Posts Tagged ‘Bonita Springs real estate sales’

Mid-priced homes surge 29% in Naples, Florida

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Pending sales of all single-family homes and condos increased!

 According to the Naples Area Board of Realtors’ (NABOR) most recent market report, pending home sales of Naples area mid-priced single-family homes and condos (between $300,000 and $ 1 million) surged 29 percent in January 2012. The report tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island).

According to Phil Wood, President and CEO of John R. Wood Realtors, “Pending sales were very strong in January, plus some of the transactions were new development projects.”

Naples Area Board of REALTORS® data shows that the overall market experienced 8,295 closed sales for the 12 months ending January 2012, a 5 percent increase over the 12-month period ending January 2011 (7,879 closed sales).

NABOR® data shows:  

  • Overall pending sales in the $300,000 to $500,000 category increased 34 percent from 115 in January 2011 to 154 in January 2012.  
  • Closed sales in the $1 million to $2 million category increased 13 percent from 336 to 379 for the 12- month period ending January 2012.
  • Inventory dropped 19 percent from 9,388 in January 2011 and remains at a low level with 7,860 available properties in January 2012.
  • Average days on the market (DOM) in the $500,000 to $1 million category decreased 10 percent from 213 in January 2011 to 192 in January 2012.
  • Overall sales of homes and condos between $1million and $2 million increased 53 percent, January 2012 compared to January 2011.

“The $500,000 to $1 million category has been historically a leading market indicator, and that category experienced a 23 percent rise in pending sales from 100 in January 2011 to 123 in January 2012, a positive sign,” remarked Dr. Shelton Weeks, Director of the Lucas Institute for Real Estate Development & Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University.

 ”A good report from developers, along with positive comments of an overall healthy market, may bring more buyers off the side-lines,” said Mike Hughes, General Manager of Downing-Fry Realty. “The strong activity in pending sales brings a sense of urgency that if they wait too long to make a purchase, the property may not be there.”

“We are now seeing multiple buyers competing for the same property,” said Brenda Fioretti, NABOR® Media Relations Committee Chairman and Managing Broker of Prudential Florida Realty.

To view the entire report, visit www.NaplesArea.com 

See the John R. Wood January 2012 Market Reports below:

Market Report January 2012

Neighborhood Snapshot January 2012

To search for homes for sale in Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero, FL click HERE!

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol of Local Knowledge






Naples, Florida Real Estate – John R. Wood’s Jan 2012 Market Report

Friday, February 17th, 2012

In this month’s John R. Wood Market Report, closed sales units are up 5% during the prior 12 months (2/1/11 – 1/31/12).  Additionally, sales volume is up 7.5% during this same period.

In the luxury home market, units priced at $1,000,000 and above, closings are up 10% over the past 12 months.  January 2012 pended sales priced below $250,000 have dropped 14% from this time last year.  Pended sales remained brisk in January with almost 1,400 units, the highest level since April 2011.

 

The number of properties placed on the market in January was the lowest for the month since 2005. Available inventory on February 1, 2012 stands at 8,181 units (4,404 condominiums and 3,777 single family homes). Additionally, more neighborhoods are experiencing less than a one-year supply of homes for sale. Overall, available inventory represents a 22% decrease from February 1, 2011 and is approximately a nine-month supply.

 

To see the full Market Report including a detailed analysis, click HERE.

Don’t forget to look at the Neighborhood Snapshot Report for January 2012 as well!

 

To find homes for sale in Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero or Marco Island, click HERE!

 

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol for Local Knowledge






Naples, Florida Real Estate – What Value Does Your Loan Officer Add?

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

Many lenders have similar pricing and products, and service is difficult to prove until you have an opportunity to work with a lender.  In today’s lending market, which includes tougher underwriting guidelines and stricter appraisals, you may find it challenging to find a lender that represents a level of high-quality and service.

So, when you shop for a loan, how else can you differentiate lenders above and beyond the typical price/product/service attributes?

Here are some suggestions:

Ask for referrals – If you have a friend, co-worker, or family member who had a good lending experience, ask who they’ve used. Talk to people who deal with multiple lenders (your John R. Wood real estate agent, your attorneys, accountants, etc.) and leverage their comparative experience into making good choices.  Loan officers who earn referrals typically go beyond the price/product/service expectation.

Seek out a mortgage advisor – Even today, with limited loan programs, there are many factors to consider when choosing the right mortgage. Your future income, the length of time you expect to be in the home and your risk tolerance should be discussed.

Look for transparency – Demand a lender who freely and competently discusses rates and likely rate movements. Rates are derived by activities in the bond market and your loan officer should be able to explain, in layman’s terms, the factors that affect rates and upcoming events and economic reports, as well as, the most likely impact they will have.

Accessibility of information – Are you looking for printed materials and/or videos to guide you through the process? How about online workshops or home buying seminars?

Seek out a resource – You may need other professionals when buying a home (from insurance people, to home improvement people, to legal help). A good loan officer has a network of high quality referral partners to help you.

While the criteria may have changed in finding a good lender, there are still many out there who can get the job done.  John R. Wood Realtors has an abundance of resources to help you find a lender. Check with your John R. Wood Agent today!

To find a John R. Wood Agent, click HERE.

To search for real estate in Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero or Marco Island, Florida, click HERE.

John R. Wood – The Symbol for Local Knowledge.






Naples, Bonita Springs Real Estate Open houses February 12, 2012

Friday, February 10th, 2012

The John R. Wood Realtors’ February/March digital  issue of Homelook is now available!

Click HERE to view the digital issue!






Foreign homebuyers keep Florida markets hot!

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Lured by some of the lowest housing prices in a decade, foreign-born residents and visitors are buying U.S. properties at a rapid rate. More than 8 percent of all real estate sales in 2010 were to foreign nationals, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Mortgage companies offer a variety of products to foreign nationals but the products’ accessibility and terms depend on the borrower’s immigration status and documentation of credit status in his or her home country.

International interest in U.S. properties is growing fast. Sales of real estate to foreigners increased from $66 billion in 2009 to $82 billion in 2010, according to NAR data.

In Florida, which accounts for 10 percent of the country’s immigrant population,  foreign buyers accounted for almost 31 percent of all real estate transactions. Other states popular with foreign homebuyers include California, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Tennessee and New York.

Foreign nationals tend to buy homes in communities where they already have roots or where large immigrant populations exist. In Florida, Cubans, Haitians and Colombians account for the majority of foreign buyers while in most of the Southwest, Mexicans make up the majority. Canadians are buying heavily all across the country.

 To find homes for sale in beautiful Southwest Florida, click HERE!

To learn more about Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and Marco Island, click HERE!

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol of Local Knowledge






Real Estate – The Alternative to Buying a Home

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

The Alternative to Buying

If a family continues to rent, they are looking at a housing expense which will rise with the market. Rental costs increase by 3% a year historically. But today’s rental market favors the landlord to a greater degree. Below is a graph of how rental prices have increased recently and where they are projected to go over the next few years based on a report from Marcus & Millichap.

Hoping to save by delaying the purchase of a home may result in higher housing costs while you’re waiting, thus achieving the exact opposite result.

Check with a John R. Wood Agent to determine the best option for you and your lifestyle!

To find homes for sale in beautiful Southwest Florida, click HERE!

To learn more about Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and Marco Island, click HERE!

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol of Local Knowledge






Florida Real Estate – More Housing Markets Are Improving

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012

According to a report from the Daily Real Estate News, the list of housing markets showing signs of improvement in home prices and overall market conditions in February has grown to nearly 100 cities, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index. 

The index shows metro areas that have shown improvement in home prices, housing permits, and employment for at least six straight months. 

In the latest index, some markets that were particularly hard-hit during the housing market crash — such as Miami and Detroit — were added to this month’s list. Such cities are seeing a turnaround in their sluggish housing markets, possibly already hitting bottom. 

“Despite the many challenges that continue to drag on the housing recovery — including the tight lending environment for builders and buyers — improving conditions are slowly but surely spreading from one housing market to the next,” Bob Nielsen, NAHB chairman, said in a statement. 

The 29 metro areas added to the list this month are: 

  • Napa, Calif.
  • Deltona, Fla.
  • Miami, Fla.
  • North Port, Fla.
  • Tampa, Fla.
  • Augusta, Ga.
  • Shreveport, La.
  • Springfield, Mass.
  • Cumberland, Md.
  • Lewiston, Maine
  • Boston, Mass.
  • Detroit, Mich.
  • Duluth, Minn.
  • Rochester, Minn.
  • Jefferson City, Mo.
  • Kansas City, Mo.
  • Hattiesburg, Miss.
  • Omaha, Neb. 
  • Ocean City, N.J.
  • Syracuse, N.Y.
  • Springfield, Ohio
  • Youngstown, Ohio
  • Portland, Ore.
  • Longview, Texas
  • Memphis, Tenn.
  • Provo, Utah
  • Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Bellingham, Wash.
  • Kennewick, Wash.

While nearly 30 markets were added to the February index, seven markets dropped off the list this month as home prices started to soften. The metro areas dropped from this month’s index are: San Jose, Calif.; Washington, D.C.; Kankakee, Ill.; New Orleans; Worcester, Mass.; Jackson, Miss.; and Sherman, Texas. 

To find homes for sale in beautiful Southwest Florida, click HERE!

To learn more about Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and Marco Island, click HERE!

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol of Local Knowledge






Naples, Florida Real Estate – Will the Real Estate Market Heat Up This Spring?

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

The spring season usually brings an increase in buying and selling to the Southwest Florida real estate market. Nationally speaking, housing experts are mostly optimistic that this spring will be even better than recent years. 

According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), some signs are already there: Housing inventories are declining, housing affordability is at record highs, mortgage rates are at all-time lows, and the job market is improving. 

In Southwest Florida, home sales have been edging up in recent months, and available inventories as of January 1, 2012 in the combined Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero market was 7,896 units (4,264 condominiums and 3,632 single family homes). This represents a 23% decrease from January 1, 2011.

 Nationally, nearly 2.4 million units were available in December 2011, reaching its lowest point since 2005, according to National Association of REALTORS® data. 

NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says home prices are beginning to stabilize in many markets.  Also, NAR’s Housing Affordability Index is at its highest level since the 1970s, which indicates that for the average family housing is very affordable. 

The National Association of Home Builders is also predicting an improvement this spring among the new-home sector. NAHB is predicting that home sales will increase 18 percent this year, that’s after facing their lowest on record in 2011. 

There is no better time to buy a luxury home right here in Marco Island, Naples, Bonita Springs or Estero, Florida.

To find homes for sale in Marco Island, Naples, Bonita Springs or Estero, click HERE!

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol of Local Knowledge






Naples Florida Real Estate – Homelook Weekly now available!

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

 Click HERE to read our latest issue of Homelook Weekly!

To search for homes for sale in Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida, click HERE!

John R. Wood Realtors – The Symbol of Local Knowledge






Naples, Florida Real Estate – More Wisconsinites head to Southwest Florida

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

Some interesting facts about the Dairy State…it turns out between 2006 and 2010 nearly 45,000 people left Wisconsin for Florida or Arizona, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.  Higher-income retirees headed to Florida, and Wisconsin lost more of those with higher incomes than it gained.

The report showed that of the 27,826 people who moved to Florida, family income averaged $81,744.

The report zeroed in on 1,300 Wisconsinites with an average family income of $138,713 who moved to the Fort Myers, Fla., area. Another 568 people with an average family income of $274,614 moved to the Naples, Fla., area.

Hey, Wisconsinites! If you’re searching for your new home in Naples, Bonita Springs or Estero, Florida, look no further! John R. Wood Realtors is here to help!

Click HERE to search for homes for sale in Southwest Florida: Naples, Bonita Springs, and Estero!

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel