Marcia Hawken - Naples Luxury Specialist

NAPLES INTERNATION FILM FESTIVAL BEGINS TONIGHT

I am so excited. I can walk to the Naples Philharmonic Hall from my condo in Pelican Bay. How good is that? All the elite and alert of Naples will be at the Gala tonight. Last years featured film, The Cove won an academy award. We were so thrilled to have promoted it at Naples own film festival. Let's hope The Thespians, tonights film, will do as well. See you there?

61ST ANNUAL SWAMP BUGGY BUDWEISER FALL CLASSIC IN NAPLES

When you think of Naples Florida, you think luxury, multi-million dollar houses, beachfront condos, upscale restaurants and entertainment. Swamp buggy is not something associated with this affluent community.

There are lots of fun, offbeat things to do in Naples and the Swamp Buggy Fall Classic one of my favorites.

There are twelve classes and feature races in the weekend event. The top buggies have modified engines with as much as 800 horsepower. Food is also part of the fun. Giant smoked turkey legs, funnel cakes and tropical popcorn are a few of the local foods for sale at the event. You can also buy a Red Neck Yacht Club t-shirt or a mighty fine hat.

Kicking off the weekend is a parade in Olde Naples on Saturday morning before the time trials and it is the largest of Naples parades and we have many. There is a Swamp Buggy Queen. This year's queen was Christa Jo Roberts. There is a traditional Queens Mudbath. The winner of the Pro Modified 2-wheel drive ,Dan Greenling picked up the queen and the two jump into the chilly oily water to the crowd's delight. Sunday's race was the first leg of the 2010-11 Budweiser Cup Series points championship. The second leg is scheduled for Jan 29-30 and the finale will be the first weekend in March. Don't miss it, it's a lot of fun.

Pelican Bay has such a lovely beach with white soft sand. One of the most delicate plants on the beach are sea oats. How do they withstand the heat of the summer and the tropical storms off the Gulf of Mexico that we have so often in Southwest Florida? Isn't nature amazing?

I walk the beach in Pelican Bay every morning. The water on the Gulf of Mexico is very calm and shallow off of Naples Florida. And warm. This week it is 83 degrees. Our beach at Pelican Bay is wonderful for families, as you do not have to worry too much about heavy surf. I had to smile seeing this person with this board. Looks like a surfboard, but is it? He paddled for miles.

WOULD YOU TURN DOWN A THREE MILLION DOLLAR LISTING ON THE GULF OF MEXICO?

Sounds crazy, doesn't it! Why would anyone in their right mind turn that down? It is on Gulfshore Blvd, in the Parkshore area of Naples. Prime real estate. Right on Doctors Pass, with a boat dock, two minutes from the Gulf.

HERE ARE THE SELLERS TERMS:

• NO INTERNET: They want no pictures on the Internet because they are afraid someone will go on the beach and rob them. No video, virtual tour. No nothin. That Facebook stuff and Twitter is just for teenagers and will not help sell their property. Theirs is too high end for that stuff.
• NO KEY: As the listing broker, you will not be issued a key to your listing. You will have to go to the gate and give your license to the security guard to obtain a key Never mind that you have successfully sold in the building many times. And the elderly guard can't move to quickly and more often has stepped away for lunch or the rest room which is away from his guard gate
• NO SHOWINGS ON WEEKENDS: Also, no showings on holidays. No showings when they have house guests. In Naples if you have any friends, that is every week that friends and family are escaping the cold in the North. Holidays? That is when buyers fly in to look at property in Florida.
• NO OPEN HOUSES: Well, I will give them this one. Many luxury high-rise condos in Naples do not allow open houses for fear of letting people into a building unescorted.
• UNUSUAL FLOORPLAN: The sellers took two apartments and made it into one. Problem is, it is an up and a down. They built a staircase that chops the condo in two and makes it very dark when buyers are expecting to see this bright, light open expanse to the beach.
• TOO MUCH FURNITURE: Lots of antiques, and stuff. In fact, clutter everywhere. Nice stuff, but just too much of everything. You can't see the property for pictures and nick knacks everywhere.
• UNREALISTIC PRICE: They phoned you to take the listing because you come highly recommended from past clients in the building. Never mind, that the others you sold were newly renovated, and attractively furnished. They also put two condos together twenty five years ago with little or no renovations since then. Their math says their place is worth twice the others. Oh, they do have a European, expensive kitchen. Problem is, the cupboards are red and the granite a strange color.
• TALK TOO MUCH: These are the clients who will take up at least an hour per conversation. They want to tell you how to sell their property, all the past history on the condo and on and on and on. They do not understand that you are with clients and cannot pick up on every call. Huge time drains when you could be working with willing sellers. I could see the stress factor shoot through the roof.
• WAIT, THERE'S MORE: They wanted to market it to their friends and neighbors first, and on and on and on. We had not gotten to commission.
• JUST SAY NO! Yup, I did. Felt good too. I explained that I thought their property was lovely, however, they would be hiring me to use all the tools I had in my arsenal and could not do it with one hand behind my back. Or two. I also told them I was running a business. I would invest in them. Time and money. I was being brutally honest but had their best interest at heart. Perhaps they should think about it a bit.

1. In this market we all like to chase after listings, or do we? What would you do?