I am really glad that my experience as a first-time home buyer was with such a professional. I recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell a home.” – Jennifer Welch

 The whole world seems to be in a wait and see holding pattern.  Here in Florida we have watched the Real Estate market run up to unprecedented highs and then watched the bottom fall out from under us.

Few would argue that we have seen and are currently experiencing the bottom as far as prices are concerned.

Even the nay-Sayers have a difficult time predicting that there will be significant slippage from here and I would argue that if there is, no investment is safe.  The artificial props that have kept the stock market alive are caving under the weight of this precocious market.  I for one am not optimistic about its ability to continue to provide growth over time.  Let’s face it; the days of consistent growth are behind us.  Corporations now recognize that they must rely on consistent profits rather than consistent growth and they are having difficulty adapting and performing under this new reality.

 My point in all of this is that us “Baby Boomers” need to re-think our strategies.

In the past we built up our retirement stash and a winter home was a move that was made upon retirement.  Now it should be a part of your planning.  With current prices running about half the cost of new construction and significantly less than national median prices, investing in Florida real estate should be a consideration.  Southwest Florida properties now cash flow for the first time in more than a decade.

Invest in Quality of Life

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure a retirement that for years has been little more than a dream.  With prices at 40% to 60% of those just 3 years ago, the bar has been shifted and you should be thinking about securing your opportunity.  Florida is and always will be a vacation and retirement destination which is why our real estate has suffered so dramatically.  Most people move with the masses, retreating when others retreat and advancing when others advance.  For those who go against those instincts great rewards can be realized.

It is Time to Buy

 I would like to be able to say that an investment in Florida real estate can only go up but nothing in this world is certain.  What I can say is that I sincerely believe that real estate has an intrinsic value that few other investments can boast.  Let me assist you in your own evaluation and I am confident that you will agree.

As you can see, Social Media is going to be with us for a long time.  Because we’re so committed to helping people buy and sell homes, we use Social Media to help do so.  Here are a list of some of the sites you will find our listings.

The list is longer, but here are the main ones to get you started.  If anyone is interested in getting involved with the Social Media Club of SWFL I am also on the steering committee of this wonderful organization and can help you get started learning more!  Let me know. 

If you choose the Dohack Group, you will not be disappointed.” ~Eric Borgia, Borgia Law

Your Friends,
Bob & Marylynn Miranda”

I've heard this question many times from buyers who are looking to purchase in the GL Homes community and from people interested in selling in the community.  We've recently invested in software that helps us create an AMAZING market report for Botanica Lakes. 

You can see how it works by watching the video below.

So now that you've watched the video you can see how powerful of a tool this is.  Yes, Botanica Lakes has foreclosures and short sales, much like many of the other communities in the Fort Myers real estate market. 

This report will give you:

• Where the market is trending
• How long houses stay on the market
• An interactive map showing recently sold and active listings
• Community information, such as local schools, population, net income, etc.
• Asking price vs. selling price - Can you offer below asking price?  Can you sell near asking price?
• And lots of other pertinent information

I'm really not trying to sell the report, I think you get the value of the report.  Even if you are not making a decision to buy or sell in Botanica Lakes Fort Myers at the moment, the report is free and it will help you know when the timing is right.  You can get the report for free at BotanicaLakes.SWFLMarketTrend.com. Also, see Botanica Lakes Foreclosures while you're at it.  They're one of the best deals in town.  Or see other Botanica Lakes Homes for Sale.

divide the purchase price by the annual rent the home will command, you can determine which is better as follows.

1 to 15                         Less expensive to own
16 to20                        Owning is more expensive but may make sense
Over 21                       Only makes sense to own in select instances.

 
Let’s consider a real world situation.  Let’s say a house that will sell for $159,000.00 will rent for $1,200.00 per month.  According to her formula you should divide the selling price by the annual rent ($14,400) and you will come up with the number of 11.04.  In this instance, it would be much better to own than to rent.  Of course there are always many variables that come into play.  In Southwest Florida HOA fees can be considerable and have an impact on the cost of occupancy.  On the other side is the uncertainty of market influences on rentals. When you rent you are at the mercy of the landlord every year at renewal time.  Buying must always be a careful decision and it is one that you live with for years to come.  The market we are experiencing in Southwest Florida defies logic.  When selling prices are only 50 to 60% of the cost of new construction it is hard to make the argument for renting.  One of the key incentives for ownership is the ability to build equity.  With the market prices of re-sales at historic lows compared to new construction it is very hard to envision that this gap will not close meaning an increase in value and equity for those who own.  In Southwest Florida, if you have the ability to buy, all indications are that now may be one of the best opportunities in history.

Watch this quick video to see how powerful this is. 

You can pick up your Market Snapshot free at SWFLMarketTrend.com.  We’re excited for you to view the power of it!

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County is a charity very close to my heart.  I have been on the Board of Directors for nearly 4 years now and enjoy every minute of it.  We serve over 1,700 underpriveleged children in Lee County alone.  Our programs are just $10 per year per child to participate.  We just had major news that I had to share.

Bob Goodman, who operates Saturn of Southwest Florida and Edge Automotive, presented a check to the Boys & Girls Clubs in the amount of $97,684.  This donation is the single largest individual donation (as far as I know) in our history in Lee County.

We would like to thank Bob Goodman for his support of Boys & Girls Clubs.

If you went to Google and asked the robot "Who is the Best Real Estate Agent in Fort Myers," you would get a lot of results.  The truth of the matter is that you cannot really tell who the best real estate agent in Fort Myers is until you get a chance to work with them. 

Yes, there are the Fort Myers Realtors out there who go out there to post big numbers.  Many are able to accomplish this and many are not.  Numbers are obviously important in any business, but as a father-son team we have found that being the best real estate agent in Fort Myers has more to do with keeping our business people first.  With our focus on relationships, the numbers work out just fine.  Actually, we would argue they work out even better, because referrals are such a large part of our business.  We love our clients, and we really love our clients referrals! 

Whether your want to sell your Fort Myers, FL home or buy a Fort Myers FL Home for sale, make sure you are working with the best.  This day and age, technology has become extremely important to buying and selling homes.  Take a look at our Fort Myers FL Homes website and you will see right away the difference between us and other agents.  You can take free "2 Cent Tours" of some of the best communities in Southwest Florida, search the MLS for free, or even read up on our constantly updated Fort Myers blog. 

If you look below you can see some of our favorite communities in Fort Myers.  Being the Best Real Estate Agent in Fort Myers is no easy task, but we hope you see our commitment to your success.  We would be happy to help you accomplish your real estate goals.  You can contact us via our website or via the number listed below.  Have a great day!