Contact me at:
(239) 246.0167
You’ve heard me talking about foreign direct investment in real estate in Florida many times. 31% of all foreign real estate buyers purchase in Florida. We are still, however, burdened with short sales and foreclosures, although our inventory has been shrinking a bit. This new Senate proposal may help international buyers with their immigration needs while solving the nation’s real estate crisis. Read the full article about the tourist visa program attached to real estate purchases.
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!
Jim and staff make Hand Made Chocolates, Fudge and Roasted Nuts
As holiday time nears, everyone thinks of food! Make sure you remember to stop by one of our local treasures, The Candy Station, in Cape Coral, Florida. Jim Ellithorpe and his staff work daily to create delicious, hand-made chocolates, fudge and roasted nuts on site. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5:30 pm and is located on the corner of Coronado Parkway and SE 47th Street in Cape Coral. Select from a wide variety of chocolates, nostalgia candies, and candy making supplies. They always have special sales, so be sure to ask about Jim about it! You can reach the shop at 239-549-8111 or capecandystation@yahoo.com
We have two condominiums on the grand Rubicon Canal in Cape Coral, Florida. These properties enjoy quick access from the boat dock to the Caloosahatchee River leading to the Gulf of Mexico. Since I live in the same neighborhood and I am an avid boater, I can attest that travel time at slow speed from these docks to the river is less than 15 minutes. Once in the Caloosahatchee, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the Sanibel Causeway Bridge. When you’re not boating, the location on the east side of Cape Coral allows the owners quick access to either bridge in Cape Coral, so travel to the airport, restaurants, and shopping malls is cut in half, when compared to travel time from Southwest Cape Coral areas. Feel free to see either of these properties and their visual tours online at Cape Coral Gulf Access Properties Both condominiums are fully furnished, ready for the new owners!
Now is the time to buy, when prices are low and interest rates are fantastic! Our lender from Sunbelt Lending, Brad King, quoted a loan rate well under 4% today for a second home property. Feel free to reach out to Brad at 239-822-6338 or bking@sunbeltlending.com
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
First of all, we’d like to express our wishes that you are all enjoying a terrific summer! The warm weather has been shared by most of the country and the tropical rains have been widespread as well. We in Florida know that summer time is the best time for boating, as the water is warm and enjoyable for swimming, but we also know that an early morning departure and an early afternoon return are the best plans. Late afternoon rains can be fierce this time of year.
Over the past 90 days, 290 pool homes have sold in Cape Coral, Florida, with sale prices as low as $80,000! What did that buy? A 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a 2-car garage, built in 2001, with a below ground pool and over 1700 sq ft living area. There are still many bargains in the below $100,000 homes, but the true values are in water front properties, in most opinions. Newer waterfront homes with access to the Gulf of Mexico and swimming pools have sold at prices starting below $200,000. Prices are relative to the home’s size and condition, as well as, boating distance to the Gulf. If you are interested in hearing more about available homes, let us know. Many are purchasing properties for investment purposes, although some are purchasing their retirement dream home, years before they’ll actually be of retirement age. The savings today and security of having made that buying decision outweigh the carrying costs for many who buy.
I just returned from Panamá, where I completed the sale of an investment condominium there, netting 45% profit which went directly back into my IRA. Over the years, I have encouraged people to consider all of their revenue sources when buying property for investment purposes. It may take just a few more pieces of paper to document and a little bit of time, but utilizing monies in an IRA or pension fund can result in a greater return than the current stock market or mutual funds available in your investment portfolio.
Information about domestic and international opportunities can be found on my website, www.beachballproperties.com or feel free to contact me if you are interested in hearing more about these topics. Enjoy the rest of your summer!