Southwest Florida Blog

The first quarter 2008 The Vineyards real estate market statistics for both homes and condominiums are listed below. Located in southeastern Naples and in a world of its own, this beautiful master planned gated golf community features the Vineyards Country Club which gives residents a selection of two 18-hole PGA championship golf courses. There is also a 32 acre community park and six miles of walking and biking paths that wind through majestic oaks, Cypress stands and nature preserves.

The Vineyards Sales Data

The Vineyards Home Sales Jan-Mar 2008*:

• 27 Closed Sales
• Average Sales Price - $667,059
• Median Sales Price - $450,000
• Average Days on Market - 177
• Price/Sq. Foot - $215.44

Tags: real estate, sales, SW Florida

With aproximately 87 wildfires encompasing over 45,000 acres currently burning in Florida, now might be a good time to consider some simple things you can do to help protect your property.

Fire researchers from the Division of Forestry say that even 30 feet of defensible space around a home can greatly decrease the probability of structure damage or loss due to a wildfire. Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson urges state residents to take action and points to three problem areas that can be corrected very inexpensively:

• Roof and Gutters: remove all dead leaves, pine needles, small twigs and palm fronds - anything that can ignite easily by falling embers.

Tags: living

I ran across an excellent article today by David Ranson in the Wall Street Journal. It has to do with a review of economic data about the federal tax system written by Kurt Hauser. Published 15 years ago, Mr. Hauser stated “No matter what the tax rates have been in postwar America, tax revenues have remained at about 19.5% of GDP.” Ranson has dubbed it “Hauser’s Law” and laments in his article “What a pity it is that his discovery has not been more widely disseminated.”

With all the political drivel about how the wealthy have to pay their fair share or how those who have been more successful owe a duty to those who have been less so, the wealth redistribution crowd’s demands for higher tax rates just doesn’t hold water when you look at the reality of the numbers.

Tags: politics, taxes

The January thru March Cape Coral real estate market statistics for both homes and condominium sales are listed below. Cape Coral, known as the - The Cape, is one of the largest master-planned communities in the nation. The city features 400 miles of fresh and salt water canals - most with gulf access, wide-ranging waterfront sports and community activities. Cape Coral is the 3rd largest city in Florida in terms of land mass with nearly 115 square miles of residential and commercial space. Over 55% of its population is under 44, so the city is family oriented, schools are important, and the quality of life is exceptional.

Cape Coral Sales Data

Cape Coral Home Sales Jan-Mar 2008*:

• 615 Closed Sales

Tags: real estate, sales, SW Florida

HUD has announced a 30-day extension, to June 12, 2008, for the public to comment on the proposed new Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) rule. The announcement came just days before the initial comment period was set to end and on the heels of a letter HUD received signed by 149 members of Congress.

The Congressional letter referenced the extensive nature of the RESPA reform proposal and the fact that some aspects of the proposed changes had not previously been the subject of public comment. In addition, the letter stated that further analysis was needed on the proposed rule’s interaction with state and federal laws and regulations including the Federal Reserve Board’s recent proposal to amend its Truth in Lending Act regulations.

Tags: , HUD, legislature, mortgages, RESPA

Florida residents and visitors should be aware its alligator mating season once again and you cannot be too careful with these fierce but wonderful creatures. Each year as spring turns into summer and the weather begins to truly warm, an alligators metabolism increases and they become quite frisky in seeking out mates.

Once on the edge of instinction, the alligator population has fully recovered and encounters with humans are inevitable. You can find them on your front lawn, in your swimming pool and even in your house, if you’re not careful. Awareness and understanding are the keys for learning how best to live near the areas they inhabit.

So, here are some important Gator tips to remember:

Tags: living, SW Florida

For all the doom and gloom you hear about home sales from the national media, the old adage that all real estate is local, could not be more evident than here in Southwest Florida. Homes sales in our local markets, including Bonita Springs, Estero and Naples have picked up quite nicely since the beginning of the year. In fact, for many areas and property types, the local market is moving ahead at a very nice pace.

Tags: real estate, sales