Space Shuttle Sonic Boom
- Friday, November 27, 2009The simple pleasures in life are the best. This morning I was sitting out on my lanai enjoying the boats going by and at 9:36 am I heard the sonic boom as the space shuttle passed overhead. It was heading back to land on the east coast of Florida. Very cool experience!!!
Foreign Buyers of Real Estate Return
- Monday, November 23, 2009I read an interesting article in today's (November 23, 2009) Naples Daily News which highlighted how real estate agents nationally have seen an increase in foreign buyers. The article notes that foreign investors have long been drawn to U.S. residential real estate by the market's stability compared to other countries.
But the dollar's descent has made homes even cheaper for foreigners. That combined with home prices which are showing signs of stabilizing, has made the U.S. real estate market very attractive for foreign investors.
This past weekend I helped two foreign buyers with sales contracts for different properties in Naples. The international appeal of Marco Island and Naples is certainly attracting interest from foreign investors. These people are excited about the opportunity for purchasing great properties at an excellent value.
Home Buyer Tax Credits
- Sunday, November 15, 2009The $8,000 credit for first time purchasers and the $6,500 credit for the so called "move up" homebuyers are worth taking a look at to see if you may qualify. Both credits are available now and offer attractive benefits to those considering the purchase of a home. A good consumer resource to review frequently asked questions on both can be found at www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com, which is sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders. Keep in mind the deadlines established for these tax credits expire in 2010 and you should not assume that Congress will provide extensions to either one. Both tax credits are worth exploring to determine if you may qualify.
Cost of Living Comparison
- Thursday, November 5, 2009Want to have some fun? I started playing around with a cost of living calculator for cities or neighborhoods in different markets. It was educational and enjoyable to compare the cost of living in the different places I have lived. It's also eye opening if you've never seen this type of comparison before.
I used Sperling's Best Places website www.bestplaces.net/COL for the information. You can create a side by side comparison for the average price of homes, gas, utilities, etc... Very cool to check this out. Go ahead give it a try...
Exciting New Advertising Campaign
- Monday, November 2, 2009With the "season" coming up fast, I am pleased to announce a new advertising campaign in the Robb Report Collection and Robb Report Exceptional Properties. The focus is on the amazing properties available on Marco Island Florida. This is a great way to get the word out about the terrific selection of properties and great values available on Marco Island.
