Naples Florida Real Estate: December 2011

Hello Naples Friends!

Every once in awhile I come across something I think is a deal of a lifetime.  I found one of those magnificent Naples deals last night.  This home is located just a couple of miles from the beach and very close to Waterside and Mercato shopping and dining districts.  It features over 12,000 square feet of living space and was built in 2005.  The interior detailing is some of the best I've seen in Naples. If you can afford an exquisite home between 3 and 4 million call me ASAP.  I think this home is worth ALOT more than it's current price as it has just been drastically reduced.  This is NOT my listing and I do not have permission to print specific details about this property publicly. This is why you need to contact me direct if you are interested.  You should call if you have a serious interest but you can always email me if you are just slightly curious.

PS~ 3 more days til Naples real estate high season! Are you ready?

I hope everybody finds themselves this morning with some shiny new Holiday memories! As I reflect on my own memories one that stands out is a phone call I received around 7:00 on Christmas Eve.  Clients who purchased a home in Grey Oaks in November were in town and on their way to the airport to pick up their two children to celebrate their first family Christmas in Naples. I could hear the excitement in her voice when she told me of their arrival and how they were going to spend their time in Naples this year.  She thanked me again for helping them find what they think is the perfect place to make some terrific family memories. 

I marveled over the generosity of her phone call and I'm so glad she shared her anticipation with me. That in essence, is what I really do when I sell Naples real estate. Of course people look for the perfect location, the right decor etc. but ultimately SO many of my clients are in pursuit of the perfect Naples experience.

Whether it's an active lifestyle they desire or perhaps a chance to relax on one of our Naples beaches, we can easily accomplish nearly everybody's wish and when you need a Realtor who can not only find the floor plan and amenity package you are after but they can also imagine your vision of what the real accomplishment entails, call me.  I know how to do that too.


PS~ Did you know the official Naples real estate high season shot gun start occurs on January 1? :) Hope to assist you this year!

Hello Naples Fans! I just attended a contract seminar presented by one of the best real estate attorneys in Naples.  He shared best practice points on how to protect buyers and sellers from some of the gruesome pitfalls he's seen so far this year.  Also in the audience were about 45 of the other top agents in town. This is an invite only seminar which means this type of information is not readily available to just any agent and yet another reason why you want to list and buy with a Naples Realtor who:

• is properly connected
• knows the contract
• knows how to protect their client
• has their finger on the Naples real estate pulse

While I was there I took the opportunity to have Kevin quickly describe the Naples real estate market through his eyes.  The most stand out thing he had to say was that he wasn't seeing too much golf course community sales right now but that Naples beachfront was on fire.  This lead me to do some further research of my own to quantify his remark.  $1,000,000+ pending properties are up 45% during the last 30 days compared to this time last year.  This is GREAT if you're a Naples luxury real estate seller, not as great news if you're a Naples luxury real estate buyer.  As an example 5 Olde Naples homes listed over $1,000,000 have gone under contract during the past 30 days. That's significant considering that's 7% of the current Olde Naples single family home market.  Naples beachfront is doing well by the way. As an example 3 Contessa at Bay Colony units have gone under contract during the last 30 days. That's 42% of the current inventory in that building sold in 30 days. Several other Naples beachfront sales were documented as well.

If you're a Naples luxury buyer: Please know this year you are not alone and while cash will usually always speak louder than a mortgage contingency, you will want to act when you see something you like compared to waiting around til the end of season to pull the trigger.  I saw a few people last year attempt this and they lost.

  This does not by any means signify that we're at the stage in the market where you need to pay full price or over list in almost all cases.  This does mean that you will want to behave a little more aggressively to avoid competing with another buyer and be a little more strategic about your negotiations than you've needed to during the past several years to make the best attempt to get your deal done. 

If you're a Naples luxury seller:  and your property is located on the beach you're in a great spot to make something happen this season provided you don't get too carried away on pricing.  The object of the game is to price well, be exposed properly and be prepared to negotiate the best terms possible for you.  If you price your property well, the odds of getting two buyers competing for your property at the same time are much better this year. This can be a great way to get the most for your unit if handled well. That's why you want to list your property with an expert who knows not only how to put your property in MLS but can also enthusiastically help you negotiate the best terms.  If you're not located on the beach, let's talk about your scenario on a case by case basis. Many of you will still have good news to hear.

Here's something else I found interesting. For the first 12 days of December last year there were 208 properties that went back on the market. Those are properties that had been withdrawn off the market and went back on and properties that were under contract, the contract terminated and then they went back on the market.  This number is usually higher during a poor market and lower during a stable market.  This year during the same time frame that number is down 42%. Another sign of market stability.

On a side note I want to mention how difficult it can sometimes be to explain a topic that's so inconsistent with the rest of the world.  Naples real estate is rarely on the same playing field as so many other markets and has a history of not conforming to what is happening with real estate with the US market as a whole. We were one of the first markets to cool and appear to be one of the first markets to recover. We are happy and consider ourselves fortunate for this.  If you have not been following me for long you will be happy to know I am an agent who values true transparency.  That's why you'll see actual sales data on my website to help you better understand the Naples market.  I do this in an effort to win your business which by the way is my goal.  That's why I am so interested in helping you achieve your goal.

Please help me help you by making appointments in advance.  It bums me out when I can't assist you personally!

I hope you enjoyed my Naples luxury real estate update.  Please contact me direct when you're ready to dive in!

As you can see there is some REALLY GOOD news for the Naples Florida market!  Here's the latest Naples area real estate update from our fabulous C.F.O., Dottie Babcock.  As you can see there are still terrific buying opportunities in Naples and there's also places where inventories have leveled and are even in an under-supply scenario. 

Inquiring minds are always asking me what's going on with the Naples real estate market. While I do believe we saw a bit of a successful pre-season, I along with all of my super intelligent Naples real estate colleagues agree that it is too soon to know for sure. I always ask every agent I know at least one Naples real estate question in my constant quest to have a my finger on the pulse of the market...the question lately has been: What do you think will happen this season...??? What I have found is the most successful agents in town say they don't know yet which is interesting because I haven't formulated my answer either. We all watch our own set of indicators but I haven't seen anything consistent or compelling enough to place my bet. Neither have they. 

If I were in the Naples market to buy a house right now: I would probably focus on locations where the market hasn't leveled if I could get what I want...if I couldn't get what I want in a market that was still over-supplied with inventory, I would want me in my corner helping me with my 5 point negotiation strategy.  If you're a buyer considering purchasing Naples real estate, give me a shout and we can discuss this strategy in detail. 

If I were considering selling my Naples real estate: I would concern myself with the current inventory in my Naples neighborhood and make my decision based on that.  If my home was located in a location where the inventory was level or under-supplied, I would go forward with intelligent pricing and enthusiastic advertising.  If my home was located in an area where inventory is oversupplied I would consider the reasons why I wanted to sell.  If I really wanted to sell regardless, I would price well and come up with a 5 point strategy to compete against my competition. That strategy might include points like:

1. Best Location
2. Best Priced
3. Best Looking
4. A compelling compensation package
5. Purchasing perks

Then I would market the fool out of it and be excited to negotiate.  For more details about how to get your Naples property sold fast, call me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!