A lot has changed in the Bonita Springs/Estero/Naples area since we first bought a home in Hacienda Village in 1981.  Bonita Beach Road was 2 lanes; Page Field was the local airport; I75 stopped in Tampa; and cattle roamed the fields up and down US41. 

Jan and I moved here permanently in 2001, and we never take our new home for granted.  We continue to appreciate the climate, the beaches, the bike paths, the golf courses, etc.  This season, we have hosted 5 different sets of house guests from “up North” who are trying to escape the harsh winter of 2011.  In addition, we are working with buyers from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the East Coast of Florida, and Ontario, Canada.  We get to see our area through their eyes as well.

What our guests/buyers appreciate are sometimes things we tend to overlook, such as the “newness” of everything here.  Nearly everything has been built in the past 25 or so years, including the airport, roads, neighborhoods, churches, restaurants, hospitals, office buildings, schools, parks, golf courses, and retail malls.  Northerners are constantly amazed at the landscaped parkways, palm-lined streets, and lush vegetation in and around the communities.

As recently as 10 years ago, I felt more comfortable having bypass surgery in Indiana rather than Florida.  Today, I am totally impressed with the medical community that has been attracted to our area.  The medical community has come a long way in a short time, bringing some of the best and the brightest to live and work here.  I know of many situations in which “snowbirds” have opted for the doctors and hospitals in Southwest Florida rather than returning to the frigid North.

This season has reminded me why we moved here 10 years ago.  The Bonita/Estero/Naples area is a great place to call home.  

It is still early in the year, but many Realtors (ourselves included) are reporting a significant shift in process.  Buyers are getting serious about buying a home.

Last year there were many buyers who were “just looking”.  There was no sense of urgency, but more of a “maybe next year” attitude.  Well, next year is here and offers are coming in at a quickening pace.  There is now a general sense that the time is right to buy a home in Southwest Florida.

What has changed?  I can think of a few factors that may be pushing buyers over the edge, including:

• A slowing of the distress sales (short sales and foreclosures) coming on the market;
• Financial stability for some of the neighborhood clubs and golf courses;
• An improving national economy with increased consumer confidence;
• An incredibly strong stock market that has recovered most of its losses of the past few years;
• The threat of rising interest rates in the mortgage market;
• The availability of credit for qualified customers;
• A decreasing inventory of desirable homes on the market;
• Stable prices that are showing a hint of upward pressure;
• and A challenging winter “up North” that reminds folks of the benefits of our area.

After more than 5 years of misery in the real estate market, early 2011 has been a breath of fresh air for homeowners and anyone affected by the residential real estate industry in Southwest Florida.  We can only hope that this respite is the beginning of an era of stability and growth in our housing market. 

For most of us, life is a series of partnerships.  We partner with spouses, teachers, business associates, co-investors, and friends with varying degrees of success.  In my experience, the most successful partnerships tend to be the ones in which each partner actively participates to shoulder his or her share of the “responsibilities”.  One-way partnerships with a careless, or lazy, or ineffective partner rarely flourish.  Having practiced law with partners for many years, I have witnessed both kinds of partnerships.

For the past 10 years, I have been involved in a “partnership” with my medical doctors.  In late 2000, my GP detected a heart condition during a routine treadmill test.  My cardiologist performed additional tests and confirmed clogged arteries.  On January 30, 2001, my surgeon performed triple bypass surgery to remedy a life-threatening condition.  They all did a great job, and I owe my life to these medical partners.  I consider myself to be an active partner with them, doing my part of the job as well.  My responsibilities are to eat healthy, exercise, manage my stress, maintain an appropriate weight level, and be examined on a regular basis.  I have been a great partner with my medical team, having biked over 40,000 miles in the past 10 years.  My current level of health and fitness attests to a successful partnership.

Jan and I have worked together for the past 8 years, blending our unique talents and personalities to create a successful real estate partnership.  We support each other.  In turn, we consider ourselves partners with the homeowners and homebuyers we represent.  A successful transaction requires the effective involvement of both the Boeglin Team and the client.

For a homeowner wanting to sell, we can provide hard work, experience, marketing expertise, Coldwell Banker’s global resources, and personal knowledge and connections to get the home sold.  However, if the homeowner does not participate as well, the likelihood of a successful transaction lessens dramatically.  It is the “job” of the homeowner/partner to accept current market conditions and establish a fair price; be honest about the condition of the home; have a professional handyman or contractor address needed fixes; keep the home neat and clean; and be flexible and open about having their home shown to potential buyers.

For a buyer, the Boeglin Team can offer its local experience and expertise, educate on areas and communities, research appropriate homes to see, and visit the selected homes with the buyer in tow.  The buyer, too, is a partner whose job it is to clarify wants and needs; be honest about an affordable price range; provide documentation of pre-approval for a mortgage, or evidence of sufficient cash in the bank; and be realistic.  It is disheartening for one or both of us to spend days communicating with a buyer about wants and needs, researching appropriate communities and homes, making appointments, and driving the “buyers” to 20 or 30 homes only to find out they really can’t afford that price range.  Such disappointments can lead to a stressful dissolution of the partnership.

The Boeglin Team has an 8 year track record of success, working with both sellers and buyers.  Whether you are a homeowner wanting to sell, or a buyer looking to buy, let’s join together to form a successful partnership to accomplish your goals. 

There are many reasons why Jan and I love living in Southwest Florida.  Biking opportunities are high on my list of favorites.  There is always room for improvement, but I have never lived in an area that is so bike-friendly.  The combination of year-round biking climate and availability of bike paths supported reaching my goal of more than 5,000 miles in 2010.

We are fortunate to live within 100 yards of the Lee/Collier County line, and less than 4 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.  I have favorite bike routes North, South, East, and West-depending on the direction of the wind.  My personal preference is to bike into the wind first, and then coast home when I’m tired.  My rides take me as far as the Fort Myers airport to the North, the Naples Pier to the South, the Gulf to the West, and Golden Gate to the East.  Both Fort Myers and Naples have great biking opportunities.

When we have a free day, we sometimes put our bikes on the car and drive to Sanibel.  Sanibel and Captiva have wonderful bike trails for exploring the islands.  Gasparilla Island is also a good destination for biking.  Further North, the Pinellas Trail goes from the Tampa/Clearwater area up to Tarpon Springs.  The Inverness Trail is North of Tampa, and the Gainesville area is blessed with many great bike trails.

If you enjoy biking, and you live in Southwest Florida or are considering a move here, e-mail me for more specific information-or better yet, share your Florida biking experiences with me.  I will be happy to share my favorite bike routes.  It’s a great way to stay in shape and have fun at the same time. 

Many of the homebuyers we worked with in 2004 and 2005 had a sense of urgency about their process—almost a fear that the “baby boomers” would buy up all of the affordable homes in Southwest Florida.  If that happened, they reasoned that they would never be able to afford a home here.  It was a tumultuous time in the Florida housing market, with prices soaring by the week.  Homes were purchased, and sometimes “flipped” within a month for huge profits.

Once the bubble burst, homebuyers pretty much disappeared from Southwest Florida.  Sales came to a near standstill, and some “flippers” began the long walk down Foreclosure Lane.  A very high percentage of home sales were under “distress” conditions.  Many homeowners who were unable to sell ended up owing more on their mortgage(s) than their homes were worth.  This further fueled the foreclosure and short sale scenario. 

Too many developers and home builders turned to Bankruptcy Courts; Wall Street and Banks turned to taxpayers for a bail out.  The housing industry and the mortgage industry dragged the national and world economies down with them.  A large number of brokerage firms went out of business, and real estate boards lost many of their licensed Realtors.  Home values were cut in half, or worse.

Now, in 2011, some of us see a light off in the distance.  We hope and pray it is not attached to an onrushing locomotive.  We think it is the light of recovery and stability in the housing market.  We will know more a year from now.

Homebuyers have returned to Southwest Florida—largely from the Midwest, Northeast, Canada, and Europe–but they seem quite different from the buyers of 6 or 7 years ago.  A sense of desperation is lacking for most current buyers, who are willing to be patient and look at all options before making a commitment.  Many are looking for a home for themselves, rather than a flip for a quick profit.  They see this time as a great opportunity to “pickup” a really nice home at a bargain price.  They don’t expect home prices to double in the next few years, and are taking a long term approach to the ownership of real estate.

For those of us Realtors who have survived the first decade of the 21^st century, this is a refreshing time to be in the real estate business.  We are getting back to basics, and it feels like we are back in the “real world”.  And maybe, just maybe, some of those “baby boomers” are still headed this way.

The 5-year slide in Southwest Florida home prices has been a painful experience for local homeowners.  However, one group’s pain is another group’s gain.  More and more potential home buyers from “Up North” are getting excited about the bargain prices available throughout the Naples, Bonita Springs, and Estero communities.  We consistently get inquiries from Northerners who are ready to “buy a piece of this paradise”.  Unfortunately, some of these folks lack a clear picture of their wants and needs in Florida.  Perhaps this series of questions will be helpful in bringing that picture into clear focus. 

1.    Single Family Home or Condo?  There are pros and cons to each type of housing.  Important considerations may include: 

    a.    How much time do we intend to spend in the home?  Will it be a seasonal home, or our sole residence?  If less than full time, will we want to rent it part of the time to generate income and offset expenses?  Will we allow family and/or friends to use the home when we are away?

    b.    How “social” are we?  Are we OK with a lot of people in a small area, or do we need our privacy and “space”?  Can we live with group decisions of condo associations?

    c.    If less than a full time resident, do we want to “forget about” our home when we are away, knowing that management is handling any hassles that may come up?

    d.    How many cars will be kept here?  Is it important that each vehicle be housed in a garage or carport?  Do we need garage space for other activities, such as hobbies?

    e.    What is traffic like within, and around, the community?  Some communities offer easy access in and out.  Some are located off busy arteries, with significant traffic noise and dangerous traffic patterns.

    f.     How close to home are banks, grocery stores, restaurants, drug stores, medical facilities, retail, professional offices, etc.?  If so inclined, how easy would it be for us to walk or ride a bike to these establishments?

    g.    If we have a strong religious affiliation, where is our likely new church located?

Less than 2 weeks ago, my “TRICKLE DOWN OR CREEP UP?” blog urged Congress and the Administration to work together to deal with the economic problems facing our nation and our housing market.  Little did I know how much impact my blog would have in Washington.  I didn’t even know that anyone in government read my blogs.

Sometimes our prayers are answered.  In fact, the cooperative efforts of Congress and the Administration have settled on a combination of Trickle Down and Creep Up policies.  They have agreed to tackle the sluggish economy from both directions.

The Trickle Down efforts are reflected in the extension of expiring income tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, and a reduction in the Federal Estate Tax.  These measures could result in increased personal spending, improved corporate profits, and trickle down to more jobs for the middle class.

The Creep Up efforts can be seen in the extension of expiring tax cuts to everyone, temporary reduction of Social Security taxes on earned income, renewal of jobless benefits to the unemployed, a child tax credit, and business tax breaks designed to encourage investment.  These measures could result in increased spending, economic expansion, job growth, and a stable housing market.

So, in the spirit of Christmas, and in an effort to be home for Christmas, our lawmakers have come together with a plan that has something for everyone (with the possible exception of the deficit).  Is it a good plan?  Only time will tell.  But in my opinion, a plan is better than no plan.

Thanks to 24/7 News channels, we are witness to a historic political debate that is raging in Washington.  The debate has grave implications for the future of the U.S. economy, and there appears to be general consensus on the goals of:

• Economic expansion
• Job growth
• A healthy and stable housing market
• Inflation under control
• Energy independence and
• All while closing/eliminating the deficit between revenue and expenses

The “right” approach to the economic problems facing this nation is different, based upon the particular perspective of the elected representative in Congress.  In truth, one single approach is probably not the best solution.

One perspective is that the system should be designed for the “haves” to have more, so that they can spend more and therefore stimulate the economy.  This theory pushes corporate profits to higher levels, giving businesses the ability to create more jobs.  With job creation come additional taxpayers.  This in turn should result in more tax revenues which will lead to a balanced budget.  This is sometimes referred to as the “trickle down” theory.  Benefits begin at the top of the “food chain” and then trickle down to the bottom.

A second perspective is that the system should be designed to protect and improve the lot of the “have-nots” and “middle classes”.  This theory allows for their families to pay their bills, spend their income on the essentials, and buy homes.  In turn, this will generate a higher level of economic activity, create additional jobs, bring stability to the housing market, and creep up to enhanced corporate profits and bonuses, economic growth, and higher tax revenues to apply toward the deficit.

The political debate is framed in terms of the positions on such legislation as tax cuts, unemployment benefits, energy policies, and social “safety net” programs.  I trust that the vast majority of our elected representatives have the best interests of America at heart, and simply differ on the basis of perspective or philosophy.  I pray that it is only a small group of our elected representatives who are abusing the debate to sabotage the American economy for political gain.

Until Congress and the Administration decide to work together to solve the huge economic problems facing our country, we will remain “stuck in reverse”.  There are areas of compromise that have the potential to move America forward.  As a Realtor, I fervently hope that the politicians come to their senses very soon.  The housing market can’t handle much more “politics as usual”.

There are lots of great reasons to live in Southwest Florida.  Biking the Islands is high on my personal list of reasons to live here.  We are blessed with great bike paths all over Bonita, Estero, and Naples, but there is something special about biking on Sanibel and Captiva.

Several times each year, we plan a special bike trip.  Last Sunday, Jan and I decided to pass on our usual open house schedule and play hooky.  Our usual bike pals, Val and John, were not available so we invited Barb and Mike.  It was fun sharing our experiences and traditions with them.

It requires careful planning and lots of bungee cords to secure 4 bikes on the rack behind my VW.  Then, it’s a 40 minute drive to the Visitors Center on Sanibel and unwinding the bungee cords to free the bikes.  Once on our bikes, however, it was well worth the effort.

The 4 of us negotiated the bike paths from the Southeast tip of Sanibel to the Northwest tip of Captiva, a distance of 16 miles that took us past quaint island homes, resorts, beaches, and nature preserves. 

After a rest stop at Starbucks near the Captiva tip, we headed back to Sanibel.  Doc Ford’s Rum Bar got in our way on the return trip, and we had no choice but to indulge in a sandwich and beer.  Then, the final leg back to the VW.  If Val and John had been along, we probably would have also stopped at the DQ.

We encountered lots of bikers on the paths during our 32 mile trip.  We laughed about a “traffic jam” of 3 groups of bikers merging at an intersection from 3 different directions.  There was unanimous agreement that it was a wonderful way to experience a day in Paradise.  We don’t believe we missed any home sales because of our playing hooky for a day.

There is an old adage that “It is always darkest before the dawn”.  Well, the summer of 2010 qualified as “the darkest” period in most real estate markets, including Naples, Bonita Springs, and Estero.  Early indications are that this fall may be the “dawn” of a brighter time for Southwest Florida home sales.

Beginning in late September, buyer interest has spiked and contracts are coming together.  Showings of listed homes have been on the increase, possibly due to continued bargain prices in our market.  In the past week, the Boeglin Team has been involved in 5 contracts—2 with buyers and 3 with sellers.  In 2 instances, there were multiple offers.  This is a dramatic turn-around from the long, slow summer, and we feel that this could be the beginning of the end of a 5 year long downward spiral.

It is easy to simply look in the rear view mirror to predict the future.  While the real estate market was soaring upward in the 2003 to early 2006 period, many buyers and sellers just assumed that home prices would continue to soar into the indefinite future because that is what they had been doing.  Since 2006, many buyers and sellers have predicted that future home prices will continue to slide because that is what they have been doing.

If history is any indication, what goes up tends to come down; and what goes down tends to go back up.  Over a long term stretch, the trend has been upward.  It happens regularly with the stock market, and that has also been the pattern of home prices.  The successful investors/homeowners have been the ones who have bought at the lows, and/or sold at the highs. 

In Spanish Wells, almost all of the activity has been on less expensive properties.  Condos (particularly in Marbella) priced in the $200,000 range appear to be the current “hot button”, and if history is any indication, the momentum will eventually spread to the higher end of the market.  For now, we are just happy to have activity.