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Bill Gillhespy Fort Myers Beach Realtor

Fort Myers Beach Volley Ball Tournament - 2009

Whether you play beach volley ball or just like to watch it you are in luck this week end June 6 & 7, 2009. The tournament takes place on Fort Myers Beach in front of the Holiday Inn. Two person teams will compete in the pro and non-pro divisions. Pros start Saturday morning at 8 AM and expect to crown a champion by end of day. The non-pro teams start Sunday morning and conclude by dusk.

2009 Fort Myers Beach Volley BallFort Myers Beach Volley Ball Torunament - 2009

Action started early after some morning rain !

Fort Myers Beach competition is fierce !

Perfect weather, great " eye candy " and tough competition on Fort Myers Beach !

Number one seed looking good !

Grab a lawn chair and head for the Holiday Inn on Fort Myers Beach for the volley ball action.

Interested in learning more about Fort Myers Beach ?

Bill Gillhespy

239 699-7128

www.BillSellsFortMyersBeach.com

Fort Myers Beach Elementary FCAT scores are tops !

The latest FCAT ( Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests ) scores for third graders show outstanding results for the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School ! The tests are given state wide and results provide a glimps into the effectiveness of local schools.

"We work very hard and sometimes it shows, as it has this year," said Fort Myers Beach Principal Larry Wood, who saw 100 percent of his school's third-graders score at grade level or higher in math and 95 percent of the class do so in reading.

"We've got a great staff and tremendous support from our community and parents," Wood said. "We're very proud of our kids."

The local elementary is supported by a great staff and parent support groups. Congratulations to all of the kids and staff !

Wordless Wednesday - Much needed rain headed for Fort Myers Beach

Fort Myers Beach gets plenty of sun shine. We also need some rain for the farmers, reservoirs, etc. Shot with a Nikon D80, 18-135 tele lens. Can you see the rain ? Can you feel it, smell it ?

Thunder storm off Fort Myers Beach

April 2009 Market Report for Fort Myers & Southwest Florida

The latest sales figures for Southwest Florida and in particular the greater Fort Myers area confirm what agents have said for some months now: The market continues to rebound and show continued support. Statistics are from the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach as of May 14, 2009.

April home sales were up 105.5% year to year with 1,406 existing single-family homes sold, compared to 684 in April '08. Pending sales improved 60.2% year to year, with 2,368 single-family homes pending versus 1,478 a year ago,

Of significance is the drop in the number of single family homes listed on the MLS (at the end of April, there were 8,665 active listings of existing single-family residential properties compared to 12,324 a year ago, a decline of 29.7%). The supply of single-family homes shrunk to 3.7 months, which is less than half of what it was a year ago, when the supply was 8.3 months.

If you have any interest in ownership opportunities call me ASAP 239 699-7128 Those choosing to wait for the " Bottom " may have already missed it !

If you are considering selling now would be a great time to get your property listed.

The predictions that it would take several years to clear out the distressed properties was clearly wrong. There will be additional distressed listings making their way to the market as mortgage problems continue but the buyers have shown an appetite for them. The only snag now is the inability of banks and lenders to efficiently process the offers and get them to a closing !

Fort Myers Beach Housing Appreciation 2000 - 2008 A whopping 84 %

People ask how well our market has performed over time . If you read the chart below you see the answer is an impressive 84 % appreciation ! And that includes the current market.

Importantly, it underscores the importance of a medium or longer term view of real estate on Fort Myers Beach. As a Fort Myers Beach Realtor my job also includes helping potential buyers find the right property at the right price !

Currently, our market favors the buyer. There are many excellent deals available in condos, Gulf front homes and canal homes. This " Buyers' Market " is driven by three things:

1. Plenty of excellent inventory.

2. Historically low financing.

3. Sellers who appreciate a well qualified buyer.!!!

Questions or comments ? Bill 239 699-7128

2000 through 2008 Year End
Fort Myers Beach Market History of Resale Residential Properties
Including: Estero Island, Lover's Key and San Carlos Island
Listing Volume Selling Volume Sale Price as a Number Average Percentage
Year of Properties Sold of Properties Sold % of List Price of Sales Sale Price Change
2000 $ 57,803,232.00 $ 55,759,700.00 96% 251 $ 222,150.20 13%
2001 $ 53,070,700.00 $ 50,949,768.00 96% 191 $ 266,752.71 20%
2002 $ 72,786,936.00 $ 69,364,720.00 95% 198 $ 350,326.87 31%
2003 $ 120,332,832.00 $ 115,375,760.00 96% 300 $ 384,585.87 10%
2004 $ 141,909,024.00 $ 137,670,816.00 97% 300 $ 458,902.72 19%
2005 $ 171,594,080.00 $ 166,631,904.00 97% 300 $ 555,439.68 21%
2006 $ 116,436,848.00 $ 109,541,800.00 94% 181 $ 605,203.31 9%
2007 $ 111,342,384.00 $ 101,202,144.00 91% 187 $ 541,187.94 -11%
2008 $ 112,382,848.00 $ 100,359,776.00 89% 228 $ 440,174.46 -19%
2009 Year to date average price $ 395,949.00 -10%
84%
The Information was compiled by CENTURY 21 TriPower Realty and taken from The
Greater Fort Myers and The Beaches Multiple Listing Service.