The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club goes green

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, a certified participant in the Florida Green Lodging Program, has earned the prestigious One Palm rating by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The core requirements of the One Palm program include water conservation, energy efficiency, waste reduction, clean air and communications.

To achieve the green certification, the resort has adopted practices for staff and guests that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. These included installing water-efficient showerheads, implementing an extensive recycling program throughout the property, installing high-efficiency air filters and high energy-efficient lighting, and communicating to guests ways that they can help.

The staff uses "Green Sealed" cleaning products and detergents that reduce toxicity, as well as a single-step, low-alkaline laundry detergent The property has reduced water use per laundry load by 18 percent, and utilizes organically-based fertilizers, nutrients, and pesticides on its golf course.

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club is Southwest Florida's only resort directly on the beach with on-site championship golf, a world-class spa, and an award-winning tennis center. It has been owned and operated by the Watkins family for more than 60 years.
Source: FloridaWeekly
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Olde Naples Real Estate - Closed Sales Info

Olde Naples November 2008, Closed Sale information: Homes $1,000,000 and up.

Active 253
Pending 9
Closed 1
Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

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Florida Association of Realtors report indicates home sales up in third quarter

According to the latest housing statistics from the Florida Association of Realtors, sales of existing single-family homes in Florida rose 5 percent in third quarter 2008 compared to the same period last year. A total of 33,203 existing homes sold statewide in the third quarter this year; during the same period last year, 31,558 existing homes sold statewide.
FAR reports the statewide existinghome median sales price was $185,400 in the third quarter; a year ago, it was $233,200 for a decrease of 20 percent. In 2003, the third-quarter statewide median sales price was $163,700, which reflects an increase of about 13.3 percent over the five-year period. The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half for less.
To gain insight into Florida's real estate industry trends, the University of Florida's Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies conducts a quarterly survey of industry executives, market research economists, real estate scholars and other experts. Based on the third quarter 2008 survey, the investment outlook for various types of properties remains steady.
"People who have responded to our surveys have not lost their faith in Florida as a place to be and a place to invest," Wayne Archer, director of the center, said. "We have 40 pages of comments… and although the dominant theme is the disruption of financing, perhaps the second theme, as one person put it, is people being on the sidelines with full pads and helmets just waiting to jump back in."
Source: Florida Weekly
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Olde Naples Real Estate - Closed Sales Info

Olde Naples October 2008, Closed Sale information: Homes $1,000,000 and up.

Active 235
Pending 9
Closed 3
Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

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Sales of existing homes across U.S. up in September

Sales of existing homes rose by the largest amount in more than five years in September, a real estate trade group said Friday. The data is a possible glimmer of hope that the housing slump could be starting to bottom out.

The National Association of Realtors said Friday that sales of existing homes rose by 5.5 percent in September compared to August, the best showing since a 5.6 percent increase in July 2003, during the five-year housing boom.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the Realtors, said a sales turnaround first seen in California was beginning to broaden to other regions of the country including Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island.

The rise in September sales pushed activity to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.18 million units last month. Sales were up 9.6 percent on a year-over-year basis before adjusting for seasonal changes.

By region of the country, sales soared by 16.8 percent in the West and rose a more moderate 4.4 percent in the Midwest and 2.2 percent in the South. The only region of the country which saw a decline was the Northeast, where sales fell by 1.1 percent.
Source: naplesnews.com

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Olde Naples Real Estate - Closed Sales Info

Olde Naples September 2008, Closed Sale information: Homes $1,000,000 and up.

Active 123
Pending 5
Closed 2
Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

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AARP The Magazine’s Top 10 Healthiest Cities to Live and Retire for 2008: Naples, FL

#10 Naples–Marco Island, Florida: Residents received very high scores for regular exercise, healthy eating and not smoking; the area has one of the lowest cancer mortality rates in the country; Naples-Marco Island has the second most golf holes per capita in the country.
Source: aarpmagazine.org

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Olde Naples Real Estate - Closed Sales Info

Olde Naples August 2008, Closed Sale information: Homes $1,000,000 and up.

Active 131
Pending 3
Closed 4

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Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

Florida Real Estate - Existing Home Sales Remain Level in July 2008

Single-family existing home sales rose in Florida for the first time in more than two years: While only six more homes sold in July 2008 than in July 2007, it could indicate stabilization in Florida’s housing sector, according to the latest housing statistics released by the Florida Association of Realtors(R) (FAR).
Source: RISMEDIA, August 27, 2008
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Olde Naples Real Estate - Closed Sale Info

Olde Naples July 2008, Closed Sale information: Homes $1,000,000 and up.

Active 124
Pending 6
Closed 3

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Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

Property tax rate will not increase in Collier next year

Collier County property taxes won’t go up next year. From this point on, they can only decrease.
With virtually no discussion, Collier County commissioners on Tuesday afternoon approved a primary property tax rate of $3.1469 per $1,000 worth of property value, and a secondary property tax rate of 69 cents per $1,000. Those are the same rates currently in effect. That means without any other taxes or assessments, a property owner who lives in unincorporated Collier will pay $383.81 on a $100,000 home.

According to the county’s budget director, John Yonkosky, the $3.1469 tax rate is expected to generate $249,156,703 in property taxes for the upcoming year. The 69 cent tax should produce $35,416,600 in property taxes for the 2009 tax year, which begins Oct. 1. Combined, the two tax rates will provide the county’s general fund with a total of $326,561,705.

Public hearings will be held at 5:05 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, and again at 5:05 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18 in commission chambers.

During the September public hearings, commissioners may maintain or lower tax rates. After the preliminary tax rate is set, the only way it can be raised is by special additional public notices and advertisements, Yonkosky noted.
Source: Naplesnews.com

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Olde Naples - June Pending & Closed Home Sale Report

Olde Naples Pending and Closed Sale Report June 2008:
4 Active with Contract
8 Pending
17 Closed

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Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

Sunny Side of the Street

CHICAGO -- Is now a good time to buy real estate? The size of your paycheck likely will play a big part in how you answer that question.
While many average Americans are skittish about the housing market, some of the country's richest citizens see the current conditions as perfect for buying, according to the Annual Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America, released on Tuesday by the American Express Publishing Corp. and Harrison Group, a market research and consulting firm.
Seventy-seven percent of the wealthiest people surveyed think real estate presents a "real opportunity" right now. In the survey, "wealthy" meant having discretionary household income of more than $500,000 a year.
And these high-income earners are putting their money where their mouths are: 40% said they are in the market to acquire real estate this year.
The survey was originally conducted late last year with 1,800 people representing the wealthiest 10% of American households. But the more recent figures are from a follow-up survey with a smaller sample of the original participants, conducted last week to ensure the study reflects rapidly changing market dynamics.
Other survey participants are "upper middle class," with incomes between $100,000 and $149,000; "affluent," with incomes between $150,000 and $249,000; and "super affluent," with incomes between $250,000 and $499,000.
Associated Press The wealthy aren't alone in their belief that the real-estate market represents a buying opportunity: 67% of the upper-middle-class participants also agreed with that statement, as did 72% of the affluent and the super-affluent.
"There are bargains out there...severe price pressure across the board," said Jim Taylor, vice-chairman of Harrison Group. That said, at the very top of the market, there is an abundance of buyers and that is holding prices steady at that level, he added.
Still, the wealthiest were the most committed to buying soon. Only 17% of upper-middle-class participants said they were in the market to buy real estate this year, while 24% of the affluent and 26% of the super-affluent said the same.
Home sweet second -- and third -- home
Forty-one percent of those in the wealthy category said owning a second home was "almost a requirement" for people of their economic means, according to the survey.
Thirty-three percent of the wealthiest who said they intended to buy this year are now in the market for a second home, and 25% said they are in the market for a finished third home, according to the survey.
"They're treating it as a portfolio play, rather than a recreation play," Taylor said. "They've moved off the notion that it's just pleasure real estate," he said, adding that the wealthy use second homes to help balance their overall investment portfolio.
Recession now, but rebound coming
Seventy-nine percent of the survey's respondents said the country is in a recession now, but 88% said they are confident that property values will eventually rebound. Still, 18% of respondents said the equity in their home is worth less than what they owe.
Many respondents expressed significant anxiety over the recession, Taylor said. That was especially true of the upper-middle-class and affluent groups, he said.
But not everyone is worried about their own financial stability. Taylor said he expects the number of millionaires to increase by another 6% this year.
Passion for home improvement
A separate survey of senior-level executives found that high earners often are passionate about improving their homes -- even more passionate than they are about spending time on the golf course.
Thirty-nine percent of 552 high-level executives said they were passionate about home improvement, compared with 32% who said the same about playing golf, according to a recent survey by Doremus, a business communications agency.
"Home is seen by most as a respite from the world, a place where people feel they can be themselves." said Hope Picker, director of research for Doremus, in a news release. "And high-powered senior-level executives are no exception.
"Golf is a game, but it's another form of competition and, in many cases, it's also a surrogate conference room where business is conducted and deals made. But home, even for many high-level professionals, is a safe haven. In addition, home-improvement projects tend to be both tangible and finite, in contrast to much of their work."
The company recommended that marketers interested in reaching these high-net-worth individuals should target them through publications, broadcasts and online sites that feature decorating and improvement ideas for the home and garden.
-Source WSJ.com
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Naples City Council members agree to hire consultant to direct downtown development

Heart of Naples, D Downtown, the Community Redevelopment Agency, two consultants’ reports — all vehicles in the past decade and a half to improve the core of Naples. But Naples City Council isn’t satisfied.
On Monday, the mayor and council members agreed unanimously to hire a consultant to develop a “vision” for the downtown area, rather than design it themselves along with city staff.
They also established the boundaries for the areas that would be taken into consideration by the consultant: the Community Redevelopment Agency, Third Street, Crayton Cove, D Downtown, and Tin City, as well as the U.S. 41 corridor from Fifth Avenue South to Seventh Avenue South.
Several council members expressed dismay over the current state of Fifth Avenue South.
“My personal feeling is that something needs to be done to direct the development of Fifth Avenue because it could have evolved better than what’s turned out now,” Councilman Bill Willkomm said.
“We have so many different organizations on Fifth Avenue (South) alone, so many hands pulling that street in different directions, that it has lost its vision,” Councilwoman Dee Sulick echoed.
In 1994, and again in 2004, the City Council brought in the Miami-based husband and wife team of architects and urban planners Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk to make recommendations for improvements to Fifth Avenue South.
The consultants met with shop owners and stakeholders; they suggested improvements from landscaping to the mix of storefronts at the east and west ends; they were the impetus behind the first multistory parking garage on Fifth Avenue South.
There was also mention at the meeting of increased rent driving longtime tenants out.
“If anything, our mix has deteriorated, We’ve lost our grocery store. We’ve lost our pharmacy. I think we’ve gone the wrong way,” said Councilman John Sorey, who unsuccessfully pushed to include Venetian Village into the new visioning scope.
“When I read Duany’s report, I lamented what it was and what it could have been and where it is right now. Not necessarily the quality of the restaurants, but that there’s such a proliferation,” Vice Mayor Penny Taylor said.
“But remember, the buck stops with us. We’re the ones that approved these variances of 500 feet for liquor licenses, and we do it again and again because the quality establishments want to establish themselves.”
Despite initial hesitation from Taylor and Sulick, and Councilwoman Teresa Heitmann, the three ultimately contributed to the unanimous vote in favor of hiring an external consultant to develop the new vision.
Mayor Bill Barnett asked City Manager Bill Moss to present options for consultants to the City Council.
Duany’s name was thrown into the ring as a possibility, however no decisions have been made.
Jim Goehler, director of the Downtown Naples Association, attended the City Council meeting and said he endorses the decision. Goehler is also the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
“The important thing is, everyone wants to keep the uniqueness of Naples (in that area),” Goehler said. “And I don’t think we’re far off.”
Source: Naplesnews.com

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Olde Naples - Home Sales Report

Olde Naples 12 Month Home Sale Report: Homes over $1,000,000
181 Active
7 Active with Contract
10 Pending
45 Closed

Closed Sale Information:

# of Bedrooms	# of Closed	Average Sold Price
2 or Less	6	$2,479,166
3	18	$1,848,444
4	17	$2,609,786
5	3	$2,781,666
6 or More	1	$5,525,000

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Source: SunshineMLS, Inc.

555 Fifth Ave South - New Construction Starts

T. Jerulle Construction LLC has broken ground on the Mediterranean-style 555 Fifth Avenue South Building in downtown Naples. When the three-story, mixed-use building is complete, two women’s clothing retailers, Caché and White House/Black Market, will occupy the ground floor units. There will be four residential condominiums on each of the second and third floors, for a total of eight.

Recently, after finishing driving test piles, construction workers prepared the site to install production augercast pilings to a depth of 60 feet for the building’s foundation.

Mike Demerly will manage the 11-month projected buildout for T. Jerulle Construction. The company will also handle the redevelopment of Menefee Park, adjacent to the property.
In addition to the eight condominiums residences for sale, plans also include a third-floor swimming pool and spa above the ground-floor parking, said Frank Comeriato of Dyehouse Comeriato Architects. There will be a covered parking garage with 17 spaces, eight for residents and the rest for retail tenants and customers. and the rest for retail tenants and customers.

The 1,300- to 1,500-square-foot condominiums are two-bedroom, two-bath residences with prices ranging from $975,000 to $1.2 million.
Reservations are being accepted for the residential condominiums.

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source: naplesnews.com

Pending Sales Increased 10.6% Breaking 28-Month Trend

NABOR REPORTS FEBRUARY REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

NAPLES, Fla. - March 17, 2008 - For the third consecutive month, real estate activity in the Naples area steadily increased, with condo sales and single-family homes under $300,000 leading the way, according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors® (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island).

Most notably, February marked the end of a 28-month downward trend of pending home sales, which increased 10.6 percent overall from February 2007.

NABOR President Arlene Carozza, a Realtor® and corporate trainer with Amerivest Realty, attributes the increased activity to lower median prices, reduced interest rates, abundant inventory and common sense."Buyers have realized the incredible values that are currently available and will most likely be gone by next season," Carozza stated. "As the lower priced inventory is absorbed, there is nowhere for prices to go but up."The report, which provides annual comparisons of single-family home and condo sales (via the Multiple Listing Service), price ranges and geographic segmentation, also includes an overall market summary.

The statistics are presented in chart format, along with the following analysis:

• Overall pending home sales in the greater Naples Area, which includes Naples Beach, North Naples, Central Naples, South Naples, East Naples, Immokalee and Ave Maria, increased 10.6 percent, with 513 in February 2008 compared to 464 in February 2007.
• Overall homes sales were 289 in February 2008 compared to 304 in February 2007, a 4.9 decrease.
• Overall condo sales increased 4.5 percent, with 162 sold in February 2008 compared to 155 in February 2007, and condo sales under $300,000 increased 36 percent with 83 in February 2008 compared to 61 in February 2007.
• Single-family home sales decreased 14.8 percent overall, with 127 in February 2008 and 149 in February 2007, but sales in the less than $300,000 category saw a 66.6 percent increase with 45 in February 2008 compared to 27 in February 2007.
• The overall median sales price decreased 14 percent from the same month last year.

"There is tremendous activity in the low end of the market," said Jo Carter, president of Jo Carter & Associates, acknowledging that homes less than $300,000 is the best-selling category right now. "Properties that are priced realistically are being sold."Tom Bringardner, president of Premier Properties, predicts this activity will have a domino effect. "In a traditional market recovery, as the lower priced product is sold, it pushes buyers into the higher price ranges."

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