Metas
Appointment - Legal Resources Committee
Yesterday I learned that the Naples Area Board of Realtors appointed me to serve on the 2007 Legal Resources Committee.
I have always liked the legal aspects of real estate contracts and feel this is an excellent match for my talents.
If you have any questions about Naples real estate, please do not hesitate to leave your comment.
Naples Real Estate Market Condo Update - October 2006
The Naples condo real estate market maybe showing some signs of improvement within the near future.
The October closed sales for condos in the Naples area was 104 units, which was a slight dip from the previous month (September) where 136 units sold. However, the market is still not near the October 2005 market where 207 units were closed.
The median price for a condo in Naples during the month of October 2006 was $279,500, while the average price was $554,419. Comparing this to the previous month (September), shows dips for both the median and average prices, $329,950 and $856,656, respectively. During September there were a number of multi-million condo units sold in the Gulf Shore Blvd. area, which caused the average price upwards, as well as the median price. In October 2005, the median and average prices were $370,000 and $510,709, respectively.
In looking at the average days on market - in October 2006 they were 123 days, five days longer than September 2006 (118 days), but a whoping 71 days longer than October 2005 (52 days).
So where is the improvement? The improvement is seen in the pending sales which took place during the month of October. There were a total of 145 units, which were placed under contract, with an average list price of $493,207 and median list price of $289,000. The improvement is in the volume of pending sales, which is attributable to sellers being more realistic in their pricing expectations.
A New Scam Is On The Loose
A NEW SCAM IS ON THE LOOSE, AS CON ARTISTS ARE “VISHING” YOU A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON TO YOUR FACE, WHILE THEY MAKE OFF WITH YOUR CASH. DON’T MISS LEARNING ABOUT THIS ALARMING NEW WAY THAT CRIMINALS ARE SEEKING TO STEAL FROM YOU, AND PASS IT ON TO ALL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO PROTECT AND INFORM THEM AS WELL.
It appears the only ones who love the holiday season more than children are criminals.
You may be familiar with the term Phishing - where scammers send you emails in an attempt to acquire sensitive information like credit card details and passwords by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business.
And much like Phishing, Vishing is the latest identity-theft ploy. Beware - this one is extra tricky.
Instead of using email, scammers use voice over internet protocol (VoIP), which allows people to make calls using an Internet connection instead of a regular phone line. The con calls their target with an automated phone message, which informs them that their account has had fraudulent charges placed on it. The account owner is then lured into dialing a fake 800 number in order to resolve the charges, where a recorded voice prompts them to confirm an account or credit card number using the phone’s touch pad. This is where the problem starts, and criminals are handed free access to your account and credit cards…talk about “The Nightmare before Christmas”. So how can you be sure that you will not fall victim to this scam?
Remember…creditors, government agencies, and companies you do business with already have your personal information and will not contact you to verify it.
Never respond to a cold call requesting personal information. In the same sense that you wouldn’t send your credit card information via email, don’t be so willing to punch it into a touch tone phone.
Don’t trust your caller ID. Creating a fake display name is easy with Internet-based technology, and scammers now have the ability to make it seem like they are calling from a legitimate organization.
This just goes to show that as technology improves so do the criminal’s means of taking advantage of you. Be careful this holiday season, keep track of your purchases, and help protect your friends and family by educating them about Vishing!
Naples Real Estate Market Update - Home Sales Improving?
During the month of October the number of homes sold in the Naples real estate market was 144. In the previous month 178 homes were sold, which is a dip of about 20%. In October 2005 there were 240 homes sold. The difference between 2006 and 2005 is about 40% less home being sold. On the surface this could be viewed as a continuing downward trend. However the pending sales (agreed upon sales contracts) in October of this year showed a total of 168 homes, which is a positive sign of possible increase in market activity.
The median price of a single family home in October 2006, was $392,500. The previous month reflected a median price of $418,000. And in October 2005, the median price was $486,250. In looking at the median list price of the pending sales for October 2006 shows $438,950, which is a positive sign of a potential turn around in the short term.
The average price of a home purchased in the Naples area for October 2006 was $749,096. Closer examination of closed sales revealed that one home sold had a closed sales price in excess of $11,000,000. The impact of this one transaction significantly increased the average price upwards. It did not significantly affect the median price paid. The average price for September ‘06 was $648,953 and in October 2005 - $746,453.
The average days on market (list date to accepted contract date) for October 2006 was 115 days, September 2006 - 102 days and October 2005 - 62 days.
The Naples single home real estate market still continues to be weak, but there are signs are this time of a modest strengthening taking place.
From a seller’s viewpoint there is still remains significant competition, so that pricing is still a critical issue in order to get a property sold.
From a buyer’s viewpoint the abundant number of homes offers an excellent selection at better pricing than last year and definitely more negotiating room.
Collier County And EDC Working Together
Collier County Commissioners and the Economic Development Council of Collier County (EDC) will be spending about $560,000 to attractive new businesses to eastern Collier County. The target of their efforts will be businesses involved in distribution, manufacturing, information technology, life sciences, and financial services.
The Immokalee’s airport will be one of the targeted area for the new businesses as it offers about 5 million square feet of aviation and non-aviation related business on 600 acres.
The Tradeport Technology Park and Silver Strand Business Park are expending to make ready for the new businesses.
The development of new businesses in eastern Collier County should be welcomed as it could possibly reduce the east to west traffic flow during the morning rush hour and the reverse west to east traffic flow during the evening rush hour.
With the town of Ave Maria and Ave Maria University in the general area being touted for business development should assist the new businesses in finding well qualified employees.
Both the Collier County Board of Commissioners and EDC should be complemented on their forward looking views on this matter.
Naples Environmental Group Files Challenge
Three major residential projects slated for northern Collier County (east of Longshore Lake and north Olde Cypress developments) are in a holding mode pending an administrative hearing with the South Florida Water Management District.
Saturnia Falls, a sister community of Saturnia Lakes is a project that will destroy about 280 acres of wetlands.
Mirasol, a golf course community will destroy approximately 650 acres of wetlands. The project calls for up to 799 homes, but will preserve 830 acres of wetlands and 110 acres of uplands.
Parklands is the third community affected. Parklands is also a golf course community with up to 1,600 homes.
Permits for these projects were originally issued in 2002.
The main issue for The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is the destruction of the Cocohatchee Slough and worsen water quality issues in the estuary at Wiggins Pass and Cocohatchee canal.
Also, the projects do infringe on an area where wood storks breed.
Hopefully, issues can be worked out by all parties and still preserve the natural beauty and habitat of the area.
Naples Real Estate - Foreclosures
For the period November 11, 2006 to November 16, 2006 the following properties have had a final judgement recorded for foreclosure.
TIMBERWOOD NAPLES LOT 333
PINE VIEW VILLAS BLOCK B LOT 13
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES UNIT 95 TRACT 74; W 75′ E 150′
GOLDEN GATE UNIT 2 BLOCK 26 LOT 2
MARWOOD UNIT 1301
IXORA COURT UNIT 546
Foreclosures Naples Real Estate
The following properties are in foreclosure and have been ordered to be auctioned on the courthouse steps of Collier County. The final judgements were issued during the period October 28, 2006 to November 10, 2006:
CHESAPEAKE MANOR 2 APARTMENT 105
GOLDEN GATE UNIT 2 BLOCK 34 LOT 16
WILLOUGHBY ACRES LOT 152
VISTA GARDENS NAPLES UNIT C BUILDING 6285
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES UNIT 60 TRACT 7; N 75′
VALENCIA LAKES PHASE 4A LOT 90
CANTERBURY VILLAGE UNIT N103
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES UNIT 1 TRACT 44; W 165′
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES UNIT 51 TRACT 90; S 75′
GOLDEN GATE ESTATES UNIT 26 TRACT 18; W 180′
GOLDEN GATE UNIT 2 BLOCK 36 LOT 2
Ave Maria
Last night I attended the orientation seminar for the town of Ave Maria.
In addition to Ave Maria University, there will be four distinctive subdivisions within the town.
The golf course community will have an 18 hole championship course with an activities center, restaurant, pro-shop, and resort style pool. Four different styles of homes will offered. The pricing will range for the low $200’s to the low $400’s. One of the home styles will be condo carriage homes.
A guard gated lake front community, where most of the homes will have a lake view. The subdivision will be geared to a resort life style. Attached villas and single family homes will offered with prices ranging from the high $200’s to the mid $400’s.
The other two subdivisions will have single family homes ranging in price from the mid $200’s to the high $400’s.
The town center known as the La Piazza is the town center with all the conveniences you are looking for within a town.
The town will offer you world class amenities for tennis, parks, community centers, fitness centers, and water park.
The concept of the town is to create atomsphere where all generations can come together to live, work and play.
Detail information about homes and amenities can be found on my Ave Maria Real Estate page within my Naples FL Real Estate web site.
Naples Fl Real Estate - Ave Maria
Tonight is a seminar on the town of Ave Maria, which I will be attending and obtaining more information about this new town in Collier County.
The information will be added to the Naples Florida Real Estate Blog over the weekend, if not before.