Greg Snow - Southwest Florida Real Estate Expert provides real estate services to Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva Islands

 Credit, or lack thereof, influences our lives daily, and sometimes by the minute. Ever since Credit Bureau Scores were developed in the 1980's, to help banks and financial branches make fast, objective decisions on lending money, before moving on into mortgage and auto loans, the consumer has been affected by the credit score supplied by one, or all of the big three (Experian, Equifax, Trans Union). Whether it's your "Beacon", "Fair Issac"or "Emperica" scores used to evaluate an offering of credit, your scorecard helps or hinders what you want to do, when, how, and sometimes with whom you may involve yourself in receiving a loan, credit cards, or other revolving money.

In the year 2525, "if man is still alive, if woman can survive..they may fi...",  http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Year_2525  first brought to our attention in 1969 by Zager & Evans, and probably not referencing our real estate market in southwest Florida's Lee County. Should one (althought I have been told never to should on myself :) look at the 172 closed residential sales in Lee County, Florida that were over seven figure mark (million or more), Sanibel and Captiva Islands provided us with 52 sales in our MLS, www.swflrealtors.com.

The highest close sale was for $6.3 million at 105 Felipe Lane in Bonita Springs that closed in early October, per our MLS.

Slowly we turn, step by step, as we begin the exodus from 2011 in Lee County with many hopes and many questions about our real estate market. The wild ride Mr. Toad took beginning in late 2003, cresting in 2006 and early 2007, to complete chaos from 2007-2009, and into 2010, brings our journey to here and now and 2012. In November, 2009, our Lee County Clerk's office, www.leeclerk.org, had 23,308 active foreclosures (down from over 25,000+ in late 2008). Our November, 2010 had 14,591 active, and November 2011 finds us with about 7800 active. The rise in consumer confidence, lessening of the unemployment rate nationally, tremendous interest rate offerings for loans, and the quality of Lee County living will ultimately attract many a second and third looks at our market from national and international buyers. Here's to the new year, 2012. :)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Florida's tourism bureau says more people are visiting the Sunshine State this year than last.
    
Visit Florida reported Tuesday that visitor numbers for the second quarter of 2011 were up 6.9 percent over the same period last year. That amounted to about 21.2 million visitors during that time.
    
Estimates show a 5.3 percent increase in domestic visitors, a 17.3 percent increase from the overseas market and an 18.4 percent increase in Canadian travel to Florida.
    
Visit Florida says tourism has been steadily regaining market share this year, outpacing the rest of the United States by more than 1 percent.
    
About 82.6 million people visited the state in 2010, spending more than $60 billion.

One nice day here this morning, in southwest Florida, as the early morning temperature was in low 70's, and my (bi)cycle ride just seemed easier this morning. As I was biking through our Eagle Ridge neighborhood, I was thinking about pent up demand for most consumers in our state and country. The continuing lingering of a recession has put our housing market in the "world of are we there yet"? if we have truly bottomed here in Lee County, isn't this a great time to buy? Prices are very attractive, mortgage rates are in low 4% ranges, and quality of life is demontrated by our beaches, waters, golf courses, and many opportubites to be outside. People are waiting for their pent up demand to buy homes, products, cars, boats, to crystalize and hit the "GO" button. Many large corporations have exceess cash reserves, but feel paralyised to spend. Many smaller companies don't have such reserves and are hesitant to hire new employees. Our U.S population is getting old(er). The age group of 50-64 is growing at about 2% versus 0.1% for ages 15-49. Older  and wiser may mean less consuming.

Lee County has so many wonderful assets that we should be a destination for worldwide visitors. Keeping even marginal progress in maintaining the quality of living here certainly will assist in our growth and re-invigoration of our housing market.

As we head into the old clubhouse turn for the year 2011, many interesting situations exist locally here in Lee County. Of course, our high unemployment rate of about 11.5 % is worrisome, and stagnant real estate markets in many of our feeder states in the Northeast and Midwest damage our local real estate market from becoming vibrant once again, some new statewide direction can be inferred from the dismantling of our state's growth management act. The reorganization from strong oversight of Florida's growth to "Guess who is coming to development", has made the Flordida Department of Community Affairs about as potent as the Colts without Peyton Manning. Sorry Colt Fans, but at least you are not Dallas Cowboy fans. :)

Here in Lee County, a mining operation, in Volusia and Brevard counties a 23,000 home project, and Orange County's 6300+ homes Innovation Way East development, with it's over 2.2 million square feet of research, office, retail/wholesale space, have less state interference or influence, and more local decision finality starting October 1, 2011.

This growth law for Florida was spassed in 1985, the year I moved back to Florida. it was the toughest in the U.S. The law's intent was to create long range growth plans, funded by developers paying for infrastructure, and fight the "sprawl" in other areas of our country. Local areas now seem to have enough experts to allow for removal from one more branch of government ot put it's two cents in. Currently land costs have become attractive again for acquistion and future development. When current inventory is reduced, and it is moving in that direction today, we will see how we handle development on only a local scale.

Happy day after the 4th of July. If you missed it here in Lee County, Florida, we had lots of rain, humidity, same old hot dog eating champ, and a not guilty verdict in the trial of Casey Anthony in Orlando. The NFL and NBA are not working, and the long hot summer seems longer and hotter than most years. Sometimes the more things change, the more the"song remains the same" http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_Remains_the_Same is a recent trend in real estate here in southwest Florida and especiall Lee County. Today, we have four generations of home buyers an sellers in our real estate market.

This the first time EVER, four groups of age bracketed people have been in buying and selling modes all at the same time here. The oldest, somtimes know asthe Traditionalists (sounds like a Big Ten football grouping), are the 66 and older folks who may be firmly set in their ways and ideas of living this long and may see comfort, security, and activities as their main needs. Then we have my group, the Boomers, ages 47-65, and I will speak later to what we want:). Next is the Generation Xers, ages 35-46, many diverse needs and wants on this group between me and the Generation Y or Millennials, or youngsters 34 and younger, who want Facebook, Twitter, social interaction, and new liberties(like living in condos where they can work, shop, live,play, et al.)

How does a real estate professional best serve this foursome???? Inquiring minds need to know.

As we begin to see, and have more access to our infrastructure (roads, restaurants, shopping, beaches and waterways), and most of our season visitors have fled to their Northern locations, it is a wonderful time to evaluate how our real estate market is doing. Most of the transactions have been under the $250,000 range, although there have been 73 closed sales over one million dollars and 33 sales pending closing, at or above that number (per our MLS of www.swflrealtors.com. Perhaps capturing a glimpse of where we have been and maybe where we are going is the home at 15699 Captiva Road on beautiful Captiva Island. This home closed in April for $6,087,000, which is a very strong number almost anywhere in the world. Yet, only four years ago in 2007, this property sold for over $13.5 MILLION dollars. Both Captiva and Sanibel Island have tremendous value for their homes, especially the Bay front and Gulf front ones. Almost all closed sales at or above $1 million in Lee County are waterfront or gated golf course communities, with some others having large acreage involved. It appears sellers of these upper end properties have decided the market is biuncing back here and they are ready to move forward and sell rather than delaying any longer in their personal lives. Lee County really offers alot of "bang" for the "buck" and pretty soon we will begin to mention to "only tell close friends about Lee". :)

Much of our world's attention will focus on a small, unattended wedding in jolly old England this Friday. The Brits will have to be on their best behavior as Prince William marries his sweetheart , Kate Middleton. May they live long and happy, and may the weather co-operate. This occassion reminds me of an old axiom of, if they plan, publicize, and promote it, they will come.  On the front page of yesterday's USA TODAY's http://www.usatoday.com, the lead story was of Ohio's attempt to revive it's saging economy with a philosophy of "If you build it, will they come?"

Ohio has set aside $1.4 billion dollars for outlays on economic development for 2011. Our state of Florida has set aside only 11 MILLION to spend for economic development this year. Directing or influencing the economy of a state into the future is difficult for any private or public or govenmental group to orchestrate. Florida is an agricultural and tourist oriented state and is continuing efforts to broaden it's economic base, but only 11 MILLION for 2011 for expenditures in 2011? Hope the money isn't used for sky writing! :)

Today, I am fortunate to be on one of the nicest places I have ever been, lived, worked, and played on. Sanibel Island, joined by the bridge at Blind Pass to Captiva Island. Both islands famous for shells, beautiful Gulf of Mexico water, great food and fun, and expensive homes and condos that draw some of the most affluent individuals from all over the world. Debbie and I enjoyed our morning drive across three bridges onto a now less frantic traffic flow than a few weeks ago. The two islands have around 10,000 full time residents, which explodes into around 40,000ish during season. Between the 30,000 full timers on Fort Myers Beach and the folks on the islands, 25% of all property taxes in Lee County are assessed on these paradise properties.

The first time I ever saw Sanibel was in early 1986 as a restaurant owner at the Mad Hatter. Loved the area immediately and lived on the island until moving off in 2003. We have weathered some brutal hurricanes and rough real estate times, however this area "just feels right" for us. Come on down and see for yourself.