Life In Bonita Springs

Found Old Bonita Springs, By Surprise

A few weeks ago I stopped by a yard sale in the name streets of Bonita Springs.  The name streets are in Old Bonita Springs, as in where the older charming homes are with character.  The streets were all named after founding fathers and developers of our city.  Goodwin, Ragsdale, Horne, Heitman.  If we all knew back then how great it would be to live here we would have bought two homes, right?  Real estate was cheap and waterfront, river front or gulf access prices were a dream compared to now.

While rummaging through a table of stuff I found an old antique camera.  It was cute. I have a few old cameras and binocculars around the house. I have lots of old stuff around my house.  Well, would you be surprised to know that this old camera had film still inside?  What if I told you that I took it to a photo lab and had it extracted in a dark room and had it developed?  What if I told you there were antique images of Old Bonita Springs.  You know those old "back in the day" photos.

Imagine photos of bridges over Imperial River, old pick up trucks loaded with citrus on a one lane US 41 and women in one piece swimming suits that covered everything from their knees to their necks.  There might have even been a picture of an old Bonita Springs school.  Maybe it wasn't so old back in the day.  Maybe it was the newest most modern thing and all the kids wanted to be there because it was the next best thing to sliced bread.

I bet the teachers wore dresses, Moms packed the lunches, naughty boys wore dunce hats and all the girls wore Mary Jane shoes.  Just imagine, there was no MTV, no iPods, no cell phones, people ate at home together around a big table and Mom was waiting at home for you after school.

This was back when old man Ragsdale bought Bonita Springs and decided to kick it up a notch by changing its name from Survey to Bonita Springs so the real estate would sell better.  Image, I could be sharing these stories with you from LifeInSurvey.com instead.  Bonita Springs Real Estate has a sweeter ring to it than Survey Real Estate, Ragsdale was right.  You should have bought some extra land while he was selling it because it was going to be in the best little town on the gulf coast and everyone would want to live here someday.

I wonder if he ever owned the land under Bonita Springs Elementary School...

Ah, the good old days.  I hope you enjoyed your trip down memory lane.  You can thank the trickery of the Picnic photo editor powered through www.Flickr.com.

Sorry for the tall tale, but it's been a long week and I needed break from reality, too.

The Bonita Springs Elementary School is located on Dean Street in Old Bonita Springs, Florida.  Stop by and say hello to the old gal.  It is an old school just rehabbed a little.  Every grande dame feels better with a little make up on, right?

Are You Sure Buyers Actually Get In Your Home?

Sometimes it really isn't that difficult to figure out why a  home isn't selling. I stumbled onto a big reason why some homes don't sell this past weekend.  There wasn't a whole bunch of hocus pocus involved or even a comparative market analysis.  All the home has to be in order to sell is accessible.  That's it.  Buyers just have to be able to walk through the front door and see it.  There you have it, real estate rocket surgery.  You can't sell real estate if they can't get in.

You see, I been working with a fabulous family I've been helping find a new home.  They've been prequalified and the trigger is ready to be pulled. Actually, they're already packing, they're so anxious to buy.  They've now narrowed a list of homes they wanted to see that best fit their criteria and asked me to make appointments for a specific day that they would be off of work. 

Out of a pool of about eighteen homes that were chosen to see we only got into nine.  Most of them had misleading or inaccurate contact information for scheduling an appointment. The rest didn't return my calls.  That is actually pitiful.  I don't know if the home seller's even realize that they'd become a casualty of indifference. 

It took more than a full weekend to get clearance to show property from the listing agents or their offices.  Multiple phone calls were made to each listing office, plus email requests were made to the agent.  One still hasn't even called back.  The most amazing part of this entire story is that all but two of the homes are vacant and simply sitting there waiting to get their new owners.  What's more, nearly every listing was a short sale so I'm sure the owners are anxious if not desperate to sell.

Sellers you need to protect yourselves and monitor how or if your agents get people into your home.  Don't hand them the key to the front door without following up and making sure that they're doing their job. 

If you're one of those sellers fit to be tied over this market, anxious to sell, you're tired of writing out mortgage checks or you're on the brink of foreclosure you need to make sure buyers and the agents who are working with buyers can get in to see your home.  Don't get me wrong, there are some fantastic agents out there.  You just need to make sure you have one that is doing their job and exhausting every lead that comes your way.

There are a couple of things I took away from my last appointment setting adventure that I'll share with you. 

It's not that hard to make arrangements for a reliable person or service to answer the phone to schedule showings. 

Only two of the offices I called had a direct number that worked on the weekend with a live person that answered the phone.  There was one office that didn't even have voice mail.  Several calls only provided ringing until an automatic disconnect after about 30 rings.   Yes, I counted. 

One agent played phone tag with me all weekend even after I left detailed voice mail and email messages with the property addresses that we'd like to see.  She called and left me several messages to "call her back", then didn't answer the phone.  When she finally did answer she said, "Oh, they're vacant."  Instead of just leaving a voicemail that said so two days ago without running me and anyone else that wants in the house around in circles.

So maybe you're thinking whoopee doo, I don't need you to show my house anyway.   Well, if your agent isn't answering my calls in a timely fashion or at all for that matter, do you think they're responding to a real live potential buyer for your home any faster?  A sign call?  An internet inquiry?  A neighbor who has called with friend or family thinking of moving to the area? 

How many potential buyers may have already tried to contact your agent to get more information or schedule an appointment and not gotten a call back?  What would stop them from giving up quickly and moving next door to the home where the agent is returning calls.  I wouldn't doubt for a minute that it's happened.  Buyers don't have to be patient and supply is plentiful.  They don't need the hassle.

In this sort of market there is no excuse for having a potential buyer not be able to get into any home.  Period.   Especially with a few days advanced request for an appointment.  I bet you that the sellers of those homes that missed showings wouldn't think there is an excuse either if they knew what was happening.

Real estate isn't a nine-to-five job and if an agent is not willing to do the job every day or effectively make arrangements for someone to help in their absence; they're in the wrong business and you've got the wrong agent. 

Yeah, I know some agent is going to be reading this and have a littler of kittens.  They'll posture themselves and thump their chest while they declare that Sunday is for God and family and they don't work on that day.  That's fine.  Enjoy the freedom of worshiping the God of your choice and spending time with your family.  Simply have systems in place for your customer's sake while you're taking your sabbatical.  Just because you're taking a break doesn't mean the rest of the world is.

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Real Life in Bonita Springs is a project by Chris Griffith dedicated to writing useful blog posts for consumers about the Bonita Springs, Florida area.  Find out what it is really like to live in Bonita Springs, Florida by reading about our fair city. You'll get the latest in local real estate information, Bonita Springs real estate market reports and a little bit of humor.  If you have topic ideas, feel free to request a story about the idea, after all, this site is just for you.

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Besides the famed Ghost Orchid there's also a chance to see deer and many other forms of wildlife in the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, Florida.  This little deer walked within a few hundred feet of the boardwalk.  The weather has been outstanding this week.  If you're looking for things to do in the area a trip to Corkscrew Sanctuary would be perfect. Take your camera and binoculars.

Someone Here Has Coquina Breath

Do you know what a coquina is? It's just one of those little things that most people don't know or notice.They walk right by, on or over them at Bonita Beachor I guess most beaches, at least in Southwest Florida.

I’ve been working my shay-gee off for a spell and decided by declaration to go to the beach, as in my Bonita Beach today. Sunday.Work was involved in the first half of the day but I made it down later in the day.I ended up at beach access #5.Sandy at the sea oats and shells by the shore.You simply must go and try it out for yourself.

When I got warm on the beach I walked to the water and there were coquinas.Coquinas are pronounced: ko-KEE-nahz.I suspect Sarah Cooper will name a dog Coquina, right after she names one Coconino.

If you don’t know, coquinas are mini clams.There’s probably a more scientific answer but to you and me they’re mini clams. They’re no bigger than a thumb fingernail and usually far smaller.They’re offered in every delicious color you could image but never be able to duplicate at the Home Depot paint counter.

Coquinas become exposed by the pounding surf at the shore.When the wave or surf recedes they dig for their lives.Predators are looking to gobble them up. Fish, sandpipers and gulls.

Today, when I was studying the coquinas I remembered that many years ago, while driving fromBarefootBeachI heard one of my kids say in a tiny, teeny voice with tears brimmed in the lower lids, “Mommy, I swallowed a coquina.”I know.Why was a coquina in a child’s mouth?I don’t know either.Fact of the matter is, they’re so brilliant that the kid even wanted one.I told you the colors were *delicious*.Maybe the kid wanted to stow it away in her mouth for whatever reason, who knows.I sure don’t know.Whatever the reason, it all backfired and now, almost 15 years after the fact, I’m ratting her out.She’s a brilliant, former coquina eater, adult.Wonder why she doesn’t like sushi?

Now, just wait for the stories about the twin that ate quarters and a ball bearing from a tractor axel.I swear I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.

Fire up the video below so you'll have some back ground music.  If you don't see the video box below the link to the tune is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCbOEZ8c8dM

Welcome home toBonita Springs, snowbirds.We’ve noticed that you’ve returned.My own parents will be back in two weeks.Brace yourself, Waffle House, Pappy is gonna be back in town and forcing all of the 4:00 a.m.’ers to read my column in the Naples Daily News.What is most comical about Pappy crashing Waffle House at 4:00 a.m. on a Saturday is walking in an hour after Lumberjack just left.You figure out who is going to bed and who just woke up.That kid thinks I have spy’s everywhere.

Bonita Springs real estateis still selling and with the return of the snowbirds it will pick up, too.In spite of the news you’re hearing people are still buying and yes, they’re still getting mortgages.Yes, there is still money out there to be lent and there are some great values to be found.Just last week I showed a gulf access home, on a canal with Imperial River views, built in 2005, bank owned, superb condition $350,000.You can’t beat that with a stick!What I really couldn’t believe is that the appliances were still in the house and it wasn’t trashed.This is one of those bow on top of a box deals for someone who wants a boat in their back yard.

Without further adieux here’s the officialBonitaSpringsreal estatemarket report for the month of September 2008.If you don’t like it, tough rocks.Actually, it’s not that bad so you should like it.We’re still chipping away at the inventory.Every month we shave off a few months of inventory.

Current Inventory Units Per Structure Type:

Bonita Springs Real Estate Market Report

Bonita Springs Absorption Rate September 08

This data was collected from the Sunshine MLS on 10/14/2008.  All information is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.  yadda yadda.

It looks like the Manufactured homes in Bonita Springs and Estero, as well as the High Rise condominium tower residences are the sectors that need a little boost.

Post Office Near Big Cypress Gallery

If you head out to Clyde Butchers Big Cypress Gallery, you'll pass this on the way.  Stop for your photo opportunity.  Learn more about this tiny post office HERE.

Things to Do | Visit The Big Cypress Gallery and Clyde Butcher

Not too long ago, I had an amazing opportunity to meet Clyde Butcher.  If you don't know who Clyde Butcher is, know this:  He is one of the great American Iconic Photographers of Modern and All Time. Period.  Bar none. Put it in your pipe and smoke it.  (his weapon is large format black and white nature photography)

He exemplifies "Wherever you go, there you are".

His mission was only accomplished by great loss.  His beloved son was lost in an accident caused by a drunk driver.  Solice was found in the Florida Everglades, of which he became a master at capturing images for the world to see.  The images are breath taking, one of a kind.  Clyde Butcher knows how to set up his hundreds of pounds of equipment and capture a site, a vision.  A vision that will never be seen again.  A chronicle of time - light - emotion - melancholy.

A delightful woman was telling me  all sorts of stories about Clyde and the swamp and the years of swamp walks that have taken place as I was eating lunch.  She was VERY enthusiastic and also very down to earth.  It wasn't until our conversation neared the end that she introduced herself as Jackie Butcher, Clyde's daughter.  (She runs a gallery for him in Venice, Florida and was down for the swamp walk.)  PBS was filming the kid swamp walk, so she brought her kids to be participants.  I asked her how many years of "life experience" he had and she cheerfully replied.  "It's his birthday!  65.  Go wish him happy birthday, it will embarass him.  Tonight's the party.  He's over there."  So I did -  I walked up to him and blamed it right on her!  "Jackie told me to wish you happy birthday!" and I shook his hand.   His hand is huge and swallowed mine.   He thanked me and his eyes twinkled.  We spoker for a while.

He's just such a great person and environmentalist.  The first thing he proclaimed is that he just wants to educate people about the Everglades.  He participates in events such as this ONLY because it educates the public about the environment and the Everglades.  He runs the swamp walks with guides and friends that will tell you anything about anything that has to do with the swamp.  It's fun and safe. There really is no danger of getting eaten by a gator.  There really aren't mosquitoes, either.  That's what he wants you to know and experience.

He also wants you to know that he doesn't only photograph the Everglades.  The latest series of Clyde Butcher photos is available.  America the Beautiful is a series of photos from across the United States.  They're simply awesome.  When I searched the web I frequently saw a montra that coincided with his name.  I wanted to ask Jackie about it but I couldn't muster the courage.  I bristle for the terminology I've frequently used to describe Mr. Butchers gift and wanted to confirm that "The Ansel Adams of the Everglades" is an insult.  I know it insults me, as a fan.

Clearly Clyde Butcher is a man made of his own vision and mission.  Wherever he goes, there he is.

My Big Strong Hero Tango Delta Niner

Maybe whining isn't a bad thing after all.

The weather last year was harsh in Southwest Florida.  Almost no rain, dried up lakes, water use restrictions all added up to brown yards and golf courses.  My own yard was no exception.  I had brown spots and a couple of areas that just died.  I didn't complain to the management company.  You know, nobody likes whiners.  Well, I don't like whiners so I didn't whine.  I just figured my yard was a calamity of the rain and it would work it's way back green.

This time it probably would have been in my best interest to whine a little.  If you've been hanging around this salty old blog long enough you've read more than one post about my "relocation program" for possums and armadillos.  I have to be the only real estate agent that will say this:  Since I havahart....yuk yuk...I decided to traps the critters and relocate them myself.  Why would I do that, you ask?  Because the home owner association would call professionals *murderers* that feed them magic food that makes them very thirsty.  They'll go to the lake to get a drink and the water will kill them, hopefully before they get back under my house.

I don't like the little trolls, but I know they shouldn't die just because they're not smart enough to leave.  I sent them an invitation on embossed stationary.  They didn't even RSVP that they wouldn't leave.

So here's the kicker. I have these little beasts because the grass wasn't dying from being dry it is dying from pests, grubs, bugs, their absolute favorite meal.  The lawn guy, bless his heart, was a sweety but he didn't know grass from grass.  I'm in the throws of having my entire yard re-sodded because it was beyond all hope.  I should have whined to the association manager.

In the last three weeks we've relocated three armadillos and two possums.  The possums go to some land a friend of mine owns on Morton Road and the armadillos go out by Smith road in the boondocks of East Bonita Springs.  (Yes, out by Village Walk of Bonita Springs, Sharon. Put on some tea they're on the way.)  It's a dirt road, lily pads on water, bullet holes in real estate signs kind of place.  So today I caught a Mack Daddy armadillo and then I called Tango Delta Niner my transportation for armadillos.  They stink and they're not riding in my car.  Who would want to go shopping for their real estate in an armadillow stinkmobile?

Well we've had rain in Bonita Springs lately.  Lots of it.  Since the ‘dillos go out by Smith I try to turn them loose in the same place so they might find each other.  Tango Delta Niner didn't think this was funny at all.

See that dark section in the middle?  That means it's deep.  See those sand bags on the right?  That means that this situation is out of control.  Come on Tango, don't be a sissy.  I should point out that there is a sunken boat up there on the left.

More sand bags and a dark puddles.  Tango is not amused and says with friends like you who needs enemies.

Armadillos are so much more attractive on this side of Bonita Springs.  There's something about it that brings out the color of their shell. You can't bottle magic like that.

No matter what side of Bonita Springs they're calling home they still have funny little chicken claw looking feet.  See them?  Fingernails just like a chicken.  Gross.  This one's on the road, like a toad, too.  Three amadillos down, at least one more to go....that I know about.

Tango Delta Niner says to me right before we left.  Lumberjack is right your choice of foot ware in the great outdoors is frowned upon.  To that I replied, "But honey, I make armadillo trapping look good!"

Getting Real Estate Advice From the Information Super Highway

How most consumers got their information ten or twenty years is so different that what is done today.  We shop for everything on the internet now; houses, clothing, cars, recipes, you name it.  If you don't know where to get something or how to fix something it gets Googled.

Web 2.0 has kicked in the doors to shopping for real estate to buy.  Some 85% or more home buyers now search the web for just about anything real estate related.  Buyers use the web for finding a home, learning about the neighborhoods, taxes, fees and to learn about local procedures.  When's the last time anyone has seen an MLS book?

With the good there does come some bad.  Trusting with 100% authority data that could be wrong or offered by someone that wasn't qualified to give it can get you in a bind.

There are dozens of websites that not only offer lists of homes for sale but also have forums, message boards and blogs.  Consumer can post questions and answers are given by lenders and real estate agents.  I subscribe to a few of them myself just to see what sort of data consumers are looking for and what sort of answers the professionals are giving.

The majority of the questions are just average peanut butter and jelly questions.  Is this near the so-in-so school or how far to the beach from this condo?  There are some questions that are more technical in nature and they really require skilled input from a professional in finance or law.  Unless a mortgage broker or agent also holds a license to practice law or they're a closet CPA they not only shouldn't be doling out advice but you shouldn't be listening to it either.  What an agent can share with you are trusted sources. Contacts and names of professionals that are licensed to give the advice you're looking for.

Besides professional legal or financial advice there are some pieces of information that a real estate agent simply can't share with you due to fair-housing laws.  This includes demographic statistics and some neighborhood characteristics, such as the quality of the school district, crime stats or any nearby registered sex offenders.  This is where agents become the "source of the source".  Agents can provide websites or government contact information for you but not actually disclose the information to you without violating fair housing laws.  I know I know fair housing for whom, the good guys or the bad guys?  Hey, I don't like it either so don't shoot the messenger.

The good news is that if you're utilizing web searches or real estate forums to learn real estate 101 the agent you're interacting with should be providing you links to do your homework.  Besides using your local county sheriff website, great sites like and www.Census.gov offer information about demographics and www.FamilyWatchdog.us has a sexual offender registry.

The internet is a fantastic resource but anyone can be anyone on the web.  Giving out too much information or trusting answers to questions from someone who may not even be a licensee is a risk.  Verify the identity of the people you're interacting with by visiting their own website or their corporate site.  You can also search an agent's license at my www.MyFloridaLicense.com.  If something seems fishy it probably is so just walk away.

Sometimes people are licensed real estate agents that are just a little too ambitious.  You would also want to be skeptical of a person's geographic location vs. where they're giving real estate advice.  Why anyone from Boise, Idaho would be answering Florida real estate questions in some of these forums is a mystery to me but I see it happen all the time.

Certainly anyone can hold a license in multiple states but are they skilled and know what they're doing if they live three thousand miles away?  All their license proves is that they had a spare $350 bucks laying around and seven days to kill in a classroom.  They might not have their ear to the ground and be able to let you know about that new road cutting through your dream neighborhood in summer 2010.

So get out there, find your information on the web but verify the critical issues with people who are properly trained to help you and people who know what they're talking about.  While you're at it make sure the agents that you're listening to are the ones that are even qualified to be doing the talking.

Who Said The Flu Couldn't Be Funny?

The Love Story...

I will Seek and find you... I shall take you to bed and have my way with you.

I will make you ache, shake & sweat until you moan & groan.

I will make you beg for mercy, beg for me to stop.

I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when I'm finished with you.

And, when I am finished, you will be weak for days.

All my love,

The Flu

Now, get your mind out of the gutter and go get your flu shot!

Here's a place to do it The Sweetbay Supermarket at The Brooks on Coconut Road.  If you're in Bonita Springs or Estero this is a handy location.  You can get more info about other locations at www.SweetbaySupermarket.com or www.MaxYourHealth.com

This is a list of all vaccination locations in Florida.  Find your own Flu Shot Location HERE

The remaining flu shot clinics at The Sweetbay at The Brooks are:

Wednesday - 22 10am-1:30pm

Thursday - October23 4pm-7:30pm

Friday - October24 10am-1:30pm

Saturday - October25 10am-1:30pm

Wednesday - November 5 10am-1:30pm

Thursday - November6 4pm-7:30pm

Friday - November 7 10am-1:30pm

Saturday - November8 10am-1:30pm