Cape Coral Waterfront - Luxury Homes

Cape Coral Fourth of July 2008 is on Friday!

Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce and many local Cape Coral businesses are sponsoring this event.

Beginning at 4:00PM at the base of the Cape Coral bridge, this is sure to be great fun for the entire family.

Please come by and say hello to us at Florida Future Realty, Inc.

We are a sponsor this year and would love to meet you. We will be raffling off some great prizes and also giving out fans to beat the summer heat.

Whereever you end up make it a fun and safe fourth of July.

Florida Future Realty, Inc.

239-542-8521

2816 Del Prado Blvd. S

Unit 2

Cape Coral, FL 33904

The boat lift in NW Cape Coral is currently being removed. This WILL give boaters a more direct access to the gulf of mexico. It was already gulf access. Now, for the time being, it is just easier and quicker to get out to open water.

They are conducting an environmental study for at least a year to see how this effects everything. Then they may or may not put up another lift or something else.

So question, do I think this can help home sales in the area? Of course. I think if buyers see how their access just became better it will make them like that area more.

Of course, this may or may not be forever. Things can change. Things can change anytime. For anything.

At the present time and without my crystal ball I cannot say if the lift will be rebuilt. They don't seem to know yet either.

There is a lot of bad information out there. Heck, I see agents with listings on FRESHwater with no access to the Gulf advertising them as Gulf Access. Maybe they didn't know. Maybe they did. They should. Either way - buyers be careful.

Make sure you work with a real estate agent who knows the area. I've lived in Cape Coral since 1994. I cannot say I know everything but I'll assist you in finding the answers to your questions.

"Wooing Buyers" I don't think so. Pointing out a PLUS - sure thing!

"Realtors using it as a sales pitch for Gulf Access" - It IS Gulf Access, now and BEFORE :)

 Interviewed by ABC-7 Today ~

Enjoy my video

Or read the story about the Ceitus Lift.

Susan Milner

Florida Future Realty, Inc.

(239) 542-8521

Search Cape Coral & other area listings: www.Florida-Future-Realty.com

Susan@SusanMilner.com

The Cape Coral real estate market is a HOT topic these days. Our office is receiving numerous calls each day from potential investors. Many are looking to invest in Cape Coral, Florida for a vacation home or retirement home. They may or may not be ready to utilize the home in Cape Coral.

For those who want to at least use their Cape Coral real estate part time I suggest:

   A single family home - currently priced just under $100,000 for off water to just under $300,000 for water frontage

a. I always recommend waterfront if it fits in the customers budget

b. Some extra maintenance required but can be outsourced to local companies

 A condo - currently priced just under $75,000 for off water and just over $100,000 for water frontage

a. Again, waterfront is always a great idea if within your budget

b. Many maintenance hassles are eliminated but will come with a fee

If the customer is not sure when or if they will ever move to Cape Coral, Florida but just want to own a piece of property without the hassles, then vacant land looks GREAT. There are vacant parcels of land in Cape Coral starting at just $15,000 for off water and $75,000 for gulf access. Of course, the more prime location of the land, the more cost - riverfront and direct access parcels are priced up into the 100s of thousands to millions.

I hope this information helps. Please feel free to contact us at (239) 542-8521 or via email at susan@susanmilner.com for more information about your future investment in Cape Coral real estate.

Yours in Success,

Susan Milner, Real Estate Broker

Florida Future Realty, Inc.

(239) 218-2229

Search Cape Coral & other area listings: www.Florida-Future-Realty.com

Susan@SusanMilner.com

Cape Coral real estate, not selling?

HA HA.

I just did a comparison for Single Family home sales for the first quarter of 2007 vs. the first quarter of 2008. I didnt address condos or vacant land.

Just Single Family Homes in Cape Coral.

 (Read this or just go look at the pictures if you are visual)

Heres what I found:

NO, none, zip, zero homes sold in Cape Coral from Jan 1, 2007-March 30, 2007 Under $100,000!!!!

Guess what though? That same time frame in 2008 we had 42 single family homes sell for under $100,000 - that is GREAT news for first time home buyers and investors. One actually sold for as low as $42,000 - seriously, I couldnt believe it either. It needed some work but STILL - WOW!

In this first quarter of 2007, MOST (70%) of the sales were in the $200-500,000 range. But in 2008 (first quarter) MOST (49%) were in the $100-200,000 range!

Heres the best part, over that entire 3 month period, 594 single family homes sold in 2008 versus only 536 in 2007 - BUT DONT WORRY - NOTHING IS SELLING IN CAPE CORAL :) (Thats sarcasm folks).

The buyers are making INFORMED decisions about buying.

Also, interesting to note, about the same amount of homes sold each year first quarter in the $500-1,000,000  range. But half as many sold in the over $1,000,000 range in the first quarter of 2008 versus the first quarter of 2007. 

 Another tidbit of Information:

Least Expensive First Quarter 2007 single family home sold: $102,900 - Most Expensive: $3,000,000

In the First Quarter of 2008: $42,000 - Most Expensive: $1,700,000

*This data was compiled through our local MLS system & did not take into account those sold without the assistance of the MLS. 

Yours in Success,

Susan Milner

Florida Future Realty, Inc.

(239) 218-2229

Search Cape Coral & other area listings: http://www.florida-future-realty.com/

Susan@SusanMilner.com

Lee County Florida Property Taxes can be confusing at best with all of the recent changes both legislatively and through voter amendment to the state constitution over the past twelve months here in the State of Florida.

The first change to property taxes in the State of Florida this year was instituted by the Florida legislature.  During the June 2007 session state legislators froze the current millage tax rates as the new millage tax rate cap.  In addition they required an additional percentage reduction below the roll back rate.  Local governments had to cut additional property tax revenues 3, 5, 7 or 9 percent based on how much their taxes had increased between years 2001 and 2006.  They also placed limits on future tax increases.  A roll back rate is the millage tax rate a governing body needs to generate the same amount of revenue they did in the previous fiscal year.

The second major change to Florida Property taxes was the adoption of Amendment 1 the new Homestead Exemption.  This made several changes.  It raised the $25,000 exemption to $50,000 on homes with assessed values greater than $75,000.  As an example if the county had your home assessed at $200,000 you would pay property taxes based on a $150,000 taxable value if you used the property as your primary residence aka homestead.  Next it allowed for Florida Homesteaded property owners to transfer or port their Save-Our-Homes benefits to a new property.  The total amount of exemption couldn't exceed $500,000 and if a resident purchased a property with less value than their current property the Save Our Homes exemption amount would be applied proportionally to the new property.  This amendment also exempted business owners from paying the intangible taxes on the first $25,000 of assessed value on tangible personal property.  Lastly it placed limits on assessment increases of non-homestead properties (Vacant, Commercial, etc...) to ten percent each year.

The Lee County Property Appraiser has a tool for perspective home buyers to use to estimate taxes on a home they intend to purchase.  You simply fill in the property address, click on the strap number, and the click the link that says tax estimator.  The link also provides a disclaimer on the use of the tool and also offers some insight into just "How do they calculate my property taxes?"

If you are looking to purchase or sell a home or have questions regarding a future transaction I can be of assistance to you or someone you may wish to refer.  I am able to assist buyers and sellers of fantastically priced properties throughout our market area here in Southwest Florida to include but not limited to Foreclosures, Pre-Foreclosures, Short-Sales, Vacant Land, Waterfront Properties, Single Family, Multi-Family, and Condos.

My market areas include Cape Coral, Pine Island, Fort Myers, South Fort Myers, Gateway, Fort Myers Beach, San Carlos Park, Island Park, Lehigh Acres, Estero, and areas surrounding Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Southwest Florida International Airport (SWFIA).

Please contact me direct at (239) 340-1384 or via e-mail Scott@The-Extreme-Team.com.

Scott Slocum, REALTOR®
Florida Future Realty Inc.
2816 Del Prado Blvd South, Unit 2
Cape Coral FL, 33904
Direct: 239-340-1384
Scott@The-Extreme-Team.com
Scott's Real Estate Web Page
Scott's Real Estate Blog

"Copyright © 2008 by Scott Slocum. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the written consent of the author."