Naples Open Houses

Good Morning Naples Enthusiasts!

There are 602 Naples Open Houses today! Here's what's happening in some of the best neighborhoods in Naples, Florida:

• Audubon Naples:      8              $599,000 - $1,300,000
• Collier's Reserve:      1              $1,025,000
• Coquina Sands:         5              $417,900 - $3,795,000
• Grey Oaks:                5              $799,000 - $3,995,000
• Mediterra:                10             $519,000 - $4,250,000
• Moorings:                21             $398,500 - $3,995,000
• Old Naples:             34             $595,000 - $7,995,000
• Park Shore:              20             $199,900 - $6,295,000
• Pelican Bay:            15             $459,000 - $2,328,000
• Pelican Marsh:        16             $349,900 - $1,595,777
• Pine Ridge:               1              $850,000
• Port Royal:               7              $5,750,000 - $15,900,000
• Quail West:            10               $1,400,000 - $4,700,000
• Royal Harbor:          3               $3,995,000 - $4650,777
• Tiburon                    6               $549,000 - $1,325,000
• Vanderbilt Beach     3               $229,000 - $3,999,000

Where you won't find Naples Open Houses today:

• Bay Colony
• Naples Cay

Additionally, you won't find any of the best Naples luxury beachfront condos open today.

If you would like to see properties in Bay Colony, Naples Cay or Naples luxury beachfront condos, you'll have to do it the "old-fashioned way" by making an appointment. Call me! I can assist!

If you would like the entire Naples Open house report, just shoot me a text or email. I'll send it to you!

Happy Hunting!

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

Pelican Bay Villa Update

Hello Naples Friends!

Just spent some time in the Pelican Bay villa market. Whoo, it's going to be a tight one for Buyers this year but if you're in the market, there are some great choices. Two words, don't wait!

There are less than 5 months of inventory here so the market is tight and likely getting tighter.

Here are the Pelican Bay Villa markets that have NO inventory: 

• Beauville at Pelican Bay
• Carlton Place at Pelican Bay
• Chanteclair Manor at Pelican Bay
• Cocobay at Pelican Bay
• Grand Bay at Pelican Bay
• Las Brisas at Pelican Bay
• Lugano at Pelican Bay
• Oak Lake Sanctuary
• Sand Pointe at Pelican Bay
• St. Andrews at Pelican Bay
• Tierra Mar at Pelican Bay
• Villa Lantana at Pelican Bay
• Villas at Pelican Bay

If you're looking for properties in the above Pelican Bay neighborhoods, contact me directly! I can put you on my instant notification program to alert you when new product hits the market giving you the best chance of getting that property!

If you're thinking about selling your Pelican Bay villa in one of the above communities, contact me today to find out how we can knock it out of the park for you!

Here are the Pelican Bay neighborhoods with limited inventory:

• Bridgeway Villas
• Interlachen at Pelican Bay
• Villa Coronado at Pelican Bay

Even with limited inventories, there are still Pelican Bay villas that are priced well and look amazing! I wouldn't wait though, 3 Pelican Bay villas went under contract in 1 week. Activity like that is going to make it tough on other Pelican Bay villa buyers. We could see prices increase dramatically if this continues!

Here are the Pelican Bay villa communities where inventories are level:

• Isle Verde at Pelican Bay
• St. Raphael at Pelican Bay

Even where inventories are limited you can still find some pretty decent values and both fixer-upper and fabulously remodeled homes. 

Here are the Pelican Bay villa communities currently over-supplied:

• Bay Villas at Pelican Bay
• Cannes at Pelican Bay
• Vizcaya at Bay Colony

Here's the latest testimonial I received last night from my most recent Pelican Bay Buyer:

"5 star white glove service. Shannon is very knowledgeable regarding the housing market in general, and specifically the Naples area where we focused our house hunting search. We enjoyed spending time with Shannon and appreciated her invaluable input which ultimately led us to our dream retirement home in Pelican Bay. "

I've been living in Pelican Bay for 11 years. I know it, I sell it, I love it! Contact me today!

Best Regards,

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

Naples Real Estate Inventory Update

Naples Real Estate Inventory Update: Naples real estate inventories should be high now. A 13% drop in new listings compared to 2016 could raise prices in some Naples neighborhoods. See where!

1st Week of Pre-Season in Naples, Florida

1st Week of Pre-Season in Naples, Florida: The first week of pre-season in Naples, Florida real estate. The results will surprise you!

During the last Naples, Florida real estate peak it took $535,000 to break into Pelican Bay. Today a Pelican Bay condo just closed for $286,900 which is simply a REMARKABLE deal.

The unfortunate side for the next buyer is prices from there are substantially higher. The lowest priced Pelican Bay condo is now in the mid $300's and there's only 1 of those. The next three are listed at $425,000. While the odds of getting a deal like the last guy is highly unlikely, the odds of getting an outstanding deal compared to the one after you is significantly high. Don't waste anytime or you'll miss that one too!

There are currently 11 Pelican Bay condos under $535,000. Call me today if you are looking for a great place to park some money.

Since I'm talking about Pelican Bay deals, If you can get a Pelican Bay home under $1,000,000 you're doing pretty good. During the peak you couldn't buy one for less than $1,350,000. Today there's one on the market for barely over $1,000,000.

For more information regarding Pelican Bay or any other Naples real estate, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
239-595-6223

Pelican Bay Single Family Home Update

Hello Naples Friends,

It's time for the Pelican Bay high rise report! Here I'll tell you:

• How the Pelican Bay high rise market has performed
• What's going on now with the market
• What buildings are winning, losing and standing still

The past 365 day performance of Pelican Bay high rise product:
A whopping 162 high rise condos in Pelican Bay sold during the past 12 months. With only 4.44 months on the market, that puts this segement in a pretty good undersupply. Prices are still going up but not at the rapid pace they have been. In fact, there have been 17 price reductions with the units currently on the market but there's also been 4 price increases as well.
The market is slowing down at a pretty fast pace though. Market time is up 87%! That means Seller's, it's time to look at your traffic and decided if you're priced where you need to be and if you're planning on hitting the market for the 2016-2017 selling season, you'll want to price it right this year and have a great strategy to attract buyers. We have one already in place so you might as well call us since you heard it here first!
Even though list price to sales price ratio is 94% (That's pretty strong for Naples) and even though our inventories are low, I expect our inventories to increase as it always does starting around October. This is excellent news for Buyers because they should start seeing some relief in prices and have more options to choose from.  You'll want to work with a proven professional and a Pelican Bay resident like myself to help you navigate your way through a successful sale. Call us, we'll help you hit your objective!
Here's how each building is performing:
Biltmore at Bay Colony: UNDERSUPPLIED WE NEED LISTINGS HERE!

• 1 active
• 1 pending
• 1 sold during the past year.
• 95% of list to sales price ratio

Brighton at Bay Colony: I NEED '04 STACKS AND LOWER FLOOR LISTINGS HERE!

• 2 active
• 2 sales during the past year.
• 92% of list to sales price ratio

Cap Ferrat at Pelican Bay: There's lots to choose from here. Might be some opportunities for remodeling too!

• 6 active
• 7 sales during the past year
• 94% of list to sales price ratio

Carlsyle at Bay Colony: WE NEED INVENTORY HERE!

• 0 active
• 2 sales during the past year
• 89% of list to sales price ratio

Chateaumere Royale: WE NEED INVENTORY HERE!

• 0 active
• 1 pending
• 2 sales during the past year
• 100% list price to sales price ratio (How about that for perfection?)

Claridge at Pelican Bay: WE NEED INVENTORY HERE!

• 1 active
• 0 pending
• 5 sales during the past year
• 97% list price to sales price ratio

Contessa at Bay Colony: WE NEED INVENTORY HERE!

• 1 active
• 1 pending
• 1 sale (I had the buyer on the only unit closed so far this year)
• 88% list price to sales price ratio

Coronado at Pelican Bay: WE NEED INVENTORY HERE!

• 1 active
• 1 pending
• 8 sales during the past year
• 93% list price to sales price ratio

Dorchester at Pelican Bay: WE NEED INVENTORY HERE!

• 1 active
• 0 pending
• 3 sales during the past year
• 89%  list price to sales price ratio

Grosevenor at Pelican Bay: ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE PER/SQUARE FOOT OPTIONS!

• 4 active
• 1 pending
• 9 sales during the past year
• 95% of list price to sales price ratio

Marbella at Pelican Bay: This is an assisted living building with onsite medical services and meal service

• 3 active
• 0 pending
• 4 sales during the past year
• 94% of list price to sales price ratio

Marquesa at Bay Colony: WE NEED LISTINGS HERE!

• 0 active
• 0 pending
• 1 sold this year
• 95% of list price to sales price ratio

Montenero at Pelican Bay: WE NEED LISTINGS HERE!

• 3 active
• 0 pending
• 6 sales during the past year
• 93% of list price to sales price ratio

Mystique at Pelican Bay: A SELECT NUMBER OF LISTINGS ARE NOW IN MLS

• 2 active
• ? pending
• ? sales during the past year (all data is not being recorded in MLS yet)
• ? of list price to sales price ratio

Remington at Bay Colony: 3 OF THE 7 BEACHFRONT CONDOS ARE HERE! CHECK THEM OUT!

• 3 active
• 0 pending
• 1 sale during the past year
• 91% of list price to sales price ratio

Salerno at Bay Colony: THIS BUILDING HAS AN OVERSUPPLY OF INVENTORY

• 4 active
• 0 pending
• 1 sale during the past year
• 93% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Kitts at Pelican Bay: WE NEED LISTINGS HERE!

• 2 active
• 0 pending
• 9 sales during the past year
• 94% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Laurent at Pelican Bay: BIG WATER VIEWS IN UNITS CURRENTLY FOR SALE!

• 3 active
• 0 pending
• 3 sales during the past year
• 91% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Lucia at Pelican Bay: COOL UNIT HERE!!!

• 1 active
• 1 pending
• 3 sales during the past year
• 94% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Maarten at Pelican Bay: OPEN AIR LANAIS COMPARED TO "SCREENED" HERE CHECK THEM OUT!

• 4 active
• 0 pending
• 4 sales during the past year
• 98% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Marissa at Pelican Bay: UNDER 800K HERE!

• 2 active
• 0 pending
• 5 sales during the past year
• 95% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Nicole at Pelican Bay: SOME OF THE BEST WATER VIEWS ARE HERE!

• 4 active
• 0 pending
• 4 sales during the past year
• 100% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Pierre at Pelican Bay: BRING YOUR IMAGINATION!

• 1 active
• 0 pending
• 5 sales during the past year
• 94% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Raphael at Pelican Bay: NICE LISTINGS HERE!

• 2 active
• 2 pending
• 5 sales during the past year
• 94% of list price to sales price ratio

St. Tropez at Pelican Bay: WE NEED LISTINGS HERE!

• 0 active
• 0 pending
• 3 sales during the past year
• 95% of list price to sales price ratio

Stratford at Pelican Bay: SOME OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE PER SQUARE FOOT HERE!

• 2 active
• 1 pending
• 1 sale during the past year
• 100% of list price to sales price ratio

Toscana at Bay Colony: NICE UNITS LISTED HERE! CHECK THEM OUT!

• 2 active
• 0 pending
• 4 sales during the past year
• 93% of list price to sales price ratio

Trieste at Bay Colony: GOOD DEALS PER SQUARE FOOT FOR BAY COLONY HERE!

• 5 active
• 0 pending
• 1 sale during the past year
• 84% of list price to sales price ratio

Windsor at Bay Colony: WE NEED LISTINGS HERE!

• 0 active
• 0 pending
• 2 sales during the past year
• 92 % of list price to sales price ratio

Ok, that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed my Pelican Bay high rise report. If you want more information or want to set an appointment to list or sell your Pelican Bay property or any Naples property, call us. We'll be happy to assist!
Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!
239-595-6223

Naples Luxury Neighborhood Snapshot Report

Hello Naples Friends,

The John R. Wood neighborhood snapshot report was just released this week.  I'll report on the locations where I work and follow most:
Naples neighborhoods with a shortage of supply at this time:

Aqualane Shores:
30 Aqualane Shores homes sold during the past year. 19 are currently on the market = 7.6 months of inventory

Bay Colony:
2 Bay Colony homes on the market with 3 sold during the past year = 8 months of inventory
42 Bay Colony condos sold during the past 12 months with 27 remaining = 7.71 months of inventory

Grey Oaks:
59 Grey Oaks homes sold during the past year. 36 are currently on the market = 7.33 months of inventory.
16 Grey Oaks condos sold during the past year. 3 are currently on the market = 2.25 months of inventory.

Mediterra:
26 Mediterra condos sold during the past year. 17 are currently on the market = 7.87 months of inventory.

Olde Naples:
84 Olde Naples homes sold during the past year. 61 are currently on the market = 8.71 months of inventory.
141 Olde Naples condos sold during the past year. 71 are currently on the market = 6.04 months of inventory.

Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Waterfront:
354 Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Waterfront condos sold during the past year. 151 are on the market. = 5.11 months of inventory.

Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Non Waterfront:
118 Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Non Waterfront homes sold during the past year. 60 are on the market. = 6.1 months of inventory.
107 Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Non Waterfront condos sold during the past year. 61 are on the market. = 6.84 months of inventory.

Pelican Bay:
47 Pelican Bay homes sold during the past year. 20 are currently on the market = 5.11 months of inventory.
289 Pelican Bay condos sold during the past year. 95 are currently on the market = 3.95 months of inventory.

Pelican Marsh:
56 Pelican Marsh homes sold during the past year. 24 are currently on the market = 5.15 months of inventory.
70 Pelican Marsh condos sold during the past year. 25 are currently on the market = 4.28 months of inventory.

Pine Ridge:
35 Pine Ridge homes sold during the past year. 23 are currently on the market = 7.9 months of inventory.
14 Pine Ridge condos sold during the past year. 2 are currently on the market = 1.78 months of inventory.

Quail West:
39 Quail West homes sold during the past year. 29 are currently on the market = 8.92 months of inventory.

Royal Harbor:
37 Royal Harbor homes sold during the past year. 21 are currently on the market = 6.81 months of inventory.

Tiburon:
31 Tiburon condos sold during the past year. 20 are currently on the market = 7.75 months of inventory.

Naples luxury locations showing stability:

Port Royal:
40 Port Royal homes sold during the past year. 41 are on the market = stable

Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Waterfront:
13 Park Shore/Moorings/Seagate/Coquina Sands Waterfront homes sold during the past year. 13 are currently on the market = stable

Areas of opportunity for buyers to still get a deal if you are a buyer:

Collier's Reserve:
10 Collier's Reserve homes sold during the past year. 15 are currently on the market. There is at least one deal of the universe I know of in here.  Call me for details. = 18 months of inventory.

Mediterra:
44 Mediterra homes sold during the past year. 48 are currently on the market. Pricing has gone up here but there's still some terrific inventory. = 13 months of inventory.

Tiburon:
5 Tiburon homes have sold during the past year. 18 are currently on the market...wow! 43 months of inventory...not a typo.

You can expect to see more inventory hitting the market everyday between now and say Thanksgiving it will lighten a bit and the increase again after the holiday.
If you're considering a Naples purchase: Call me or email me asap.  Let's get your strategy together as there is no time to waste.  Many of you have already scheduled your time on my calendar.  Please award me the opportunity of assisting you by making arrangements in advance. I'm SO looking forward to helping you get your best deal!
If your'e considering selling your Naples property: Call me or email asap.  We will want your marketing in place for season in order to get you your target price and give you the highest potential of an acceptable contract! I'm excited to get the ball rolling!

Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Pelican Bay Naples Florida Market Update 11.28.12

I performed an extensive analysis on Pelican Bay today to help a buyer better explain his price position on his offer. If you've been following my Naples real estate blog or if you've had your ear to the ground here in Naples, you've heard two things repeatedly.

1. There's no inventory
2. We're expecting a very busy buying season

With sales steadily increasing buyers are losing power in negotiations.  It's been an interesting pre-season to say the least. As an example there were 1,604 sales from October to December 28th last year in Naples Florida.  This year there were 1,923 (up 18%). That has clearly put a new tone in listing agent and seller's voices and you can't hardly blame them...they've been waiting a long time to get the upper hand again and many feel like they have it...but do they?

Having a thorough understanding of a market is one of the most valuable assets a real estate agent can possess and sadly few can analyze a market well enough to have an undeniable understanding.  Unfortunately the data can be difficult to figure out and in some cases there isn't enough data to properly assess to get a true value of a property.  That's where my Pelican Bay analysis came in today. 

For the sake of confidentiality, I'm not going to discuss the exact location within Pelican Bay my buyer is targeting but because there was a strong discrepancy regarding current values in the location, I broadened the scope of my analysis to check my accuracy of understanding the Pelican Bay market. 

This is when negotiating can get tricky. The listing agent in this case was clearly holding tight to the idea that just because one buyer clearly over spent means that there's a well defined much higher market value in the neighborhood...total bummer.  So I held tight to the other Pelican Bay sales that made more sense while finding visions of holding hands merrily to the closing table were quickly fading...eh...been here before. So here's what I found out about our current Pelican Bay real estate market.

Any Foreclosures Looming In Naples Florida?

The short answer to, "is there going to be more foreclosures in Naples"? Is yes.  It's normal for there to be some level of distressed properties in our market. In fact, there are currently 159 foreclosures on the market which represents 2.9% of the overall market.

But if you are primarily interested in Naples luxury real estate, I wouldn't get too excited.  There are only 2 properties listed over $1,000,000 that are being advertised as foreclosures. That represents .0003% of the total active Naples real estate inventory.  One is in Grey Oaks the other is located in Naples Boat Club. Neither of these properties are priced less than 1% of what the tax appraised value shows so I would hardly consider that a deal.

In fact after reviewing the entire list, I could only find two more properties located in any of the 18 Naples neighborhoods I follow on a continuous basis. Both of those happen to be located in Pelican Marsh. Both of those properties were also listed within 1% of what the tax appraised value states. Clearly, I would not consider foreclosures in Naples as a widespread viable opportunity for deal.

Are there deal opportunities in Naples short sales???

Currently there are 273 "potential" short sales on the market in Naples which counts for barely 5% of the Naples active inventory.  Once again there are only 7 properties listed over $1,000,000 and while listing agents continue to list properties as "potential short sales" that doesn't mean there's an opportunity for a deal. 

The short sale process can be a tear jerking experience.  Specifically, even if you negotiate your deal with the seller, your deal closing is ultimately at the discretion of the seller's lender and the chief decision maker has no dog in that fight. That's why it's common to find evidence in the listing history where the property has been placed under contract and has gone back on the market in some cases several times.  That's a pretty good sign that the bank isn't dealing or is taking so long buyers are giving up.  Sometimes you'll see price manipulation in there as well. It's common to see prices going up or down in efforts to either pull in an offer or accommodate a bank's demands.  Ultimately they're time consuming which in an appreciating market with low supplies, that problem could cost you considerably.

Where's the best opportunity for a Naples luxury deal? Find an end user who doesn't mind leaving a few bucks on the table but retire your efforts completely if you're expecting huge discounts of list prices.

The tone of the large majority of my buyers during the past several months is NOT "get me a deal". Don't get me wrong, nobody begs me to overpay either but the whole concept of buying Naples real estate at large discounts and distressed values is by and large over.  The overall tone of most buyers I'm working with is,  "find me what I want" which is becoming a bigger problem by the day.  Currently I am working with more than a handful of buyers who want what is not currently on the market and they are for the most part, crossing fingers I can just find it and hoping they can pay market value.  A couple of buyers have even come to terms they may not pay market value but perhaps slightly over to get what they want.  The days of hovering over MLS and getting creative about finding ready and willing sellers is back.

You are going to do best if you get down here now and cut your deal.  The longer you wait this year through season, the higher your chances of smaller inventories, higher pricing and competition with other ready, willing and able CASH buyers. and if there's any point I'd like for you to consider most it's this:

If you see something you like, PLEASE MAKE A MOVE NOW! Do not wait until after the holidays to do something.  I realize you may be busy and I will make every effort to assist you but waiting can very easily cause a problem.

(Let me make a quick disclaimer here:  If we fall off that dadgum fiscal cliff...that might change my whole spill. I am only a REALTOR and not a fortune teller or a clairvoyant so please contact your favorite one of those people for further insight regarding that matter. :). If we continue as we are...it will get messy...for sure...oh and if the end of the world happens on the 21st of December...then all bets are off)  :)

Here are a few points to support my Naples real estate market heat up hypothesis:

On my Naples real estate website for the first 9 days of December:

• Visits are up 47% compared to last year.
• Page views are up 46% compared to last year.
• Pelican Bay interest is up 27% over last year
• Naples waterfront for sale interest is up 75% over last year
• Naples beachfront condo interest is up 52% over last year
• Pelican Marsh interest is up 143% over last year
• Naples condo interest is up 114% compared to last year
• Bay Colony interest is up 29% compared to last year
• Park Shore interest is up 73% compared to last year
• Port Royal interest is up over 200% compared to last year

The last thing I want to discuss is SHADOW INVENTORY. Remember hearing about all that talk about shadow inventory?  Oh we're in so much trouble because there is a looming 20 zillion properties that will go on the market when the current inventories shrink...???!!!
Listings taken in the month of November compared to last November are down 13%.  For the first 9 days of December, down 38% over last year. Will there be more as season progresses...I sure hope so! At this point I am already checking MLS several times a day for customers who are waiting for specific properties.

Please contact me asap if you are planning a Naples visit and expecting to purchase Naples real estate. I want to accommodate you the best way I know how and would be totally bummed if I did not get to assist you personally.

If you're thinking about selling your Naples real estate, please let me help you so you can get your best price with the least amount of hassle.

PS~ There's 10 days til winter!
Best Regards,
Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Naples Real Estate Update 11.8.12

Good Day My Naples Friends!  The election is over! The President is still the President and you can now get high legally in WA and CO...what a bizarre coincidence! The Naples real estate market shows signs of a fierce premature heat up but buyers might have a new edge in negotiations...


Between October 1st and November 6th:

There were 627 sales in the Naples area last year with 48 of those sales listed at $1,000,000+.  The highest priced property sold was listed at $6,950,000. 

This year a total of 735 sales in the Naples area with 45 sales priced at $1,000,000+. The highest priced property coming in at $6,200,000.

That's a 17% increase overall BUT a 6% decrease in Naples luxury real estate sales.

I personally was involved in the negotiation of 8 offers this past week.  Offers I negotiated were in locations like, Park Shore, Moorings, Olde Naples and Pelican Bay.  The overall tone amongst the listing agents (including myself) was extremely confident. On the most expensive condo (priced between 6 and 7 million) the seller and/or seller's agent was too confident and they ended up losing the deal which is a crying shame considering that property has been on the market for a million years (I may have stretched the market time a little bit here). 

What that means for our future Naples real estate market?  Had the election ended differently, I believe that would've have boosted momentum and it would've been extremely challenging maybe a little bit impossible to have a solid negotiating stance as a Naples luxury buyer.  The day of the first debate my web traffic for Naples real estate increased approximately 35% over the year before and stayed that way almost every day (Hurricane Sandy dropped for 2 days ). The day of the election my Naples real estate page views dropped 35% and increased only 9% from there yesterday.  More importantly, people were looking for more luxurious locations than what is being viewed today.

It is still too early to tell what specifically will take place this Naples real estate season so please don't think you have all this extra time to make a decision.  As many of you tenured Naples real estate enthusiasts know, the market can change on a dime and travels precisely at the speed of talk.  I'll give you an example.

I asked a top Naples agent yesterday about her traffic experience.  She replied, "I had 0 showings today".  I said, "what about yesterday"...if memory serves she said, "4".  I replied, "the day before that"?..."3".  Does that mean something?  Maybe not by itself but that's how I collect data about the market...ie...my ear to the ground if you will.  She was just one agent I spoke with...chatter with other agents, buyers, sellers, past clients, store and restaurant owners and employees...this is how we keep abreast of the current purchasing and selling behavior which is what makes a market turn my friends. 

Another example:  I dined at Tommy Bahama's last night...walked in (early 5:30) sat down right away...and while there was a nice gathering of people you could still get a table closer to 7:00 without wait.  Was it because it was chilly and breezy or because many people who are already here (up from last year) were bummed out?  Probably a combination of both...I walked into Island Company afterwards and asked a sales lady about her traffic experience..."crazy this past weekend...weird quiet yesterday and sporadic today"...again weather change, or tears in my champagne?  Probably a combination of both.

My gut tells me this lull may be short lived.  Although we may have a percentage of people drop out of the Naples purchase market because of the election, I do believe many will still buy this year and although it's a little quiet right this very minute, I don't believe it will last for long so NOW is the time you may want to do something. We have a new talking point to discuss when negotiating today but it may not be here long ESPECIALLY if it continues to dump snow and ice on our Northern friends.  Uncertainty is our friend in negotiations when buying so consider getting here soon and being prepared to pull the trigger. 

If you're considering selling your Naples real estate...you have a challenge.  Here's what I found in my experience last week.  Agents who have had a great deal of success over the years stayed on point through negotiations and while more confident than years past were still all about making the deal happen.  Agents who did not have a great level of success or long history did not fair so well.  This is why you want to go with an experienced proven professional when you list your Naples property.  In tumultuous times as these, a proven professional can assist you through important decision making and potentially save you $1,000's of dollars and help you accomplish your goals over those who do not have the ability to assist you in making wise decisions. 

I am ready to assist you when you are ready to go so please contact me in advance so I can help you personally.

Stay safe, Stay warm!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Naples Real Estate Today

I was contacted yesterday by a correspondent who's preparing to write a segment on the current Naples real estate market. When she calls I always try to give her accurate, cutting edge information only a few may have already realized.  Here's what I told her:

If last year's big Naples real estate story was dwindling inventories, this year's big story will probably be about the turn towards a seller's market, smaller list price to sales price ratios and higher pricing.

Naples Real Estate Buyers: Get Strategic!  Up until now it's been fairly easy to march into any Naples neighborhood and find some sort of deal.  Not so much anymore. Ideas of negotiating heavily off list prices in all Naples areas like the beachfront in Bay Colony and other locations throughout Naples are probably in the past. 

As an example there are two properties currently listed in a neighborhood in Tiburon.  They are priced over 70% higher than the last two units sold.  Statements from the listing agents equated to, yes, those were pretty good deals...suggesting the seller may not be firm but clearly not interested in discounting to past levels.

The Good News For Buyers is you can still negotiate if you're a little more strategic than you were in the past.  If you find yourself wanting a property in a Naples location that's experiencing a high level of sales and you don't think you're going to have much negotiating power, you might consider other options.  While many of our best locations are doing well...some still aren't and may welcome your dollars a little more eagerly compared to other hot locations.

For example:

1.  Olde Naples homes are doing quite well right now with only 8 months of inventory.  It might be better for you (depending on your budget) to consider a location like Aqualane Shores where there's 19 months of inventory on the market right now.

2.  Pelican Marsh has 10 months of inventory while Tiburon has 28 months of inventory.  Your negotiating strategy may be far more welcome in Tiburon than Pelican Marsh.

3.  Moorings mid-rise condos have only 9 months of inventory while Vanderbilt Beach has a 27 month supply of inventory.  I think you're seeing where I'm going with this...

So maybe you like your Naples location and you aren't willing to necessarily consider an alternate neighborhood location.  That can be ok too depending on the situation.

For example:

There's opportunity in Grey Oaks right now because their single family inventory has with just over 20 months of inventory and their detached villa product has 24 months of inventory BUT their low rise product is doing exceptionally well. So maybe instead of doing a Grey Oaks condo, you should consider an area like Terra Verde where there's 5 on the market and none have sold during the past 12 months....(although one is now under contract).

The big thing here is just because you've stumbled into a location where all the product is gone or negotiations have tightened doesn't mean your opportunity is lost in Naples.  Just contact a GREAT Naples Realtor who can help you identify what you really want and help you negotiate a deal you can be happy about.

1.  If at all possible. Get to Naples and get this done before October. NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO NEGOTIATE PERIOD.

2.  The smartest buyers choose more than one property to negotiate. It's the best way to keep the emotion out of it and land a deal just in case that first guy is either unrealistic or unresponsive to your offer.

If you're a Naples Seller ~ It's VITAL you have an agent who knows the market and knows what they're doing. This is the time when some sellers leave money on the table unknowingly because they aren't in tune with a changing market and also a time when some sellers fail at selling because they think their properties are worth more than they are because of recent activity.  If your agent will conduct their business in an accommodating fashion while still having the appropriate level of confidence for you to get your price you should do well provided everybody stays realistic. 

As an example:

I listed a Pelican Bay property last season a tad bit prematurely because the owner had just negotiated a contract for another property but hadn't closed yet. They were concerned about holding their old property for an undesirable length of time but I knew they couldn't give possession of their old unit before they could move into their new one. The end of our official selling season was coming to an end but I felt exceptionally confident we had a great condo at a great price and had no concern selling the property for the price I had expected.

The day we closed on their new unit the seller's wife expressed her grave concern about selling her old condo. I looked her straight in the eye and told her we would get it done and told her she couldn't spend five more minutes worrying about not selling. The following day I presented two offers one of which they accepted. Happily, it came in higher than my originally estimated price.  It's this kind of pressure that can make an inexperienced agent stumble or encourage a seller to sell for less than a property is worth and why you should always list your property with an experienced, proven professional. 

For more answers regarding Naples real estate, please contact me direct. If you'd like to see property or review your market value, please give me as much notice as possible so I can best accommodate your schedule.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl

Foreclosure in Pelican Bay

Hello Naples Friends,

I just received an email from a gentleman who asked, "Are there any foreclosures in Pelican Bay".

The long and short answer to that question is:

There's 1.

As it stands right now there are only 251 active listings in Pelican Bay which equates to 10 months of inventory putting Pelican Bay in an under-supplied inventory status. There are currently 46 pending sales in Pelican Bay today which means despite the time of year, Pelican Bay is experiencing fabulous sales traffic.

Another portion of his question included,  "is anything under $250,000 in Pelican Bay for sale".  The answer is no.

The lowest priced unit for sale in Pelican Bay is listed for $285,00 and there are only 6 properties in Pelican Bay listed for under $300,000 at this time.

I would not be surprised at all if this is the last year you will be able to find anything under $300,000 for a awhile.

This is just one example of a few Naples real estate requests I've seen lately where I could not accommodate somebody's direct request due to strengthening market conditions. Experience is telling me this is the beginning of a new trend that will last until our general consumer base gets a firm understanding of what's going on in Naples, Florida.

I personally equate shopping for Naples real estate in July to Christmas shopping in June. Y U C K! Nobody wants to do that when there's family vacations, summer bar-b-ques, babies to be born, birthdays to be celebrated, families to be cherished, first homes to be graced etc. BUT, if you're a buyer who wants to negotiate, now is probably the time. Especially if you're thinking you want to buy that winter place in an area like Pelican Bay or Bay Colony or really...any location close to one of our Naples beaches.

Many of you have already take steps to purchase this summer in areas like Pelican Bay, Bay Colony and other Naples beachfront locations.  I have experienced dramatic increases in traffic on my Naples real estate website. Web traffic is a terrific indication of projected real traffic in the next 30-60.  For those of you who don't know, August and September are typically the least productive 2 months in our calendar year.  This year might be a different story.

One of the bonuses about purchasing now is that you can do the lion share of your decision making on my Naples Florida real estate website, I can shoot some video for you for additional information gathering and you (if you're experienced enough) can purchase site unseen so you don't have to take precious time out of your summer agenda to get that winter home deal done. I have a tremendous group of professionals like Naples attorneys, home inspectors etc. who can help you confidently purchase from afar.  We can help you get your deal done effortlessly giving you the time to focus on what you most want. 

This way you won't find yourself competing with the others who will show up when the winter gusts start to howl and the snow starts to blow because by that time your buyers edge will probably be gone with that same blast of wind. The other point about purchasing now is if you negotiate and close your deal this summer, you can make your place your own before high-season so you can really feel at home while that January sun is kissing our Naples beaches and golf courses.  After all is there a better place than Naples to entertain friends and family or just reconnect with your own mind, body and soul during January through April?

For more information or to get the Naples party started, just visit my Naples website or contact me direct!

Happy Summer,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Top 7 Locations For Pelican Bay Deals

I received a delightful email from one of my favorite people today regarding his experience he had while listening to a speaker discuss the future demographics that will affect the economy.  Two of his talking points explained that there will be a shortage of supply in the second home markets of Florida. Just for giggles, I pulled up Pelican Bay...now standing at a 10 month supply of inventory with 12 Pelican Bay communities currently completely sold out...

Most buyers I know like to get a good deal and when markets shrink as they are here in Pelican Bay, those deals become fewer and harder to find.  Clearly there are no deals to be had in those 12 Pelican Bay communities and it could be difficult to get a great deal in the 22 Pelican Bay communities that only have 1 or 2 units left. So instead of spending our time focusing on lost ground, I've compiled a list where you might find some great purchasing opportunities based off market conditions.

Topping our list with the most inventory on the market is:

1. Interlachen at Pelican Bay with 72 months of inventory.  There are 6 available with only 1 unit that has sold during the past year.  This might leave one to believe that there's a "problem" in Interlachen at Pelican Bay. Nah, Interlachen is just fine and if you're going to go after a great deal, you have to be where everybody else is not and let's face it, they here right now.  Interlachen has sold better at other times.  Today is just not her day.  Time will pass, intelligent buyers will sniff out the opportunity here and shortly, Interlachen will level out again. 

These are excellent talking points during a negotiation but you'll want more points than just that when you craft your offer.  That's why it's good to have a full negotiating plan.  That's one of the things I can offer when I work with a buyer.

If you're a seller in Interlachen I have 3 special requests:  Please price your property according to the condition of your unit. Stage if you don't want to remodel and at the bare minimum remove seriously outdated furniture. Outdated furniture (even if it doesn't convey with the sale can KILL your deal).


2.  There's a 2 way tie for second place 60 months of inventory: 

St. Lucia at Pelican Bay with 5 currently on the market and an average day on the market range coming in at a whopping 210 days that is something to be excited about if you're a buyer and seriously bummed out if you are a seller.  Yes the average market time in Pelican Bay is 212 days but that doesn't make it right.  If you are a buyer...the best deals here are probably already gone so some negotiating to get a great deal is required BUT...you never know until you give it a shot.  Sellers, if you want to sell, be aggressive! If you don't, you might take a break for awhile and revisit the opportunities to sell later.

Barrington Club at Pelican Bay: This Pelican Bay neighborhood is hot and then it's not and then it's hot and now it's not. Considered an entry level Pelican Bay community, Barrington Club has quite a bit to be happy about.  The aesthetic feel is very well kept and neat.  It's located very close to the Publix Marketplace grocery store. There are terrific amenities here and at one time, you couldn't come here unless you had over $500,000 in your pocket.  Today you can get something in here in the $300k+ price range or if you were that last buyer, $300k even.  The price points have been lower and they are clearly on the rise but if you're looking for a deal here, you might need to kick over a few stones first.  If you're a buyer be prepared to possibly pay over market for something remodeled or you might have to roll up your sleeves yourself.  If you're a seller, don't be too ambitious on price and you might consider remodeling you're whole unit if you already have been down that road.  You don't always get full credit if you only did a partial remodel because the realization of the time and money involved to an outsider can be more than they want to take on initially.

3.  A tie for 3rd place at 42 months of inventory:

St. Nicole at Pelican Bay Can I tell you there is a screaming deal in here and one that smells absolutely disgusting and they are not the same unit. That is all part of that market knowledge you get when you work with an agent like me :).  One thing I LOVE about St. Nicole is the view. Views from the 5th floor and above are decent and get progressively better the higher you go.  If you're a buyer looking for a great place to put a toe in the Pelican Bay high-rise market, you should consider doing something in this building and you can call me direct to see which one specifically that one should be. ;)  If you're a seller in St. Nicole, pricing logically is probably your best friend.

Toscana at Bay Colony  It pains me to see anything from Bay Colony on the list especially since the neighborhood as a whole is such a success story this year but unfortunately for Toscana...it's slow.  With 7 currently on the market and only 2 that have sold, it's time for sellers to get creative! There are some really cute units on the market here and some of them seemed to be priced fairly well and then others are not...the end.  It's been a tough battle this year between beachfront and barely off the sand in Bay Colony and barely off the sand has kinda lost while beachfront has won, won, won.  That doesn't make those units or buildings a bad buy though and you get considerably more for your money in those buildings if you can live without the full Gulf view...I would encourage you to peek around.  The views of Clam Pass are magnificent! If you're a seller you may want to de-personalize your space if you have amazing taste (especially if those things don't convey with your deal) or possibly stage your home to sell.  If that fails you can always price it appropriately :)

4.  36 months of inventory = Chanteclair Manor at Pelican Bay

I can hardly consciously count this one in my countdown since two of these are fairly new listings and because this Pelican Bay neighborhood is usually such a sleeper with listings hitting the market here hitting so few and far between but that shouldn't stop a buyer from taking note and seeing what can be done with the assistance of a fabulous Realtor, there might be something great that can happen here.  If you're a buyer you're either going to have to do some renovations or you may have to pay more than it's worth.  The location is super fabulous though.  If you're a seller it might be wise to go out of the neighborhood to comp out the value of your home here because some things are simply unexplainable :)

5.   33 months of inventory = Trieste at Bay Colony

This one is a tough one...as many of us know.  The best parts about Trieste is the magnificent amenities in the building and I must say you can tell this building was built during the happiest of times.  They used so many magnificent materials that when you stand in the lobby you feel like you're back in the time before the market meltdown or the financial bubble burst.  It is pure bliss for sure.  Of course it's a dusty mess right now with the parking lot renovation going on but that too shall pass and then it will be back to fabulous for sure.  By the way, do you think those sellers grimaced when they heard there was going to be a big renovation project while they were attempting to sell?  YES...do you think it takes a special buyer to look over the dust and mess and noise to see what really exists...yes...can a buyer be compensated for that?  Probably.... :)

Well, that's all I have time for today.  That' enough to get you started at least.  By the way there are 79 pending properties in Pelican Bay right now did you know that?  If you're planning on coming down this summer, please call or email me as soon as you know your schedule so I can best accommodate you.

Stay tuned on Friday for Part II of Where The Deals Might Be In Pelican Bay.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Hello Naples Fans!  I'm here to announce I have completed my first full circle of experience in Naples real estate and it only took me 9 years and 10.5 months.  There's something to be said about experience and fortunately for those who put in the time and effort, there's a real payoff.  It's still the one thing that can't bought or acquired through gaming a system in fact....it can't even be gained through just showing up.  You have to be in it to get it. So that's why the few agents who "can" include on their business card, "selling Naples real estate since 200BC".

I used to see all sorts of lingo like that in the old newspaper advertising and used to think, so what! Just because you've been here for that long doesn't make you a great Naples real estate agent.  I must admit I was jealous of all that inside intelligence those agents had and sort of I guess maybe bitter because in my defense, I would've gladly gotten here sooner had I known Naples existed before I did...But, now that I have that full real estate cycle successfully under my belt, I get it and now, I'm one of "them".

How do I know I have the full circle in my pocket?  I'll tell you exactly how the market was when I started selling here in 2002.  We had just dealt with that whole 9-11 tragedy and many of the other agents around town were very detailed about their stories about how miserable the market was for Naples after all that happened.  By the time I got rolling here, the market had somewhat recovered and after awhile the large tone of the buyer prospect base was if I had to sum it up in one word, regretful. They were regretful that they did not purchase when pricing was low.  I met several people who felt like that. They all streamed into town as they often do at the beginning of season and describe in detail that deal they had seen the year before and didn't pull the trigger.  Many went back to where they came from only to be largely disappointed when they came back down.  Some bit the bullet and paid more for similar Naples homes and condos they found of interest. Some lost their window of opportunity all together.

The Naples real estate market moves very quickly here.  I'll never forget the day I was walking through the lobby of my office and overheard a young couple who were looking at a huge map of Collier County.  She said, I can't believe there isn't one house on this whole map we can afford.  I was in the parking lot of our office by the time I thought to myself...didn't you know that before you came here???  How did you not get on the internet to do some peeking around before you got on that plane, forgetting that not everybody shopped for real estate that way then.
Then the Naples market went into that crazy feeding frenzy where buyers bought everything even if it didn't make sense no matter what you said to try to talk them down.  The best example from that time is the argument I had with a lady who was planning her arrival the day before Hurricane Wilma was supposed to hit...do you know it took 4 separate conversations with her to get her to cancel her flight...shesh.  There's several other turns in the natural real estate cycle as many of you know already and I won't bore you with all the details here but I want you to know:

Where Naples Is Now ~ This Is Important.
Pricing has already started to go up in many Naples luxury neighborhoods and listing inventory in some locations is ALARMINGLY low meaning pricing is going up.

Here's a snapshot from Trulia last week:

While it is customary for new listings to slow down this time of year it sure as heck isn't customary for pricing to go up or for the number of price reductions to go down.

This is the time of year when sellers mourn the loss of their successful negotiation they were hoping for during high-season.  The average listing price went up over 1% in a week...the second week of May...WHAT?

Sales are up 16% for the month of May compared to the first 21 days of May last year. Up 19% compared to 2 years ago during the same time.

The reason why I think this is SO important is because I was completely bewildered by the amount of people who seemed to be so caught off guard about the price increases Naples recognized back then.  How do you find yourself priced out of a market?  I remember thinking to myself, had I been working with you last year, you would've bought because I would've told you it was going to go that way.  I guess I always assumed agent were giving potential buyers a heads up.

Just last week I showed 3 units in Pelican Bay with what should be considered a fabulous Gulf view under (a certain price range).  I only showed 3 because that was really all there was...I didn't even know that myself until I offered to find more product for my customer only to be equally blown away at the lack of inventory currently available.  It had been a month or so since I'd been nosing around in that exact product and now...not much was left.

Of the three available, one was a smelly dog (hard to believe), the second was an ok deal and the last, an outstanding deal. I do not expect this one to be around for too much longer. Contact me direct if you want more information about any of those 3 because after these I expect this to be it.

Earlier this year you could purchase beachfront in Bay Colony for $1,325,000.  Now it's $1,975,000 That prices some who were looking earlier this year completely out of the market unless something more affordable hits the market between now and next season.

I sadly have discovered that now there are probably 5 customers who will be among the group who will come back sometime within the next several years and say, "we should've bought that one...". It honestly makes me sad to come to this realization.  Was there something more I should've said or maybe did I say too much?  Maybe I'll just write a blog post to the rest of you in hopes of preventing more of this in the future.

So while it may not have been a first priority for you to come and see what's available right now, it might be best financially for you to make a plan and get down here. Of course you can always purchase site unseen as well and we'll make the process as easy as possible should you identify something you like.

If you want to come down and look for yourself, PLEASE let me know in advance so I can do my best to accommodate you. After all, I have that full Naples real estate cycle on my side along with a fabulous knowledge of the Naples real estate market and excellent negotiating skills.

For more questions on Naples real estate or to simply get the ball rolling give me a shout or shoot me an email direct.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Claridge at Pelican Bay

Claridge at Pelican Bay has had a great past 12 months and is still attracting ready, willing and able buyers!  Here's the current Claridge at Pelican Bay real estate statistics:

• 3 Claridge at Pelican Bay condos for sale.
• 1 Claridge at Pelican Bay pending contract.
• 5 Claridge at Pelican Bay sales during the past 12 months.

There's currently only 7 months of inventory in Claridge at Pelican Bay making this another under-supplied Pelican Bay community at this time.  The real interesting story about Claridge at Pelican Bay isn't so much about the under-supply of inventory more than what the difference between list price and sales price ratio is coming in at a whopping 97%.  That's the highest I've seen since reporting this season which is fabulous news for Claridge at Pelican Bay condo owners. 

Pricing has clearly increased as a result with Claridge at Pelican Bay list prices increasing on average per total at approximately 25%. To be fair, there are two higher floors on the market at this time which typically will command a higher price unless there's something negative going on with the property condition. 

Another outstanding Claridge at Pelican Bay real estate statistic is the fact that market time in Claridge has decreased a whopping 48%.  This statistic was pulled based on what is currently on the market and what has sold during the past 12 months.  Active Claridge condos stand at 195 days due to one of the units being what I would consider over-priced even for the current Claridge market success. 

The last unit to successfully negotiate a contract was only on the market 58 days before going under contract.  That's pretty quick for Pelican Bay and further proof that if you price it right to begin with you can defy the laws of market time and come out ahead.  While we're talking about that I might add that your chances of a buyer competition are far greater if you're priced well compared to over priced.  This could increase your chances of netting more when the final bell dings.

If you're a Claridge at Pelican Bay Buyer:  While there are some nice listings in Claridge at this time, I'm not sure there's anything that will completely blow your socks off. I'm also not sure we'll be able to do better than some past buyers have done on negotiating with such a small window of wiggle room in the statistics (only 3%)  The best thing for you to do is to take a peek, review the numbers and determine what the unit is worth to you before going forward.  It would probably not hurt you to venture outside of Claridge (if you have other interests) just in case you find you can't cut the deal you really want.  There are plenty of other Pelican Bay high-rise condos for sale with 16 months of Pelican Bay high-rise inventory still on the market BUT something for you to consider is the success Claridge at Pelican Bay has had in a product that may be last to become stable...call me when you want to get started and we'll put together a winning plan regardless!

If you're considering selling a Claridge at Pelican Bay condo:  You and your smart agent have a lot of great talking points to discuss with potential Claridge at Pelican Bay buyers.  Pricing and condition still is important when considering your selling strategy so make sure the unit looks its prettiest and is price accordingly.  If many of your neighbors decide not to do the same thing this season, you could fair pretty well.  It won't take much to stand out in the current market so make sure you call me when you want to get going and we'll prepare a fabulous marketing and selling strategy that is sure to bring success!

For more information regarding Claridge at Pelican Bay, Pelican Bay or any Naples real estate related topic, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Cannes at Pelican Bay Update

Cannes at Pelican Bay...this Pelican Bay neighborhood has been a bit of a sleeper since inception. Here are the stats:

• 0 Active
• 0 Pending
• 1 Closed during the past 12 months

There just isn't a great deal of activity that goes on in Cannes which has much to do with the fact that Cannes at Pelican Bay units were built in 2005 and there's only 16 of them. Of the 4 recorded Cannes at Pelican Bay closings found in  MLS, the lowest priced unit closed for $1,000,000 in January, 2011.  That was only 71% of list price and while that was a pretty good deal, some of the original units sold for less during 2005.  The lowest recorded sales price was $795,000, a unit that closed on 8/16/2005. 

While we're talking about sales data, I discovered the market time in Cannes at Pelican Bay for the 4 MLS sales is quite high, 334 days on average with 881 days being the most time a unit was on the market.  The unit that sold this year was on the market for well over 200 days which is also high. 

Market time in Naples is a crazy point to factor and here's why. So much of the luxury properties in Naples are not primary homes so the inconvenience factor is relatively low compared to the inconvenience one experiences when selling their primary home. Convenience is a HUGE key in Naples and while in primary markets people tend to allow any and all showings possible, seller and tenants don't always allow showings here...especially if it's inconvenient for them.  I know that sounds crazy but that's just how it is.  Many people come to Naples during high season (January-May) to see and buy real estate and many people come to stay in their luxury homes and condos during the same time.  It can be VERY difficult to show real estate on a short notice during this time because many sellers do a TON of entertaining or simply do not want to be inconvenienced with the process of selling their place. If you are thinking about buying in Naples, it is wise to give me at least 48 hours notice if you want to give yourself a good shot of seeing all available properties.  If you give me more notice, you'll have even a better shot.  If you're a seller, there's no better way to sell a property than to let someone see it so please think twice before you refuse that showing.

If you're thinking about buying in Cannes at Pelican Bay: Call me direct and I will see what I can do to locate a Cannes property for you. 

If you're thinking about selling your Cannes at Pelican Bay unit:  You want to price it right to avoid long market times and negotiating greatly off your price even if you're the only one on the market, history has proven Cannes at Pelican Bay buyers will go outside of the neighborhood to make a purchase compared to overpaying in Cannes.  Call me direct for correct pricing and marketing concepts.

I hope you enjoyed your Cannes at Pelican Bay update.  Please call me if I can be of further assistance.

PS~ There are only 71 days til Winter! Do you have your Naples Florida real estate yet?

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Calais at Pelican Bay Naples Florida Update

Calais at Pelican Bay in Naples Florida pricing is on the rise with current list prices up 4% compared to units that have sold during the past 12 months.  Here are the current Calais at Pelican Bay stats:

• 5 Calais at Pelican Bay condos are currently on the market.
• 2 Calais at Pelican Bay  sales have occurred during the past 12 months.
• 1 Calais at Pelican Bay condo is currently pending.

There are clearly two winners who have already purchased fabulous properties at fabulous pricing in Calais at Pelican Bay.  Even if the current pending property goes for full price it was a deal!  Current list to sales price ratio is coming in right at the Pelican Bay community average of 92% and it looks like there's some pretty good inventory to choose from if you're one of those people who like a good golf course view and don't want to do a total redo.  If you've been following my blog for long you'll also know that remodeled prices will typically sell at a premium (unless you're lucky) and original properties will sell at a discount. 

If you're considering buying in Calais at Pelican Bay:  Be careful here. I'm not convinced all of these properties are priced to sell and that you're getting your money's worth at full price or even 8% off list price here.  You'll want to pay close attention to the numbers or have your "smart Realtor" make sure you're not overspending here.  It might be wise to go outside of the local Calais at Pelican Bay market to make sure you're not overspending.  Call me to review your options.

If you're considering selling in Calais at Pelican Bay: You have competition right now.  With 20 months of inventory, my first inclination is to encourage you to wait if you can.  If not, then you need to be really careful with your pricing and I would be really aggressive with your marketing plan.  I have some ideas for you that can help your property stand out and you're going to need something like that if you want to sell this upcoming season.  I do think if you're going to give it a shot, you need to get on it now.  I'm noticing a great deal of inventory that went on the market after March of this year that is still on the market now. Give me a shout and let's get started today!

I hope you enjoyed the Calais at Pelican Bay Naples Florida update.  Please let me know if I can assist you in any other way!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

PS~ There's no easier way to click, see, purchase Naples Florida real estate

Biltmore at Bay Colony Naples Florida

Biltmore at Bay Colony has had a tremendous year! Here are the current stats:

• 3 Biltmore at Bay Colony condos are currently available.
• 6 Biltmore at Bay Colony condos have sold during the past 12 months.
• 0 Biltmore at Bay Colony homes are currently pending.

That means there's only 6 months of inventory in Biltmore at Bay Colony right now. 

While we're on the topic of decor...let's talk about decorative borders.  You know those silly 6 to 9 inch strips of wall paper we used back in the 80's to decorate the top couple of feet of our walls most commonly found in our kitchens and bathrooms. This is a good time to just let it be known that if you have that....it needs to go...sorry.  When buyers ask me for properties that have been updated and I see those borders, 9.9 times out of 10 that listing gets knocked off the must see list...unless there's nothing else to show.  Of all the different things we can do to update a property a little paint can go a really long way in making a unit look SO much better and it's one of the least expensive updates you can do. Besides looking better, paint can also give your unit that, "just been painted" smell and believe it or not some people feel the same way about that as they do that, "new car smell". 

If you're considering purchasing in Biltmore at Bay Colony, pricing has appeared to go up a little. (Can't really blame them) I also see where the average list price to sales price ratio is at a higher than Pelican Bay average coming in at 94% so don't expect to do a whole lot of bickering unless you and/or your REALLY SMART AGENT can put together a compelling negotiating plan.  There are some units that don't require a complete remodel available here which is worth a little something to most Bay Colony buyers.  There's also a nice cross section of opportunities here too so if you like a high floor, a low floor or even something in between, you can find that now. Lastly, you have 6 Biltmore at Bay Colony comps to analyze to make sure you're not overpaying when you go in to negotiate.  Call me today to get started!

If you're considering selling your Biltmore at Bay Colony unit, you might want to consider sprucing up if you have an original unit or staging your property to sell for maximum price.  Much of your competition has caught on to the concept of staging and if you have not, you'll want to call me to find out more about this.  You might be able to ask a few more dollars for your unit depending on what you have to offer but make sure you don't overprice your property or you may find yourself sitting there for awhile.  Also, get on the market within the next month or so if possible.  Many people have already started their Bay Colony searches online and will be making their showing selections shortly and you don't want your unit to be missed.  Let's get going now so we can get your property sold this season!

That concludes the Biltmore at Bay Colony good news.  Give me a shout when you're ready for me to help you out more!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Bay Colony Naples Florida Update

Bay Colony Naples Florida Update!

I know I said I was going to write about Pelican Bay sub-communities separately, and I will...but we can't leave out Bay Colony as a whole! So here it is!

Bay Colony has a LEVEL amount of inventory...in fact in a short period of time it may even be technically under-supplied!

Bay Colony Active Listings = 38
Bay Colony Solds (During Past 12 Months) = 38
Bay Colony Properties pending contract = 4

Market time in Bay Colony is shrinking! Average market time for properties that have sold is 270 days, for properties pending it's 671 days and for Bay Colony properties that remain on the market 244.

List price to sales price ratio is 90.21% but somebody actually negotiated a deal last September for only 68% of list price. WOW! That doesn't happen very often!

At first glance it looks like Bay Colony is getting less expensive since the average list price per square foot of the Bay Colony properties that remain on the market come in at $743/sq. ft. and the sold price per square foot average is $786/sq. ft. but ultimately that is because we had two homes in The Strand at Bay Colony sell during the past 12 months.  Strand homes are the biggest homes in Bay Colony and the only single family homes available on the beach in Pelican Bay. 

You're going to find some Bay Colony High Rise buildings doing very well and some with a slight over-supply of inventory. Some of this is going to be properties that have just hit the market in preparation for the upcoming selling season.

BUYERS~ Do not expect to go into negotiations with just a run of the mill, "the economy is in the toilet" negotiation tactic here. Many owners will hold out for their price as proven by the seller who owned Brighton at Bay Colony 1702. I personally had 2 people interested in that unit who were not willing to pay what the seller wanted.  The owner ended up getting over 95% of his list price...much less than what my buyers were willing to pay.  While it is always great to have a negotiating plan (when you work with me, I provide one to assist you) it must be understood there are some sellers here willing to leave a few dollars on the table to get the deal done, some sellers are more interested in the bottom line and can/will wait. If you think you're ready to make a Bay Colony purchase. Call me to get started!

SELLERS- If you are thinking about selling I would strongly consider reviewing the market in your building or subdivision first and making your decision based on the amount of inventory already on the market if possible. If you don't care about that and you want to sell anyway, property condition and price are two HUGE key factors.  Hard Contemporary decor is not a huge selling point here.  If you have decorated your unit in this fashion, you might consider having your home staged to sell fast and even net more money.  If you have a unit in original or near original condition, it may be most advantageous to do some remodeling if time and money permits. Many units are starting to show their age in Bay Colony and this may become a problem for people who want to net a certain amount or sell quickly.  Pricing your Bay Colony property properly will alleviate any market time issue.
For more information on how you can sell faster and net more, call me direct!

You can expect to see more updates about the individual sub-communities of Bay Colony as we go. 

PS~ I received a call from the sweetest lady from Boston today who is in Naples with her husband and are ready to see Pelican Bay high-rises.  I absolutely LOVED talking with her today and look forward to assisting you with your Pelican Bay endeavors as well!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!