Beyond the Month’s SW Florida Real Estate News, Naples, Ft. Myers, Isles Of Capri!

 Beyond the Month’s SW Florida Real Estate News, Naples, Ft. Myers, Isles Of Capri! Whenever a month’s SW Florida real estate activity ends on a Friday, the number-gatherers close up shop knowing there will be a longer than usual lapse until they can be sure of the SW Florida real estate activity statistics.

That creates a breather for those of us who keep abreast of Texas and SW Florida real estate. It’s a perfect opening to turn to real estate doings around the country—to see what noteworthy happenings took place in the last month or so. September 2016 did produce a little news items—these three rate at least a quick glance (or a double-take).

The lead item is one that rates a triple take: it concerns a storage barn that sold for $1,800,000. Built in Little Compton, Rhode Island, the structure was originally erected as a storage barn by the Army in WWII. It was converted into “a custom shingle-style” home, which was surely a shrewd improvement since shingles have to be a noticeable improvement over what the wartime Army shed-builders would have had to work with.

In fact, as reported by the Providence Journal, “the former storage barn…has water views from nearly every room.” The accompanying photo confirmed that, indeed, windows had been added. If the casual reader jumps to the conclusion that a $1.8 million closing would be the occasion for celebration from the sellers, that was probably not the case: the former storage barn had been listed for $2,195,000.

Elsewhere, CNBC’s real estate editor Diana Olick reported on a national trend: a slowdown in on-time closings from 77% six months ago to 64%. This is despite a rise in housing demand. Unearthed was a reason: a “massive” shortage in appraisers—“the men and women who value homes and whom mortgage lenders depend upon.” Part of the blame was assigned to new federal regulations that disallow apprentices to conduct full appraisals. Now their licensed bosses must be on-site for every inspection.

Over the weekend, The New York Times found little interesting domestic news, so they led instead with an international report, “House Hunting in Costa Rica.” The item focused on a two-story home in the “very clean and quiet” Arenal Lake area. A local real estate broker’s advice for house hunters was to shop with caution despite the area’s current “tremendous” buyer’s market. “I always tell my clients, don’t leave your brain in the plane.” That’s probably sage advice, especially since the area is named for a local “popular tourist attraction,” the Arenal Volcano. It’s an active stratovolcano that’s thought to be “in a passive phase” since around 2010.

Beyond the Month’s SW Florida Real Estate News, Naples, Ft. Myers, Isles Of Capri! Closer to home, I can report that I never need to remind my {Your Town} house hunting clients to keep their brains active: they fully understand that from the get-go. I hope you’ll give me a call when you decide it’s time to check out our SW Florida real estate offerings. I can guarantee that no active or passive stratovolcanoes will complicate matters!

For SW Florida’s Curious: Seeking the Most Popular House Styles, Naples, Ft. Myers, Estero!

Ever tried to pin down the most popular house style in the U.S.? Turns out—you can’t.

For SW Florida’s Curious: Seeking the Most Popular House Styles, Naples, Ft. Myers, Estero! Last week it almost seemed as if the answer was at hand. SW Florida readers could have come across the ad link that promised to reveal “The Most Popular House Styles.” The come-hither promise read, “Browse our photo gallery for the most popular housing styles and types in America.”

The most likely reason for clicking would have been for SW Florida homeowners to find out how popular their own home’s style is considered to be. If it’s the Most Popular of all, when it came time to sell, herds of popularity-seeking American buyers could come rushing over for a showing!

 If that were the goal, the first mouse click would have dashed the hope, for it showed a photo of an unadorned two-windowed center-chimneyed home that couldn’t have been larger than 400 square feet. This first style—Number 1—was the “Cape Cod Style” home.

Since few could be persuaded that Capes are the runaway #1 Most Popular homes in the U.S., it seemed probable that the author wasn’t going to let us in on the order of popularity. That suspicion was confirmed by #2 of the Most Popular House Styles: “New England Colonial.” Pictured was a 1720 model that looked remarkably well-preserved (but not particularly popular-looking).

If you grew impatient and scanned down the page, you found “Dutch Colonial,” then “German Colonial” (a brooding hand-made brick and stone structure). Despite what the ad had promised, this was more like an Every Conceivable House Style list rather than a true Most Popular one. It was a very long page, ultimately chronicling no fewer than 57 different house styles. This was clearly not going to deliver on its promise—but the question it raised was nonetheless an interesting one. What are the Most Popular house styles in the U.S.? Are they in the South? On a lake? Actually, what is the Most Popular?

You’d think that the answer would be most likely to come from the National Association of Realtors^®—but it was not to be. At least the NAR has pared the Most Popular list down to its Top 20, but heading the list is “Tudor.” I can agree that in SW Florida, Tudors may be greatly admired. But across the whole country, they’re not likely to rank as Most Popular.  

Down there at the bottom of the NAR list are three that could be serious contenders: “Midcentury Modern,” “Traditional Ranch” and “Contemporary Style.” They could be Most Popular since all three are architecturally vague—so more homes could fit the categories. An example was “Traditional Ranch,” which can have either brick, wood, or stucco siding. Even vaguer was the Huffington Post’s top pick: “Craftsman style.” Quite a few SW Florida homes could qualify, since Craftsman style homes are “often bungalows but may be of any shape so long as they emphasize a relationship with nature and the craft of construction.” If you’re thinking that every house in SW Florida is “of any shape” and “has a relationship with the craft of construction,” I’m with you.

For SW Florida’s Curious: Seeking the Most Popular House Styles, Naples, Ft. Myers, Estero! Ultimately, there doesn’t seem to be a proven Most Popular house style—which may be just as well, since any style can sell quickly or slowly due to many other factors. The most popular style for any home buyer is, after all, the home that happens to appeal to him or her. Putting that buyer together with that home is how I help—and a fine reason to call me!

When the Topic is Energy Savings for SW Florida Homeowners

When the Topic is Energy Savings for SW Florida Homeowners. It’s been a welcome relief for SW Florida homeowners as the Bad Old Days of the energy crisis recede from memory. $4+-a-gallon gasoline, huge electric, propane and fuel oil bills that were the subject of national outrage have faded from the headlines. We’re now busy attending to the current challenges of daily living—and OPEC’s machinations aren’t front and center!

But for those SW Florida homeowners more attuned to what’s likely to be headed our way sooner or later, now is as good a time as any to prepare for the next spate of energy price surprises. And there are many new products—some in development, some already on the market—that soon could put a serious dent in the damage tomorrow’s energy bills might wreak.

Some of the interesting innovations:

• Bladeless Fans. These are already out there—the weird-looking magnifying-glass-shaped electric fans that suck hot air in through the base and push a steady stream of air out via an impeller. The no-blades design promises to make them safer, and eventually less of an energy-eater.
• Smart Thermostats. The best new ones connect to home systems and display how much energy is being used (and how much it’s costing). Being able to see the dollars and cents result of every temperature-setting decision, these “smart” thermostats can’t help but result in measurable energy savings.
• Flooring Upgrades. Who isn’t attracted to the warmth of hardwood floors? That never changes, but when it comes to the cost factor, they can’t match the energy savings of radiant heat. Unlike older versions of radiant flooring, the new products like Warmboard don’t require running tubes in concrete to circulate hot water. Radiant solutions were already 25% more efficient than forced air—the newer systems allow greater control and lower water temperatures.
• Sprinkler Controllers. Water bills can be eyebrow-raisers anytime—but if you’ve ever found yourself rushing outside during a rainstorm to figure out how to stop your automatic lawn sprinkling system from adding to the flood, that situation needn’t reoccur. The newest “smart” systems take weather, sprinkler type—even growing conditions—into account. As an extra, mobile apps allow you to supervise from afar.
• Solar Shingles. They’re not yet at the price point of traditional solar panels (who would have thought that bolt-on solar panels would ever become “traditional”?)—but they are quicker to install and have the advantage of maintaining the traditional rooflines. They are becoming the renewable energy solution with curb appeal!

Investments in home renovations that give SW Florida homeowners energy savings are investments that pay off twice: right now, as the monthly operating costs are realized; and later, when those advanced features make the property more attractive to buyers. If that “later” is also a time when a future energy crunch is on everybody’s minds, it can be an important selling feature.

When the Topic is Energy Savings for SW Florida Homeowners. That would also be prime time to give me a call!

Building Wealth through SW Florida Investment Real Estate, Naples, Marco Island, Estero

Building Wealth through SW Florida Investment Real Estate, Naples, Marco Island, Estero. Thoughtful SW Florida investors find themselves in an increasingly uncertain environment. Although the official cost of living numbers indicate that inflation isn’t much of an issue, few SW Florida residents who mind the family budget are convinced. Even if that were currently the case, even fewer think it a situation that will last indefinitely. At the same time, dollars banked in savings accounts earn next to nothing. And at this point, many feel that trusting in the stock market requires nerves of steel. Last week, The Wall Street Journal was reporting that even the biggest hedge fund managers, convened in Las Vegas for their annual SALT get-together, were displaying “decided pessimism.” Unnerved by their inability to guarantee future value to their clients caused a “mood that was anything but festive.”

It’s not surprising, then, that lately real estate is the ownership investment class type that’s on the rise. SW Florida investors may agree with analyst Grant Cordone, writing recently in Entrepreneur magazine:

 Income-producing real estate is one of the few investment classes that, as a hard asset, has meaningful value. The property’s land has value, as does the structure itself, and the income it produces has value to future investors. Income producing real estate investments do not have red and green days, as does the stock market.

These qualities are augmented by some of the outside factors affecting the nation at large. U.S. News’ Money feature gave property managers some good news about rental rates­ with its spoiler alert: “rental hikes are not going away.” It predicts a solid 8% increase for the year. That kind of income growth—which has already been steady and sustained for years­—coupled with the “real” nature of investment real estate makes favorable comparison with most other investment classes easy to accomplish.

Building Wealth through SW Florida Investment Real Estate, Naples, Marco Island, Estero. During times when future events are as uncertain as they are today, the appeal of get rich quick schemes and other risk-laden ventures succumbs rapidly. Especially given the abundance of solid SW Florida real estate investment opportunities that are out there this spring, even those who haven’t really considered the idea in the past might be well-served to weigh the idea seriously. As an investment category, real estate comes out as the class act­—one that’s easily accessible…in fact, opening the doors to the many SW Florida opportunities is just a phone call away!

Top 10 Listing Phrases Might Not Attract SW Florida Home Hunters

Top 10 Listing Phrases Might Not Attract SW Florida Home Hunters. It’s small wonder that with this summer’s selling season underway, SW Florida’s house hunters can afford to be a discriminating bunch—they have the luxury of picking and choosing from a crop of truly inviting offerings. And it doesn’t hurt that today’s low mortgage interest rates have enabled more SW Florida properties to fit within more family budgets.

For those of us who get to translate those home offerings into words for the SW Florida listings, the job is to find phrases that draw attention to each given property’s uniquely attractive features.

But there’s another dimension that complicates things. English is a rich and powerful language, but when it comes to marketing lingo, it’s also true that these days everyone is being deluged 24/7 by vivid advertising claims. We’ve all developed callouses when it comes to the ballyhooing we get from every quarter.

Today’s house hunters have developed sales resistance. Times 10!

So what’s the answer for cooking up language that helps a property jump out from among the others? One way is to find out SW Florida’s Top 10 listing phrases—and avoid overusing them! Same ‘ol, same ‘ol isn’t what works when the object is to attract SW Florida prospects. True, some truly accurate descriptors can’t be totally avoided—but emphasizing them isn’t likely to fire many house hunters’ imaginations, either.

Here are a group of most frequently appearing Top 10 listing words and phrases—with some alternatives more likely to spark more attention from SW Florida house hunters:

1. Beautiful (‘gorgeous’ ‘spectacular’ or ‘captivating’ bring more energy)
2. Hardwood floors (what kind of wood—and what hue?)
3. Stainless steel (at the very least, add ‘gleaming’ or ‘lustrous’)
4. Updated (‘renovated’ ‘remodeled’ ‘renewed’…or maybe even ‘reimagined’)
5. Private (this one is actually okay as-is…it may be a cliché, but it’s a desirable one!)
6. Spacious (puh-lese! How about ‘cavernous’ ‘commodious’ or ‘enormous’?)
7. Landscaped (another okay one, but in need of a boost—like ‘lusciously’ ‘stunningly’ or ‘exquisitely’)
8. Custom (‘tailor made’ ‘individualized’ ‘unique’ ‘personalized’ or ‘specially crafted’)
9. Clean (this is close to Top 10 listing phrase malpractice: if it’s clean, it’s surely also ‘spotless’ ‘flawless’ or ‘immaculate’)
10. Brand new (could be ‘state of the art’ ‘untouched’ ‘mint’ or ‘just completed’)

Top 10 Listing Phrases Might Not Attract SW Florida Home Hunters. Even after a bit of polishing, those Top 10 listing phrases and words need to have a credibility boost via listing photography that illustrates what’s being promised. Putting the whole package together is just one part of the service you can count on when you give me a call!   

SW Florida Home Automation—Ideally, Smart (but not Too Smart!)

Home automation is going mainstream.

SW Florida Home Automation—Ideally, Smart (but not Too Smart!) There: I said it. We all knew it would happen, but some of us hoped it would happen later. The prospect of our house being smarter than we are has been out there since as far back as when the first Terminator movie hit VHS (or was it Beta? Or Betamax?)…

Anyway, the “Smart House” idea has always had such a science-fictiony patina, it allowed many SW Florida homeowners the valiant hope that the whole thing might be delayed—at least until there was a flying car parked in every garage. Now it looks like our hopes are soon to be dashed. At least, that seemed to be the news coming out of Spain last week.

According to reports from last week’s Mobile World Congress assembled in Barcelona, “the Iot was pervasive.” If you haven’t heard what “the IoT” is, maybe you’d better sit down—

The IoT is short for “the Internet of Things.” It’s a logical development. For home automation to go mainstream, every smart part of it has to communicate, one way or another, with everything else. Home Wi-Fi plus the web opens many possibilities. “M2M” devices are ones that use a wireless network…well, you get the idea. When your Smart Refrigerator needs to tell you it is about to run out of 1% milk, it has to let your Smartphone know, right? Or else message your car’s digital console. Or else tell the Smart Grocery Store to send a drone over…Since all those are Things, and the best way to transfer information is through the Internet…voila! The Internet of Things.

More news from Barcelona will follow, but first I hasten to mention that there are lots of current useful innovations for SW Florida homeowners; innovations that are smart—but not so smart that anyone needs to feel threatened. For instance, heating and cooling are perfect for IOT. The ability to control your energy-eating heating and cooling devices via your smart phone can already save a lot on utility bills. Older automated systems relied on painstaking day-by-day (and even hour-by-hour) programming, yet still didn’t account for changes in schedule. With a phone-triggered remote command system, you can work late at the office yet easily delay home heating or cooling until just before you get home.

Web-enabled home security systems make possible inexpensive remote monitoring by professionals—or even clever innovations like the one that rings your phone when someone approaches the front door, or lets you answer a doorbell ring from your phone. It can sound like you’re on the intercom inside the house. Would-be burglars hate that one (even more than the automated Rottweiler barking setups) …

But back to the news from Barcelona, with exhibitors’ demo devices embodying the latest ideas for what we will be needing when the IoT really gets going. Smart tape measures to beam measurements to your phone; wearable trackers that eavesdrop on your children (a “smart bracelet for children”); “Petfit” for overweight dogs (it keeps track of your pet’s steps, but, unfortunately, is not water-resistant yet); Samsung’s internet fridge (with a 21” screen that displays—well, a shopping list) …

SW Florida Home Automation—Ideally, Smart (but not Too Smart!) Actually, when you wade into the details, maybe the lot isn’t quite ready to overwhelm our SW Florida castles, at least not just yet. Home automation may still be limited to truly useful innovations for a while—those that are smart, but not too smart—the kind that add clear value to a home when it’s time to sell. When that future occasion arises, I hope you (or the refrigerator) will remember to call me!   

For SW Florida Moving Days, 5 Practical Planning Tips

For SW Florida Moving Days, 5 Practical Planning Tips . When a SW Florida home seller tallies the total financial impact of selling the old and then buying the new home, in addition to the closing and brokerage costs, the expense of the move has to be reckoned, too. It may seem like an afterthought, but especially for larger homes and families, it’s a cost significant enough that it bears some economy-minded preparations.

Although doing the lion’s share yourself is the surest way to bring that price tag down, it will also add a load to an occasion that’s already stressful enough. “Moving day” can prod your already surging emotional stress meter further into the red if you are trying to do everything yourself (or relying on friends to carry more of the load than is healthy for the relationships). Since this is such a common hurdle, a good deal of wisdom has developed that can keep potential SW Florida moving day misery to a minimum. Here’s a collection of useful tips:

• Gather ye boxes while ye may…far ahead of time. Yes, you can certainly buy them—and probably should for special types like wardrobes and glassware—but since you know you’ll be moving once the SW Florida house has been sold and the new place is ready to move into, make a point of holding onto all the clean cartons you come across leading up to the big day. Once you’re sure you have gathered enough, pinch yourself (and get back to gathering more). Somehow you always need many more than you imagine possible!
• Cut cut. Long before you approach moving day, get serious about all the stuff you don’t need any more and yard sale (it’s a verb) it, Salvation Army it (ditto), give it away, or just toss it out. If you are going to use professional movers, cutting down the size of the move will be worth its weight in…well—let’s just say it will be worth it!
• Dismantle ahead of time. When the movers arrive, a great chunk of their time (and thus, their bill) can be spent taking things apart for safe transport. You can do this ahead of time with a pen and some masking tape, a wrench, pair of pliers, and some Ziploc bags. The bags are for the nuts, bolts, screws, and other fasteners. The masking tape and pen are to label the bags and tape them to larger pieces—you’ll thank yourself at the other end, when it’s time to reassemble everything.
• Collect all receipts. Whether you pay movers or rent a van or trailer yourself, remember that moving expenses may be tax-deductible. If you get a new job that’s more than 50 miles from your previous home within a year, it probably qualifies.
• Time your move. The major stampede for movers happens during the high volume times of year (spring and summer) and especially at the end of the month. Planning to move any other time (like right about now, for instance) will make it that much more likely one of our SW Florida movers will be able to give you a deal. And get a firm price guarantee whenever you can; estimates based on hourly rates can take a lot longer than expected!

For SW Florida Moving Days, 5 Practical Planning Tips. Picking up stakes and leaving a long-time SW Florida home (or moving to your new SW Florida home) is a major life experience you’ll want to remember as the delightful opening of new doors instead of a harrowing misadventure. A little planning ahead of time helps that happen. Part of what I offer my clients is the experience of having shared many ‘moving’ experiences. Call me when one is on your horizon!