American Sandsculpting Championship – Fort Myers Beach September 30, 2009
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle, Southwest Florida Community Spotlights.Tags: fort myers beach, fort myers events, fort myers sandsculpting festival
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The 2009 American Sandsculpting Championship and Beach Festival continues to be one of the most popular, family-friendly events in Florida — attracting over 100,000 attendees. The annual event, now in its 23rd year, owes much of its success to the area’s natural resources, which are considered the best in the world for sand sculpting events.
The combined lineup of Master Sculptors participating this year, hold an amazing 27 World Sandsculpting Champion Titles and 18 American Sandsculpting Champion Titles.
This year’s event takes place Nov 3-8. Click here to view the festival schedule.
Fort Myers, Sanibel Online Visitor’s Guide September 23, 2009
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Real Estate, SW Florida Lifestyle.Tags: captiva islands, fort myers beach, lee county visitors guide, sanibel beach, travelling to lee county florida
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From arts, to beaches and fishing, to full color photos of southwest Florida wildlife, this searchable online travel guide is brimming with useful and fun information. It’s a robust 150 pages complete with restaurant and accommodation directories, maps, and area history.
Checking Out Cape Coral? May 1, 2009
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle, cape coral homes.Tags: cape coral parks, cape coral things to do, Cape Harbour, jaycee park, rotary park, sunsplash park
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For those visiting Cape Coral Florida for the first time, here are a few of our favorite places to check out while you are touring the area.
Cape Harbour – Dining, Shopping, Marina.
View Cape Harbour information and location now.
Rotary Park – Nature Center, Trails, and Dog Park
Get Rotary Park Map Location
Yacht Club – Beach, Pavillion, Marina
Get Yacht Club Map Location
Jaycee Park, along the Caloosahatchee River
Get Jaycee Park map location.
Sunsplash Waterpark - Family Fun
Cape Coral Holiday Boat-A-Long – 32nd Annual December 8, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, SW Florida Lifestyle.Tags: cape coral events, cape coral holiday boat parade, christmas boat parade
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Cape Coral Holiday Boat-A-Long
December 21, 2008
32nd Annual Cape Coral Holiday Boat-A-Long
Four Freedoms Park- 4818 Tarpon Court
4:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M.
Boat Parade starts at 7:00 PM
One of our favorite things about the holidays in Florida is the annual Christmas Boat Parades. Creativity abounds as local boaters deck out their vessels with lights, costumes, music and holiday cheer.
At Four Freedoms Park in Cape Coral, landlubbers gather in the Bimini Basin before the boats begin meandering through the canals of south Cape Coral. Along with providing an ideal seat to watch the illuminated vessels, the park features live holiday music, decorated trees, Christmas crafts, food and beverages for sale.
Geo’s Italian Restaurant Now Open In Cape Coral November 5, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.2 comments
Geo’s Italian Restaurant brings a wealth of family owned and operated, community based, experience to Cape Coral. The owners, George and Lauren Lukas, Rear Admiral Richard (NOAA, ret.) and Alisa Behn, are all in the community as residents of Cape Coral.
The Lukas’ have previously been part of the highly successful chain of italian resteraunts which their success lead to George Lukas being selected as the Olney Business Person of the Year for 2006. Geo’s has a wealth of expertise when it comes to the many challenges of starting and running a successful business, like how to combine fresh ingredients- to create authentic Italian dishes that you’ll enjoy sharing with your family & friends.
Red Sox Spring Training to Stay in Fort Myers November 2, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
From the News-Press, Nov 2, 2008
The Boston Red Sox signed a deal Saturday with Lee County that could keep the team in Lee County beyond the middle of this century. Commission chairman Ray Judah said the team would like a new stadium in south Lee County by 2012 but would be willing to wait until 2013 for the entire facility to be ready. The stadium, according to the agreement, will resemble Fenway Park, the team’s home in Boston.
Cape Coral Cocofest Nov 7-9 2008 November 1, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.Tags: cape coral cocofest, cape coral festivals, fort myers festivals, souwthest florida events
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This year’s Cape Coral Cocofest at SunSplash waterpark is jam-packed with family activities and evening concerts. The celebration is Nov 7-9th, 2008.
Evening concerts:
Friday Night – COCO Country – Craig Morgan
Saturday Night – COCO Rock Grammy winners – Survivor
20+ Captivating Carnival Rides! • Live Music with National Performing Artists! • Creative Coconut Contests and Crafts for the Kids! • Fabulous Fireworks Display! • Festive Food, Games and More for All Ages!
Fort Myers Beach Sand Sclupting Festival Nov 5-9 2008 November 1, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.Tags: fort myers sand sculpting festival, souwthwest florida festivals, things to do in florida
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22nd Annual Sand Sculpting Festival, Nov 5-9 2008
The American Sandsculpting Championship Festival is one of Fort Myers Beach’s most popular events every year. Masters of the craft and amateur sand sculptors join to create amazing works of art.
Visit the Festival’s web site for details. Get a calender of events, meet the sculptors, find out about transportation options and more.
Cape Coral Farmers Market is Back for Season October 25, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
The Cape Coral Street Market is back for season. The event offers fresh, local produce, fruits, bakery items, fresh seafood, cut flowers, jewlery and much more.
The Cape Coral Farmers Market will be open October 25th, 2008 through May 9, 2009.
Location:
Club Square Parking Lot
SE 47th Terrace ad SE 10th Place
Fort Myers, Sanibel Tourism Bureau Game – Win Trips and Cash October 17, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Real Estate, SW Florida Lifestyle.Tags: captiva beach, fort myers beach, lee county visitors, sanibel beach, trip contest
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The Sanibel-Fort Myers Tourism is offering trips and cash to winners of this fun and educational online treasure hunt. Good luck!
Click here to play the online treasure game… you can play once per day!
Bonefish Grill Now Open in Cape Coral FL October 15, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Cape Coral FL Real Estate, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
If you’ve ever been to a Bonefish Grill you’ll understand how thrilled we are to have another one in Southwest Florida (there is also a Bonefish Grill in Fort Myers). We’re big fans of the bang bang shrimp and will probably be heading out to enjoy some at the new restaurant this weekend!
Lee County Gets Younger August 8, 2008
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
From the News-Press, August 7 2008
U.S. Census numbers released today show the median age in Lee County dipped from 45 in 2000 to a spry 42 in 2007. The latest figures reflect a younger, more diverse Fort Myers area with a hefty gain in residents in their 20s and teens.
“I’m happy to hear that Lee County is getting a little younger,” said Sean Terwilliger, Florida Gulf Coast University’s 20-year-old student body president. “The first people who jump on that will be the lucky ones.”
The federal government tallied about 20,000 more individuals in the 25- to 29-year-old set in Lee, as that sector of the population almost doubled to 41,800 from 2000 to July 2007. The number of people in the first half of their 20s swelled more than 60 percent.
Cape Coral CRA August 20, 2007
Posted by Brenda in Cape Coral FL Real Estate, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Real Estate - International, Real Estate Industry, Resources - City and County, SW Florida Lifestyle, Southwest Florida Real Estate.add a comment
One of the reasons we chose Cape Coral was our excitement about the long-term vision of the Cape Coral Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for the downtown area of the Cape. While we are frustrated that the CRA’s progress has been slower than anyone would like, we are glad to see them dogging it along and making some progress.
The mission statement for the agency is that it “will facilitate the emergence of a vibrant urban village where people of all ages will live, work, shop and be entertained.” The master plan adopted by the CRA and City Council designed the Downtown as a compact urban village.
The primary goal is to create a high-intensity pedestrian friendly urban area with open spaces and a system of both pedestrian and traffic circulation so that visitors, employees, and residents alike can easily find their way, park, and enjoy their walk to their destinations. And the CRA aims, through development incentives, to assist in the development of plazas and covered pedestrians walkways that improve access to waterways and the riverfront.
Visit the Cape Coral CRA website.
Captiva’s South Seas Resort is Back March 16, 2007
Posted by markstrebel in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Resources - City and County, SW Florida Lifestyle.1 comment so far
Normalcy is returning to South Seas Island Resort.
A year after reopening on a limited basis, the Captiva resort pummeled by Hurricane Charley in 2004 has undergone an estimated $140 million makeover.
“It’s a rebirth,” said managing director Craig Schwan. His biggest challenge, Schwan said, “is really getting the word out that we’ve reopened.”
To that end, owner LXR Luxury Resorts will throw a grand reopening celebration tonight for about 250 local movers and shakers. A separate party and open house for neighboring Captiva residents is planned for April or May. After the VIP party, Schwan will go to New York City to meet with key travel publications.
Schwan estimated 1,600 to 1,800 people will stay at the resort this week. That’s about half the population Schwan’s predecessor said filled the resort during a weekend in the high winter season before Charley. Schwan said the pre-Charley estimate probably included non-overnight guests who used to be permitted on the property to shop and dine. With weather up north still chilly, this week is one of the most desirable and pricey.
Accommodations range from about $300 a day at the Harborside Hotel to $1,300 for a three-bedroom condo at Seabreeze overlooking Pine Island Sound on the resort’s north end.
About 529 out of 579 lodging units in the resort rental pool are restored and ready for use, Schwan said. The rest, all privately owned condos, are close to completion, he said.
With about 700 workers on the 330-acre property, the resort is close to pre-Charley staffing.
New owners, new look
Owner LXR is an affiliate of The Blackstone Group, which bought South Seas and nine other Florida properties in early 2005 for $367 million.
LXR took over South Seas in the middle of post-hurricane repairs and injected its ideas into the evolving plans. Choice property along Pine Island Sound was stripped of damaged and outdated meeting spaces and a couple of older pools.
In their place: The Pointe Restaurant & Grill and two pools ringed with cabanas that are soon to have LCD and plasma TVs as well as high-speed wireless Internet access.
With the exception of the clubby old King’s Crown restaurant — now reserved for private social functions such as weddings — group meeting space is concentrated away from the water and closer to the public Captiva Drive. In January, LXR “privatized” South Seas. That means only overnight guests and community members of the resort’s club are able to dine and shop behind the security gate.
Schwan said privatization is working out better than he expected.
“It provides exclusivity, and allows us to provide the best service possible,” he said.
Memberships for people who aren’t property owners start at $500 a year for access to all restaurants and shops and the on-resort trolley service.
A second level at $2,000 adds use of the fitness center and golf course. A $3,000 premium membership includes all available amenities such as a private stretch of beach with comfy chairs and beach toys.
Steep adjustment
Michigan resident Edward Thomas said he doesn’t mind privatization, but noted there aren’t as many dining options as before and “the food prices are high.” “Four dollars for one scoop of ice cream, $10 for a hamburger. I can afford it, but I don’t need to pay $10 for a hamburger.”
As he watched his 21Ú2-year-old grandson, Carsten Melbye, play in one of the new swimming pools, Thomas said he’s most impressed with the new landscaping.
On the golf course alone, that included adding about 200 coconut palms, 330 sabal palms and 7,000 shrubs, along with 5,000 aquatic and dune plants.
Thomas has been coming to South Seas for more than 30 years and especially prizes “the relaxed atmosphere, the weather and meeting good people who have become friends.”
This is Thomas’ first visit since Hurricane Charley because he couldn’t bear to see the resort in tatters. Plus he had health problems to overcome.
Now, he said, he’s well and the resort is, too.
“Some things have a different flavor, but that’s all right,” Thomas said. “I just hope the prices don’t drive away the families.”
From the News-Press, March 2007
Key West Express December 15, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
We would not want to live in Key West, but we sure are glad it’s any easy trip to get there. With our freinds visiting from Stillwater, Minnesota, we boarded the Key West Express ferry boat at Salty Sam’s marina on Fort Myers Beach for a short weekend trip.
The big twin-hull ferry boat impressed us both in comfort and speed. Once we got on the Gulf of Mexico, we cruised at about 45 mph and could hardly notice any movement nor did we see anyone get sea sick. Our morning cruise was about half capacity (capacity is about 500 people) with a wide variety of passengers, from boomers like us to seniors and toddlers.
During the journey, we roamed about the three decks for different vantage points and alternating between sun and wind (the upper open-air deck, at 45 mph is very windy) and the calm of the air-conditioned interior on the main level.
About 3 1/2 hours later, we were in Key West, armed with cameras and comfortable shoes and ready to play our roles as tourtistas. True to our roles, we took the Conch Train for a guided tour of the island’s rich history, then headed out to the famous night spots for some drinking, dancing, and good food. (Our 60-something friend won the hula-hoop contest on the dance floor, and even though she was the only contestent, we still think her technique was the best. In fact, later that evening she was giving hula lessons to touristas from Germany.)
After contributing to the local economy on Sunday afternoon with lots of shopping, we boarded for our trip home Sunday evening. By midnight we were tuckered out and glad to be tucked away for the night.
Next time we head that way, we plan to travel there in our own boat and stay longer so that we can tour more of the area and take advantage of the fishing, water sports, and wonderful sights.
Cape Harbour Just Keeps Getting Better December 15, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Cape Coral FL Real Estate, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle, Southwest Florida Real Estate.1 comment so far
One of our favorite local spots for a stop off when we are boating is RumRunners at Cape Harbour. But it just got better. Now there are two more restaurants at the marina.
The Joint has the look of a hip South Beach bistro and open kitchen, with gourmet pizzas and more. The outdoor Cabana Bar sits facing the marina, has large televisions for sports viewing, and live music on Tuesday nights. A third restaurant, Run Agrounds, serves coffee, gelato, and pastries.
UPDATE: We hopped on the boat Tuesday night to check out the live music at the Cabana bar, a spectacular blues band that had eveyone tapping their toes and a few of us dancing. And it’s already a popular spot. Here are some snaps.
If you are interested in purchasing property in the Cape Harbour Development, we can help. Contact us to get started or learn more or visit our site to learn about this and other communities. Here is a link to the location.
SouthWest Florida Living – Part A December 7, 2006
Posted by sball in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
SageRealtor Group welcomes Shane Ball and Sandra Avant as contributors to our SouthWest Florida Blog. Shane and Sandra recently relocated from Bakersville, California to Cape Coral, Florida. Shane will be joining SageRealtor Group as a sales agent this month. Sandra works in Public Relations.
Now living their dream, they share their experiences exploring SouthWest Florida and becoming immersed in the Florida lifestyle in this “SouthWest Florida Living” series of posts.
Not a beach lover? No problem. You don’t have to like sand between your toes or water splashing against your feet. Walk in your shoes, jog along the shore or even ride your bike on Fort Myers Beach. Take your pick – sunrise or sunset. I guarantee you’ll keep going back for more.
Still feel safer on dryer land or maybe you just can’t swim. Then just hang out in Fort Myers, Cape Coral or some of the other surrounding cities like Punta Gorda. The area is filled with beautifully landscaped homes, friendly neighbors and merchants and interesting sites such as the homes of Edison and Ford. Oh, and if you love to shop like me, it will take you months to visit all the conveniently located malls. That’s a good thing.
Shopping and site seeking are bound to make you hungry. So don’t forget to eat out a lot. Southwest Florida has some of the best restaurants that offer a variety of mouth-watering foods. Just name the cuisine that stimulates your palate. I love all kinds of food, but two of my favorites are hot wings and down-home cooked vegetables like turnip greens. Within weeks, I had located one of the best hot wings restaurant and of course “Cracker Barrel.” Chose a seafood restaurant, an Italian deli or eat pizzas that make you drool.
To go along with those delicious meals, you’ll find a load of hospitality and customer service the good old fashion way. It doesn’t matter whether the cooking originated from New York, Georgia or Germany. It’s all good. I may never cook another dinner.
Sincerely,
Sandra Avant
SouthWest Florida Living – Part B December 6, 2006
Posted by sball in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
Two sailboats passed my line of sight, gliding through an intersection of shimmering water cast by the midday sun at Fort Myers Beach. A boy no more than 8 years old dug hurriedly, creating a huge mound of sand, which he later dived onto like the pelicans soaring above the water before me.
The temperature felt perfect at “Junkanoo” restaurant, where I sat eating delicious grouper nuggets. Golden sunrays covered my feet – a balance to the slightly cool breeze from the Gulf’s shore. I found myself smiling – as I have every day since moving here from California two months ago. The promise of another spectacular day was at hand … and I knew it would come true.
Shane
Fisherman’s Village Marina Officially Reopened November 18, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Resources - City and County.add a comment
Fishermen’s Village is a waterfront retail and yacht basin complex in Southwest Florida is located on the Charlotte Harbor in beautiful downtown Punta Gorda, Florida.
And finally, the full-service marina is now open for business.
The marina closed in May of 2003 due to structural problems on the 25 year old docks. Now completely renovated, they opened the fuel dock and have a total of 111 permanent slips, 97 are available for public use, and approximately 31 temporary, free docking areas for day use of boaters visiting the Mall, shops and restaurants. They are also constructing a new dinghy dock for boats that anchor in the Harbor and wish to use facilities.
Now SouthWest Florida boaters can once again take advantage of the shops, entertainment, dining, and nightlife at the village and in downtown Punta Gorda. It’s a good thing!
Tough Day at the Office November 12, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Real Estate, SW Florida Lifestyle, Team, Company.add a comment
As boaters are well aware, local knowledge is a key ingredient to a safe journey. And that’s also true for real estate—local knowledge (product knowledge + market knowledge) is key for our customers’ “safe journey” in a property transaction. Because much of our business involves waterfront properties, a boat outing often is part of our job, either conducting research or showing properties. But it can’t be called “work” in the Webster dictionary sense of the word.
Recently we held one of our team meetings on the water, at our other “office”, a 31’ express cruiser. (Pictured below: Shane with our Yorkie Dutch and Mark at the helm… looks like they are working hard, yes?).
One of our objectives for this meeting was to learn more about a couple of the canal systems that lead into the Rubicon canal, one of the most beautiful canals in Cape Coral. The Rubicon is about 220 feet wide and curves and meanders through the Southeast part of the Cape.
We were previewing waterfront properties for two clients interested in purchasing Gulf Access homes in the Southeast area. We checked bridge heights, depths, and trip duration for various homes. We had pre-screened the properties based on price, square footage, age, and other features, but we wanted a close-up look before showing the properties to our clients. After the trip, we eliminated some of the properties due to location, condition of the structure, or absent property features such as pool, dock, or lift.
At the end of the day we had a dynamite short list of properties that we knew our clients would want to see. It was a tough, brutal day at the office.
CMA & Basic Real Estate Listing Terminology October 13, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Real Estate, Real Estate Industry.2 comments
Whether you are looking at listings for a potential property purchase or you are working with an agent to determine a home valuation, you will want to know these basics of the terminology in the listing detail or the Comparable Market Analysis (CMA).
Active: The property is actively for sale and there is not an accepted purchase contract. There may be an offer or negotiations in the works, but an agreement is not finalized.
DOM: The number of days the property has been on the market.
Active Contingent: A purchase offer has been made, the seller has accepted the offer, but there are buyer contingencies that may prevent the sale going through. The most typical contingency is financing—the buyer has yet to secure loan commitment. Other contingencies might be: the inspection period, either personal inspection, professional inspection or both; examination of financial records for income-producing properties; and/or the buyer’s sale or closing of another property (the latter being less common). There might be one or more contingencies.
In some cases, Active Contingent status means that the seller is willing to take backup offers, should the current offer not go through or if there is a “kick-out” clause in the agreement (a kick-out clause is an agreement between the buyer and seller giving the seller the right to demand contingency removal within a certain number of days; if the buyer cannot perform within that time period, the contract may be terminated).
Active Contingent Short Sale: The property is listed as a short sale and a purchase contract has been accepted by the seller and submitted to the lender(s). (In a short sale, the seller owes more on his/her mortgage that the current market value.) The seller is waiting for written authorization from the lender(s) to proceed with a short sale (lender is agreeing to a loss). Often, the lender agrees to a short sale but not necessarily the listed price; the lender approves the sale terms but at a price other than the currently-in-place contract and negotiations then ensue. In some cases, a seller will accept backup offers, but often they do not submit backup offers to the lender as doing so complicates the process for the lender and delays any forward movement that may have occurred on the file.
Pending: Terms of the purchase contract have been fulfilled and the closing of the transaction is near or nearly assured. Often a listing will move from Active, to Active Contingent, to Pending, and finally to Sold. If an accepted purchase contract is a cash purchase with no or minor contingencies, the status moves from Active directly to Pending.
Original List Price: The initial asking price of the property on the listing’s start date.
List Price: The current asking price, either the same as the original list, or after price reductions or price increases from the original list amount.
Sold Price: The final amount paid by the buyer to the seller.
Back on Market: The property was temporarily off the market, usually because a purchase offer was accepted, but the deal fell through (e.g., the buyer could not obtain financing).
Related Posts: CMA What to Look For, Square Footage, Top Questions, E-savvy Agent
Bidding War May Be Moving to Rental Front October 13, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Real Estate Industry.add a comment
The country’s apartment sector is seeing more bidding wars as tenants jockey for available rental units in increasingly tight markets.
Nationwide, rent for a 1,000-square-foot apartment has risen 3.7 percent in the last year to $1,389 a month, says Property & Portfolio Research Inc.
One of the main reasons for climbing rents is the reduced inventory of units, created in part by developers that built condos or converted rental stock into for-sale units during the home sale boom.
In the second quarter of this year, rental vacancy rates fell to 5.3 percent from 6.2 percent in the year-earlier period. This has produced what is known as a “landlord’s market.”
Source: Wall Street Journal (10/11/06)
Scuba Diving in South Florida October 12, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, SW Florida Lifestyle.1 comment so far
While I’m a certified diver, I have to admit it’s been a long time since I’ve been on a dive. In the local paper today, a great article by Cheryl Wood of the Caloosa Dive Club in Cape Coral caught my eye and got me thinking it’s time to start diving again (after a refresher course to get my skills back in check!).
The Dive Club includes members from all walks of life and age groups with a variety of interests. They organize dives in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, and Florida East Coast. Visitors are welcome to their web site and club meetings, which are held at the Cape Coral Yacht Club.
Other SouthWest Florida scuba diving resources include: Seahorse Scuba in Fort Myers, and Dean’s Dive Center in Fort Myers, and FantaSea Scuba in Port Charlotte, all of which offer courses, scuba trips, and gear.
Three Cheers for Season October 11, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Real Estate Industry, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
It’s that time of year, our favorite in SouthWest Florida. 
Here are a few reasons why (in no particular order):
* Goodbye air conditioning. The humidity is all but gone, the temps cooler. Today we opened all the windows, doors, and sliders, turned off the air conditioning and let the breeze drift through the house. While it’s 85 degrees in the sun, it’s cool as can be inside; the breeze is playfully tossing paperwork off my desk.
* Our 5 lb Yorkie, Dutch, has the run of the house and with everything wide open, he can now run back and forth from the living room, to the lanai, to the office, to the pool (and into the pool, he’s a great swimmer)… all day and all night long. An occasional bark at the neighbors completes his day. Ahhh, the life.
* The top on our convertible will stay down for some months, going up only when there is the infrequent rainstorm.
* Our visitor log is building up, and we are once again using the white board to keep track of who is visiting when. We look so forward to the arrival of friends, family, and clients.
* The SouthWest Florida real estate market is picking up speed. Buyers are coming back, prices are getting real, and well-priced inventory is moving. 
* Our “Sno-bird” neighbors and friends are coming back from their summer get-aways and we’re delighted to have them back.
* The best boating season for SouthWest Florida begins now: warm days, cool nights, fantastic sunrises and sunsets.
It’s paradise!
Where IS SouthWest Florida? September 25, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Boating, Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Florida, Real Estate, SW Florida Lifestyle.1 comment so far
Last weekend, we took a road trip to visit friends at the Grand National Paso Fino horse show in Perry Georgia. (Years ago, we were in the Paso Fino breeding and showing business. Now, as our horse friends fondly say, instead of throwing money into the horses, we are dumping money down another hole… our boat.)
We struck up a conversation with a Georgia property developer who, gasp, did not know where Fort Myers was. Naples? Nope. Sarasota? Nope. Miami? Yep.
Fair enough. Before moving here, we did not know much about the geography of Florida either. So where is exactly are we? We define SouthWest Florida as encompassing Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties. The primary cities, from north to south, are Punta Gorda, Cape Coral, Sanibel-Captiva, Fort Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, and Marco Island.
This illustration shows where the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan areas are in relation to well-known Florida cities: Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Key West.
This is a chief advantage of living in or visiting SouthWest Florida: proximity to other Florida attractions, whether the night life in South Beach, the beautiful bay at Tampa, the beaches of Sarasota, or the family fun in Orlando. They are all within 2 or 3 hours driving distance, close enough for a day trip or an extended weekend get-away. The playground of Key West is also in our “backyard,” a 1/2 day trip of about five and a half hours.
All this in addition to the arts, recreation, boating, fishing, and sports right here in SouthWest Florida. Whew! So much to see and do.
Getting Here. Our area is served by the SouthWest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, with direct flights from Toronto, Munich, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, New York City, Memphis, Dusseldorf, Indianapolis, Washington DC, St. Louis, Cinncinati, Boston, Chicago, and many more major cities in North America and Europe.
Alternatively, the international airports in Miami and Tampa are just a two hour drive. And there are local municipal airports for private and corporate jets.
Related Posts: On the Water, Why We Chose SouthWest FL Part 1, Part 2,
Good links for more about SouthWest Florida: Lee County Visitor Guide, Charlotte County Visitor Guide, Collier County Visitor Guide, SouthWest Florida International Airport
Getting Younger All the Time September 10, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Real Estate.1 comment so far
Pop Quiz: What is the average age in SouthWest Florida? Some people still envision the ‘blue hairs” as the dominating demographic.
Think again. Answer: 43.
Lee County has been on steady growth the past few years, with more and more families moving to the area. Marietta Mudgett, who heads the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, said the business community is booming in reaction to the population increases.
“We’ve seen major growth,” she said.
“We’re seeing a lot more smaller businesses moving into the area, people opening businesses and our local businesses are expanding and adding staff.”
Mudgett said the availability of jobs and good weather keeps bringing people. We couldn’t agree more.
The Lonely Termite Service Tech September 9, 2006
Posted by Dave in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Real Estate, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
The other night while grabbing a snack and beverage at one of our favorite outdoor bars, we struck up a conversation with the gentleman sitting next to us, whose profession is that of a termite service technician.
His chief complaint and rationale for imbibing was that he’s bored. “Bored?” we asked. Affirmative. But, we wondered, every property that sells in SouthWest Florida has a termite inspection before purchase. Surely he must be very busy?
His problem is not getting inspection jobs, it’s that there he rarely finds any termites.
Which is true enough. Because most construction is now concrete block, and since nearly all property owners have routine termite treatments (perhaps overkill, but these days everyone is schooled in prevention-is-the-best-medicine), there just aren’t that many of ‘em. The termite-fear-mongers are living in the good ole days of wood-frame structures.
So for someone in the profession of getting rid of termites, we can see how that would be quite tiresome. Where’s the excitement? Where’s the job satisfaction? Maybe, he wondered, it was time to back to San Diego, his home town, where termites were plentiful.
So do you need a termite inspection before purchase? It’s always a good idea. There are still wood doors and door frames, for example, and older homes might have legacy issues. Also, wood frame structures are still prevalent on Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach, so for anyone considering a purchase there (or any wood frame house), be sure to have a thorough professional inspection and be sure that you (or a representative) are present to monitor the inspection and see any issues first-hand.
Cape Coral… Has… Arrived September 8, 2006
Posted by Brenda in Factoids, Fun, and FAQs, Real Estate, SW Florida Lifestyle.add a comment
What makes a city a city? Is it a population of 150,000? Having a large police force and lots of new public schools opening? A downtown area? A hospital or two? City beach? Parks? Golf courses? Water parks?
Nope. None of the above, according to many local java junkies.
What makes a city a real city is the arrival of Starbucks. Following article after article and letters to the editor in the local papers, the pining for a Cape Coral Starbucks is finally over. (Mind you, the Cape has plenty of locally-owned coffee shops that are fantastic. In fact, most of the Cape’s non-fast-food dining options are locally-owned).
The Cape’s very own Starbucks will be along the Pine Island Corridor, an area in the NorthWestern and NorthEastern sector that is booming in commercial development (other plans include Super Target, Chilis, Olive Garden… the usual suspects).
Residents of Cape Coral are excited about the commercial boom, not only because of the additional shopping and entertainment options, but also as a boost to the tax base. In the Cape, residential owners provide 92 percent of the city’s tax base — an unusually high percentage. Most city’s have a tax base that is 75 residential and 25 percent commercial.
