Let's Talk... Hot Off the Press!!!

Naples, Fla. 

(March 17, 2017) -

  Overall inventory rose yet prices remained stable in February according to broker analysts who reviewed the February 2017 Market Report released by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island) using the Southwest Florida MLS. Overall pending sales (homes under contract) and overall closed sales also increased in February keeping REALTORS® out in the field and busy with showings and closings.

"Compared to this time last year when we were challenged to find properties for customers, the February report showed inventory is up by nearly 1,000 new listings, giving us almost nine months of inventory to show eager buyers," said Dominic Pallini, NABOR® President, and President and Broker at Vanderbilt Realty. "Buyers have more choices now. This trend is promising."

Overall inventory rose 16 percent to 6,466 homes in February 2017 from 5,577 homes in February 2016. The largest increase in inventory during February was in the condominium market, which saw a 23 percent increase to 3,207 condominiums in February 2017 from 2,599 condominiums in February 2016. In fact, condominiums in the $1 million to $2 million price category increased the most of all housing types with a 43 percent jump in inventory to 284 condominiums in February 2017 from 198 condominiums in February 2016. Also reflected in the report, the North Naples area experienced the highest increase in condominium inventory, with a 40 percent increase to 989 condominiums in February 2017 from 704 condominiums in February 2016.

The February report also showed overall pending sales increased 10 percent to 1,092 pending sales in February 2017 from 993 pending sales in February 2016; and overall closed sales increased 18 percent to 613 closed sales in February 2017 from 518 closed sales in February 2016. But the condominium market also held the record in February for highest increases in both of these areas too. For example, pending sales of condominiums in the $300,000 to $500,000 price category had the highest increase of all other home types and price points in February with a 53 percent increase, and closed sales of condominiums in the $500,000 to $1 million price category had the highest increase of all other home types and price points in February with a 75 percent increase.

Overall median closed prices increased just 3 percent to $333,000 in February 2017 from $323,000 in February 2016. Interestingly, the median closed price for single-family homes decreased 5 percent to $402,000 in February 2017 from $425,000 in February 2016. Geographically, the Naples Beach area saw a 29 percent decrease in median closed price to $650,000 in February 2017 from $917,000 in February 2016, while the Ave Maria/Immokalee area saw a 29 percent increase in median closed price to $287,000 in February 2017 from $222,000 in February 2016.

The NABOR® February 2017 Market Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. The NABOR® February 2017 sales statistics are presented in chart format, including these overall (single-family and condominium) findings:

Broker analysts Coco Amar, Managing Broker at John R. Wood Properties, and Jeff Jones, Managing Broker at the Naples-Park Shore office of Coldwell Banker®, pointed out that economic factors may begin to delay baby boomers' decisions to sell their northern homes and buy in Florida. 

"I'm finding buyers are taking their time making a purchase decision because it's still unclear how some of the President's reform policies will play out over the next few years. And with the stock market performing as well as it is right now, it's hard for them to replant those funds into a second home should they need it liquid quickly," said Amar. 

"Many baby boomers are also facing very different life circumstances than retirees from previous generations, said Jones. "As the number of adult children and aging parents living with baby boomers increases, permanent relocation for them is not yet an option. Also, the recession seems to have reduced impulsive buying behaviors. Consumers are more educated about home values today and they are taking more time to look for the right home." 

Buyer hesitation doesn't seem to be a factor with the real estate market in Naples just yet. In fact, cash sales increased to 68 percent of the closed sales made in February. And for good reason: according to Jones, "There were 400 price reductions in one week in the Southwest Florida MLS during February, which motivated buyers to make a purchase decision. Along with being named the happiest place to live in America, Naples continues to have a very healthy and balanced real estate market." 

When you are ready to List Your Home for Sale or to Explore our Active Real Estate Market here in South West Florida let me help you make your next move! My hope is that you will contact me by calling 239.404.7787 or by e-mail at Michelle@NaplesHomeSweetHome.com for your custom detailed CMA Report that will help guide you through your next Real Estate decision process. I look forward to talking with you.

Michelle

Click here for the full report... 

View February 2017 Market Statistics

Michelle J. DeNomme, REALTOR, GRI

Cellular Phone I  239.404.7787

E-Mail : Michelle@NaplesHomeSweetHome.com

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty

Office: 239.659.2400

E-Fax Number: 239.236.5550

Website: www.NaplesHomeSweetHome.com 

Blog Page:   http://michelledenomme.blogspot.com 

Twitter: DeNommeRealtor

Homesnap: http://www.homesnap.com/Michelle-DeNomme 

Let's Talk! Hot Off the Press...

Time to starting watching for nesting sea turtles | March 9, 2017 | Florida Weekly http://naples.floridaweekly.com/news/2017-03-09/Outdoors/Time_to_starting_watching_for_nesting_sea_turtles.html?pk_campaign=Newsletter

Time to starting watching for nesting sea turtles...

March is the beginning of Florida’s sea turtle nesting season, when female sea turtles leave the ocean to dig nests and lay golf ball-size eggs in the sand.

People can help sea turtles that nest on Florida’s beaches at night by leaving the beach as natural as possible. To do this, beachgoers should remove beach furniture and other obstacles before sunset each day.

“Anyone spending time on Florida’s beaches can do something to help save Florida’s threatened and endangered sea turtles. People’s actions on the beach can have a positive impact on whether our loggerhead, leatherback and green sea turtles nest successfully,” said Robbin Trindell, who leads the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sea turtle management program.

“Whether you are a resident or a visitor, remember to take beach furniture, boats and canopies off Florida’s sandy beaches at night so these items won’t block sea turtles attempting to nest,” Ms. Trindell said. “When departing at the end of the day, beach visitors should fill any holes dug in the sand so nesting and hatchling turtles don’t become trapped. Please be careful not to disturb nesting sea turtles by getting too close, shining lights on them or taking flash photos.”
Along the gulf coast, sea turtle nesting season starts in late April or May.
In the 2016 sea turtle nesting season, more than 120,000 loggerhead nests, more than 5,000 green turtle nests and more than 1,000 leatherback nests were documented by the FWC. With Florida hosting nearly 90 percent of loggerhead nests within this species’ northern Atlantic Ocean population, the state plays an important role in its conservation.

You can help sea turtles by reporting those that are sick, injured, entangled or dead to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline, (888) 404-3922.
Go to www.MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle for information on Florida’s sea turtles and how to get decals. Click on “Research” and then “Nesting” for more data on sea turtle nesting. ¦

Let's Talk... Hot Off the Press...

Naples tops in the nation again for well-being, 

happiness again for well-being, 

Liz Freeman , liz.freeman@naplesnews.com; 

Published 10:47 a.m. ET March 7, 2017

Naples once again is tops when it comes to residents feeling happy and good about themselves.

An annual Gallup-Healthways survey of 189 cities nationwide about well-being found Naples is No. 

1 where people have the highest sense of purpose and a positive outlook, according to the findings for 2016.

It is the second year in a row that Naples is at the top of the list for the 

well-being survey by Gallup-Healthways.

Coming in second is Barnstable Town, Massachusetts, followed by Santa 

Cruz-Watsonville, California as third. Holding the fourth spot is Honolulu, 

Hawaii, and fifth is Charlottesville, Virginia, according to the findings.

Similar stories where Naples ranks in the top:

• Naples tops list as the least-polluted city in America
• Company ranks Florida sixth for affordable, entertaining retirement
• Naples ranks No. 20 on list of fastest growing cities in the country
• Naples ranks 38th on list of world's priciest beaches
• Naples ranks as one of the best small town food scenes

At the opposite end, the cities with the lowest well-being are Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma; Hickory, North Carolina, and the third lowest is Huntington, West Virginia.

The survey looks at four additional measurements of well-being after a sense of purpose, which are how people feel about their social and financial standing, their community and physical health.

The community well-being rankings are based on telephone surveys of more than 354,400 people across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, which were conducted from Jan. 2, 2015 through Dec. 30, 2016.