Who does this? I don't know, either. And another thing, is the teeny, tiny strap really enough to hold that mower on there? Seriously. I saw this while driving one day and, always with a camera, I snapped the shot. I'll add this to my collection of unbelievable things seen while driving around Southwest Florida. Also look at my Driverless Car photo and the icky truck I nearly had a close encounter with.
In a tough market, the person that makes the extra effort gets the reward. You seemed to be making extra effort.
How nice. Upon calling another agent for further information about a property, we deduced we were both working with him on the same property. I promptly invited the prospect to continue his condo search with the other agent(s) he was working with. Mr. Prospect, you're right, it's a tough market, so why pit real estate agents against each other? Why waste the time, effort, money and resources of devoted agents for no reason? For the record, no, it didn't inspire me to make the "extra effort". I was actually offended that someone would infer that I needed manipulated to perform at my best. Goodbye.
I truly love what I do. I love helping people buy homes in Bonita Springs. I don't mind working hard and I'm not afraid of "heavy lifting". What I do mind is working hard and offering die hard loyalty to my clients and not getting the same respect in return.
Here's the scoop on working with a real estate agent in Bonita Springs, Estero or anywhere else in Southwest Florida. Find a real estate agent that you're comfortable with, an agent that knows the area, an agent you trust and stick with them. If you have problems or conflict with the agent you're working with, end the relationship. Change agents, but don't get a second one. Oh, and don't think you need a different agent for every community you visit either.
Real estate agents have access to the same multiple listing service. We all [Agents] cooperate with each other and are able to show properties to buyers whether we have them listed with our brokerage, they are listed another brokerage or even for sale by owner. Find an agent and if you're going to be poking around the web or hitting open houses, just give the info you find to your agent. They don't mind, really. It's their job to get information for you. They can help you learn about the communities and also make sure you're headed in the right direction or help you make the best choices. It really is that simple.
Not long ago I drove by this frog bench and backed up for a photo. I just thought they were interesting looking. There is not huge story to go with them. They live in Imperial Bonita Estates in Bonita Springs, Florida. Feel free to submit your choice for their names in the comments below. My choice for names is Rocco and Marie.
Several years ago, when the City of Bonita Springs was about half of its size The Brooks of Bonita Springs was just being built. I recall taking a couple into Copperleaf at The Brooks to look at new construction coach homes being built by Pulte. Before we set foot on site I explained this to the buyers:
"The new product sales associates, at some point, will tell you that you need to reserve what you like right away or it will get sold out from under you. I want you to know that they're telling the truth. The product really is that popular. I wanted you to know in advance so you won't feel you're getting the hard sell."
Those buyers went into their purchase armed with that information.
The Bonita Springs real estate market has again cycled and become a totally different animal. I've been working with a few investors and foreign nationals who are hoping to take advantage of our "new improved real estate prices" and the value in leveraging their money against the US dollar. I only had to lose one deal due to buyer's remorse to realize that I have to prep the buyers for something totally different: Getting the offer accepted.
Now, in the 2008 Market, here's what you need to be ready for if you're buying real estate in Bonita Springs:
Now get out there and buy your Florida dream home. Just be prepared. It doesn't take luck to find a great home in Bonita Springs - Luck is nothing more than preparation and education colliding with opportunity. I think you're set on the opportunity part.
Hey, we're all reading the same papers and watching the same news on TV. Those same news portals have nearly convinced people that the Bonita Springs real estate market is as dead as a door nail. You've undoubtedly heard some new terms in the last year: Short Sale, Foreclosure, Pre-Foreclosure, Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure, NOD - Notice of Default, Distress Sale. I'm not blowing smoke and saying that the real estate market isn't without it's challenges. I'm not saying that there isn't one heck of a learning curve we've all been on this year, either. I'm just saying that in spite of the new catchy words we've learned and the bad news we hear almost daily that real estate is selling in Bonita Springs.
There are savvy snow birds are out in force looking for their Florida home. Those buyers and investors who licked their wounds when they got priced out of our market are back. They're doing their home work, finding deals and they're drop dead serious when they're putting in offers. I've just negotiated my second deal in the last three weeks with multiple offers and a bidding war for a property. Yes, I'm serious. Our market isn't dead, it's just different.
Serious Seller's are risking that their property gets lost in a sea of heavy inventory unless they get real about selling. In order to get their Bonita Springs home or condo noticed they have to price it well, at a price that will get noticed. They're also making sure their home is show ready, in tip top shape. It doesn't take buyers long to find these gems, and when they do the contracts start flying. The real estate market is, what it is. If you want to sell your Bonita Springs real estate, you need to put on your big girl or big boy britches and price your property to appraise and also price it to stand out in the market and get it model home clean.
It's an almost sad parade of people leaving the beach after the sun goes down. Every day the sun goes down over the Gulf of Mexico in Bonita Springs, Florida. Most days I miss it. Periodically, guilt sets in that "other people fly from all over the world to be here to see it" so I load up and go. My favorite place to go **and get a close, free parking spot** is the Barefoot Beach Preserve. It's located in the Barefoot Beach Community. There is a guard gate that you do not have to stop for sunrise to sunset. (It's that neighborhood at the traffic light by the 5 buildings on the curve called The Bonita Beach and Tennis Club.) The street winds through the neighborhood of multi-million dollar homes for a few miles until you get to the park. There is a guard/toll collection booth there, but at 5:00 p.m. they stop taking fees, just drive right on through. The first access has restroom facilities and a boardwalk for easy stroller or wheelchair access. Two more access parking lots are beyond that. My favorite is the last one and it usually has less people. You're fairly close to Wiggins Pass and can easily walk south to it in a few minutes.
Barefoot Beach Park is a gopher tortoise preserve. The turtles do not swim, do not put them in the water, do not feed them and check under your car before you back out.
If it's been a while since you've heard the sun sizzle as it dips into the gulf check the sunset times and make a point to go - remember, people come from all over the world to see it and you're taking it for granted. Plus, it's leap year. Have you ever seen the sunset on February 29th?
Oh, and dogs aren't allowed at this beach, for the record. The dog in the photo above doesn't believe he is a dog and that is why he was there. We do have a Dog Beach located near Lover's Key.
UPDATED LEE COUNTY FLOOD MAPS HERE: Identifying Bonita Springs Flood Zone | Map
You can use the FEMA maps by reading this:
If you're thinking of buying Bonita Springs real estate and you're interested in finding out which communities are or are not in a flood zone, you can find the zones on the FEMA website. FEMA has an interactive map where you can search for flood zones by address or even by zip code to get a full over view of the city.
I've been working with buyers who are interested in purchasing a home in The Reserve at Estero. (By the way, there are some screaming deals at The Reserve) I simply entered the zip code 33928 and the city map popped up. I isolated the area of Estero Parkway by clicking the cursor and drawing a square around the area of interest and it shows exactly where the flood zone begins and ends.
Personally, I find the FEMA site somewhat cumbersome and some features are downright difficult to use. Hey, that's government for you. Since the map itself is java I can't post a link to it, but you can get to the map by going to the site:
FEMA Flood Map Page then click on the Map Search feature. Be patient, it takes a minute or two to load the data. Did I mention that it's cumbersome?
This is a national map, you can search anywhere in the United States.
If you're considering buying a condominium in Bonita Springs or anywhere in the State of Florida you need to know about the three day review of condominium documents. After you write a contract and it is executed [it is accepted and signed by all parties] the seller or seller's agent will have delivered to you documents for your review. Typically, these documents will include:
Buyers are afforded three days to review the documents to make sure this is the community for them and they are satisfied that the community is financially sound and offers the ease of use while living there [to fit their lifestyle]. The condominium documents itemize and list important factors about the association and it's restrictions that can affect a buyer and their use of the common areas. A few important rules (which are only examples for the sake of this article) may include:
If the documents were to reveal a bylaw or rule that a buyer would deem to be a reason not to live in that association he may then cancel the contract, within three days of receipt of documents and have his deposit returned with no penalty. Naturally, strict timeframes are to be followed to be able to exercise this option.
What do you do if you are a buyer and you aren't clear on a particular rule in the documents? Call the property management company. The property management company can often answer questions quickly and also show you where to looking within the association bylaws handbook to quickly find what you're looking for. In addition, the homeowner association can also put a buyer in contact with the board president and the officers of the association should you have pointed questions about the neighborhood, atmosphere and attitude of the community or schedule of the next association meetings.
Condominium documents and homeowner association documents for most Bonita Springs associations are recorded at the Lee County Clerks Office and accessible online at www.LeeClerk.org.
Another Reason Why I Love Two Brothers
Today, I'm not feeling so swell. I've been a little sickly lately. One of the kids was over last week and brought a friend that had the cooties. I think I somehow caught "Crusty's" germs and now I'm not doing so hot. I've had a sore throat which turned to a hacking cough and now I have no voice. Good news for those of you that are sick tired of hearing me cackle. If you're wondering, Crusty is a nickname and a term of endearment. He loves our crazy family or he's a really good actor.
I've been struck voiceless but not helpless. I'm not so sick that I didn't get hungry. It hit me a few minutes ago (when I realized there was no food in this house) that I can still order takeout. I went to AA Two Brothers Pizzeria website and ordered online. I ordered online for the first time a few weeks ago. Setting up the account is a breeze and just takes a minute. After that you can just leaf through the menu, order your items and quantities and it totals it up for you. You can even pay online if you're sending someone else to pick it up for you, like I was doing. You can even choose your toppings for pizza and calzone by clicking the item of choice. It's as simple as A,B,C.
If you haven't heard about AA Two Brothers yet, you have to stop in. Two Brothers is the best pizza in Bonita Springs. They're located behind the John R. Wood Building, next to Kid Zoo on US41 in Bonita Springs, just across the street from Bonita Bay.
Read also: The Best Pizza in Bonita Springs Florida
Is it any wonder why people want to live here? This photo was taken at Barefoot Beach Preserve at Barefoot Beach, Florida.
