Well, now I’m thinking CNN is smart today. It ranked Cape Coral, Florida as one of the best cities to retire to.

Here is what I think: No matter what the studies tell you about why people retire to a certain location (like Florida or Arizona), and no matter how beautiful our weather, beaches and golf courses are, it’s all about people. Retirees go to where there are people they know. If you saw a summary of why people choose a certain retirement location, you may be surprised at the list of criteria.

Anyway, I moved here not to retire, but to have closer contact with my family and to be closer to the South America Market that I was traveling to on a monthly basis. By the time I moved here I had Parents, Aunts and Uncles, and my brother living here.

A few years prior to my move here I held a sales meeting out on South Seas Plantation. I came a few days early to set up the meeting room, buy the supplies for the hospitality suite and have some “down time”. I had not announced my arrival to my family and I remember driving to my brother Bill’s house when he lived in San Carlos Park, hoping to catch him home.

I was not disappointed, for as I pulled up into his driveway I noticed his pickup truck was backed in with the tail gate down. Bill was sitting on an overturned bucket and next to him sat a cooler. He was using the tailgate as a table. As I shut my door, he put a an oyster up to his mouth and noisily slurped it down, following the oyster with a long sip from a cold beer he pulled from the ice.

Gregg, he smiled, It’s like this down here every day.

People pay big money to visit and see and do things that I have come to take for granted. (Like eating fresh oysters and slurp beer in the driveway).

This past Saturday I spent the early morning answering emails and went in to the office for a few hours. Gail called at about 10 and said she was thinking about taking her mom for a ride to Boca Grande. Would I like to come? And bring Adi? (one of our Grandsons). Sure!

By Noon we were piled in the car with Mom and Adi in tow. By 2PM Adi and I were on the most gorgeous beach I may ever see, at low tide hunting for sharks teeth and shells. Adi planned ahead and brought a mask and snorkel and so he could dive for collectable shells. I sat in a likely spot halfway in the surf and started depositing sharks teeth in an up turned clam shell. Within ten minutes I had another four kids hunting with me.

They belonged to a tourist family that were staying further down the beach. Their parents were grateful for my sharks teeth tour and we made light conversation while they made sure their kids were safe with this happy old man.

The breeze kept us all cool while it was coming off the crystal clear water. The sand was white and soft like sugar, but with lots of shells.

By four o’clock Adi and I a few dozen sharks teeth and a bag of periwinkles and whelks and other cool looking shells. We had seen dolphins, a tarpon rolling, an iguana on the beach, two turtles, some sea turtle nests and we walked carefully by birds sitting on eggs on the beach.

We then stopped into the Loose Caboose for ice cream before heading home. Tell me again what snow is?

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In my role as a broker I run what I would call a “boutique” real estate agency and I run my new franchise, Engel and Voelkers Fort Myers River District – high end residential homes. I am a motivator, a canceler of energy, and sometimes coach.

When some people purchase Fairfield real estate, they do so more on a whim than with sound, rational decision making, and this could lead to a big mistake. Budgeting and being aware of what you can afford is one of the most important facets of making sound financial decisions, and without this, you might end up purchasing a home that you cannot afford. The best way to start your venture into purchasing a new home is to work out exactly what you can afford to repay on your mortgage each month and then view houses within the price range only. Do not tempt yourself by viewing homes that are well outside of your budget, as this could cause you to wonder off your sound financial path.

Once you know exactly how much you can afford to repay each month, you can then begin looking at prospective Fairfield real estate options to choose the one that appeals to you most. Remember, once you have chosen the home of your dreams, you will need to apply for a loan, and this is when you will be provided with the interest rate that a financial lender will offer you. The interest rate and loan term will greatly affect the amount that you will be able to repay at the end of the day, so keep this in mind throughout the process.

Smaller details, such as the amount of work that needs to be conducted on a property and the transfer fees during the sale, will affect the amount that you have to pay to get your hands on the home of your dreams, so do not rush this process, or you might end up forgetting about these details. Make sure that when the time comes for you to invest in Fairfield real estate, you will be able to do so without any difficulty and repay your mortgage every month without having to dip into your savings to do so.

For more information with Fairfield real estate, please visit us on our website.

Prices have hit bottom.

Market America Realty and Investment Group has over 116 listings, One third of them sell for above the ask. In Lee County, the median price home is 4% lower than one year ago at $91,000, but this number is pulled down by the large number of REO’s that the banks are clearing away. Ask any Realtor in town working with buyers and you will find that the hot price points are between $250 and $350,000 Here we are seeing increases.

Choices will dwindle

More and more we are seeing agents raise their hands and talk about a buyer they are working for that can’t fine the right house. I am reminded of the pricing strategy at some discount stores where they lower the price on certain goods every week. You can find an item you want and you may come back next week hoping for the discount but you find that it’s been sold already. We have quite a few buyers we are working with that have made three or four offers and lost them all to a higher or earlier buyer.

Interest Rates are low and on the way up

Gail and I were able to get a 5/1 arm at 3.75%. (The rate is locked at 3.75% and then will not move more that one point at the end of that five years) But these rates will not be around very long. According to today’s paper rates are still below 5% across the board.. The government is going to stop facilitating mortgage backed securities. On March 31, the Federal Reserve will stop buying these securities. Trust me, interest rates will be going up

I want to lock in “Save our Homes” at today’s prices.

Our home will be homesteaded as it will be our primary home. I am pleased that I will lock in the homestead at today’s prices. My taxes increases will be set at today’s prices and the amount of the increase will be set.

Right House, Right Neighborhood.

Of course we had to find the right home in the neighborhood we chose. Location, location, location. Could we have found more home for less money? Probably. But not where we wanted to be. When you are looking for a home, become an expert in the area you are looking.. You will know that a deal is good when it is presented to you.

House had the right things wrong with it.

The things this house did not have, I know I can add or create from the existing space. It has good bones and will give us a base for improving our value, increasing our investment, and insuring a long and happy home.

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In my role as a broker I run what I would call a “boutique” real estate agency and I run my new franchise, Engel and Voelkers Fort Myers River District – high end residential homes. I am a motivator, a canceler of energy, and sometime coach.

I’m in a “fortune rebuilding mode” and the real estate market is in a “recovery mode”. Good for me, I think these two modes should work together on this, don’t you?

Of course, it’s all about timing, isn’t it? In real estate perhaps the #4 most important thing (right after the first three: location, location, and location), is TIMING.

I believe we are in recovery mode. Most of my associates agree with me. Some do not. But okay. Let’s assume you agree with me.

What do you do about it?

First let’s talk about recovery. Since 2005 there are quite a few battle scars, and most of these scars have to do with the sinking marketable value of real estate. In the single family, owner occupied market there are home owners that have mortgages that not only exceed the current value of their homes but their monthly payments exceed their ability to repay that note.

The term “underwater” applies to these folk. Let me examine the factors that led to this and what is happening now that leads me to believe that we are in recovery mode.

Recovery Factors
Then ( August 2005) Now ( January 2012)
Loose Lending Requirements Logical Lending Requirements
Bigger Sucker Theory End user or Buy and Rent Buyer
Irrational Exuberance Cautious Optimism
6% money 4% money
Predictive Appraising Cautious Historical Appraising
Bigger Is Better Smaller is Smarter
Unemployment Low Unemployment High
Everyone Developing/Building Professionals Developing/Building
Time will heal my mistakes attitude Make no mistakes
Prices Rising Prices Rising
Consumer Optimism High Consumer Optimism Low
Conspicuous Consumption Flagrant Frugality

Of the all the recovery factors listing above, unemployment and consumer optimism remain as the two recovery factors that need more help, and recent trends indicate the unemployment is decreasing which will have a positive effect on consumer optimism.

Buyers and investors have had an attitude adjustment for the better and while money is harder to borrow, it is cheaper. Gone are the Mc Mansions and in come the smart homes. Flagrant frugality is kicking out conspicuous consumption, and conservative thinking rules. The market sank, big time, and with it took the inexperienced and the weak. Fortunately those that remain are wiser for the wear.

As this tiring presidential election season wears on we will see more positive economic news. Investors are not buying and then counting on a bigger sucker coming along and bailing them out, the exit strategies have to be well thought out and planned on before acquisition.

Will there be some setbacks? Sure, but the trend is toward a recovery and parity between replacement cost and cost to build in both commercial and residential markets.

What to do now?

Following are just some of my thoughts on this subject.

1. First and foremost buy because it makes sense to you, not to someone else. Know your exit before you get into a deal. But I would be buying what you can at as low of a percentage of replacement cost as the market will bear.

2. If you are looking for a single family home, now is the time and in fact it might be a bit late. Inventory of the most desirable homes in the most popular areas is being depleted, and interest rates are still below 4%. For example, if you want canal front pool home in Cape Coral for under $250,000 less than thirty years old, there are now only 5 to choose from!

3. If you are thinking of building in the future, consider doing it now, raw materials suppliers, builders, and land owners are cutting deals. You may never build this cheaply again.

4. Get your personal house in order. Before you venture out into real estate purchases, make sure your savings and health plans are in order. The expression “don’t bet the farm” was ignored back in 2003-2005. Certainly don’t do that today!

5. Get rich slowly. There is no magic pill to recovery. Its happening and it will continue to happen, slowly, step by step.

6. Look at the upcoming trends.
a. I see more concern about utility, water, and oil costs. This is why we are started MA-Zero.
b. More infill properties close to paid for infrastructure
c. Smaller and smarter

We are in recovery mode for sure; will I ever rebuild my fortune? Well one thing is for sure: I won’t rebuild it if I don’t try.

You can choose to participate or sit on the side lines.

Me? I’m in there.

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In my role as a broker I run what I would call a “boutique” real estate agency and I run my new franchise, Engel and Voelkers Fort Myers River District – high end residential homes. I am a motivator, a canceler of energy, and sometime coach.

First some general observations; It is human nature to look at the steps in the journey and not the complete trip. When we are in the middle of a crisis we are robbed of the perspective of the 30,000 foot view; the big picture; and we certainly don’t have the luxury of hind sight yet. Pundits have talked about this for years. Comments like; “It’s hard to know your original objective was to drain the swamp when you are up to your butt in alligators” bring an accurate picture to mind. Most of us are working hard to survive in this market and have trouble focusing on any bigger picture than paying the rent, meeting payroll, or in some cases, just getting through the day.

But to succeed you need to think past today’s job, today’s task, this moment’s problem; and look at the long term.
Long term, the Florida real estate market will flourish. Inflation will return (big time, I am afraid). Houses will sell, and the commercial space will be leased. Construction will return. Oil Spills will be cleaned up, and millions of baby boomers will continue to make their way to Florida.

Successful investors need to see opportunity where others see obstacles. Where some look at an abandoned bank and see future blight, I see a plastic surgery center. Where others see a closed Publix location, I see a country western bar.

Florida’s commercial market is certainly a mess: vacant buildings, empty lots, and incomplete projects. Jack Wood, a client of ours from Canada assembled a fine block of property along US 41 near downtown Fort Myers, the former Ted’s Sheds sales lot, Office Furniture showroom and warehouse and a transmission shop long 41. He was going to put in a mixed uses project on the block. Now it all sits empty except for the transmission shop ( Link to listing here) ( Other commercial Listings here). We are offering incentives to tenants and buyers alike, however, and I would say that is all the commercial property in town, you would be hard pressed not to find some incentives from the landlords or sellers. Where there are stressed assets there is opportunity.

Many of the fortunes made in real estate were made by the investors that saw the opportunities where others saw the problems.

Opportunities that I see now:
1. Buying single family homes that were built post 2002 at below cost prices.
2. Buying ready to build lots for new homes. Concentrate on lots with infrastructure in place.
3. Buying strategically located vacant commercial buildings, like banks, and converting to medical and government use.
4. The hospitality industry is financially stressed right now, and for cash buyers there are very low prices, well located properties.
5. Taking over projects from Banks/Developers. Projects like Island Pines, and Oasis may offer opportunity.

These bulk purchases may be acquired at almost half the replacement value. These opportunities need to be treated as what they are long term; not get rich schemes. Make no mistake and most experts agree we are going to have high inflation back. When it does come back you are going to want to have real estate as part of your defense.

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“In my role as a broker I run what I would call a “boutique” real estate agency and I run my new franchise, Engel and Voelkers Fort Myers River District – high end residential homes. I am a motivator, a canceler of energy, and sometimes coac

When you are travelling down to look at French property, being prepared can help you be a lot more efficient and accomplish more while you are there. Here are a few tips that will help you get ready for your viewing trip to French property and make the most of your time there:

Book appointments for viewings and meetings with agents in advance. You might be tempted just to walk in when you get there, but the agent might be busy and you will be forced to wait. The time that you spend waiting could be spent looking at other property!

Tell your agent exactly what it is you are looking for in a French property, and what you are not looking for. If they have a clear picture of your search image you will not waste time looking at properties which are not the right fit for your particular needs.

Make sure that every French property which you are considering looking at is still on the market. You dont want to spend the afternoon driving out to a countryside cottage only to find out that it has already been snapped up by another buyer.

Book enough time to see the properties that you are interested in, because houses in rural France might be some distance away from each other and you will want to have several hours to look at a house thoroughly and get a good impression of it.

If you can, try to leave an extra day at the end of your trip. This day can be used for looking taking a second look at a French property that you are particularly interested in, or rescheduling a viewing if one is cancelled.

Pack a lunch with you. If you will be driving from one rural French property to another it can take a lot of time out of your schedule to find a village and stop for lunch. Many French restaurants in rural areas are not open for many hours of the day, so you could find it difficult to get served. If you bring some food with you it is easy to stop in a scenic spot and have a quick picnic whenever it is convenient for you.

Plan strategically. Rather than driving back and forth throughout the day try to set up viewings at properties that are close together on one day so that you save time.

These are just a few ways that you can make the most of your viewing trip to look at French property. Have fun and good luck finding the holiday home of your dreams!

If you are planning a trip to look at French property, here are some tips for using your time efficiently.

House Sales France are market leaders for property France . Leading real estate France
with the latest France property available to view online. Options to sell property France as well as market news and advice: http://www.housesalesfrance.com for more information

New Rowlett Texas real estate listings experienced a 31% change for the same period last year with 77 homes listed this month. For the year to date, overall home listings underwent a -16% change with 1,178 homes listed this year. Listings pending sales this month underwent a 84% change, with 56 homes contracted. Listings under contract for the year to date experienced a 6% change, with 738 homes under contract for this month.

The median sales price of Rowlett Texas real estate was $144,750 a -1% change from this month last year. Overall, for the year, the median sales price was $140,000 a -1% change. Sellers received 96% of their asking price this month, which is a -1% change from last year. For the year to date, sellers received 96% of their asking price, which is a -1% change. This month, homes spent an average of 80 days on the market until sold, which was a -5% change from last year. For the year to date, the average number of days on the market was 84, an overall change of 31%.

The current supply of active listings on the market this month was 286 homes. This is a change of -32% from the same month last year. For the year to date, the supply of active listings on the market was 344, which is a -8% change. This month there was a 4.7 month supply of homes on the market; this was a -32% change from last year. For the year to date, there was a 5.6 month supply of homes on the market, which is a -9% change from the same period last year. The average price per square foot was $66 this month; a 1% change from last year. For the year to date, the average price per square foot was $67, a change of -4% .

Rowlett Real estate sales is known as multiple listing service (MLS) area 8 in the North Texas Real Estate Information System. Information is believed reliable but is only as accurate as reported by the system in the month of November 2011.

The DFW Metroplex is also known as Dallas Fort Worth Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census which encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas Plano Irving and Fort Worth Arlington and is comprised of over 100 area cities both incorporated and unincorporated.

The DFW Metroplex is, by population, the largest metropolitan area in Texas, the largest in the South, the fourth-largest in the United States, and the tenth-largest in the Americas. The DFW Metroplex encompasses over 9,000 square miles of total area, making it larger in area than the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. It is also the sixth largest gross metropolitan product (GMP) in the United States, and approximately tenth largest by GMP in the world.

Bob Baesmann of DFW Team Realty provides updates in your city and your neighbourhood at Rowlett Real Estate. Rowlett Texas homes, Rowlett Texas foreclosures, and Rowlett Texas short sales at Homes in DFW.

The single largest factor for a buying decision is the price. The national median price for a single family of four is around $100,000. The location and the size of the home also determine the price. One of the mobile homes advantages is its affordability. Recent survey reveals that most people living in these homes generally have an annual income of $30,000 to $50,000. A mobile home can be purchased at half the price of a typical house, so you can save a lot of money from materials and labor expenses. The mobile house is made of the same materials except for its workability, easy installation, and almost no mess. The parts are pre fabricated, so that they are installed easily by the manufacturers specialists. Modern, sleek, comfortable, and affordable are just a few of the Mobile homes advantages to consider.

Other noteworthy mobile homes advantages are the adherence to safety standard of the city you live so that they can withstand the elements. The speedy construction is a significant advantage as you can move in a week or two after you purchase your home. Nevertheless, as quickly as they are built, the safety standards still undergo a series of specialty checks to ensure they passed the safety standard any home would have. By the time, you want to move in, the house would have the usual utilities like electricity, water, cable, telephone, and internet access.

One of the mobile homes advantages stems from its interior and exterior design. I was surprised to see the houses have hardwood floors, fully functional sinks, granite countertops, and vaulted ceilings.

Modern mobile homes have elaborate designs. If you look at it plainly, you can never find the difference between a standard home and a mobile home. It can have a porch, garage, and a second storey, if you like. Mobile homes advantages also presents the flexible designs that allow you to choose the feature of the home that you want. Today, modern manufacturing methods, allow customers to custom order their homes. The home can come in different sizes too.

Other equally essential Mobile homes advantages are the energy control system and energy saving appliances. The home is a marvel of modern engineering. In addition to that, control switches and timers are provided so that the appliances automatically shut off when, not in use. Living in a comfortable and energy efficient home mean saving at least 50% from your monthly electric bills. The home is also equipped to provide adequate heating and air-conditioning for summer and winter.

Modern amenities are leading mobile homes advantages. These homes may have wall to wall carpeting, adequate space, high ceilings, bathtubs, closets, jetted tubs, fireplaces, and sinks. When you purchase a home like this, you do not have to worry about putting your DIY skills to the test.

They would not call it a mobile home if it is not. These homes can be moved anywhere you like. If you want to live in a sprawling city or a secluded town, you can. You can even live in a suburb, beach front, or in mobile home communities if you want. The house is also helping the environment because building one wastes minimal materials. The manufactures make sure that the mobile homes continue to garner the title Green. It is the greenest and most energy efficient homes, ever built.

The disadvantage of these homes is the market value. According to experts on Macomb, Michigan, if you want to increase the value of the property, you must have your own land. It could exceed its original value if the location of the land is in demand. If you live in mobile home communities, the property usually depreciates in value. Many owners thought it wise to invest in buying their own land in appropriate locations, so that when the time comes to market, the property worth almost doubles. Still, many chose to purchase such homes because the disadvantages are limited. Many still opt for the increasing mobile homes advantages.

Home ownership gives families the share of the American dream and Mobile Home Advantages are becoming an inexpensive way for many Americans to own a home. Find out more by visiting Camelot Villa today.

New Coppell Texas real estate listings experienced a -27% change for the same period last year with 33 homes listed this month. For the year to date, overall home listings underwent a -9% change with 752 homes listed this year. Listings pending sales this month underwent a -3% change, with 29 homes contracted. Listings under contract for the year to date experienced a -1% change, with 466 homes under contract for this month.

The median sales price of Coppell Texas real estate was $270,000, a 11% change from this month last year. Overall, for the year, the median sales price was $273,875 a 1% change. Sellers received 97% of their asking price this month, which is a 3% change from last year. For the year to date, sellers received 97% of their asking price, which is a 0% change. This month, homes spent an average of 80 days on the market until sold, which was a 40% change from last year. For the year to date, the average number of days on the market was 70, an overall change of 27%.

The current supply of active listings on the market this month was 136 homes. This is a change of -18% from the same month last year. For the year to date, the supply of active listings on the market was 177, which is a -6% change. This month there was a 3.6 months supply of homes on the market; this was a -19% change from last year. For the year to date, there was a 4.6 months supply of homes on the market, which is a -8% change from the same period last year. The average price per square foot was $114 this month; a 2% change from last year. For the year to date, the average price per square foot was $119, a change of 3%
Coppell Real Estate sales is known as Multiple Listing Service (MLS) area 21 in the North Texas Real Estate Information System. Information is believed reliable but is only as accurate as reported by the system in the month of November 2011.

The DFW Metroplex is also known as Dallas Fort Worth Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census which encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas Plano Irving and Fort Worth Arlington and is comprised of over 100 area cities both incorporated and unincorporated.

The DFW Metroplex is, by population, the largest metropolitan area in Texas, the largest in the South, the fourth-largest in the United States, and the tenth-largest in the Americas. The DFW Metroplex encompasses over 9,000 square miles of total area, making it larger in area than the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. It is also the sixth largest gross metropolitan product (GMP) in the United States, and approximately tenth largest by GMP in the world.

Bob Baesmann of DFW Team Realty provides updates in your city and your neighbourhood at Coppell Real Estate. Search Aubrey Texas homes, Coppell Texas foreclosures, and Coppell Texas short sales at Homes in Coppell.

New Garland Texas real estate listings experienced a -7% change for the same period last year with 192 homes listed this month. For the year to date, overall home listings underwent a -18% change with 2,559 homes listed this year. Listings pending sales this month underwent a 5% change, with 115 homes contracted. Listings under contract for the year to date experienced a -1% change, with 1,623 homes under contract for this month.

The median sales price of Garland Texas real estate was $83,900 a -4% change from this month last year. Overall, for the year, the median sales price was $90,000 a -8% change. Sellers received 97% of their asking price this month, which is a 2% change from last year. For the year to date, sellers received 96% of their asking price, which is a 0% change. This month, homes spent an average of 75 days on the market until sold, which was a 0% change from last year. For the year to date, the average number of days on the market was 84, an overall change of 24%.

The current supply of active listings on the market this month was 561 homes. This is a change of -32% from the same month last year. For the year to date, the supply of active listings on the market was 712, which is a -13% change. This month there was a 4.4 months supply of homes on the market; this was a -27% change from last year. For the year to date, there was a 5.6 months supply of homes on the market, which is a -7% change from the same period last year. The average price per square foot was $59 this month; a 4% change from last year. For the year to date, the average price per square foot was $60, a change of -7%

Garland Real Estate sales is known as multiple listing service (MLS) area 24 in the North Texas Real Estate Information System. Information is believed reliable but is only as accurate as reported by the system in the month of November 2011.

The DFW Metroplex is also known as Dallas Fort Worth Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census which encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas Plano Irving and Fort Worth Arlington and is comprised of over 100 area cities both incorporated and unincorporated.

The DFW Metroplex is, by population, the largest metropolitan area in Texas, the largest in the South, the fourth-largest in the United States, and the tenth-largest in the Americas. The DFW Metroplex encompasses over 9,000 square miles of total area, making it larger in area than the U.S. states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. It is also the sixth largest gross metropolitan product (GMP) in the United States, and approximately tenth largest by GMP in the world.

Bob Baesmann of DFW Team Realty provides updates in your city and your neighbourhood at Garland Real Estate. Search Garland Texas homes, Garland Texas foreclosures, and Garland Texas short sales at Homes in DFW.