I was recently asked to write an article as a media opportunity;  the editor emailed me back and said he liked what I had to say and was going to use my work in an upcoming article.  This is what I stated about why people should buy a home in Naples, Fl.I have been in Real Estate in Naples for 7 years and lived in Naples for 26 years.  We were definitely an undervalued market in 2005 and then, due to a lot of media hype and excitement, Naples prices went too far in the other direction!  We are now back to where the pricing needs to be and there are some great deals here as far as waterfront properties, golf course communities and more.  The media loves to say negative things about the real estate market because that is what sells their periodicals!  The smart realtors are the ones who w... 10/25/2007

The Florida Association of Realtors just released the September 2007 Sales Report for existing condominiums and existing single family homes.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NAPLES BOARD OF REALTORS CHOOSES NOT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS REPORT.  It is not surprising that statewide, our number of Realtor sales are down.  Nor is it surprising that our median sale prices are still down.  According to numbers from the Sunshine MLS for just the Naples Area, there is an inventory of 5,600 homes with single family ownership and an inventory of 5,173 homes with condo ownership.  As of Sept. 30, 2007 there were 1,609 closed sales for single family ownership and 1,484 for condo ownership.  These numbers tell me that Naples currently has a inventory of homes in single family ownership to last 31 months and enou... 10/24/2007

Naples, Florida beachfront homes and Naples, Florida beachfront condos offer some of the most amazing sunsets in the world.  It's no wonder why values and interest remain high even in what most consider a slow and uneventful real estate market. I am currently working with a few people anticipating making a visit to Naples, Florida within the next few months. It is for sure that time of year when people are looking for a place they can escape to when the weather is cold and gloomy. Here's some information to help you better understand the Naples Beachfront real estate market:Port Royal is the creme de la creme of Naples beachfront properties.  Only estate-sized single-family homes exist on this beachline.  There are only 4 beachfront homes available in the Port Royal area. Starting at $1... 10/23/2007

       One of the things that Realtors do on a regular basis is hold their listings Open for Inspection.  This is supposed to be an afternoon well spent.  Now, no matter what the price, where it is located, whether it is big or small, for some odd reason, it is not just right.       What I'd like to know is WHERE IS GOLDILOCKS?  She knew what was too hot or cold, what was too big or small, what was too hard or soft and what was just right.  Why?  Because she did not have too much information from too many sources  making her think that no matter what she decided it would be a mistake.  She was just a little girl in the forest looking for something she liked.  Heck, even the three bears knew what real estate to buy.  A nice cottage in the woods large enough for three.        In today's m... 10/23/2007

Hansel and Gretel are two 7 month old kittens who were abandoned and are now being taken care of by Phyllis Estes who I met at Petsmart located on Pine Ridge over the weekend.  Look at the way these two kitties lean on each other.  According to Phyllis they get along great with other cats as well but she is having a particularly hard time getting these two sweet kitties adopted because she is ultimately trying to get the two of them adopted out to the same home.  They are so sweet and their fur is SO soft.  They will make any house a happy home.Seriously, after looking at the picture who would want to separate them?   If you or someone you know are interested in adopting Hansel AND Gretel, they can contact Phyllis at 239-261-4768.  If you currently live in Naples and are unsure about th... 10/22/2007

Looking for a great place to eat in Naples Florida... look no further than a breakfast eatery started by a mother and daughter transplanted to Southwest Florida all the way from Chicago, home of some amazing breakfast spots. Marilee Dejacimo and Segal Adony are the proprietors of Breakfast & Cream a neighborhood breakfast and lunch specialty joint in the spirit of all those local diners that line the streets in the Windy City.According to the Naples News:"It's small, out of the way, off-the-beaten path and most surely our favorite breakfast place. I almost hate to talk about it because it will get too famous." - reviewBreakfast & Cream location and hours:881 103rd Ave. N. # 7Naples, Florida34108 Hours:Tuesday - Friday: 7am - 2pmSaturday & Sunday: 7am - 1 pm Summer Hours:(June 1st - Sept... 10/22/2007

Did I read the headlines correctly?  Is legendary hip-hop artist Queen Latifah really performing in Naples?  Is there enough appreciation in this town to justify a stop on her Trav'lin' Light tour?  Apparently there is.  However, if you're expecting her to start sing such Queen Latifah classics as, "Ladies First" or "Evil That Men Do", you'll be disappointed.  There is a new queen in town and her name is Dana Owens and you better stand back ‘cause this lady can belt out some jazzy numbers like nobody's business.  All hail the Queen as she sends you swooning with the likes of "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl", "Gone Away", and "I'm Not in Love".  She will be performing November 6th at Hayes Hall at the Naples Philharmonic.  This is one night that guarantees to be an evening of enchantme... 10/21/2007

Many people come to Naples from different areas of the country (and the world) to buy a vacation home, a retirement home, a place to escape to from the day-to-day reality of their lives.  For those of us who live here full time - we get it!  Naples is a wonderful place to hang your hat, whether for a few days, a few weeks, or forever.  The sun shines most days, the tropical breezes keep things comfortable year round, and the overall attitude is "life is easy".  However, many of those same people come here with the expectation that they're going to get a real "deal" on that dream home.  After all, this is Florida.  They contact a realtor, set up an appointment to go look at some properties and then, "Whoa, Nelly!" the reality of buying a place in paradise hits them.  "You want how much f... 10/21/2007

Well although the real estate market continues to capture the headlines, there is some good news.  Naples Florida continues to be a DESTINATION.  The prices are better than they have ever been and interest rates continue at affordable rates.  Current temperatures are high 80's with warm breezes.  Some local upcoming events include Evenings on Fifth, Tonight is Thursdays on Third, 9th Annual Downtown Naples Art Fair, Swamp Buggy Parade, (yes it's almost that time again for Swamp Buggy Races), and this weekend the Naples Art Fair and Stone Crab Fest - Yummy! If you are interested in these events I am happy to forward anyone more information.  Events like these make Naples an amazine place to live.  For those of you who enjoy the arts the Philharmonic is getting ready to start a terrific a... 10/20/2007

Yesterday the Naples Daily News had an article on Southwest Florida's housing slump.  According to local economist, Henry Fishkind of Fishkind and Associates, Southwest Florida is at the bottom of its slump.  I agree with him that the market will take a long while to come back.  The huge amount of housing inventory dictates that assumption.  I think it also stands to reason that properties close to the beach will be the first to turn around.  While Naples has a gazillion golf course communities, there is only so much land close to the beach.  I have said this before and I'll say it again..........NOW is the time to buy.  Buyers who want to look for future appreciation should buy as close to the beach as possible.  Communities such as Pelican Bay provide beach access and a wide variety o... 10/20/2007

Olde Cypress is a luxury community on the north side of Naples. It boasts a large club house (pictured above) with all the ammenities that you could ever want. And, to top it all off there is a P.B. Dye designed gold course. This is not one of the "mega communites", at completion there will be about 650 residences ranging from villas to custom estate homes. You can get more information at www.swFLproperties.com or here. Now about that golf course...Olde Cypress is another club that participates in a reciprocal arragement with Grandezza and I'm trying to work my way through the list! The reciprocal season ends on October 31st so I have to continue this journey next "off-season".I felt good on the preactive range and I got off to a double, bogey, double start. I though I might have a dece... 10/19/2007

What is Broker Reciprocity?  In a nutshell, it's a policy created by the National Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors in early 2000 that authorizes MLS participants to display the listings of other participants on their Web sites.  (Read more about the history of Broker Reciprocity)  Why is Broker Reciprocity important to Sellers? According to a survey conducted by the National Association of REALTORS® Over 80% of home buyers surveyed searched the Internet for their next purchase.  If your property can't be found on the Internet, is your agent or company doing their best to expose your property to ready, willing and able buyers?  Is your property appearing on other company's websites?  Some sellers may be surprised to find their property is NOT appearing on sites offering Broker... 10/16/2007

The Naples Daily News had an interesting article on the 3rd quarter median sale prices of homes for this year compared to last year.  There has been a drop in price of close to 4% from 2006 to 2007.  This is not surprising given the amount of listings that are on the market currently.Naples had 786 closed sales reported as of the end of the 3rd quarter.  In 2006 there were 1,300 closed sales.  That is a substantial drop in units sold, yet the sale prices have not decreased dramatically.  People seem to forget that from 2004 to 2005 we saw an increase of 34% in home prices.  Our market is stabilizing.  Buyers may think that the market will bottom out lower..........and it may with properties further away from the beach in Naples.  Properties that are close to the beach, I think, area sta... 10/16/2007

At Ave Maria, and this Saturday from 1 to 4 pm - it's the opening of the South Park, and everyone is invited!Pack a picnic basket, grab a blanket or chairs, and spend an afternoon in the newest park in town. Groove to the music of Bob Zottola and the Expandable Jazz Band - watch demonstrations of bocce ball and pickle ball - and enjoy refreshments. The weather forecast is great, so come on out and have some fun!And don't forget the Fall Festival on Saturday the 20th from 11 to 4. There'll be a pumpkin patch with crafts, prizes and more, an Oompah Band, refreshments.  10/11/2007

A lot of you are frustated with real estate and looking for something to put your energy into. I have found something that applies to almost everyone, is not a juice or something you have to order every month (not that there is anything wrong with those businesses), is easy and fun to make money at. I have helped A LOT of real estate people get involved. If you are interested, we had over 200 people at the last meeting, we are meeting Thursday night at 5pm at the NABOR building.Thursday, 5pmNaples Area Board of Realtors1455 Pine Ridge RdNaples, FlFREE To attend, RSVP to ray@rayhigdon.com 10/10/2007

The Naples condo real estate market for the three month period ended September 30, 2007 versus the same 3 month period in 2006 showed; the median price paid for a condominium in Naples was down about 15%, the volume of closed down 9%, pending sales down 11%, and new listings down 18%. Read the complete Naples Market Report here.Below are graphs for those wishing to view the information graphically. 10/09/2007

Last Friday while driving to Southwest FL International Airport, I saw 3 empty car carriers headed North!  Last Thursday I saw 2 empty car carriers on Pelican Bay Blvd.  The season is beginning to start.  Hopefully this season will be better for sales than last season!I had gone to New York for a 50th wedding anniversary.  Everyone at the party was talking about how slow real estate was in New York.  From what I read and hear, it is slow all over, not just in Naples!  10/09/2007

They say we're only as good as the service we provide right?  One of the features our MLS system delivers is this neat little box that shows up on the front page of our MLS system.  It keeps a running total of today's happenings with links where the numbers are.  When I click on the numbers it will take me to a page with all of the listings in that group.  So for example if I click on 173 it will take me to the 173 listings that were taken today.  It's a great way to keep updated on the "to the second" action happening in the Naples Real Estate.  MarketWatch: 10/8/2007 New:173Expired:33Price Change:143Pending:22Back on Market:10Sold:5Extended:76Withdrawn:16Terminated:29I can identify when consumer confidence is down when Back On Market listings are approximately half of what new pending... 10/08/2007

Naples Park is the least expensive western most single-family community in Naples, Florida.   Many of Naples Park properties are located within a mile to Vanderbilt Beach. Price ranges from $209,000 for a tear down to $1,275,000 for a multi-parcel property (good luck with that) and the ages of the homes available were built as far back as 1950 and as recent as brand new construction.  Although this is not a market I farm, I pulled up statistics this afternoon to determine whether or not I will be listing one of the properties I own once I move into my just completed home in Pelican Bay.  As you can see from the graphs below, Naples Park has seen a better day in real estate.  Currently there is over two and half years of inventory on the market and there are people who purchased in the c... 10/08/2007

The Naples real estate market for the 3rd quarter of 2007 compared to the 2006 reflected some interesting activity.  The median price paid for single family homes was $412,000 compared to $433,000. Down about $21,000.  The volume of closed sales were down, pendings are down, and listings were down - when compared to the 2006 3rd quarter. Read the complete details for the Naples real estate market update on my Naples Florida Real Estate Blog. 10/08/2007