Life In Bonita Springs

Bounce into a Trampoline Park in Naples, Florida

There are a few trampoline parks in the area.  Bounce Trampoline Park is located near Goodlette Road and Airport-Pulling Road in Naples, Florida.  It’s a great time and fun for all ages for anyone looking for things to do in Naples.  You can sit and watch, if you don’t want to bounce or you can choose from a variety of bounce areas.  There a safer places for little people and more challenging area for the gymnasts in the group. There are even foam pits so participants can shoot for the sky and safely fall into a cushion of foam.

The trampoline parks all offer a great deal of supervisions and are very safe. You can also plan parties at most of them. Special socks must be purchase/worn for use of the park.  To learn more read also:

Bounce Naples

In addition to Bounce in Naples there is a Sky Zone in Fort Myers, Florida, also.

Surf the Consignment Stores in Bonita Springs, Florida

The Bonita Springs area is well know for the large amount of consignment stores. Why do we have so many consignment stores in Southwest Florida? We are an area of a lot of seasonal home ownership and, of course, we have a lot of condominiums. 

Just for giggles I just checked our MLS and out of all 1,210 properties for sale 5455 of them were offered unfurnished.  Many of our homes for sale transfer sale furnished as a courtesy to the seller.  The next owner may love the furniture or simply make do until they start picking at replacing items.  Some of the new home owners call a consignment store and donate the entire unit full of furniture and replace it all.

If you’re looking for a fun way to find great bargains, antiques and designer items for pennies on the dollar tour a few consignment stores. Pick your favorites and start touring them on a regular basis. You’ll be able to score a great deal or find that special piece that complete your home or condo.

To learn more about the consignment stores in the area, read also:

Furniture Consignment Stores in Bonita Springs FL

Attend Outdoor Sunday Service in Bonita Springs, Florida

The Springs of Bonita Church currently holds Sunday service at Riverside Park in Downtown Bonita Springs, Florida.  Service begins at 9:30. The church is pet friendly, flip-flop friendly and you don't even need to bring a chair.  If you'd like to learn how I found the Springs of Bonita Church, read also:

Church and Worship in Bonita Springs, Florida

This is a partial list of parks that Chris has reviewed and written articles for in Spotlight Magazine. Because the redirect to the google map wasn't working from social media this page was build so that you, the consumer can easily find the map links.  Click the photo below or click here: Link to Parks Map

Tour Southern Fresh Farms -  Things To Do With Kids

Over the past year or so we have heard about Southern Fresh Farms. It is located in Fort Myers, Florida near the entrance to Paseo. We finally had the chance to visit the farm. It did not disappoint and it is free to get in!

I thought we would feed a few farm animals and leave but there was so much more to see and learn at the agriculture park.

When we arrived we walked into an actual farmers market and a little area where you can buy different fresh food. The kids quickly got their cup of carrots - $1 per cup to feed the farm animals. The lady working there informed me all were rescued animals. As we made our way back to the animals we past strawberry fields, greenhouses, and many more fields of vegetables. The boys fed the cows (the cows licked them and I thought my kids would never stop laughing), goats, donkeys,sheep and chickens. We walked back through the farm admiring all the beautiful fruit and vegetables that are being sold at the farmer’s market right there at the farm.

There is a pond with fish and turtles which of course we fed. The kids loved watching the fish jump around getting the food. Last but not least we got to play on the playground which is a great thing because parents like to be able to sit and relax for a little bit while the kids burn the energy out.

I learned while I was there you can actually rent a season garden box and be apart of a garden club at the farm. The farm is also used as a venue for birthday parties and weddings.

We love finding places that are not expensive to do and the kids actually enjoy. Southern Fresh Farms was a great day of fun and we definitely will be back! If you're looking for fun things to do with kids, this is it. 

Here is the information on their location:

Phone: (239) 768-0309

Southern Fresh Farms

8500 Penzance Blvd

Fort Myers, FL 33912

Open everyday 9:00am-5:00pm

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About the Author - Jenna Hatfield is a life-long resident of Bonita Springs, Florida and mother of two boys.

Real Estate Agents - Love The One You're With

Well, you may have heard me talk about loyalty every now and then … here we go again. I am loyal to my real estate clients, my vendors such as repairmen and inspectors and even other real estate agents.  I know it’s not a two way street but I do the right thing, anyway. I’ve lived in Bonita Springs for about thirty-five years and been a real estate agent for twenty years. I know that I have to practice good business to thrive and have a long career.

I recently had a buyer inquiry on my website asking for help right away. They needed to buy a  home because their home was under contract and they needed to move quickly.  They were thinking of buying in Audubon.  They homes for sale in Audubon are rather high dollar homes so it would be tempting for most real estate agents to throw the buyer in a car and get them to write up a sale. 

My first thought, however, was that he needed to call his current agent. I don’t want to interfere in a real estate client/agent relationship.  The optics on that are really bad even if there was an issue with his current agent.  Plus, if you’re not loyal to one agent why would you be loyal to the next?

Giving him the benefit of the doubt I returned a call to him explaining the position and that he should be loyal to his agent. I think it fell on deaf ears. He sort of wished me well and probably moved on to the next agent that agrees to get in the middle.

It’s so very important to carefully select a real estate agent you enjoy and get along with and maintain that loyalty. Adding other personalities into the mix of a real estate transaction is just going to cause issues down the road. 

If you’d like to learn more about agency, representation and even loyalty give me a call at 239-273-7430.

Pet Friendly Parks & Paths in Naples, Florida 4/365

Dillon and I are walkers.  We ran into Keith, the mortgage broker, and his dire wolf Koji. We were talking about how smart dogs are and how they never forget.  Dillon never forgets the park.  Actually we have to spell p-a-r-k if we are going to Riverside Park.  I shared with Keith that we went to Freedom Park after not being there for a year and he remembered when I turned in.  He lost his mind over the possibilities of the walk there.  Walk is another word we have to spell.

At any rate, Keith didn’t know about Freedom Park or the Gordon River Greenway! So if you’re looking for things to do or places to walk (with or without your dog) visit either of these locations in Naples, Florida.  They’re sort of across the street from each other.  Millions of cars drive by them and don’t even know what a hidden gem they are missing. 

Here are two stories I wrote for Spotlight Magazine about the parks. Both parks are stroller friendly, mobility friendly, pet friendly and free entry/parking.  Get out there and enjoy your local parks, Bonita Springs!

The Gordon River Greenway Naples Florida

Freedom Park & The Collier County Freedom Memorial Naples

Post Holiday Wind Down With Chinese Takeout 3/365

Things to do in Bonita Springs after the holidays?  How about quit cooking and chill and find the best Chinese takeout in #swfl?  Since we’re not big meat eaters in our home we don’t eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s.  I love to have Chinese food instead. First, this is Jeff’s number: 239-948-2200 so please don’t call Chris to order Chinese food. 

Bonita Springs is no different than any other city. There are early as many Chinese take out stores as there are Walgreens stores.  We have, out of habit, ordered from the same old, same old store in Bonita Springs but I decided to heed the advice of group members of the Bonita Springs Estero Community Forum on Facebook and try Jeff’s Chinese in Estero. 

I looked up their menu online at www.jeffschinese.com and placed my order by calling.  Because Bonita Farms is seven miles away I am outside of the delivery area so I drove up.  It’s only about twelve minutes away. 

We ordered spring roll, crab rangoon,shrimp egg foo young, egg drop soup, the szechuan with tofu. The final verdict is that we will drive to Jeff’s over ordering from our local store. We loved everything and could really taste the better quality of ingredients. 

The Truth About Taxes & Insurance in Bonita Springs Florida

“But I will pay more in real estate taxes and insurance in Florida than I do in upstate New York … “

That was a comment I received on a Facebook post that showed every state with the income tax rates.  Florida income tax rate is one of the lowest in the nation, if you weren’t aware.

Read also: Bonita Springs Florida Tax Haven High Net Worth Residents

At any rate, my first thought was to qualify that comment/response with data because, well, I would want to make sure we are comparing apples to apples.  So here are my thoughts, to pass on to you, the potential real estate home buyer in Bonita Springs or Estero.  You, as a consumer, could read things like that not extrapolate a few factors that we don’t know such as:

• Value, for example. Is the value of the home in New York $400,000 and the home in Bonita Springs, Florida $400,000.  That would be the apples to apples with regard to value.
• CDD – Is the property located in a community development district?  How about a water management district with special assessments like San Carlos Estates.  Those types of tax districts can add hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars to a tax bill. 
• County taxes only or is one of the homes in a city/county tax situation?  Paseo in Fort Myers, for example has both city and county taxes in addition to a CDD.  The trifecta!
• If the property in NY enjoyed specific exemptions that don’t transfer or convey to Florida. Widow/Widower, disability, etc.  That’s not apple/apples in tax basis, either.

As far as insurance … there are so many variables I can’t even list them all so let’s just hit a few larger items.

• The age of the home will determine insurance cost factors.  Many older homes require a four point inspection so the insurance company can gauge their risk.  Older homes do not have a lot of the recent storm codes such as window coverings that could lower the tax rate.
• The location of the home.  If it’s by a canal, the bay or the Gulf of Mexico there could be increased premiums for hazards such as wind  and water intrusion.  I know because I live in Bonita Farms a few lots from the river in an older home built in 1983.  The canal is my back yard and the insurance company ranks that risk with additional premium charges.
• The elevation of the home.  Older homes are often lower so  they are in lower flood plains.  We have a few flood plains here so the charges for flood insurance vary quite a bit.
• Is there more than one structure on the property.  Two structures, two policies.  If they need flood insurance, two structures, two policies for home owners and two policies for flood. 

Honestly, an experience real estate agent can help you learn everything you need to know about a property before you even Docusign the contract.  You can get ballpark prices on real estate property taxes and insurance, both homeowners and flood insurance prior to moving forward. Heck, our property appraiser actually takes phone calls and can let you know +/- what your first tax bill be if you are buying new construction that has never been taxed before. 

Anywho, I thought that I would share my two cents about real estate taxes and home owner insurance to help home buyers. 

If you’re looking for buyer representation call Chris or Angela at 239-273-7430.

Fitness Events That Benefit Veterans! 2/365

The Griffith Family is always involved  with veteran organizations and one of our favorites holds an event not so far from Bonita Springs in Fort Myers.  “Run To Home Base” is held by Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Proceeds help heal the invisible wounds for Veterans, Service Members and their families through world-class clinical care, wellness, education and research.

This is a fun, feel-good event.  You can come watch, do a short walk or run/walk a 5K.  You get to run the bases at Fenway and take a self guided tour the stadium, too.  It’s an event that is good for all ages.  The littles love it!

If you’d like to learn more visit their Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/homebaseprogram/events/

The 2019 event is on January 19, 2019.  See you there!

Our “running and events season” is in the winter so be sure to visit active.com to find great walking, running and triathlon events throughout Bonita Springs and southwest Florida.  There are tons of fun things to do in the Bonita Springs area!