Memorial Day is approaching. Allow us to thank all Veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice on behalf of our great country!
The City of Cape Coral is fortunate to have one of the largest Veteran populations in the state. This year, Invest in America’s Veterans Foundation is working on many projects to assist all Veterans and their families. You can view their website for helpful information, events, and support at http://www.veterans-foundation.org/
The Veterans Investment Zone (VIZ) is one of Cape Coral’s new economic development initiatives. The VIZ encompasses the area surrounding the new multi-disciplinary specialty care Cape Coral-Lee County VA Outpatient Clinic in northeast Cape Coral, due to open later this year. For information about opportunities in the Veterans Investment Zone, visit the City of Cape Coral Economic Development Office at http://www.capecoral.net/en-us/business/siteselection/investmentzones/veteransinvestmentzoneviz.aspx
Many Veterans choose SW Florida for their retirement home. We at Coldwell Banker enjoy working with Veterans and are well educated in VA Loans and the real estate market. Honor us by consulting with us if you are a Veteran or Active Duty Military moving to Florida.
Thank you to all Veterans and their families for the sacrifices you make in service to your country. We love you and appreciate you!
Cape Coral, Florida is Strong on Veterans, all year long!
Watch Your Mail: SW Florida Tax Notices Mailing Soon!
Watch your mailboxes carefully, because the Property Appraiser’s office of Lee County, FL will soon be mailing out Truth In Millage (TRIM) notices to all property owners in cities like Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, Estero, North Fort Myers, Sanibel and Pine Island and all of unincorporated Lee County.
This notice advises property owners of proposed 2011 tax liability. The form consists of 3 columns: one for last years taxes, column 2 shows this year’s taxes if there are no budget changes, and the 3rd column shows this year’s taxes if the proposed budget changes are made. Remember, 2011 property taxes are based upon sales that occurred during the previous calendar year. So, for this year’s assessed values, sales of property during 2010 are considered and used to determine assessed value.
When you receive your TRIM notice, there are THREE important things to make note of: #1, look at the postmark on the envelope and make note of the mailing date. #2, check the assessed value of your property, #3 , check for the deadline date listed below the columns for filing an appeal.If you disagree with the property appraiser’s assessed value of your property, you have only until that date to file an appeal.
The Property Appraiser’s office states: “If you disagree with your property’s assessed value, please attempt to discuss it with a staff member of the Property Appraiser’s Office. If you petition the VAB for a change in value, the Clerk must RECEIVE the petition by the deadline date. Please see your proposed notice for the deadline date. (NOT MERELY POSTMARKED).” Here’s a helpful link to information on the appeal process: The Value Adjustment Board (VAB) Process
How do you know if your assessed property value is correct? You can attempt to find out using some of those online valuation sites, however, not all of those paint a true picture of valuation, since many of these are not kept up to date. I would suggest that if you have any questions about your property’s value, just give us a call and we’d be happy to provide you with a complimentary market value analysis. We are local experts and pleased to provide you with up-to-date information! We look forward to hearing from you!
Many Cape Coral Listings Sold! We Need New Listings!
Happy Realtor®, Happy Seller!
It’s been a busy summer! Rob Ricca and I have been able to close 8 of our property listings this year, not to mention 13 buyer-controlled sales. Now, we find ourselves a bit short on inventory. Perhaps you know someone who is thinking of selling? Our unique marketing system includes many benefits for the seller, including exposure on over 350 websites, search engine advertising, visual tours and videos of the property, and print and direct mail marketing, just to name a few. Weekly reports of online showings, feedback from buyers’ agents, and regular market trend reports are all included in our full-service program.
Buyer interest is still heavy here. Prices attract bargain hunters, yes, but Rob’s and my client base is more representative of the mid-range to high-end buyer. In fact, we are one of the few Realtor® teams that has sold a $1,000,000 property this year. All of our clients, no matter what the value of their property, receive top-shelf service and attention. We look forward to our next opportunity!
See the visual tours of our current property listings at my webpage, www.beachballproperties.com
Waggin’ Tails Dog Park a Terrific Benefit to Life in Cape Coral, Florida
Jett in the Doggie Pool
Sunny Saturday in Cape Coral meant lots of fun for our dogs, Foxy & Jett. After a week of listening to the construction noise coming from the work on our kitchen remodel, they were ready for a break! We headed down Pelican Blvd. to El Dorado, where Rotary Park and Waggin’ Tails Dog Park are located. Jett, the 11-month old black lab, and Foxy, the 9-year old Chow Chow, enjoyed romping with the pack and an occasional dip the the doggy pools. There were up to 10 dogs there at different times during our visit today and lots of fun and running took place, while the owners relaxed on the benches and picnic tables in the shade. Owners must register their dogs for entry tags and to obtain the code for the gates. Information about this terrific city park can be found in this link: Waggin’ Tails Dog Park
We all enjoyed the reward afterwards with an icy treat from The Working Cow on Cape Coral Parkway near Four Freedoms Park.
Feel free to contact me anytime for more information about our area’s parks and activities!
$1,000,000 Home Sold in Cape Coral, Florida!
Gorgeous View of Pool and Waterfront from Lanai
I have been living here long enough (since 1993) that I remember when I saw a headline like this the first time: someone had purchased a home in The Hermitage, a gated community in Cape Coral, for over $1,000,000 and it became regional news. Folks couldn’t believe that a home would sell for that price in Cape Coral!
Years later, during the boom years of 2005 and 2006, we saw many homes sell for that amount of money. Many of them were waterfront homes, but not located on the Caloosahatchee River. They were new, grand homes situated on gulf-access canals.
Once the market turned, it was rare to see any homes selling in SW Florida over the $1,000,000 mark.
In 2009, there were 80 homes in Lee County that surpassed the million-dollar price point. Only six of those sold were in Cape Coral, Florida. Sanibel Island counted for 18, Captiva Island counted 11, Bonita Springs boasted 10, and greater Fort Myers logged 25 homes over the million-dollar level.
I am pleased to say that in 2010, I represented the seller and marketed one of the 2 homes in Cape Coral that has sold for $1,000,000. Happy buyers from Germany will enjoy the beautiful home and its glorious sunsets over the Tranquil Canal.
The property was featured in Unique Homes waterfront edition, shared with American and European members of FIABCI, the international real estate association, and via direct mail with full-color portfolios sent to the wealthiest Germans. Local real estate agents who had previously sold and marketed high-end homes also received direct mail information about the home. After only 44 days, the seller was able to negotiate successfully to contract with the right buyer.
It was a wonderful experience to market and promote this property listing. I look forward to future opportunities where I can utilize my international business background and network connections to assist the next sellers of luxury homes!