Metas
Naples Real Estate News 03/20/08
MORTGAGES - So if the Fed keeps lowering interest rates, why don’t fixed mortgage rates drop more? Blame the investors who buy packages of mortgages on Wall Street. Those who are buying packages of mortgages are looking to recover their losses from mortgages which have fallen into short sales or foreclosure. In addition, to investors - you are look at the banks. For potential buyers of Bonita Springs, Estero or Naples real estate might find a better terms or interest rates by checking out some of the smaller local banks.
2008 FLORIDA LEGISLATURE - The tax cut that voters will be asked to approve in November will do more than save property owners money. It will force lawmakers to do what they have refused to do for nearly 70 years: modernize sales-tax rules.
POPULATION GROWTH - Collier County (Naples) had a population of 251,377 in 2000 and that population grew to 315,839 as of July 2007, a 25.6 percent increase.But between 2006 and 2007, Collier only grew from 313,167 people to 315,839, a percentage increase of 0.9 percent.
Lee County (includes the areas of Bonita Springs and Estero) grew by 33.9 percent from 440,888 in 2000 to 590,564 in 2007. Lee grew by 20,475 people between July 2006 and July 2007, adding more residents than any other Florida county.
Other Florida counties continue to grow but at a slower pace than some counties elsewhere in the nation. Flagler County continued to lead the state in the percentage of growth at 7.2 percent, though it dropped to sixth place nationwide. Broward County’s population fell by 13,000 over the one-year period.
SEX OFFENDERS - A Florida home buyer’s lawsuit claims he should have been told about a sexual predator living next door before the purchase, and attorneys for both sides agree that the court’s decision could establish a precedent in Florida, since the state has no existing statutes or existing case law. It’s a problem faced by a number of states.
HOME BUYERS - The attitudes of today’s buyers even though it’s a buyer’s market, citing the backlog of houses on the market, sellers report an increase in the number of buyers who are out of control. Some buyers browbeat them at every step in the process.
Ave Maria Festival of Arts
On Sunday, March 9th in the town center of Naples, from 11 AM to 4 PM a festival of arts will be held.
The Ave Maria University’s orchestra and choir will perform. Also, the Immokalee High School jazz band will be performing.
Other activities include - dance exhibitions, art exhibits, a presentation of "Guys and Gals," arts and crafts from the Ave Maria Art Association, and food from the Naples Farmers’ Market Vendors.
A silent auction and refreshments will also be available.
All proceeds are to benefit the AMU Performing Arts Program.
Blog Makes Top 100 Real Estate Blogs
Today, I was very surprised to find this blog to ranked in the Top 100 Real Estate Blogs as per Top 100 Real Estate Blogs.
The ranking is determined by Google Page Rank, Technorati Rank, and Alexa rankings.
The blog is entitled Bonita Springs Real Estate News and Market Updates and does cover the communities of Estero and Naples as well.
Thank you - Top 100 Real Estate Blogs.
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.
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.
Collier County - Naples Real Estate Tax Bills Online
One of my clients is considering purchasing a condominium here in Naples. To ensure that he has the best information to make his final decision on this Naples condo - I reviewed the assess value for 2006 and millage rate for 2005 - to estimate the 2006 real estate taxes, because the condo is not a homestead. During this process, I found that the Collier County Tax Collector has updated their records to reflect the 2006 real estate tax bills for property owners.
If you are thinking about purchasing real estate be sure to check the 2006 real estate taxes - don’t make your decision based upon the 2005 annual real estate tax bill, especially if the property is not a homestead.
Naples Real Estate Ave Maria Tour
In a post on October 11, I made an initial post about the new town of Ave Maria. Yesterday I was fortunate to be able to tour the future town and see how construction is coming on Ave Maria University. The tour was on a bus and those touring could not get off the bus at any time during the trip.
I wanted to share my photos of the tour with those that might be interested in purchasing a home or condominium in Ave Maria.
is located directly across the street from the La Piazza and Oratory.
New Town - Ave Maria - Naples Real Estate
Many of my customers and clients have asked about the new town of Ave Maria. Ave Maria is named after Ave Maria University, the first new Catholic university to be built in the United States in 40 years. The town obviously is named after the university.
The town of Ave Maria is planned to have charming 7,500 homes to be built. In addition, services and utilities will be incorporated in the town including: retail, commercial, schools, parks, and health and public safety facilities.
Further information will be forth coming - please check back for futher updates.