Susan Ball

Are you tired of all the doom and gloom on network news and in the papers? I know I am. Yet, even our local paper tends to sensationalize the negative issues of the day. Instead, I'd like to share some positive points about the real estate market in my home town of Cape Coral, Florida.

1. Today's weather is sunny, clear and temperatures in the 70s.
2. The SW Florida region leads the state in International Buyer Sales.
3. November marks the 5^th month in a row that unit sales (number of homes sold) exceed any previous year's sales
4. The ratio of list price to sale price is climbing (currently 96.33%)
5. Vacant land sales were up 36% over November 2007 in number of units sold
6. Foreclosure sales represent 62% of all home sales in November and selling ratio is 98.51% of list price in that group
7. Foreclosures and short sales represent only 11% of the listings on the market, yet they are 78% of all November sales
8. 47% of all homes sold in Cape Coral sold for under $100,000 in November
9. 85% of all homes sold in Cape Coral sold for under $200,000 in November

Although November was a tough real estate market in the nation, as sales units were down 20%. Yet, here in Cape Coral, our units sold were up 162%! Southwest Florida continues to be a featured topic on national news and business programs.

As a prospective property owner in Southwest Florida, one couldn't pick a better time to buy. Imagine your dream home at 30% off! We are finding many future retirees purchasing a second home property as an vacation home, investment, or seasonal rental and capitalizing on the opportunities here.

We welcome your calls and emails and would be happy to help you find the ideal property in our waterfont community!

Buyers can't wait until "Season." Our sales traffic and the number of calls and appointments in our office show that buyers are not waiting until January, February and March to make purchases this year. Instead, they have been looking on the Internet and making fall trips to Florida, buying homes at great prices before the competition arrives.

Over 3500 homes for under $100,000. I checked our Multiple Listing Service today. There are over 3500 homes with list prices under $100,000 that are currently available for sale. What kind of house is that? On average, the home is a 3 bedroom home with 1422 square feet of living area listed for $76,000. Not interested in an old, fixer-upper? Note that almost 2000 of the homes on that list were built after the year 2000.

What about getting a loan? My partner, Rob Ricca, and I have been working with many buyers lately that are using financing. Our clients range from first-time buyers using FHA mortgages (only 3% down) to buyers who have obtained 30-year loans for less than 6% fixed interest. We have a number of lending sources to share with interested buyers that need financing.

Isn't real estate investing risky? Just as with any investment, it is wise to study before you buy. We can help you with the research. Are you considering a purchase for rental income and tax benefits? Are you interested in buying a vacation home? What about purchasing land at historically low prices? Is that a good idea? We'd be happy to hash out the pros and cons of any of these scenarios with you. There are some really great land deals and some terrific home buys that can provide you with instant equity.

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Tell your friends and family! If you've heard them talking, tell them to start their search today. We are seeing the best values leave the market after less than a week of activity. Call us today for a consultation and we can start sending properties via email.

Happy Thanksgiving! To all of our clients, families and friends, we wish you a Happy and Thoughtful Thanksgiving. We are grateful for all of the blessings we've received this year and wish the same for you!

According to data supplied by RealtyTrac, Irving, CA, the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area is in second place nationwide, following Las Vegas in the number of foreclosures for October 2008. The data places Florida in 3rd place nationally, following Arizona and Nevada.

As a full-time Realtor® in Cape Coral, I can report a brisk week in buyer traffic in our Coldwell Banker office. On Tuesday, it was challenging to find a parking space. On Wednesday, I received a call from a California buyer who immediately put an offer in on a piece of bank-owned property after a 10-minute telephone conversation. The buyer is slated to have immediate equity in the purchase, since the property includes central utilities on site, which are assessed at an amount higher than the purchase price of the property.

Anyone interested in purchasing single-family homes, condominiums, or vacant land should be poised to act quickly by preparing for their financing ahead of time. Quality bank-owned properties are moving quickly and the ready buyer is most appealing to the title holders.

Search foreclosures in Florida with a Click or call me at 239-246-0167 for more information!

Yesterday afternoon, I had the honor of placing 300 flags throughout the streets of my neighborhood. The project is one I have done for the past 6 years, placing American flags next to the mailboxes of 300 of my neighbors. What made it so special yesterday were a couple of things: I was assisted by two high-school seniors, Esma and Adrian, neither of whom were born in the United States. Esma is from Bosnia and Adrian is from Hungary. Both are American citizens today and spent yesterday honoring those that have given military service to their adopted country. Secondly, it was the wonderful reaction we enjoyed from a number of the Veterans in the neighborhood. They came outdoors and thanked us for our gesture, one of them even offering money to pay for the flag. They were Veterans of the Korean War and the Vietnam War, happy to be remembered and honored with the gift of a flag.

Today, remember those that have served our great country. Recognize those that continue to serve. Show your support and fly the flag today!

It sure is an exciting time in SW Florida! Here in Cape Coral, we have been featured on many national news programs within the past month. Coverage is in regard to the fantastic opportunities that exist for buyers of single family homes, condominiums and vacant land.

Let me share a few preliminary statistics for the month of September: 55% of the current properties for sale are "short sales." (If you are unclear about what a short sale is, call me and I will explain the details) 11% of the current properties for sale are bank-owned properties. Banks do not wish to own residential real estate and negotiating with banks can be very easy, relatively fast and lucrative.

Cape Coral presently has over 1160 single family homes for sale with list prices under $100,000! The price per square foot is on the rise. We're seeing an upward tick in pricing. What this means is that many of the larger homes that were really attractive in price have been snatched up.

Coldwell Banker leads all real estate companies in Southwest Florida in the number of closed sales. We have the inventory, we have the knowledge. Smart people taking advantage of the market are obtaining the necessary funding or cash and buying up the best of the best at an average discount of 33% year-over-year.

Please, if you've thought of owning a home, whether it is your first home, an investment property, or vacation home, this is a fantastic time for you to act. Let us know if we can help!