Collier County is the most charitable county in Florida

Collier County is the most charitable county in Florida

Collier County, Florida has emerged as a beacon of generosity and compassion, claiming the prestigious title of the most charitable county in the Sunshine State. According a new study by SmartAsset, a financial company., the residents of Collier County have showcased an unwavering commitment to giving back to their community. With an impressive array of charitable initiatives, passionate volunteers, and a collective spirit of altruism, this county has set an inspiring example for the rest of Florida and beyond.

Read more about Collier County giving on naplesnewsnow.com

Find your home in southwest Florida! Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Naples, Florida Golf Community Home Values Up as Waiting Lists Grow

Naples, Florida Golf Community Home Values Up as Waiting Lists Grow

Naples, Florida – The real estate market in golf communities in Naples, Florida is booming, with home values soaring higher than the rest of the market. Demand for properties in these exclusive communities has reached such a fever pitch that some hopeful buyers are facing waiting lists of two years or more.

According to Naples Florida Travel Guide, Naples, regarded as the Golf Capital of the World, features over 70 golf courses, ranging from bundled golf to exclusive private clubs. Within the broader Naples area, there are 92 golf courses, which covers Bonita Springs through Naples and on to Marco Island. Furthermore, when you include all of SWFL (Estero and Fort Myers) is home to over 150 golf courses, many of which are nestled within gated neighborhoods.

Properties within these golf course communities come with a wide range of price tags, varying from $400,000 to well over $4 million, depending on factors such as location, size, and features. Some of the most sought-after golf course communities in Naples include Quail West, Grey Oaks, and Talis Park, among others. These communities offer not only exquisite golf courses but also a plethora of amenities such as clubhouses, fitness centers, and more.

The high demand for homes in these golf communities has resulted in waiting lists of two years or more for some lucky buyers. The allure of golf course living in Naples, coupled with the limited supply of available homes, has contributed to this remarkable phenomenon. Consequently, home values in these communities have surged, outpacing the broader real estate market.

Read more about Naples, Florida Golf Communites on naplesnewsnow.com

Contact David to find your home in a southwest Florida golf community. David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Port Royal House is the #1 Most Expensive in May

Port Royal House is the #1 Most Expensive in May

Mark H. Bickel | Naples Daily News

A Naples home in the Port Royal neighborhood is No. 1 on the list for most expensive single-family property transfers in Collier County from May 1-May 31, 2023.

This home is located at 3773 Rum Row. It has five bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms.

Even after Hurricane Ian, property values are rising in Collier County.

Following are the Top 10 real estate sales in Collier County recorded for April 2023:

1. 3775 Rum Row, Naples
List price: $29,000,000
Sold price: $29,000,000
Neighborhood/Subdivision: Port Royal
Size: 9,663
Year built: 2002
Days on market: Zero
Amenities: Bayfront, Boat Dock/Lift, Private Pool/Spa, Built-In Grill
View: Bay

See the rest of the list on naplesnews.com

Are you looking for a home in the Naples-Bonita Springs area of southwest Florida? Email or call David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

NABOR Market Report | April 2023

NABOR Market Report | April 2023

Home Values Continue to Climb in April

Naples, Fla. (May 26, 2023) – The Naples real estate market enjoyed another month of increased home values driven mainly by another month of below typical inventory levels. According to the area’s top real estate brokers, resale home inventory in Naples this year will unlikely spike to levels we enjoyed before the pandemic. However, since 2019, the number of new listings each month has remained fairly consistent, with most months enjoying an average of between 1,100 and 1,300 new listings. According to the April 2023 Market Report by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island), overall inventory increased 64.4 percent in April to 2,868 homes for sale from 1,745 homes for sale in April 2022.

“One factor holding back home sales right now is interest rates,” said Mike Hughes, Vice President and General Manager for Downing-Frye Realty, Inc. “Even though a majority of our sales in Naples are cash transactions, many buyers who own a home up north and want to purchase a home in Naples are having a hard time selling their northern home because the pool of potential buyers that can afford a mortgage at today’s rates is limited.”

Interest rates may also be influencing prospective sellers in Naples who currently enjoy a low interest rate on their mortgage too. In April, new listings decreased 25 percent to 1,116 new listings from 1,488 new listings in April 2022. Though many homes in Naples have doubled in value since 2019, providing sellers with a nice profit to use toward their next home purchase. With a hefty down payment, these sellers can minimize their next home’s mortgage obligation to make monthly payments affordable, even at a higher interest rate.

Interestingly, and according to Cindy Carroll of Carroll & Carroll Appraisers & Consultants, LLC, months of inventory is decreasing in communities off the water and east of I-75; a telltale sign that living in close proximity to the beach is not always a required factor of homeownership in Naples anymore. “In January 2019, Port Royal had 1.3 years of inventory; and today it has 1.3 years of inventory. But in January 2019, the Vineyards had 10 months of inventory; and today it has less than a month.” Carroll went on to add that in some areas east of Collier Boulevard (SR 951) there is less than four months of inventory.

As a result of slow inventory gains this year, pending and closed sales activity simmered slightly in April compared to March. Pending sales decreased 18.4 percent to 1,123 pending sales from 1,377 pending sales in April 2022, and closed sales in April decreased 24.2 percent to 947 closed sales from 1,250 closed sales in April 2022.

While the April report revealed 1,128 price decreases occurred during the month, Hughes said, “some price negotiating is happening, though low ball offers are not a good strategy in today’s tight inventory market.”

The report also showed the area’s overall median closed price is not increasing by double-digits each month anymore. In April, the median closed price for single family homes increased 3.1 percent to $825,000 from $800,000 in April 2022. But it’s a different story in the condominium market, where the median closed price increased 14.3 percent in April to $526,000 from $460,000 in April 2022.

The NABOR® April 2023 Market Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. NABOR® sales statistics are presented in chart format, including these overall (single-family and condominium) findings for 2023: NABOR market report stats April 2023

Find your home in southwest Florida! Contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.

Tommy Bahama marks 30th anniversary…

Tommy Bahama marks 30th anniversary…

Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News

…with idea that began on Bonita Beach

What if we just stayed on vacation forever?

It’s something that many of us fantasize about, but this meditation on life was inspired during a Bonita Springs snowbird season decades ago, leading to the birth of Tommy Bahama.

Although Tommy’s not an actual human, the behemoth Floridian lifestyle brand encompassing products ranging from fashion and home furnishings to food and tropical cocktails is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023.

The founders’ first foray was menswear, hitting store department stores in 1993.

Two years later, what was initially planned as the company’s first standalone retail store changed when a real estate opportunity in Olde Naples proved irresistible.

The brand’s CEO, Doug Wood, credits Barbara Walker of Neapolitan Enterprises for igniting an idea in 1995 when two of Tommy’s co-founders, Tony Margolis and Bob Emfield, wanted to open their first retail store.

It was Margolis, Emfield and their wives who were inspired on Bonita Beach years ago to create the brand.

The gents thought 1,000 square feet, but Walker showed them a space eight times that size.

The result? Two shops, one for menswear, a second for womenswear, both sandwiching what would become the brand’s first-ever restaurant.

From Naples to a National Presence – read the story on Naples Daily News

Contact David to find your home in the Bonita Beach area of southwest Florida. David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.