Marco Island Real Estate

Island Arts

2008-10-02T11:13:00.000-04:00

Island Arts: So what’s cookin’ in the arts?
Marconews - Marco Island,FL,USA
Christine Neal is the executive director of Marco Island’s Center of the Arts. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree in the Liberal Arts with emphasis in ...
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Sales up from previous year

2008-09-01T22:41:00.001-04:00

Market Update: Marco’s sales up from previous year
Marconews - Marco Island,FL,USA
What sets Marco Island apart from the rest of Florida? 1. Marco Island is an island only accessible by two bridges. This island community offers a limited ...
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Market Conditions

2008-08-15T15:16:00.001-04:00

Naples home sales continue recovery
Naples Daily News - Naples,FL,USA
The report tracks home sales made through the Sunshine MLS in Collier County, excluding Marco Island. “I think what you are seeing is a potential change in ...
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Local market ‘encouraging’ in face of state decline
Destin Log - Destin,FL,USA
Another market experiencing noteworthy activity was Marco Island, where sales of existing condo units jumped a whopping 422 percent and median sales price ...
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New Marco Island Police Chief: Thom Carr

2008-08-12T08:42:00.001-04:00

New Marco Island Police Chief Thom Carr
Marco Island Sun Times - 11 hours ago
By Daniel Winningham/daniel@misuntimes.com

Marco Island City Manager Steve Thompson appointed Capt. Thom Carr, a veteran Marco Island police officer, as the new chief of police.
Thom Carr selected as Marco Island Police Chief Marco Eagle
New police chief 'gratified' by appointment Marco Island Sun Times
Marco Island Sun Times
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Marco Island Real Estate - Inventory down - Sales Up

2008-08-10T15:48:00.002-04:00

Good news all around for Marco Island Real Estate - we're seeing across the board increases in pending and closed sales as well as a decrease in inventory.

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Life on Vacation: Your little slice of Paradise Coast

2008-08-10T15:28:00.001-04:00

USA Today touts Naples Florida as one of the top places to purchase a second home. It goes on to mention other Naples positive disctinctions. The title says it all!

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City Managers update

2008-08-02T11:49:00.000-04:00

City's manager's weekly update
Marco Island Sun Times - Marco Island,Fl,USA
The city of Marco Island is committed to informing residents in the community about flood protection, the community rating system, property protection and ...
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Marco Island names to top 10!

2008-07-23T16:26:00.000-04:00

AARP the Magazine Names the Top 10 Healthiest Places to Live in ...
istockAnalyst.com - Salem,OR,USA
Naples - Marco Island, Florida : Residents received very high scores for regular exercise, healthy eating and not smoking; the area has one of the lowest ...
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Researchers take close look at Marco gopher tortoise

2008-07-17T13:40:00.000-04:00

Turtle tag: Researchers take close look at Marco’s gopher tortoise ...
Marconews - Marco Island,FL,USA
Kolhoff is with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Ross is a field technician for the City of Marco Island. The drilling is painless ...
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Today's Marco Island Headlines

2008-07-10T16:27:00.001-04:00

Police Chief search draws 265 applicants
Marco Island Sun Times - Marco Island,Fl,USA
Of the 250 applicants, 68 are from Florida and five are with the Marco Island Police Department. -Thom Carr; he has worked for the city since July 1999. ...
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Marco studies electric company buyout
Winknews.com - Fort Myers,Florida,USA
By Mike Essian, WINK News MARCO ISLAND, Fl - A Southwest Florida city wants to lower the electric bills for people living there while increasing the amount ...
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Business Buzz: July 8, 2008
Marco Eagle - Marco Island,FL,USA
By QUENTIN ROUX (Contact) Businesses on Marco Island are being asked to provide letters of support for the Marco Island Historical Society’s museum effort. ...
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Real Estate Sales Reported

2008-07-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

Real estate sales: July 8, 2008
Marconews - Marco Island,FL,USA
Marco Beach: Unit 11 Block 363 Lot 23, $800000 Seller: United Church Marco Island Inc, Buyer: Elliot, Christina, et al. Marco Beach: Unit 1 Block 22 Lot 28, ...
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Cramer: Florida Raises Hope for U.S. Real Estate Market

2008-06-20T10:57:00.001-04:00

A new report from Standard Pacific indicates Florida may be seeing a housing turnaround. See this video about the Florida Real Estate Market.

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Fort Myers, Fl: April Home Sales Up 32% From Last Year

2008-05-19T09:19:00.001-04:00

The Realtor Association of Fort Myers, Florida reports that a total of 684 existing single family houses were sold in April. That's a 32 percent increase in the number of single family houses sold compared to last April. In addition, 1176 single family homes are pending, reflecting a 47.2 percent upswing since April, 2007.

The median sales price is $180,000, up 21 percent from 2003 levels, but down from year ago by 16 percent. Moderately priced inventories are moving as buyers are taking advantage of the lower interest rates and the affordable property values in the market. Based on the 4-month trend, it is anticipated that existing single family home sales will out-pace 2007 sales by 30 percent. "It is apparent that buyers are seeing the value of homes in Southwest Florida and are entering the market at increasing numbers."- Jenny Moorhead, Amerivest Realty of Lee Island Coast.

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Naples, FL: Home sales, pending home sales ...

2008-05-18T10:32:00.001-04:00

Lower prices have lured back buyers, who are feeling now is the time to buy. In April, Realtors in the Naples area had their busiest month of the year.

Overall, home sales rose 6 percent to 472, compared to 445 last year, according to a monthly report by the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR).

Meanwhile, pending home sales increased 25 percent to 616, from 494 a year ago. "I think we've hit bottom in Naples and that comes from the economists who really study this," said Arlene Carozza, a Realtor and NABOR's president.

In an interview with Mad Money host Jim Cramer on CNBC earlier this week, Bob Toll, CEO of homebuilder Toll Brothers, described the west coast of Florida as its "one ray of hope." "Naples is back. It's amazing," he said, adding that his company is now out of spec inventory here and its prices are starting to rise in this market.

According to the NABOR statistics, the median price for all homes in the Naples area dropped more than 23 percent last month to $300,000, from $390,000 a year ago. Joe Ballarino, president of Amerivest Realty in Naples, said a spike in foreclosures and short sales _ sales made for less than the bank is owed _ have driven prices down faster in this market.

In April, the median price dropped to $258,000 for condos, and to $400,000 for single-family homes. "You have people walking away from properties and banks that just want to get their loan values and are taking less than what they are owed on the property," Ballarino said.

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Market Takes Off On Lower Prices

2008-05-08T10:41:00.001-04:00

Naples & Bonita Springs Florida - Pending sales have reached their highest levels since August of 2005, nearly three years ago; while median home prices are at four year low. They have hit month over month highs the last two months, with April sales even outpacing March sales, bucking the normal seasonal trend.

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Naples Florida Real Estate Market Turning Around

2008-04-13T11:23:00.001-04:00

With the more affordable prices and lower interest rates, showings and sales for homes priced at $300,000 or less have picked up over the past four or five months in Naples Florida.

"Certainly you can help a lot of people right now," said Michael Sopka, a broker-associate for Amerivest Realty in North Naples, who found a home for DeMinico.

At 31, DeMinico longed to buy his first home and decided the time was right after watching prices fall. Though he's only lived in the area a few years, he knew about the ups and downs of the market because his parents bought a home in Naples in 1989.

His home, which cost him about $207,000, is new and in a gated community with basketball and tennis courts, and a fitness center.

No one else has lived in the home. Like so many others investors, the original buyers purchased it in hopes of turning it around for a quick profit and then got caught with a home they didn't want when the market soured. The home sat on the market for more than a year, DeMinico said.
"I got lucky," he said. "They just wanted to unload it because they wanted to sell it. They couldn't really rent it."

His Realtor also worked with TIB bank to get him a loan that only required a $600 downpayment.

In south Lee County, deals can be found at such upscale golf communities as Bonita Bay and Pelican Landing.

A few weeks ago, Mary Catherine White, a Realtor at Amerivest, had floor duty. She got a call from a couple from Chicago looking to buy a retirement home in the area where they could spend part of the year. She took them out the day they arrived in town, and by the next day they had made an offer after finding a great deal on a two-bedroom condo at the Brooks, a gated community in Estero.

They got more than they wanted and paid $180,000, a price that even seemed to surprise White.

"Nobody can believe that we got something for that price in the Brooks," she said.
The home was once listed at $369,000.

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Posted By Amerivest Realty to Naples Florida Real Estate Blog

Real estate professionals can help when purchasing new homes

2008-04-06T09:56:00.001-04:00

Finding and purchasing a newly constructed home is a completely different experience than looking for a resale home. Here are 10 advantages to using a real estate professional when buying a newly constructed home.

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Signs of Real Estate Market Bottom

2008-03-31T11:17:00.001-04:00

The big question everyone is asking these days is "When will the bottom of the real estate market occur?" The bottom of the market may be closer than you might think.

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"Get Back in the Saddle, Get Back in the Game"

2008-03-30T10:45:00.002-04:00

Grant Simon, nationally known motivational speaker and owner of First Florida Mortgage in Orlando was guest speaker at the monthly career building session of Amerivest Realty of Central Florida in Winter Park. Mr. Simon talked about today’s exciting opportunity for buyers to purchase a home.

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Latest Real Estate Fad - Hunting for Foreclosure Deals

2008-03-29T09:11:00.001-04:00

During the housing boom, investors climbed onto buses where they checked out affordable new homes they could buy low and sell high. Now, the bus tours to those edge suburbs are starting again. But this time, home buyers are looking for foreclosure properties they can flip for a for a profit.

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Marco Island Restaurant | Big Al's

2008-03-28T10:23:00.001-04:00

One of my favoirte places to get a sandwich or soup on Marco Island. Great to take out and then head over to Mackle Park or Resident's Beach and enjoy the sunshine. If you are on Marco and need a place to go for lunch definately go -- But not on Sunday's they are closed!

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Costly question looms over Marco Island City council

2008-03-28T10:22:00.003-04:00

Marco Island city leaders need to fix two bridges deemed unsafe by the Department of Transportation. But many people are worried because they say a quick fix solution could put lives at risk.

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Collier Court rules against Marco Island ordinance

2008-03-28T10:22:00.001-04:00

Marco Island, Fla. - Anchoring off the coast of Marco Island is now legal again. Back in January David Dumas intentionally broke a new city ordinance to prove a point.

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How Marco Island Sellers Can Prevent Making Costly Selling Mistakes

2008-03-28T10:21:00.001-04:00

By not thinking objectively, important time is lost, money can be lost and so much more. To prevent this from happening to you, don’t make the three biggest mistakes when listing your Marco Island home for sale. What are the three biggest mistakes Marco Island Real Estate Sellers make?

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Blog Access/Guidelines

2007-08-30T15:18:00.000-04:00

Access Instructions:
To Request Access, click on the following link that will send an email to:
5 Star Support (5Star@AmerivestRealty.com)
Please include your full name, office location, the name of the blog you want access to and the email address the invitation should be sent to. Within 3 business days, you will receive an email from Blogger.com inviting you to participate in the blog you requested, if appropriate.

You must follow the link in that email to be authorized as an author. It will prompt you to login with your Google account, or create a Google account if you don't have one. As you sign up, blogger will begin assisting you in setting up your own blog, you can just exit this mode if you don't want your own blog.

Guidelines
Posts should be news and information about your local real estate market, especially market conditions, statistics, new developments, etc. Feel free to contain links to more content including links to your website and sign your post with your name and contact information.

Amerivest Realty reserves the right to deny access or edit/delete content at it's sole discretion.