The most expensive home to sell in Lee County, Florida during January 2012 was a Sanibel single-family home located in the prestigious Gulf Shores community.  This 2,742 SF gulf front home is located at 4449 Waters Edge Lane, Sanibel, FL and features 3 BR / 3 BA.  The selling price was $3.55M / $1,295 SF, which was 91% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Realtor Cynthia Sitton of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty for closing this transaction.

Honorable mention for 2nd most expensive Lee County residential property sold in January 2012 was a single-family home located in Bonita Springs at Bonita Bay.  This 10,505 SF home located at 26091 Mandevilla Drive Bonita Springs, FL features 8 BR / 9.5 BA .  The selling price was $3,148,414/ $300 SF, which was 86% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Douglas Brunner of Premiere Plus Realty for closing this transaction.

In January 2012 there were 14 residential transactions in Lee County with a selling price of $1M or greater, up from nine in December 2011, ten in November,  seven in October and 10 in September 2011.

Here is a resource if you are interested in learning more about Fort Myers luxury homes that are currently listed for sale.

One of the most popular and sought after housing styles in Southwest Florida is a home with a separate cabana or guest suite for hosting the steady stream of cold weather winter visitors.  Most people associate a home featuring a separate guest suite with very expensive luxury real estate……but this is not the case at Bell Tower Park in Fort Myers.

Bell Tower Park courtyard homes offer a separate detached guest cabana featuring a bedroom, bath and breakfast kitchen.  The cabanas/guest quarters/mother-in-law suites are located in the courtyard on the opposite side of the pool from the main house and offer 286 sq. ft. of living space.  A visitor retreat detached from the main house softens the challenge of hosting even the most difficult out of town guests!

Bell Tower Park Courtyard homes are available in the following two floor plans:

Model	Main House	BR	BA	Den	Cabana
Ashford	1,746 SF	2	2	Y	286 SF
Berkshire	2,429 SF	3	3.5	N	286 SF

Bell Tower Park courtyard homes are in high demand and sell quickly when they come on the market.  Here is a resource to view active listings in the Bell Tower Park community.  Our team has sold several of these Bell Tower park homes and is here to assist with your search.

The 524-acre master-planned community of Sandoval is the shining star of the Cape Coral real estate market.  New construction home sales at Sandoval were up 74% in 2011 over the previous year with a total of 120 transactions.  New home permits at Sandoval in 2011 accounted for 44% of all the building permits issued in Cape Coral.

Unlike neighboring Fort Myers, Cape Coral has very few gated communities and the ones that are here tend to be very popular with buyers.  Sandoval offers a resort-style experience with an extensive roster of community amenities for a wide-range of buyer interests.  Residents enjoy the upscale pool, fitness center, sports fields, dog park and two mile linear park that anchors the community.  Sandoval is located off Veterans Parkway for convenient access to Fort Myers, the beaches, RSW and more.

If you are interested in further exploring Cape Coral’s true resort community, here is a resource to view active Sandoval real estate listings.

Ken Wilkinson, Lee County Florida Property Appraiser

The Godfather of Lee County real estate values, Property Appraiser Ken Wilkinson,  plays the straight man in this NBC-2 video about rising home prices in Lee County.  I am highly confident that Ken knows exactly how much prices have gone up…..but doesn’t want to preempt his annual day in the spotlight when he releases this years valuations.

Yes, real estate prices are on the rise in Southwest Florida…….although not by as much as the 2% – 3% per month that was cited in this video.  Last year home prices in Lee County rose by 13%, or just over 1% per month.  Here is a resource to find your new home in Lee County, Florida.

Fort Myers River District High-rise condos  continue to be one of the most active segments of our real estate market.  In 2011, 117 units sold in the six riverfront high-rise developments per data compiled from the Greater Fort Myers and the Beach MLS.

The highest priced unit sold was a 2,230 SF unit located on the 32nd floor of High Point Place which sold for $476,120 / $214 SF.  High Point Place is our pick for the top Fort Myers high-rise as it continues to lead the River District market in both quantity of transactions and selling price per square foot.  Buyers are attracted to the high-end finishes in High Point Place units and also welcome the urban amenities including a Publix that are available right outside the front door.

Here is a summary of Fort Myers River District condos sales activity for 2011:

At an average selling price of $120/SF, Fort Myers riverfront high-rise condos are still a great deal vs. similar condos that are available in other Florida markets.  Here is a resource to view Fort Myers River District real estate listings.  If you are interested in a Fort Myers riverfront high-rise condo, our team is available to provide low-pressure, information-rich assistance.

Sanibel Island topped legendary travel destinations including Bali, Paris and St. Johns as Arthur Frommer’s 2012 favorite places to visit in the world.  It is easy to fall in love with Sanibel during a visit to this beautiful barrier reef island.  Despite the $6.00 LeeWay toll, I always look forward to a trip over the Sanibel Bridge as most of your worries just seem to melt away on this magical island.

The Sanibel beaches are the shining jewel of Southwest Florida and offer of the best shelling experiences possible.  Not to be missed are the eclectic restaurants of Sanibel and the Ding Darllng Nature Preserve.  Many of Sanibel’s residents have come for a visit and decided to stay for a lifetime.  If you are curious about establishing permanent roots on this beautiful island, here is a resource to learn more about Sanibel real estate.

On average it cost just over $21,000 more to purchase a home in the Fort Myers area in 2011 than it did in 2009 with average selling prices increasing from $132,068 to $153,021.  This increase of 15.87% in the average selling price is among the highest in the nation for the 2009 – 2011 time period.

A key factor driving these home price increases was a significant drop-off in 2011 in the number of foreclosed homes hitting the market.  We are also seeing an increase in the percentage of end-user buyers vs. investors participating in the market as investors are finding it challenging to borrow to purchase real estate.

The increase in days on market can be most likely be attributed to the increased scrutiny buyers are experiencing in obtaining financing for their real estate purchases.  It is interesting to note that the average selling price to listing price ratio of 94% has remained virtually unchanged for three consecutive years.

The remaining 577 home sites in Phase Three of Cape Coral’s Sandoval community have been acquired from Bonita Bay Group by Arizona-based builder Taylor Morrison.  Taylor Morrison along with Pulte Homes and D R Horton have already been building within the Sandoval community.

New homes in Phase Three of Sandoval are expected to be available for purchase in 2013.  Currently, there are both new construction and resale options available at Sandoval starting in the mid $100,000s.  Here is a resource to view active Sandoval real estate listings.

In 2011, 18,634 residential properties sold in Lee County for a total of $2.8B in sales.  The average listing price was $163,541 and the average selling price was $153,021.  This represents an average selling price to listing price ratio of 94%.  This average selling to listing ratio of 94% remains unchanged from 2010 and 2009 in Lee County and is an excellent barometer for buyers to keep in mind when making an offer.

Anyone who tells you that banks are accepting offers at 50% of asking price is just not dealing in reality.  If you are interested in finding a discounted home in Southwest Florida, here is a resource to search for Southwest Florida Foreclosures.

$2.9M - Cape Coral's highest-priced home sale in 2011

The highest priced home to sell in Cape Coral in 2011 was a riverfront home located on Riverside Drive in the Yacht Club section of the Cape.  This 10,500 Sq. Ft. home sold for $2,900,000.  In 2011, there were 12 residential home sales in the Cape over a $1m and all were single-family homes.  All of these homes were located in a waterfront setting and were located either south of Cape Coral Parkway or east of Del Prado Boulevard in Cape Coral gulf access neighborhoods.            

             Price                  Address                       Neighborhood   BR    BA    Sq Ft

1. $2,900,000      5649 Riverside Dr                  Yacht Club             6        9       10,500
2. $2,625,000      5845 Armada Ct                      Cape Harbour       5         7       6,690
3. $2,500,000      6054 Tarpon Estates Blvd    Tarpon Point         4         4       4,368
4. $1,300,000      5656 Yardarm Ct                     Cape Harbour       4         4       4,336
5. $1,300,000      5824 Harbour Preserve Cir   Cape Harbour       4         4       4,135
6. $1,250,000       1637 Edith Esplanade            Yacht Club             4         4        5,379
7. $1,250,000      4402 SE 20th Ave                    Gold Coast             5         8        5,006
8. $1,175,000       510 SW 52nd St                        Gold Coast             3         4        3,803
9. $1,135,000       1641 Edith Esplanade             Yacht Club             4          5        4,262
10. $1,125,000        1511 Hermitage Ln                 Hermitage              4         6        3,422

TripAdvisor has named Fort Myers as the #3 Destination on the Rise in its most recent survey of travel destinations.  Fort Myers garnered the top ranking in Florida and only trailed Nashville and Austin on the national scale.

The TripAdvisor report cited deep-sea fishing, golf, beaches and the revitalized downtown River District as top draws.  Other attractions mentioned include the Edison and Ford Estates, Naples, Sanibel and Captiva.

Its great to see Fort Myers get national acclaim as a tourist destination.  I would add our weather, Red Sox and Twins spring training and a world-class airport as other tourist draws for the Fort Myers area.  If you are visiting and decide that you want to make make this your seasonal or permanent home, here is a resource to assist in purchasing Fort Myers real estate.

Morgan Stanley analyst Oliver Chang recently declared that 2012 will be “The Year of the Landlord.”  Chang further elaborated that “Rents are rising, vacancies are falling, household formations are growing and rental supply is limited,” the Morgan Stanley report stated. “We believe the demand for rental properties will continue to grow.”

One of the most interesting markets for owning income property in Southwest Florida is Cape Coral.  This city of 155,000 is located just across the Caloosahatchee River from Fort Myers.  Cape Coral is widely recognized for having affordable property and more importantly from an investor perspective, ones that can generate positive cash flow.

One of the more popular income property options in Cape Coral is a duplex configured with either two or three bedrooms and 2 baths per side.  Some investors elect to live in one side and rent out the other, while others rent out bout sides of the property.  Configurations with three (triplex) four (quadplex) and more units are also currently available in Cape Coral.  Here is a resource to view active Cape Coral income property listings.

The Fort Myers-Cape Coral market was ranked 6th nationally for the increases in the median list price of homes in the October to November 2011 time period.  Median list prices increased 2.69 percent for the month and have increased a whopping 21.63 percent over the last 12 months.  The median list price for a home in our market is now $224,900.

If you are interested in exploring real estate options in the Fort Myers area market, here is a resource to search for Fort Myers real estate.

Maravel at Sandoval Site Plan

The newest neighborhood in Cape Coral’s mater-planned Sandoval community is called Maravel.  This intimate enclave features 138 single-family homes sited around several of Sandoval’s beautiful lakes.

The Maravel community is being constructed by respected national builder Taylor Morrison with prices currently starting in the $160s.  Maravel residents have use of the Sandoval resort-style amenities including Club Sandoval and high speed internet and cable are included in the HOA master fee which is currently set at $168/month.

Maravel at Sandoval has the following six floor plans available:

• Carlisle – 2 BR + Den / 2 BA / 1,472 SF
• Fairfield -  2 BR + Den / 2 BA / 1,744 SF
• Abington -  2 BR + Den / 2 BA / 1,900 SF
• Pinehurst – 3 BR + Den / 2 BA / 2,055 SF
• Chatham – 3 BR + Den / 2 BA / 2,097 SF
• Daphene – 4 BR + Den / 3.5 BA / 2,598 SF

Our team has helped buyers purchase both new construction and re-sale homes in the Sandoval community.  Here is a resource to view active Sandoval real estate listings.

The most expensive home to sell in Lee County, Florida during November 2011 was a Fort Myers single-family home located in the prestigious Miromar Lakes community.  This 8,388 SF home is located at 10421 Via Lombardia Ct, Fort Myers, FL and features 5 BR / 8 BA.  The selling price was $3.7M / $464 SF, which was 74% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Anthony Turco of Prudential Florida Realty for closing this transaction.

Honorable mention for 2nd most expensive Lee County residential property sold in November 2011 was a single-family riverfront equestrian estate located in East Fort Myers.  This 4,273 SF home located at 14310 Bigelow Road, Fort Myers, FL features 3 BR / 5 BA and is sited on 9 acres.  The selling price was $2.1M/ $492 SF, which was 117% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Michael McMurray of VIP Realty Group for closing this transaction.

In November 2011 there were 10 residential transactions in Lee County with a selling price of $1M or greater, up from seven in October on par with 10 in September up from six in August.

Here is a resource if you are interested in learning more about Fort Myers luxury homes that are currently listed for sale.

Miromar Lakes is one of the finest communities in Southwest Florida and offers lifestyle choices for a wide range of tastes and interests.  Mirror Lakes was recognized in 2011 as the Community of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders, the first winner in Florida in 30 years!  Experience the luxury amenities of a five-star resort combined with a tropical climate and convenience of Southwest Florida.

With over 700-acres of freshwater lakes, Miromar Lakes is a dream come true for water enthusiasts who enjoy water skiing, sailing and fishing.  Golfers treasure the Arthur Hill designed “signature” championship course which features Bermuda greens and is playable on a year-round basis.   Residents treasure the communities Beach Clubhouse which offers a dining room or al fresco dining at the water’s edge.

After a day on the water, golf course or tennis courts, relax in the Miromar Lakes spa or get a work out in at the fitness center.  Miromar’s professional concierge service can handle the routine household issues of the day so that you can focus on enjoying life!

Housing options at Miromar Lakes range from luxury waterfront estate homes to waterfront villas and condos along the golf course.  Here is a resource to view active Miromar Lakes real estate.

The Meadows of Estero is a community of 262 coach homes located off US-41 just north of the Coconut Point Mall.  The community is nearing sellout with just seven new coach homes remaining.

There are two floor plans to choose from in the remaining inventory of new coach homes.  Floor plan options are a 2 BR / 2.5 BA / 2,011 SF  and a 3 BR / 2.5 BA / 2,878 SF configurations.  Both floor plans have attached two-car garages.

Amenities at this 50-acre development include a clubhouse, fitness center and pool.

Here is a resource to learn more about this community and view available Meadows of Estero real estate.

Gulf Harbour is a master-planned, gated community located on historic McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers, Florida.  Comprised of 18 distinct neighborhoods in a 547-acre waterfront setting, Gulf Harbour offers upscale living in a convenient location close to the beaches and Downtown Fort Myers.

Boaters, golfers and tennis enthusiasts can enjoy the world-class facilitates of this much-beloved community.  Gulf Harbour offers a wide range of housing options from the exclusive riverfront Edgewater neighborhood of single-family homes to luxury high rise condos at Palmas Del Sol and The Paramount to coach home enclaves…..there is an option for every lifestyle choice.

2011 has been a busy year for real estate within the gates of the Gulf Harbour community.  So far this year, 95 properties have changed hands at Gulf Harbour.  Prices range from a low of $77,500 for a 2 BR / 2 BA / 1,172 foreclosed condo in Rivers Edge to a high of $3.25M for a 5 BR / 6 BA / 7,256 SF riverfront home in Edgewater Estates.

Here is a resource to view active Gulf Harbour real estate listings.  Our team is very active in this community and can be helpful in narrowing and expediting your search for a new Gulf Harbour home.

One of the more popular purchase options this year for buyers in the Fort Myers area has been homes in newer golf communities.  Buyers are attracted to the pristine and up-to date courses, modern clubhouses and new construction or slightly used housing options.  These communities offer the opportunity to move right in and quickly get acclimated into a social structure that hasn’t stratified over many years.

Two local communities with significant activity this year are The Plantation and Verandah.  Both offer championship-caliber golf, upscale amenities and both new and re-sale housing options.

The Plantation

The Plantation is a newer upscale community which will have 1,100 homes at full build-out .  The community has two discreet neighborhoods: the golfing community of Somerset and the non-golfing enclave of Bridgetown.  Housing options at the Plantation include estate homes, single-family homes, carriage homes and villa homes.

An 18-hole Hurdzan-Fry championship course anchors the Somerset golfing community.  The course is complimented by a 38,000 sq. ft. clubhouse finished to resemble a British colonial manor house.  Within the clubhouse, Dartington’s offers a restaurant and bar for dining, socializing and relaxing.

The Plantation is located on Treeline Avenue off Daniels Parkway in Fort Myers.  This location is convenient to RSW Airport, shopping, dining and entertainment in Estero and  Downtown Fort Myers.

Year-to-date, 16 homes have sold in the Plantation community.  Selling prices have ranged from $132,000 for a 2 BR / 2 BA / 1,654 SF foreclosed villa  to $470,000 for a 4 BR / 4 BA / 3,193 SF home with a pool and water views.  Here is a resource to learn more about The Plantation and view active listings in this community.

Verandah

Verandah is an upscale master-planned country club community offering 36-holes of championship golf.  The community encompasses 1,456 acres along the Orange River in East Fort Myers and will feature approximately 1,700 homes at full build-out.  Verandah housing options include custom estate homes, single-family homes, detached villas and coach homes in 18 unique neighborhoods.

Verandah is a golfers paradise with a course designed by Bob Cupp and Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II.  The Nicklaus designed course  was recently named one of the top five private course in the country by Golf Inc. Magazine.  Amenities at Verandah include a club house, waterfront restaurant, fitness center, tennis and riverfront boat house.

Verandah is located in East Fort Myers, two miles east of Interstate I-75 on State Route 80.

Year-to-date, 74 homes have sold in the Verandah community.  Selling prices have ranged from $74,900 for a 3 BR / 2.5 BA / 1,704 SF foreclosed coach home to $834,867 for a 4 BR / 3.5 BA / 3,654 SF riverfront estate home.  Here is a resource to learn more about Verandah and view active listings in this community.

The Preserve at Corkscrew is Southwest Florida’s newest community featuring 440 new homes in Estero.  Located on Corkscrew Road between Wildcat Run and Bella Terra, offers an exciting opportunity to buy in a completely new community with an extensive roster of amenities.

The Preserve at Corkscrew developer is Cameratta Properties, who developed High Point Place on the Fort Myers Riverfront.  Cameretta is teaming with respected national builder Pulte Homes who recently released floor plans for the Preserve at Corkscrew which include:

Garden Series:  1,641 – 2,211 Sq. Ft. | 3 Bedrooms – 3 + Den | 2 - 2.5 Baths | 2 Car Garage l 50′ Homesites

Classic Series:  1,939 – 3,564 Sq. Ft. | 2 – 5 Bedrooms + Den | 2 – 3.5 Baths | 2 – 3 Car Garage l 60′ Homesites

Estate Series:  2,404 – 3,078 Sq. Ft. | 3 – 4 Bedrooms + Den | 2 – 3 Baths | 2 - 3 Car Garage | 75′ Homesites

Pricing for these floor plans has not yet been released.  Here is a resource to learn more about the Preserve at Corkscrew in Estero Florida.

The News-Press reports that the city of Cape Coral is considering the interconnection of the Rubicon Canal with the Bimini Basin.  This would involve extending the Rubicon Canal across both SE 47th Terrace and Cape Coral Parkway.  Interconnection methodologies under consideration include a fixed bridge, draw bridge or a tunnel.

This interconnection would be a major boon to the all the homes and condos located along the Rubicon Canal and all the canals that feed into it.  Access to the Caloosahatchee River and the Gulf would be significantly shortened for residents of the Rubicon area.  This change is expected to increase the desirability for boaters to purchase in this area, resulting in higher valuations and ultimately increased property tax revenues.  The City of Cape Coral is currently evaluating how much these potential revenue increases might be and the feasibility of issuing a bond to fund this project.

This proposed Rubicon-Bimini interconnection is one of those ideas that just seems to make sense.  The canal system in the Cape is one of the City’s biggest assets and the opportunity to significantly improve the desirability of the Bimini neighborhood is a powerful idea.  If you are curious about real estate in this part of Cape Coral, here is a resource to view active Rubicon Canal condo listings.

Our region scored a 2.09 on the Trulia Index for a 5th place ranking nationally.  The Trulia data supports user trending on our popular Greater Fort Myers website which has had heavy traffic throughout 2011 including the typically slower summer months.  Visitors to our site are heavily dominated by the Midwest and Northeast regions.  After Florida, the top five states whose residents are visiting our website are: New York; Ohio; Illinois, Massachusetts and MIchigan.  No surprise that these are all cold weather states with blistery, snowy winters.

With several million baby-boomer generation Americans retiring each year, the ongoing interest in Southwest Florida is both predictable and understandable.  The strong draw to the Fort Myers region is driven by a number of factors including tropical weather, rock-bottom prices, Gulf beaches, year-round golfing and boating, spring training baseball and a modern international airport.

Wow, it sure feels good to type “Fort Myers” and “turn-around market” in the same sentence.  We are no longer the ugly-duckling, poster child for the housing bust……but rather one of the markets leading the nation’s real estate recovery.

Realtor.com ranked the Fort Myers-Cape Coral market third nationally in its October 2011 Turnaround Report.  A key driver in this ranking was that over the last year, median prices in the Fort Myers market have increase by nearly 33%.  A major factor contributing to the price increases is the significant slowdown in the number of foreclosed homes hitting the market.  Over the past couple of years, distressed listings have dominated the Fort Myers MLS.  This is no longer the case as regular listings are currently propelling the market.

The surge in market activity is being driven by baby-boomer and pre-retirement second homeowners.  Many are paying cash and looking towards Florida real estate as a means  to diversify their portfolio of assets.  International buyers are also a key driver with many Canadians and Europeans currently active in the market.

The most expensive home to sell in Lee County, Florida during October 2011 was a Fort Myers single-family home located on the prestigious waterfront community of Palmetto Point.  This 6,683 SF home is located at 4841 Conover Ct, Fort Myers, FL and features 5 BR / 5.5 BA.  The selling price was $3.1M / $464 SF, which was 78% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Realtor Melissa D. Farmer  of Christiano Realty for closing this transaction.

Honorable mention for 2nd most expensive Lee County residential property sold in October 2011 was a single-family gulf-front home located on Bonita Beach.  This 4,384 SF home located at 26444 Hickory Boulevard, Bonita Springs, FL features 5 BR / 5.5 BA.  The selling price was $2.55M/ $582 SF, which was 91% of the asking price.

Congratulations to selling Realtor Renee L. Moore of Keller Williams Elite Realty for closing this transaction.

In October 2011 there were seven residential transactions in Lee County with a selling price over $1M, down from 10 in September up from six in August and down from 13 in July.

Here is a resource if you are interested in learning more about Fort Myers luxury homes that are currently listed for sale.

Interested in a great buy on a place to call home in Fort Myers, but don’t want to deal with the trials and tribulations of purchasing a foreclosure or short sale?   The gated community of Bella Casa may be an option for you with brand new condos currently available for $79,999.

Bella Casa is a controlled-access, gated community of 200 condos in ten Mediterranean-style, mid-rise buildings.  Bella Casa is located off Plantation Road in the highly desirable Daniels Corridor area of Fort Myers.  Bella Casa amenities include a pool, clubhouse, fitness center, butterfly garden and tennis courts.

Currently, there are six Bella Casa units listed for sale including both new construction and resale options.  Here is a resource to view active Bella Casa real estate listings.  Our team is ready to assist if you would like additional information about Bella Casa or would like to tour the community.

With median list price increases of 34.56%, Realtor Magazine has named the Fort Myers-Cape Coral market as the top market nationally for real estate price increases for 12-month period ending September 2011.  Southwest Florida dominated the price increase list with Naples and Punta Gorda also in the top five.

Price increases have been driven by a number of factors including the rapid decline in the quantity of new foreclosure listings hitting the market. In the field we are seeing a significant number of clients who put off buying in the previous couple of years but are now jumping into the market with both feet.  The overwhelming majority of these buyers are purchasing a second home and a large percentage are cash buyers.

Clients are buying across all sectors with new construction being the most popular.  Many new communities are now building out the remaining homesites and it is currently possible to get a brand new home or condo at a price point competitive with a five or more year-old resale.

Major price reductions at Tarpon Landings have drawn buyers like steel to a magnet to this Cape Coral luxury waterfront high-rise project.  Buyers are attracted to the large floor plans which are a minimum of 2,888 SF and the wonderful waterfront views.

Currently, Tarpon Landings II (6061 Silver King Blvd) has an inventory of eight units still available out of the 70 total units.  Prices for available units start at $340,000 for a 2nd floor Bonaire (2,970 SF) model.  The penthouse, 12th and 11th floor units are gone at Tarpon landings II, but there still are two units left on the 10th floor.  At present over 30 units are still available at the Tarpon Landings III (6021 Silver King Blvd) high-rise tower.

Our team is available to assist in your search for a Tarpon Landings condo unit and we offer the following resource to view active Tarpon Landings real estate listings.  Additionally, here is a resource to view Tarpon Landings floor plans.

The Montreal Gazette highlights the significant number of Canadians buying property right now in the State of Florida.  In the 12-month period from mid-2010 to mid-2011, 10% of all homes sold in Florida were purchased by Canadians.

The Gazette highlights five regions in Florida that Canadians are concentrating their second home buying: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater; Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach; Orlando-Kissimmee; Naples-Marco Island and Cape Coral-Fort Myers.  Two thirds of all Canadian home purchases were in these five areas.

Over 90% of the Canadian home purchases were all cash and the median price of home purchased was $151,000.  The Cape Coral-Fort Myers region was cited as a region to look for bargains, particularly if you are priced out of the Naples market.

Many of the very best deals are homes that have been foreclosed and now bank owned.  Here is a resource that Canadian buyers can utilize to target Southwest Florida foreclosure listings.

Wink News covers the explosion of new businesses opening in recent months in the Downtown Fort Myers River District. While this has been a real long time coming…….it sure feels good to see the area gaining momentum and becoming something more than the seat of the Lee County Government and a home to hundreds of empty condos.  Everyone agrees that the street closings for new pavers sidewalks and planters were an inconvenience epic proportions over several years, but the fruits of this effort are real……Downtown Fort Myers now has a beautiful streetscape that is welcoming workers, residents and guests.

One of the lifestyle trends gaining meaningful momentum across the country is a move to living in an urban environment where residents can enjoy life without 100% dependence on an automobile.  Many American cities are experiencing an inner-revitalization and it sure feels like Fort Myers deserves a seat at the urban revitalization table.

While riverfront high-rises like High Point Place and the Oasis get much of the downtown real estate ink, there are a multitude of interesting options for urban living in Fort Myers.  Historic Dean Park is home to about 70 eclectic single-family homes built in the early 20th century, many of which have been meticulously restored to their original grandeur.  The River District is also home to one of the area’s few loft-style projects, Earnhardt Condominiums.

If you are interested in learning more about Downtown Fort Myers real estate options, here is a resource to search for a new condo or home in the Fort Myers River District.

North Star has desireable large floor-plan waterfront condos with either 2 BR + Den or 3 BR configurations. Unit finishes include 9 ft ceilings, generous balconies, GE Profile Appliances, granite and over-sized tiling,

The North Star community is anchored by a marina with deep-water slips that can accommodate vessels up to 55 ft. Amenities include a club house, fitness center, pool and spa, pool-side cabanas, tennis, putting green volleyball, sandy beach and a marina boardwalk.

Year-to-date in 2011, 19 condos have sold at the North Star Yacht Club ranging in price from $215,000 – $478,900 with an .average selling price of $146 Sq. Ft. Here is a chart detailing 19 sales during 2011 YTD at the North Star Yacht Club:

Here is a resource to view the active North Star Yacht Club listings. Our team has sold several condos at the North Star Yacht Club and is available to assist if you are interested in making an investment in this or other Fort Myers high-rise developments.