Insight considers the median home price in Naples to be $200,000 or 33% undervalued.

Continue Reading Naples and Sarasota Named to Top 5 List of Most Undervalued U.S. Cities

Tags: Florida, living, markets