Quick Trip To Colorado

At Keystone in Colorado doing some work on property out here. 41 degrees this morning, with a walk around Lakeside Village, steam rising off two beaver ponds.

Great place to recharge. Working today, but looking up and out at the Rocky Mountains from time to time. GIANT rainbow trout in the lake (the lake is not fished, so they just get bigger). We stopped at the Continental Divide yesterday to look around. Still snow at the higher elevations.

Even though we are working on a property here, and both are working for our respective employers also today, this is a very relaxing way to head into a long holiday weekend.

Back to Naples On The Gulf next week!!!

Happy National Sunglasses Day!

Okay, truly, I don't know who comes up with these "days," but this one seemed fun and this is a great photo illustration!!

Make Memories in Naples On The Gulf

I can help . . . .

There Is No Substitute For Experience

When it comes to real estate transactions, there still is no substitute for experience. As yet, no "app," or instant offer web service, helps get sellers where they want to be.

Which means a highest and best price available, if you are a seller. And in these days of new web tools offering instant offers, when you peel away the details, what it comes down to is this:  You are basically selling your home to a pawn shop for quick money, and in addition, paying a fee of up to 10 percent for the right to do so.

That's a higher commission fee than is charged in the vast majority of home sale transactions. SUBSTANTIALLY higher. Let that sink in for a moment.

So why use a Realtor, instead of an all-tech transaction? Besides experience, knowledge, and being an unwavering advocate for our customer? How does one define advocate? I have frequently used the phrase that I go to war on behalf of my customers. Further, why utilize the skills of an individual Realtor or Realtor team that has honed its transaction expertise through the trenches over and over again?

Here are just a few reasons to consider the benefits of an experienced agent:

- With the web or app approach, there is no one to spot problems early on and un-wrinkle them before they materialize.
- The web or app transaction can't walk skillfully through inspection issues.
- Legal hang-ups? How does the website or app wade through the hurdles with your attorney or your closing agent's attorney to smooth out any issues?
- Survey issues, issues regarding elevation certificates, wind mitigation and other challenges are routinely handled by experienced Realtors every day. Potential roadblocks tend to pop up at the worst time.

The seasoned Realtor has the skillset to hurdle these headaches on behalf of their seller, and routinely do so.

A lot of sellers will say their the transaction was easy. Again, we tend to help make it so and smooth the road so the buyer isn't faced with a myriad of eye-popping bottlenecks.

The bottom line: There is no substitute for experience.

Fantastic Traffic This AM At Our Broker Open At 3930 Woodlake Drive In Bonita Bay

FANTASTIC traffic this morning at our Broker Open House in Bonita Bay!

3930 Woodlake Drive, in the Woodlake community within Bonita Springs' beautiful Bonita Bay, is a dazzling waterfront estate. 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms within 3,039 square feet under air. The home features long lake views and privacy from all angles of the lanai and back yard.

For more information on this home, which is being offered at $830,000, please contact the listing agent and a member of the Grup-Van Lare Properties Group at JRW, Linda Hammer. Email: LHammer@JohnRWood.com

Click here to link to this incredible property.

Happy Father's Day!

May 2017 A HUGE Month For SW Florida Residential Real Estate

May turned out to be a very busy month for real estate in Southwest Florida. In the Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero segment, pended/in-contract sales soared 19 percent over May 2016. This is the highest number of pended sales for the month since 2014 and the second highest on record during the past 11 years! Average sales price year-to-date posted modest gains across the market from Marco Island through Estero.

While some neighborhoods have lower inventory than at the beginning of season, others remain oversupplied with 18 months to more than two years of product in some cases. AND, this does not include new product which is largely unaccounted for in MLS data.

It is important to know the absorption rates by neighborhood / building as well as by price range and product type in order to set a price that will attract buyers.

2017 B.E.A.R. Leadership Academy -- ESTERO and Bonita Springs History

Fantastic presentations this morning at the 2017 Bonita Springs-Estero Association of REALTORS (BEAR) Leadership Academy.

Bonita Springs Mayor Peter Simmons and Estero Village Council Member Katy Errington each discussed the histories of these wonderful communities, going back to Ponce De Leon in the 1500s, how both municipalities eventually incorporated, up through current development and conservation issues.

One thing that was key to both presentations -- one of the reasons our financial values are so high is because there has been careful attention paid to preserving the quaint, quiet nature of SW Florida. Miami and South Beach are great places to have some fun, but if we all wanted the fast paced lifestyle we would live there.

While I live in Naples, the same applies. Bonita and Estero are incredible places to live and work.

Council Member Errington, Mayor Simmons, THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU for an outstanding use of time this morning!

JUNE 11 OPEN HOUSE -- 8902 Lely Island Circle, Naples FL

I will be holding 8902 Lely Island Circle in Lely Resort open on Sunday from 1-4 PM.

This beautiful four-bedroom, three-bathroom home should be of particular of interest to golfers. Located on the 2nd tee of the Flamingo Course at Lely Resort, this home also features a pool and three-car garage.

This home has been reduced to $625,000. Come visit me Sunday!

Did I Mention Its Finally Raining in SWFL?

After a gorgeous, but VERY dry winter season, it is finally raining in SW Florida.

Yes, it is really, really raining. So much rain that Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel is in Naples. The colorful Cantore typically makes on-scene appearances only when the worst weather is about to hit, is happening or just occurred.

Any kind of publicity is good publicity, right? LOL

Up To Orlando For The Weekend

We made a quick trip up to Orlando for the weekend, and visited The Mouse while we were there.

Headed over to the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom on Friday night after our arrival. Nothing short of magical, for sure. A soggy afternoon a the other parks on Saturday and Sunday. But still worth it.

Back in Naples. Heavy rains for the next several days. Making up for our VERY dry winter season.

Fantastic May 2017 Sales Stats: Congrats GVL Properties Group

I just cannot believe that it's already June 1st and Summer is here.

And according to our office broker Dave Jeronimus, it's even harder to believe summer is here when our JRW office wrote $47 million in sales for May! This is outstanding for what is considered an "off-season" month.

Furthermore, the six-person team of which I am a partner was No. 1 in the Bonita office for dollar-volume sales closed this past month. We GET THE JOB DONE FOR OUR BUYERS AND SELLERS! Congrats all around everyone!

So what have we done lately? HA! Stay tuned and find out. Welcome to summer!

Sea Turtle Nesting Season!

We walked Zones 1-5 on Bonita Beach at 6:30 this morning. Found three new loggerhead nests, and one false crawl, which is where the sea turtle crawls partway up the beach, changes her mind about laying eggs, turns around and returns to the Gulf.

A beautiful morning, with low rumbles of thunder far in the distance from a thunderstorm off the coast of Marco Island.