Shannon Lefevre - Naples Florida Real Estate Insights

Naples Cay Naples Florida

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:40:16 -0600

At the request of a website visitor from the UK, I have just launched the Naples Cay portion of my Naples Florida real estate website. From those pages you can review neighborhood information and see what's currently for sale in Naples Cay Naples Florida. This is a soft launch as I will be adding additional pages regarding Naples Cay in the future but I wanted to at least get the property pages launched just in case you were planning on coming down during the early part of season to purchase in the Naples Cay area.

To see Naples Cay properties or for more information regarding the community, contact me direct!

PS~ If there is something you would like to see on my Naples real estate website, just let me know! I'm happy to assist!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

239-595-6223

www.Shannon.com

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Whatever Happened To Consumer Protection?

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:05:29 -0500

The games these banks are playing right now regarding short sales is driving me bananas! Now I'll be the first to tell you my experience is not long when dealing with these because I've done just about whatever I can to steer clear but every once in awhile I'll find myself in the middle of one. What I can say is this:

If an agent were to behave like some of these banks are, we'd have our licenses yanked so fast it would make your head spin. Bait and switch pricing...not responding to offers....shopping contracts. UNBELIEVABLE!

I remember when I first started real estate and having to learn all of the consumer protection laws and thinking to myself...ga, I can lose my license so many different ways! I remember starting my career and being super careful to remember all of the things I must do and say to keep out of trouble. Then I realized if I just treated people right then I could avoid all of that. I also remember thinking how twisted some people had to be because something bad had to have happened for there to be a law like that in the first place...and now I see banks doing those things all the time. It's a recipe for a really crappy time in our industry and all the while all I hear on tv is health care issues...our politicians and media seem oblivious to some crazy goings on right now...sigh!

Of course the only reason why banks have any say in the deal is because the seller promised to pay their loan back...ok...back to work!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Cellini at Mediterra

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:47:01 -0500

The Cellini at Mediterra pages of my Naples Florida real estate website has just been added. From there you can see the Cellini at Mediterra site plan and Cellini at Mediterra homes for sale. Currently there are 6 homes for sale in Cellini at Mediterra. Prices being in the 1.2 million dollar price range and increase to nearly 3 million. To see Cellini at Mediterra homes for sale or for more information regarding Cellini, contact me direct!

Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl
239-595-6223

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Celebrita at Mediterra

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:39:33 -0500

The Celebrita at Mediterra portion of my Naples Florida real estate website has just been added. Celebrita at Mediterra is located on the east side of Livingston Rd. From my site you can see the Celebrita at Mediterra site plan and see Celebrita at Mediterra homes for sale. Currently there are two homes for sale in Celebrita at Mediterra. Both homes are listed in the two million dollar price range. Lot sizes on Celebrita Way are BIG (approximately 100 feet wide) To see homes located in Celebrita at Mediterra or for more information regarding Celebrita, contact me direct!

Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl
239-595-6223

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Calabria at Mediterra

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:25:02 -0500

The Calabria at Mediterra portion of my Naples Florida real estate website has just been created. From here you can see the Calabria at Mediterra site plan and see Calabria at Mediterra homes for sale. Calabria at Mediterra is a beautiful coach home community built by Taylor Woodrow. Currently there are two units available in Calabria at Mediterra. Pricing ranges in the high 400's to mid 600's. To see Calabria at Mediterra coach homes for sale or for more information regarding Calbria at Mediterra, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre
Your Naples Smart Girl!
239-595-6223

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Bello Lago at Mediterra

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:04:45 -0500

The Bello Lago at Mediterra portion of my Naples Florida real estate website has just been created! From Bello Lago at Mediterra you can see the Bello Lago at Mediterra site plan and see what's currently for sale in Bello Lago at Mediterra. Currently there are 3 Bello Lago at Mediterra homes for sale. Prices range from the 5 million dollar range to the 7 million dollar range and were built in 2004 or just completed in 2009. There are only 12 luxury estates located in Bello Lago and nearly all homesite offer tranquil lake views with some having beautiful lake and golf course backdrops. To see Bello Lago at Mediterra homes for sale or for more information regarding Bello Lago at Mediterra, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Quail West Sales On The Rise!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 04:06:06 -0500

Quail West Naples Florida is a FABULOUS golf course community that had seen its fair share of bumps and bruises when the economy went south. Ginn Development the entity who purchased the remainder of the development back in 2005 lost their interest in Quail West due to bankruptcy earlier this year. Quail West in fact was one of the first golf communities to endure some hard core drama but another group legally called QW 2009 Investors LLC purchased the development in April of this year and although there are still some clouds of uncertainty it appears the skies are beginning to clear and the sun is starting to shine once again!

There have been a total of 5 closed sales in Quail West so far this year with another 3 homes currently pending contract. That may not seem like alot but there were only 8 homes that sold last year, 5 in 2007 and 4 in 2006 according to the Naples area MLS and it looks like interest is picking up for sure!

The extra traffic is of no big surprise if you take a deeper look. Pricing has become so outstanding in Quail West it's making it almost impossible for smart people to shy away. In fact, the couple I assisted just this past month searched high and low before deciding on a model home located in Quail West. He is the Chief Financial Officer for a large company and searched high and low making his selection with precision. They made an offer in Pelican Marsh and one advertised as a short sale in Quail West before finally getting a tremendous deal on the home they purchased. It proves that diligence can pay off if you pay attention to facts and figures for sure! Now this isn't to suggest the club is without problems. There's still some tweeking going on but the risk is certainly minimized when you look at the prices on some of these properties.

Currently there are 40 Quail West homes (just over a 4 year inventory) and although some of these aren't what I could consider "deals" there are still some tremendous deals to be had not to mention some truly exceptional and unique homes. The other factor is that most of these beautiful homes are located on extraordinary lots. It's difficult, in some cases impossible, to find newer homes in Naples located on spacious lots without having to sacrifice for location or amenities.

Talking about lots...there are currently 37 Quail West lots for sale some of which have been grandfathered in which may mean you're not required to have a membership to the golf club (if golf isn't your cup of tea) and/or use a preferred builder. At one time you couldn't find anything for under $300,000 (if memory serves) and today you can buy a lot bigger than a half acre in Quail West for just a bit over $100,000! You'll want to get on that too if you want to capture the best deal!. One is currently pending and another has already closed.

For more information regarding Quail West, give me a shout! I'm happy to assist!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

The Cutest Boy I've Ever Seen!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:03:27 -0500

Who knew that I would be (cough cough) 40 before I would see the cutest boy in the whole wide world! Not that I haven't seen cute boys before but this guy for sure, is the CUTEST BOY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD...at least to me!

He's my son. Austin Cole Sheridan Lefevre was born June 28, 2009 weighing in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces and is doing awesome!

Now for the rest of you parents out there, I'd love to hear your advice on being a Realtor (or professional) and a parent. So please take the time and let me know your favorite tricks that help you:

Ballance your time
Maintain your energy
Keep you successful
Anything else you find important to share!

Thanks!

Shannon Lefevre

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Naples Florida 3rd Most Undervalued Markets!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:52:03 -0500

Did anyone else catch the article in the US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT about America's 10 Best Undervalued Places To Live? I'm so excited because Naples Florida was named number 3!

Here's the full article here:

America's 10 Best Undervalued Places To Live

Now this might be news to you but let me tell you something, your friends are already on to it! I showed a family yesterday from Chicago who came down a few years back when prices couldn't be justified...they're back because they think purchasing here is the smart thing to do. In fact, he sent me a list of Naples listings to see while they were here and I was overwhelmed at the number of listings that were already under contract!

Naples Florida property values are already on the rise so if you've been waiting for the market to hit bottom, I'd get on it if I were you!

Oh and by the way, it's been a long time since my last post and before you get to thinkin I've been slacking off this summer I'm happy to announce I had my baby boy! He's doing great and arrived on June 28th weighing in at a sweet 7lbs, 11ozs! I'll do a full post on him next!

With 6 million more to sell to reach my goal this year, that means I'm open for business! If you're ready to purchase in Naples, give me a shout!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Wordy Wednesday Port Royal

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:21:03 -0500

Oh heck, some of you know I can't just let the picture speak for itself. This one is of Port Royal Naples Florida. Boating through this neighborhood at sunset is truly a treat especially during season when most of the owners are occupying their properties. The Naples Princess (no that's not me, it's a boat) offers sunset cruises through here at affordable prices. It's worth the price of admission and you can do cocktails/hors d'oeuvres or the full dinner option!

If you'd rather skip the cruise and just reside here instead, give me a call. Prices start at just $2,595,000...that's a bargain considering you couldn't tip toe into Port Royal for less than $4,000,000 just a few short years ago!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Don't Hate Us Because We Specialize!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:17:42 -0500

For those of you who don't know, Naples Florida is widely considered a luxury location and although not every area is expensive, some Naples golf communities and most Naples beach communities are expensive and considered luxurious locations. Although Naples proper isn't considered massive in size, Collier County is quite large and for one to consider themselves an expert for the entire county is simply unrealistic and here's why:

There are currently:

8,992 active listings in Collier County
976 active with contingency contracts in Collier County
840 pending properties in Collier County
61,386 closings in Collier County (provided in MLS)
22,486 terminated listings in Collier County
50,416 expired listings in Collier County
724 withdrawn listings in Collier County

Being a specialist means knowing your trade! That means the agent is familiar with much of the inventory and possess a great working knowledge of current property values, negotiating trends and maybe even have a solid network of other Realtors or vendors who are also familiar with the area as well and who can help assist with details and/or negotiations on contracts.

How valuable is the agent who specializes nowhere but goes where ever the buyer and or seller may take them? Not much...that's why you'll find the most successful Realtors in Naples do not go everywhere. The most successful agents work just a handful of areas because they know those areas very well and can provide a real service to their buyers and sellers.

Typically you'll find Naples luxury Realtors do most of their business west of Tamiami Trail (that's the main corridor that lines the beach) although it isn't uncommon to find some experts who specialize in one neighborhood and that is ALL they service. There are also a handful of agents who have chosen specific Naples golf communities off the beach corridor as their area of specialization. It's a choice they make to insure they have the knowledge and expertise to be the best. Most buyers want to work with the best therefore there is a very strategic plan and sometimes expensive price to pay when agents determine a finite market and go after it while passing up on business in other locations.

This brings me to the interesting conversation I had with someone today about Realtors and consumer perception.

He was telling me a story about how he had a seller he needed to refer to one of his Realtor clients. He picked Realtor "B" because...I am less than 2 weeks away from having a baby and because Realtor "C" said, "she doesn't work that area"....as he rolls his eyes. I asked him if he knew why she said that because what he thought and what she was really saying were two different things. He told me he thought she must think "she's above" working that price range...

Here's what I said next. This isn't a matter of being "above" anything. Realtor "C" specializes in a completely different market and for her to accept business in a market she doesn't know means she needs to either learn it so she can be of SERVICE (which can take a good amount of time) or be an idiot and not provide a great service. She could've easily said, sure...and then performed a crappy job for his client.

Us Realtors see this EVERYDAY and believe it or not, some of us have made a conscious decision to be part of the solution!

Buyers do not want to work with agents who do not know what they're showing and do not know how to negotiate.

Sellers do not want to list their homes with agents who do not know how to sell it and do not have the network of people to help them do it.

So the next time you hear a Realtor say, "I'd love to help you out with that but I'm not the one for the job....

THANK THEM for having the business acumen to refer you to someone who really is a specialist for what you want.
THANK THEM for not being greedy by putting their visions of paychecks ahead of your best interests.
THANK THEM for being honest.

On the flip side of that the next time you ask an agent if they cover the whole State in which they have their license...their license may go that far but the intelligence doesn't. If you want to hire a Jack Of All Trades...well...You'll Get A Master At None!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Mandatory Inspection In Collier County...Not Just Yet!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:09:39 -0500

On June 19th I wrote about the possibility of Collier county commissioners voting in mandatory code inspections for foreclosed homes. You can read about the past post here. Needless to say, there was a standing room only turnout for that meeting with 37 people scheduled to debate the proposed ordinance. Not only were Realtors present but members of the Collier Building Industry Association were there as well.

The good news is the commissioners are allowing NABOR and CBIA to come back in September with a proposed solution because they did not vote in the current proposal.

This should also be considered as a nice little window of opportunity for banks and investors who are dragging their heels about accepting offers on foreclosed properties. I firmly believe some sort of ordinance will pass which will ultimately mean more cost to those banks and investors when selling. Now, they've all been fair warned and have real time to resolve their issues, get those properties moved before the ordinance goes in place. If they still snooze...well...I don't think they're going to get much sympathy now that they this extra time.

The concept behind the ordinance is great...how the ordinance was written and feared to be passed was horrible. You can read more about the details here.

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Clam Bay Navigational Markers To Be Considered On Tuesday

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:55:50 -0500

Big decisions may be determined regarding Clam Bay, the body of water one might describe as the inter-coastal shared between Pelican Bay and Seagate:

While Pelican Bay has been a huge advocate for protecting and preserving the natural sanctuary of Clam Bay and touting tranquil kayaking and canoeing to their members as part of the membership amenities offered through Pelican Bay, the neighboring community, Seagate, has different interests...which are pretty easy to understand after taking a closer look:

Seagate is home to nearly 80 home-sites offering waterfront but really no navigability to the Gulf of Mexico...BUT...

If Seagate gets their wish on Tuesday, not only will those new navigational markers go up but they are also crossing fingers for dredging a four foot deep channel in Outer Clam Bay which could open those waters up and allow those properties to appreciate almost over night since they'll then be able to market and sell those homes as true Gulf access properties. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing either considering some of the homes in this little area need some attention.

Seagate isn't the only neighborhood who could benefit. 8 condo and villa communities in Naples Cay may also see some benefit. Those are:

Baypointe (High-rise)
Beach House (High-rise)
Club at Naples Cay (High-rise)
Sea House (Mid-rise)
Seapoint (High-rise)
Seasons at Naples Cay (High-rise)
Villas Raphael (Villas)
Westshore (High-rise)

I could be all wrong here but what County Commissioner is going to turn down a project that is going to ultimately bring more tax dollars to the table? We all know when property values go up, taxable dollars go up and in a county where they're trying to creatively figure out how to meet budget demands...

If you're interested in learning more about Pelican Bay, Seagate or Naples Cay, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Blogging...The Anti-Spam Solutlon!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:37:49 -0500

In the not so technology advanced sleepy town of Naples, I'm often asked about this "blogging" thing. This "blogging" thing...hmm..this "blogging" thing...so here's what I think, what I know and why I do it.

My favorite part about this "blogging" thing is that it helps me attract people who are attracted to what I blog about. That's why it's important to blog about stuff you like, stuff you're interested in and stuff you want to be listing and selling. If you're blogging towards hot topics you don't give a hoot about well...you're blogging to people you're probably not going to have a great deal in common with which counteracts that whole..."I love doing what I do" thing.

(Now I must apologize to the blogging gods right now because this season brought forward a weird group of people I was NOT intentionally trying to capture and it freaked me out so bad I all but stopped blogging. After a serious heart to heart with one of my favorite bloggers, Chris Griffith who is also a fellow Rainer, she convinced me not only was I not going to escape the creepy people by not blogging but that I would stop attracting the great people I was attracting before when I was blogging. Oh crud! So with a bit of anxiety of sneaking back into the blogging world for fear of stirring up the crazies and with a super colleague ambitiously after my lead spot for Naples Florida...here I am blogging away again).

I don't know what it's like where you are but in Naples, REALTORS get busted in the chops for everything from sending mailouts, email campaigns, making unsolicited phone calls and heck, in Naples proper it's just completely against the law to door knock. But truthfully...all of those forms of prospecting are very, very spammy. Most of the time it's unsolicited and with the more solicitations we get the less excited we are to get more...people are just plain sick of being approached. Now this isn't to say that all of those things don't work...but it is to say that maybe...blogging works better!

Here's why:

The National Association of REALTORS 2008 Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers report states that 87% of all homebuyers used the Internet to search for homes...I'm almost positive that's the same percentage that was reported last year but they added 94% of buyers aged between 25 and 44 used the Internet to search for homes...94%??? Ok so if I blog and I blog smart...I can reach all but 6% of the prospect base out there. Uh...I'm in! Not to mention a blog lasts as long as you have it posted (another reason why you want to blog smart) It's also dated so unlike a website, the information is good...the day it is written...maybe longer but it doesn't require you to continuously update like you do your website.

The other part about this crazy Internet thing is that it's not going away...despite all those agents out there who are praying to the computer gods that it will, I think the Internet and blogging are pretty much here to stay. There's too much of a demand from the consumer for it it just disappear. That also means that search engines like Google who thrive on more seasoned content are going to give great content with history a better rank than newer content...at least for now so there's recognition for not just being first but for being best and first. Can it get more fair than that?

Here's great news for some of the more progressive markets out there and (for now) not great news for areas like Naples. That "content is king" saying....REALLY MATTERS! Real estate used to be a local thing but with more and more people hopping on the information super-highway to do their scouting around, their interests are only going to lay where they can be searched and if you're in an area where there are few bloggers and just a tiny amount of interesting content...good luck competing with more tech savvy locations who have already figured it out!

That's about all I have to say about this topic today...

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Mandatory Collier County Inspections On The Horizon?

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:07:56 -0500

If you're up to speed on Naples real estate you may already know Collier County Commissioners are preparing to vote/pass a mandatory inspection requirement on foreclosed properties. You can read more about the possible Mandatory Inspection Ordinance if you're unfamiliar. Although I don't quite agree with the position the Naples Areal Board of REALTORS holds, I do suggest the commissioners take their time on this possible ordinance.

There's rumors the commissioners may expand the ordinance to include all properties and other alarming attributes. A few concerns I have regarding this issue is the fact that the inspection ordinance will only cover a few points about the property and buyers will mistakenly assume that they're getting a full inspection which is incorrect. The second thing that bothers me is although they may create a few government inspector jobs...with the perceived value of the new inspection they could also be screwing over the other inspectors in the area. The other factor is that they are in no way shape or form prepared to handle the amount of inspections that need to be done which will cause delays and ultimately kill some deals...we really don't need any additional help with that.

There are some good aspects to this possible ordinance if done correctly. First and foremost...we have several lenders, investors and end user sellers who are dragging their feet about getting deals done and while time lapses the condition of the real estate deteriorates. If an ordinace passes with any sort of a grace period...those folks better wake up and wake up fast to get their properties moved or many of them could face additional costs to unload that real estate. I think it's an absolute sin how delayed some of these sales are and it just might put a little gig in their giddy up! :)

I have to admit I do enjoy some of the more astringent ordinances and codes that were passed in Collier County somewhere along the road. It's one of the reasons why our town is as beautiful as it is and why we've been so fortunate to not have the same amount of damage from storms as some of our neighboring areas. Naples has never been the least expensive place to purchase and I seriously doubt it ever will be. I've had lots of potential customers choose other areas for that reason just as I've had a quite a few who purchased in Naples Florida for that reason as well. We are not a "this area fits all" community but we hopefully are a "this area fits you well if you understand the value" community.

If you're interested in attending the commissioners meeting it takes place at 1:30pm on the 3rd floor of the administrative building next to the Court House. If you can't make the meeting you can send your commissioner an email!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Collier County School District Gets An "A" From The State!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:29:44 -0500

Naples area schools get an A rating from Florida! This is exciting news for the Collier County school district and the parents who send their kids to school here! Here's the breakdown for Collier County:

In fact there's only one school in Collier County who received a non-passing grade. Eden Park Elementary is located in Immokalee, Florida where 73% of the kids don't even speak English...in fact almost the entire town of Immokalee doesn't speak English. This is where most of the migrant workers from the orange groves etc. work so anything other than a failing grade I would imagine is a COLOSAL achievement! Since we're talking about achievement and Immokalee...Immokalee High received a "D" and Immokalee Middle got a "C"...69% of that school is non-English...that's pretty impressive!

For more information regarding Naples area schools, you can refer to the Collier County School District website. They have great zoning maps there so if you're considering a move to the Naples Florida area, you can check out the school's grade card and then also see what district you want to narrow your search for your home.

If you're more interested in private schooling for your children, you might consider these Naples Florida private schools.

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!
(oh...and no, I'm not a byproduct of Naples Florida schools...I grew up in Kansas...ok...enough with the ruby slipper jokes) :)

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Pelican Bay Naples Florida Update

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:51:41 -0500

It's been awhile since you've seen a Pelican Bay Naples Florida real estate update out of me so let's not dally any longer!

There are a whopping 378 active listings in Pelican Bay right now with the lowest priced property currently priced at only $285,000 located in Laurel Oaks at Pelican Bay (that is a steal) and the highest priced property priced at $14,900,000 located in the Strand at Bay Colony

Of the 378 Pelican Bay properties for sale there are:

41 Pelican Bay single family homes
99 Pelican Bay low rise condos
25 Pelican Bay mid rise condos
183 Pelican Bay high rise condos
30 Pelican Bay attached and detached villas

There are currently 35 Pelican Bay properties pending with the lowest listed priced pending sale property listed at $270,000 (no brainer) located in Glencove at Pelican Bay and the highest priced pending sale rolling in at $5,795,000 in Bay Colony Shores

Of the 35 Pelican Bay properties currently pending there are:

5 Pelican Bay single family homes
15 Pelican Bay low rise condos
1 Pelican Bay mid rise condo
10 Pelican Bay high rise condos
4 Pelican Bay attached and detached villas

So far this year there have been a total of 105 Pelican Bay Sales with lowest priced sale selling for only $249,999 located in Laurel Oaks at Pelican Bay and the highest priced sale rolling in at a whopping $16,400,000 located in the Strand at Bay Colony once again!

Of the 105 Pelican Bay Sales there are:

10 Pelican Bay single family homes
33 Pelican Bay low rise condos
4 Pelican Bay mid rise condos
37 Pelican Bay high rise condos
21 Pelican Bay attached and detached villas

Obviously some segments of Pelican Bay are doing better than others with Pelican Bay villas leading the way in sales. In fact there's barely a year of Pelican Bay villa inventory on the market right now! Low rise condos aren't doing bad either but the biggest glut of inventory clearly falls in the high rise product in Pelican Bay.

Sellers: If you're thinking about selling...choose your pricing very carefully. Properties listed over $500,000 are not seeing near the traffic compared to properties priced below $500,000. Be sure your properties are in the best possible condition as well. Pelican Bay properties that are updated, clean and are priced well are clear winners while anything less can sit for a LONG time. Most importantly, if you really don't care if you sell right now, either take your place off the market or wait a bit...

Buyers: Your best negotiation will probably occur in the price ranges above the $500,000 price range but don't expect a heavy discount guarantee. Market times on many of these listings will prove that sellers can and will hold out for their price. There are already some great deal listed but do not expect to realize huge discounts off fair market value and rule but more of an exception.

For more information regarding Pelican Bay, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

What Makes A Southwest Florida Expert?

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:08:14 -0500

I remember the lazy days of real estate when I sold in a tiny little market in Granbury Texas. Those were the days when the real estate market didn't change much and once you learned it...well you pretty much knew it...forever. I loved those days when I knew nearly all of the market by heart and could blurt out market data off the top of my head with amazing accuracy...

The Naples Florida market is far from lazy. Even in rough times it changes and when I mean changes...I mean in every direction from amount of inventory to pricing. I feel like I've seen a complete market cycle now coming to Naples Florida when the market was slow after 9/11 and increasing in strength to watching it change on an hourly basis when it was really kookie! I used to search mls 50 times a day back then begging for something new to hit the market so I could sell a property to somebody patiently waiting for the property of their dreams to go live...

Just look at what's happened on June 16th in Southwest Florida during the last 5 years:

After a quick look one might think there hasn't been much of a change but looking closer you can see a magnificent difference of activity and success or lack thereof.

If you get what the data means...GOOD FOR YOU!

If you don't...well, that's why you want to contact a Realtor who can analyze this stuff for you or at least the part of the market you're interested in.

Buying or selling in a market that NEVER changes or changes ever so slightly doesn't require the need for a real estate agent as much. It's also alot easier to find an agent who has a good idea of what's going on and can assist you with your purchase or sale.

If you're considering buying or selling in Southwest Florida...well there are drastic changes that happen continuously and that's why you want someone who keeps up to speed on those changes and can give you current information on the area or type of product you're considering. This is why I personally shy away from those who attempt to do this part time or who claim to work huge geographic areas like the whole Southwest Florida region. It is impossible to be an expert in either of those scenarios!

That's why you want a specialist in the location you're interested in. If you need a REALTOR in Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Estero or Marco Island...I know experts who can help you out tremendously!

If you're thinking Naples...well...call a Smart Girl! :)

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl
www.Shannon.com
239-595-6223

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Has The Naples Florida Real Estate Market Stabilized?

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:46:11 -0500

When one of Florida's top economists stated that Naples had bounced last fall, I distinctly remembered thinking...oh really...how the heck do you know. I was hesitant to be overly skeptical due to the fact that I was in complete disbelief when chirps about the Naples Florida market bouncing a few years ago came without even a hint of slow down and then roughly 6 months later those statements were clearly evident.

Since the evident slow down, I've learned to wait...and wait and watch and study...

It's been a little more than 6 months since that glimmer of hope hit the media and I have to say...there are definite signs of a rebound. Since I've been selling (1996) One aspect of market trends that have always remained consistent is that the lower priced properties tend to start moving first and then activity continues up the price ranges as a market continues to strengthen.

During the last 4 years or so when I've pondered the health of the market I've relied on a wide variety of resources. One of which is a comparison between web stats of both my Naples Florida real estate website and a local competitor who places really well but is geared more towards the lower ended market. For years I've had better traffic than they have but I've noticed during the last year the gap in activity between their site and mine has been shrinking. Bad news for my business directly since I handle mostly higher ended property but good news for the Naples Florida market as a whole. It's also good news if my theory of market trend is accurate and based on pending and closed sales this year...I may be correct.

If any of you are Fox News fans you may have just heard how we're in for another 3 years of a total real estate doom and gloom with our state of disaster seemingly ending "quite abruptly" the last quarter of 2012. Granted those are nationwide mortgage default projections and although many once thought Naples Florida wasn't affected by what goes on in the rest of the world, we in fact are. At the same time, we have seen magnificent increases of sales on properties priced below $500,000 and I can even say I've seen a nice bump in some recent pending and sales in some of our more luxurious neighborhoods as well.

Interestingly, June is simply not a stellar time of year for Naples real estate. Our market is actually reversed compared to most areas across the country because it's hot, humid and usually rainy here during this time of year. Our peak selling season is between January and April...mostly.

Even still, my web traffic is up 45% this June compared to last. Real estate sales and pendings are also showing significant increases. There were a total of 275 pending properties the first 15 days of June last year. This year there are 562...not bad. On the closed sale side of the spectrum there were a total of 286 closed sales from June 1st through the 15th this year while there were only 200 last year during the same time. Folks, that still a 43% increase.

This is the part I like to pay attention to the most:

Buyer and Seller Behavior

Back in April I wrote a blog post that showed a graph provided by Hank Fishkind depicting the public had this emotional feeling about our market:

Although I know a few agents, sellers and buyers who are still hovering in the "depression" segment, I've actually seen and heard more buyers, sellers and agents gearing more towards hope and in a few cases even relief! Is this because we're coming off peak selling season? Actually, I don't think so. The euphoria of any buzz season would've given people would've since worn off yet I'm still hearing very positive conversation around town. This includes casual conversation about sellers selling, buyers buying and agents doing both. That sort of chatter is something that been missing for awhile and if memory serves...there is nothing wrong with that!

Is this your get off the fence free card? Nope, this is just a few observations and a few facts I've compiled to keep you in the loop. If you're contemplating buying or selling in Naples, you always want to consult a smart Naples real estate agent!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Most Contract Questions Can Be Found...In The Contract!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:40:06 -0500

There's been a weird Naples Florida real estate trend lately of crazy questions, concerns, demands and requests coming up during the escrow period of the contract. If you haven't seen me type it already, real estate always trends and it trends in every way possible. This too shall pass but while we're still riding this weird wave, let me clarify a few things that might come up while you are under contract.

The most prevalent weird thing I've seen lately are unusual requests and/or demands regarding repairs. For example, This year I was involved in a deal that had a radon issue. When the buyer responded with his requests for repairs there was a side note asking for a specific radon mitigation system. According to the contract, the buyer doesn't have the right to request which system is installed. The buyer has the right to ask for a mitigation system that will remove unhealthy levels of radon from the unit or a credit for the repairs...see below:

I also had another circumstance where the buyer wanted to "supervise" the repairs...but according to the contract, "Remedial Action shall be deemed to have been properly performed when (1) the Systems and Equipment are placed in Working Condition... It doesn't say anything about the right to watch repairs being made.

Why are there so many crazy things going on right now? The technical answer for that is, "because". Hey, if real estate was easy then there would be a million people selling real estate right now and although we've had as many as 1 million Realtors, you can guess there are considerably less than that right now.

Real estate isn't easy. It's easier when you have a competent REALTOR who has an exceptional network of inspectors, attorneys and other vendors to help you get your deal done and if you're thinking of buying or selling in Naples, you should be calling a smart Naples Realtor!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

*The information in this specific blog is in regards to the Naples Area Board of REALTORS residential sales contract. If by chance you have found this post and your contract is on a property in a different location and/or written on a contract other than the NABOR contract, please contact your REALTOR or your real estate attorney/title company for clarification on your specific deal.

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Most Still Choose Naples Florida As Their Only Purchasing Location!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:07:42 -0500

The results of a recent poll taken on my Naples Florida website concludes that although some buyers are searching around Florida and other out of state locations, Naples Florida is still a majority of the participants only location they are currently considering! Here are the poll results:

Is Naples The Only Location In Florida You're Considering Purchasing?

Yes

59%

No, We're Looking In Orlando

No, We're Looking In Sarasota

13%

No, We're Looking In West Palm

No, We're Looking In Fort Lauderdale

No, We're Looking In Miami

No, We're Looking Out of State Too

Total Votes:171

Polls are meaningless without firm results to back them up.

According to the Naples Area Board Of REALTORS MLS:

There were 169 properties that went pending in Naples between June 1st and June 15th 2008

and 106 properties that went pending with contingency between June 1st and June 15th 2008

This year there were 290 properties that went pending in Naples between June 1st and June 15th 2009

and 272 properties that went pending with contingency between June 1st and June 15th 2009

A majority of the sales this year are priced under $500,000 showing Naples Florida has had a substantial burst of interest compared to last year.

This means buyers who have been tire kicking need to hop to it if they're planning on purchasing under $500,000 in Naples. It also means buyers who are planning on purchasing properties in a more expensive price range may have their best negotiating opportunity right now since traffic is a little on the slower side!

For more information regarding the Naples Florida real estate market, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Quail West School Districts

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:41:05 -0500

I noticed someone found my Naples Florida website today while searching for Quail West Schools. Since there isn't really an easy way to find information about schools for Quail West, I thought I would add them here:

Collier County School district has an easy to understand website: (http://www.collier.k12.fl.us/)

The Collier County side of Quail West School Districts Are Listed Below:

Elementary: Veteran's Memorial (239) 377-8800 Just opened in 2008!

Middle School: North Naples (239) 377-4600

High School: Gulf Coast (239) 377-1400

The Lee County School district isn't defined as well. After doing some quick research on the net (http://www.leeschools.net/schools/), I noticed there wasn't anything available stating where kids who reside in the Lee County portion of Quail West will attend school. So I picked up the phone (239-334-1102) and asked. The response was, something to the effect of you will need to come in with your driver's license and proof of where you live before they will tell you where your kids will go to school but she did confirm that children in that neighborhood would go to school somewhere in the South District...here's the map:

I'm not officially a parent yet but if I were contemplating purchasing in Quail West, I doubt I would feel comfortable purchasing on the Lee County side with the concept that my kids could in some cases go to school 45 minutes to an hour away from home. As you can see in the map, according to the phone call...it could be possible that children in Quail West may be going to school as far as Sanibel Island...really??? That's crazy!

I assume you would need to got directly to the school district to hopefully get a better answer or you just might want to focus your efforts of home purchasing on the Collier County side of Quail West.

PS~ Mediterra works the same way!

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Fair Market Value...What Is The True Definition?

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:21:45 -0500

When I initially went to real estate school (all the way back in 1996) I was trained to believe that Fair Market Value was defined as:

The price a ready, willing and able buyer would pay for a property.

So that's what I lived by for awhile...then I learned when lenders get involved, sometimes appraisers get to determine value. My first experience with this was usually regarding unusual properties that were hard to comp out. The more unusual the property, the harder it was to comp out. That was frustrating.

In 2002 when I moved to Naples, the market was pulling out of the 9-11 slump that most markets experienced during that time so I was able to see first hand that crazy increase in traffic and appreciation that occurred from 2004-2006...let me tell you, it was the craziest market I've ever seen. During that time, buyers would pay UNBELIEVABLE and unproven prices for property and even when I'd tell them, there's no way I'm going to be able to show you the value of the property you're looking at today, they would hop in the car wanting to purchase anyway. A great deal of those purchases were made with cash...not many pesky appraisers to botch the deals. YAEE!

BUT

Now I'm finding a new definition to "Fair Market Value"

I'll just disclose in advance...Naples Florida is a really unusual market. Most of what you know or learned in another market can in many cases be thrown completely out the window down here...it's that different!

So the new definition I'm finding is this:

Fair Market Value is the price a ready willing and able seller will sell their property for. (did I just end my sentence in a preposition???)

How on earth can that statement above be correct? Some sellers down here just don't give a hoot about selling fast. Some don't care if they sell at all ESPECIALLY in some of our more luxurious locations. Seriously, would you sell for less if you could easily carry something with a view like this:

Most sellers say, no. We'll wait and if worse comes to worse, we'll come down and enjoy it next season....how can you argue with that?

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Wordless Wednesday

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:24:46 -0500

You might miss him but located just a little left of the sun in the water is a dolphin who was playing near the Naples pier when I took this shot. It was a truly magical sunset!

Photo by Shannon Lefevre, PA, Copyright© 2009, all rights reserved. This photo may not be reproduced without the express, written permission of Shannon Lefevre with John R. Wood Inc. REALTORS, Naples, Florida. Permission will be granted with a link back to my website, www.Shannon.com, providing linking site is appropriate for all ages. All violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Shannon Lefevre, PA

Pelican Bay Short Sales & Pelican Bay Foreclosures!

Shannon Lefevre, PA (John R. Wood REALTORS Inc.) — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:39:52 -0500

Pelican Bay Short Sales & Pelican Bay Foreclosures are just two more topics I've been asked about consistently throughout the last several months. Let's face it, "Short Sale" and "Foreclosure" are two of the most attractive real estate terms of the moment especially if you are a buyer looking for a deal.

Pelican Bay currently has 9 "possible" short sales listed , 3 pending and 2 closed.

Are short sales all they're cracked up to be in Pelican Bay? According to MLS there are only 2 that have sold in Pelican Bay.

Here are the stats:

St. Tropez#602 listed for $549,000 sold turnkey closed for $521,000. It had also been remodeled. It was listed February of last year, pended in June and sold in July...not bad. There's only one other one that has closed in St. Tropez as of January 2008. Unit #203 sold furnished for $410,000 and had been remodeled as well. There were points to consider including #203 had no view and #602 had a great Gulf of Mexico view. This is a big factor!

BUT

There's one on the market now for less than the short sale sold just 10 "short" months ago. I'd tell you more but the agent will not allow me to blog about it. You're welcome to check out the St. Tropez at Pelican Bay portion of my website to see what's currently available. Did that short sale buyer get the deal of the universe? You tell me...

The next short sale looks a little more like a deal!

700 L'Ambiance #202 sold for $484,000 unfurnished. It was listed for $599,000 in December 2009, went under contract in January and closed in April. It sold for 21,000 less than anything else over the last 17 months but wait there's more! The short sale was actually larger and showed MUCH better than the one that sold for more so in this case, yep, the short sale was the better deal!

It's impossible to guess how lucrative or prevelent Pelican Bay short sales will become. The best way to determine if a Pelican Bay short sale is in fact a deal is to look at it on a case by case basis. Do some analysis with your favorite "smart" agent.

At this time there aren't any foreclosures in Pelican Bay but if there were, you'd be able to check those out along with the 9 available Pelican Bay short sales in my next issue of the Pelican Bay Pink Pages!

It's only available by subscription so don't forget to sign up by shooting me a quick email with your name and email address!

Best Regards,

Your Naples Smart Girl!

Shannon Lefevre, PA