Should Your Bonita Springs Home Listing Be Open

Just because a home is for sale doesn’t bean an open house is the best way to market it.  When I list property, whether it is a home or condo, in the Bonita Springs or Estero area frequently I am asked by the seller if there will be any open houses.  The answer is … maybe. 

Open houses in Bonita Springs are not always the most effective way to market a home listing in Bonita Springs.  Depending upon the price point of your home listing, finding a buyer may not be the challenge.  Getting the listed property closed after the contract could be the challenge.  Being clear on where the struggle is going to take place can help set expectations so there won’t be surprises down the road.   I’ve been a Bonita Springs listing agent for over sixteen years (as of September 2015) and just last week was shown a whole new way to be blind sided in underwriting.  Like I said, sometimes the real battle isn’t getting the home or listing under contract … it’s getting it past the surprises that the lenders and title companies discover after the fact.

Read also: Blind Sided in Underwriting - Bonita Springs Condo Loans

Don’t get me wrong, there are listed properties that are a challenge to get into, communities so secure that a broker open or an open house can help bring in a suitable buyer.  The odds, however, are that a home sale will occur but for another property, not the open house property. The majority of buyers who attend open house are either curious and wandering or not “qualified”. They’ve not been screened by an experienced buyer’s agent to verify that they can afford the property nor has their credit been screened to verify that they either have the funds or can qualify for a mortgage. 

There also is another factor to consider; safety.  Those folks who come into an open house may not have the best intentions.  Let us remember that if they are not working with a buyer’s agent nobody really knows who they are.  A veritable stranger is walking through your home listing and very well could be tabulating what you own and if the listed home is vacant or occupied.  Are there groceries in the fridge?  Are there only women’s clothing in the closet?  Those are the tell-tale signs that a home is not occupied. Someone with less than the best intensions could use that to their advantage.

One of the best solutions for finding the answer to “should I have an open house in Bonita Springs” is to ask your real estate agent, the listing agent or potential listing agent (if you are interviewing).  We often are actually buying or selling are own real estate an can tell you whether or not we will or have had an open house in our own real estate.  Recently, I sold an investment property outside of the Bonita Springs area. I hired a listing agent to do the job and requested no open houses.  The home was vacant. There was no clothing in the closets, no food in the fridge and it would only advertise to anyone who toured the home that it was vacant.  The home was priced correctly and under contract in about thirty days … and surprise, the challenges to closing the property were far greater than getting it under contract.

If you are searching for open houses in Southwest Florida be sure to look here:

http://www.openhousesouthwestflorida.com/search.asp

These are the MLS advertised open houses in Bonita Springs and Estero areas. If you are looking for listing representation call or text Chris 239-273-7430. If you’d like buyer representation in Bonita Springs or Estero call or text Angela 239-728-7599.  We’re both Bonita Springs residents and know Bonita Springs like the back of our hands.

Once Upon a Time There Were Foreclosures

Sometimes, while I am arriving at a listing appointment I notice things. The front door of a home tells a story; how often it is used, if there are kids giving it wear and tear or if the home or condo has been foreclosed. 

Believe it or not, the Bonita Springs, Florida area is at an all-time low, with regard to foreclosures (bank owned or REO real estate).  The Bonita Springs real estate market is well into recovery and short sales are almost nil and foreclosures are few.  About 8% of the real estate market closed sales in August 2015.  Only 3% of our active listings are foreclosures, meaning foreclosure homes for sale.

The locks are the last of the remnants of evidence.  Mismatched door lock hardware sets or paint rings where the dead bolt was swapped from an oval to round shape or vice versa.  At any rate, I noticed this one today and thought I’d snap a photo for some reason … if not to let folks know to just change your door hardware. That deadbolt probably still fits a Fannie key and the home owner doesn’t even realize it. Safety first, Bonitians.

State of Bonita Springs Real Estate Fall 2015

Southwest Florida, including the Bonita Springs and Estero Florida areas are growing by leaps and bounds.  I’ve personally lived in the Bonita Springs area for thirty years and can tell you that I’ve seen Bonita Springs grow from a population of about four-thousand to over fifty-thousand during that time.  So what is pushing this grown in the Estero Florida area?  Who is buying all of the real estate both resale and all of the new construction in Bonita Springs? 

Lee County to Grow by 70% by 2040

Well, going forward, there is more growth projected and being planned for by Lee County.  In the next 25 years, Lee County’s population and jobs are expected to grow by 70 percent. To address the transportation needs of our growing communities, the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is currently updating its transportation plan.   If you would like to learn more about the plan read also:  http://2040transportationplan.leempo.com/ 

Baby Boomers Retiring in Mass to SWFL

There were 76 million people born between the years 1946 and 1964, the traditional window for the baby boom generation. That means that they will retire over a 19-year period. Simple math shows that 76 divided by 19 is 4 million, or almost 11,000 people a day. Compound those figures with the last three brutal winters up north and the mass exodus began.  We’ve been seeing snowbird home buyers for years but it has reached a good simmer.  Bonita Springs home buyers are more conservative since the buying boom of 2005 but they’re still planning for retirement. Continue reading: Baby Boomers

There’s No Room at the Inn

For those future retirees who have enjoyed seasonal leasing in the past … well, there is no other way to put it than there aren’t enough rentals to go around and that is both for annual or part time/seasonal use.  Remember all of those SWFL baby boomers?  Well, they’re buying real estate to move into it and it has put the squeeze on the rental market.  There just isn’t enough to go around and there won’t be for a while.

There is Little Housing Inventory Available

The housing downturn and bubble burst oversupplied our real estate and housing market with inventory.  That housing inventory  in some of the worst hit neighborhood was nearing recovery in 2010. Take for instance Village Walk of Bonita Springs which, at one, had thirty-three years of inventory … yes, you read that correctly.  By 2010 it had 10 months of inventory.  Right now, in September 2015 there is only 4.5 months of inventory and, quite honestly, that number is a lot smaller because so many of the properties that are considered “active” for this simple math calculation are “pending sale”.  (properties are considered active until they are officially closed sale regardless of having a ratified contract). The article I wrote about this inventory in 2010: Village Walk Market Recovery

Interest Rates Are at All-Time Lows

The low interest rates are important to mention partly because we’ve seen the lowest amount of cash buyers in the last few months.  Cash was king … it still is but there are more buyers financing their Bonita Springs home buying excursion than ever.  The rates are low. Financing still has it’s complications and challenges but a great mortgage banker can get it done.  Watch this: Why Big Banks Suck at Financing

As a Bonita Springs home Buyer, Where Do You Start?

You start by finding a qualified, accomplished real estate team to help you with your purchase.  That includes a great, experienced REALTOR and their team of mortgage professionals, inspectors, appraisers, tradesmen and more.  The great real estate market has a thread of bad news for home buyers and sellers. It’s become the “low skill” market where those who don’t have experience jump in to try to make some fast cash.  Experience matters! For literally $350 and a week in class anyone can get a real estate license.  Chose an experienced agent with a great track history that may have been through the ups and downs and really know real estate. Read also: About Chris Griffith – call or text 239-273-7430 and About Angela Griffith – call or text 239-728-7599

Published September 2015

New Entry at Worthington Golf and Country Club

Today, I performed a “final walk through” for a buyer who purchased a condo in Worthington Golf and Country Club, a bundled golf community in Bonita Springs. Angela and I have had a productive summer in Worthington as we’ve been fortunate to have sold a few villas and condos there this summer. As I turned onto Bonita Grande Road today, I noticed they were renovating the entry with new brick pavers and they are sprucing up the flower planters at the entry and at the corner facing Bonita Beach Road.  Just a heads up for you seasonal residents who may be keeping tabs on Worthington while you’re up north.

If you found this page while searching for homes or condos for sale in Worthington click here: Search Worthington Homes For Sale

Tropical Storm Erika – Hurricane Erika 2015

The terror and “state of emergency” over tropical storms and hurricanes in Southwest Florida.  If you found this Bonita Springs website by Googling to see what the storms are doing in Bonita Springs because you have a seasonal home here, you’ve come to the right place.  First and foremost, if you are on Facebook, join my Bonita Springs Estero Community Forum or paste this link in your browser: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BonitaEsteroForum/. 

Myself and a few group administrators are updating the page with real time news, tropical storm weather updates and information. I  can tell you from 30 years of experience living in Bonita Springs that the “news” inflates the details. Now, with over 2,000 members active in this group you can probably ask pointed questions about your neighborhood or even your street and someone next door will be able to either post pictures or give you direct feedback. 

The counties of Lee and Collier will likely both declare a state of emergency with regard to Tropical Storm Erika.   BONITA SPRINGS – ESTERO – NAPLES ARE A WATER BASED COMMUNITY  getting the back side of the storm so it will be windy and pushing water onshore so if that gets combined with high tide it is dangerous.  Those in low lying areas need to be warned more so than newer neighborhoods so they start the warnings early.  Don’t panic! 

There are always a lot of reports and tasty network news clips that scare Bonita Springs residents terribly while they are out of town. Tune into the group and put your mind at ease.  If you can’t access Facebook you can always pick up the phone and call or text me  239-273-7430 or Angela, my daughter in law who is my buyer’s agent, 239-728-7599 for a real time report about the 239 area.

Bonita Spring Home Sales Statistics

It’s been years since the $200,000 and under price range has had fewer sales than the $400-600,000 price range.  We’ve been selling Bonita Springs real estate from the bottom up.  As the bottom sells off, the prices rise.    It’s been quite a few years of recovery and the home buyer keep coming to Bonita Springs.  Why?  We seeing fallout from the statistic of nearly 11,000 people per day retiring in the United States.  That number is huge and those retirees are headed for warm weather in Arizona, Texas and of course Florida.  The Southwest Florida area has seen a lot of newcomers in the last few years, a little earlier than expected as aided by three brutal winters in a row.

This also means that the rental pool has dried up, too.  If you’re looking for a rental … best of luck to you. It’s dog eat dog out there.  Folks are already booking 2017 and 2018 just trying to get something. 

If you’d like to see the rest of the Bonita Springs home sales statistics and real estate market reports, click the photo album.   There you will see historical sales for the last decade, foreclosure rates, short sales info and other stats like how all of these snow birds are financing their real estate.

As usual you can call or text any time to learn more about buying or selling a home in Bonita Springs.  Chris can be reached at 239-273-7430, call or text, after hours and weekends, too.

Freedom Park & The Freedom Memorial

Hidden in plain sight, on the northeast corner of Goodlette-Frank Road and Golden Gate Parkway, is one of Collier County's newest parks, Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park. Thousands of people drive by it daily without realizing that there are roughly 50 acres to explore, right in the heart of the city. This park actually comprises one of the best passive parks and filter marshes in the Naples area. It’s particularly easy to get to given the urban location and, of course, both the park and parking are free.

Freedom Park features about a mile and a half of trails and elevated boardwalks which wind through preserves providing a beautiful recreation site for residents in addition to its distinct ecological purpose which is protecting wildlife and southwest Florida waterways. As sheet flow and storm water travel through the four marshes within Freedom Park, a natural water quality filtration system is quietly at work. Native wetland plants uptake the organic pollutants while heavy metals settle out of the water. The result is cleaner, filtered water entering the Gordon River, Naples Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

During an early morning walk at Freedom Park you can easily spot the usual suspects; butterflies, rabbits, frogs, freshly blossoming wild flowers, a wide variety of wading birds and many native Florida plants. There are plaques posted along the boardwalk railing to identify many of the plants and trees. Not surprisingly, you’ll also get to see some of Naples’ finest residents getting in their morning walk or run. The trail and boardwalk is entirely ADA accessible so it’s perfect for bikes, strollers and those with mobility issues. The trail itself is made up of several short trails loops so there are shorter options for those who may not have the time to walk the entire trail system. Best of all, there are plenty of benches along the way for rest, as well as, six look-out pavilions and two picnic areas. A few of the pavilions are on beautiful, lily pad filled lakes where catch and release fishing is permitted.

This is a wonderful park for all ages but it would be a great beginner trail due to the shorter length trails, ease of use and the facilities on site. The restrooms, water fountains and the park butterfly garden are accessible all year round. Fall through spring there is also a 2500 square-foot education facility that is open to the public.

Fred W. Coyle Freedom Park is named in honor of Fred W. Coyle and the Freedom Memorial which is currently under construction and expected to be completed in early 2016. The memorial is a tribute to the lives lost on 9/11/01 in the terrorist attacks and to the heroes of past and present wars. On my last walk through Freedom Park I walked by the Freedom Memorial on a day when commemorative bricks were being dedicated and installed. I found out that you can order personalized commemorative bricks to be installed at the memorial by visiting www.freedommemorialfoundationofnaples.org.

When you go don’t forget to bring water and remember that there are no trash cans so what you carry in you also carry out. The western side of the trail is pet friendly, the boardwalk portion is not.

Freedom Park and the Collier County Freedom Memorial are located at 1515 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples, just east of the Coastland Center Mall.

Happy Trails and Boardwalks!

Read also: Gordon River Greenway

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Special to Southwest Spotlight Magazines

Bonita Springs Real Estate June 2015

 Bonita Springs real estate sales continue at a brisk clip through summer with little inventory build up for our fall return visitors.  The "unit sales" would likely be higher if there was more inventory.  $200,000 and under priced properties are few and far between and they move as fast as lightening.  The $200-400,000 price point accounts for most property sales in the Bonita Springs and Estero Florida area.

Short sales and foreclosures remain low in both closed sales and active listings.  Ninety-five percent of all active homes for sale in Bonita Springs are NOT distressed.  We have a stable and healthy real estate market.

Sixty percent of all sales are paid for with cash, followed by conventional mortgages.  There are very few FHA and VA mortgages and little to no owner financing. 

If you would like to learn more about purchasing a home in the Bonita Springs - Estero Florida area contact Chris Griffith at 239-273-7430 via text or email. You can also use the contact button on this website to send an email.

Download the full market report in .pdf form here:  Bonita Springs Real Estate June 2015

The Southwest Florida Military Museum

This summer you can escape the stifling summer heat and the merciless mosquitos by taking a tour of one of the area’s largest and most interesting museums. Just a short trip over the Cape Coral Bridge is the Southwest Florida Military Museum and Library.

Not knowing what to expect when I arrived, I entered the museum and was greeted by a handful of volunteer docents who were eager to direct me through the venue. The museum itself is a little over 30,000 square feet of displays and memorabilia so budget enough time. All of the artifacts that you’ll see have been donated or loaned by the military, government and private collectors.

Every war, from the Revolutionary War through the Afghanistan conflict, plus every branch of the military is represented on premise so there is plenty to discover. I actually went through the venue twice, reversing direction on the second tour so that I didn’t miss anything. Along the way, I asked the docent to point out a few of his favorite displays and artifacts. I was able to discover a few special finds of my own, including articles and photos telling a poignant story of Virginia Moore and her husband Marcus (Sonny) Comer who was killed in battle during World War II. A bracelet engraved with his name and Army serial number, which she had given to him as a token of love, was lost in battle. It in was discovered in a fox hole after nearly 60 years by Lorenzo Maierna, a Belgian police officer, who was searching for war artifacts with a metal detector. Maierna eventually met Moore in Southwest Florida to return the bracelet to her. If you stop by the museum on Tuesdays you may have a chance to meet Virginia Moore as she makes appearances to share the story with visitors.

Another great tale is that of Cher Ami, one of many homing pigeons used to communicate during World War I. Cher Ami was actually shot down but survived to successfully deliver a message that saved the surviving 190 soldiers of the lost battalion in the Battle of the Argonne. The bird was awarded the Croix de Guerre Medal with a palm Oak Leaf Cluster for her heroic actions.

In addition to military memorabilia there are also lifestyle artifacts and keepsakes including a complete vignette of an American kitchen and typical household items circa WWII. Baseball memorabilia, including a signed Joe DiMaggio bat plus other WWII era collectibles can be found sprinkled throughout the museum. It makes for a wonderful trip down memory lane.

There are dozens of great stories to be discovered in the displays at the Southwest Florida Military Museum and Library. Great camaraderie can be had, too. Every Tuesday morning there is a Korean & WWII Veteran's Luncheon where veterans of any war or conflict are welcome to join at 11:30am.

When you visit, keep in mind that admission to the museum is free but you’ll need a couple of dollars to cross the bridge to Cape Coral. The museum is funded by donations which are gladly accepted on site or you can visit their website to learn more or to donate online. www.swfmm.org

The museum is located at 4820 Leonard St, Cape Coral, Florida slightly less than one mile from the Cape Coral Bridge. Happy Trails and Museums!

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Special to Southwest Spotlight

Things to do in Bonita Springs

Bonita Bay Home Sales Bonita Springs Fl

Here are the latest and greatest market statistics for Bonita Bay home and condo sale in Bonita Springs, Florida.  There were no short sales or foreclosures during the month of May in Bonita Bay.  Distressed homes in Bonita Bay are a rarity and distressed homes in Bonita Springs, in general, aren't very common, either.  Units sold during the month of May 2015 are down simply because of the low level of inventory of listed properties for sale in Bonita Bay.  When entry level property is listed for sale in Bonita Bay it often sells within days and with multiple offers.

About 85% of homes that sold in Bonita Bay during May 2015 were paid for with cash.  The balances of Bonita Bay home sales were financed with conventional loans.  

Homes sales in Bonita Bay under $200,000 is non-existent.  Entry level real estate prices in Bonita Bay begin in the $200-400,000 price.  The $1,000,000 and over price range represented the largest share of home sales in Bonita Bay.  If you are interested in learning more about May 2015 Bonita Springs home sales read also: Bonita Springs Home Sales.

Contact Chris Griffith by phone or text at 239-273-7430 to learn more about buying a home or condo in Bonita Bay.