Punta Gorda, FL

It's been a long while since I took to the keyboard to pontifiicate on Southwest Florida Real Estate goings-on!

If anything the outlook has deteriorated since my last post of well over a year ago. The economy has soured. Bank bailouts, auto bailouts, mortgage meltdowns and credit cruches. Sounds like a breakfast cereal. Despite all the bad news, there is a glimmer of hope out there!

Seems like a bunch of far-sighted individuals are starting to see some value in the market. And what's not to like if you're a Value Investor. It is indeed 'kid in a candy-store' time for those who can see the value - and have some cash! Also there is a glimmer of hope emanating from our friends in the mortgage biz. Seems like refinancings are going through a mini-boom of sorts.

Well we're still a longway from any sort of normal market, and pessimism still abounds, BUT with the increasing activity in speculation and refinancings, there possibly is a glimmer of light on the horizon.

Don't hold your breath, but I believe a slow recovery is underway. Of course opinions are a dime a dozen - and mine are half-price (this week only!) - but, as in the stock market, when there's blood in the streets, it's time to buy!

My family back in southern New Hampshire has been without power and with cold winter temp's since last week's severe ice storm. I feel for them, I really do. This is the time of year they want to be here. I don't blame them. That is why I moved here almost fifteen years ago. I could no longer take the long, cold winters in northern Vermont. What is interesting is Florida has four seasons too, although much more subtle than most areas of the country. I love all the seaons here. Summer is a favorite. Yes it get's hot July through September, but the afternoon showers cool it down to a comfortable range by late afternoon, early evening. In fact I find it hotter up north in the summer, because the haze tends to hold in the warm air. Many of those residents still don't have central AC. The air here is some of the clearest and cleanest I have lived in or visited. I believe this allows the hot air to rise quicker and higher into the atmosphere instead of the haze holding it close to the ground. I find it's easier to cool off from the heat than warm up from the cold. Having said that, let me tell you how wonderful it is to live on Charlotte Harbor, the second largest natural harbor in the state. I live in Pirate Harbor www.pirateharbor.com, a small, beautiful, laidback subdivision with direct access to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico through Boca Grande pass. This area is well known for it's sport fishing, sailing, golfing and the beautiful white sandy beaches and tropical blue waters surrounding the Gulf Barrier Islands. Punta Gorda a quaint, historic city of just under 20,000 is only short drive away. Punta Gorda has wonderful residential communities as well, that fit the lifesyles for boating, fishing, golfing, equestrians, retirees and just loafing around. We have quality schools, hospitals, and all denominations of places to worship. Did I mention dining, shopping and entertainment? We have it all. Go to www.nancyelliott.com and click on links of interest for specific informational sites about this unique area. The new Charlotte Harbor Events Center, on the harbor recently opened. The Wyvern Hotel just opened with upscale dining and rooms, and a tapas bar outdoors on the rooftop overlooking the harbor. Fisherman's Village offers waterfront shopping, dining, lodging and docking. A riverwalk from Fishville along the Peace River (flows into Charlotte Harbor) in Punta Gorda will soon become a reality. There is much more to go on about, but I think you get the idea. Contact me for more information about my backyard, you won't be disappointed.

Nancy Elliott "Dedicated To Client Satisfaction"

As I was going out for my early morning jog the other day I reflected on life in my hometown of Deep Creek, Florida. This is a particulrly nice time to be in Florida, particularly if you're a runner. It's crisp and clear and the temperature can range from frigid (by Florida standards) to toasty (by Minnesota standards).

Nevertheless it was a pleasant morning. Running down Nuremberg Boulevard I see the faces I see every day. The little old ladies taking their dogs for 'walkies', the elementary school kids waiting for the bus along with their bleary-eyed parents. The traffic is fairly light this time of morning - which is one of the reasons I like to run at this hour. I keep my eye out for my favorite encounter of the morning - the two kids (probably high school) who blow their loud and obnoxious horn as they fly by me in their jeep every morning. Always with a smile and a wave. They probably think this old geezer (that's me - though a tad over 50 ain't that old) who is always running is crazy.

Anyway, I run my customary loop - about five miles in all, before plunging into the frigid (for this time of year) pool upon my breathless return home. All in all a pleasant start to the day. At least my old ticker has been jumpstarted for the day!

If there is a point to all this rambling, it's this. Despite all the turmoil in the Real Estate markets, the mortgage mess, the stock market, the auto-bailout, and the general economic malaise - life does go on. In countless neighborhoods across our beautiful country, people go about their daily business without letting 'the economy' get them down. Maybe we in the business get too wrapped up in gloom and doom. People will always live in these wonderful neighborhoods, they will always take pride in their neighborhoods, and yes they'll take their jogs through the neighborhood. These neighborhoods will be around long after we're all gone.

Life does go on. Even life in Deep Creek!

Straddling Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, Florida, nestled in between the beautiful Peace River and popular Kings Highway is Deep Creek - a gorgeous deed restricted community. I have had clients who, having just moved to this area, didn't know that Deep Creek was anything more than a creek! The truth is that it's so much more...

Deep Creek is bordered by the Deep Creek Preserve, which is a 2000-acre park with miles of trails that wind through the beautiful forest. Plans for the future include horse trails and campsites to be enjoyed in Deep Creek Preserve. Deep Creek has wide open spaces and direct access to Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands. While Deep Creek is known for its natural beauty and freshwater lakes, don't forget about the golf course! Designed by Mark McCumber, a renowned golf course designer, the course found at Deep Creek is both fun and challenging.

Deep Creek is in the perfect location; it's just off of I-75, so it's only a hop, skip and a jump to airports, hospitals and cities like Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers. Southwest Florida has some of the best shopping and dining in the state, and you'll have it all at your back door. Deep Creek is very close to schools, grocery stores, hospitals and parks, too! Deep Creek straddles two very nice cities, so you will always have multiple options for amenities, activities and common areas.

The homes that can be found in Deep Creek can be found in all shapes, sizes and styles. Some of the smallest properties (some are less than 1,000 square feet) make great vacation homes, and are condominiums, townhouses and villas. There are also single family homes, which range in size as well from modest to grand!

If you can't wait to see if Deep Creek has homes that suit your needs, simply click here to see homes for sale in Deep Creek. You'll be glad that you looked into this amazing community!

All was not well in Paradise. Burnt Store Marina is the crown jewel of the Burnt Store corridor. This beautiful gated community contains the largest deep water marina in Southwest Florida, a waterside restaurant, a 27 hole executive golf course, a fitness center, tennis courts, walking and biking trails and more. Its residents enjoy a quality of life that is hard to find anywhere else. The community had successfully recovered from the spate of Hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 but it looked unlikely that it would be able to overcome the even greater devistation in 2006 when their beloved 27 hole executive golf course was unexpectedly closed.

The owner of the Amenities had decided to close the 27 hole executive golf course at Burnt Store Marina without notice. There were several parcels that made the course attractive for development and the owner of the amenities hadn't been running the course with the thought of making it a going business. The costs were kept high to discourage play so that there would be the appearance that the golf club was not supported by the residents which in turn would provide an argument for re-zoning the golf course for residential use. A challenge to the development plan by the residents created a running feud with the owner of the amenities and the future of the golf course at Burnt Store Marina looked bleak at best.

When the rezoning was unsuccessful, the Master Association approached the owner of the amenities with a plan to lease the golf course for 5 years. The lease would be contingent on the residents voting to support a yearly assessment. The subsequent vote ended with the residents supporting the assessment and the golf course re-opened under the management of the Master Association. The residents began to use the club with renewed excitement. However that excitement was not to last. A small group of residents began a series of law suits questioning the legality of the assessments which resulted in over a year of litigation, court cost and legal fees; again the golf course was at risk of closure.

Enter in a group of determined and concerned residents who came up with a plan to form a not-for-profit entity that would run the golf course and use the club house as an activities center. There would be no assessments. Membership to the Golf Club would be voluntary and limited to only those who joined the "activity center". To join, a member would have to agree to pay a one time initiation fee and yearly dues. Only Activity Center members would be eligible to join the golf course as a member. Activity Center members would also get discounts in the pro-shop and in the club house restaurant. The new corporation would rent the facilities from the owner under a lease that was similar to the one the Master Association had negotiated. The only block to the plan was getting enough members to agree to join in advance to make the plan work. With a very short deadline to get this done, the new committee reached out to the local residents and within a very few months had enough commitments to save the golf club!

Thank you everyone, the golf course has been saved. In fact, after only a few months, the activity center and golf course are being well used. Activities are being planned monthly for the club house and the course is in great shape. The biggest benefit to this whole situation is the added sense of community that resulted from everyone getting together to save the course.