No matter how flat a pancake is it still has two sides
Sometimes people are just a victim of circumstance, they get sick, they get hurt, they lose their job, you name it. Sometimes people just lose their home and it wasn’t their greed or narcissism that caused it. Hey, I don’t agree 100% with everything this video has to say because all defaulting mortgages weren’t bad mortgages. I write a lot about foreclosure, bank bail out and short sales. I stumbled onto this video and thought I would share it with you. If the screen doesn’t load, you can click the link for the video, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOaDrM3rMXs
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For those of you who don’t know I have a couple of kids.I’m a mom, too.They are actually twins.When I do things I always go big.I’m also efficient so I figured having a litter was an effective way to cut “down time” and carrying costs.I wasn’t exactly built to breed so that “save time & money” pregnancy was a good call.
The wonder twins are grown and gone at this point.While in the middle of raising them I cursed the twin gods for the punishment.I actually miss some of the shenanigans, now.To this day, nobody, I repeat, nobody has fessed up to how the toilet was broken off of the floor.You know there had to be a Class A wrestling match.I know someone had to get bruised or hurt during that scuffle.I saw three young people do the “I don’t know” schrug when I asked how it happened.I quit yelling about the bathroom at that point.There was already two chunks out of the porcelain tub, Mini-Me had pre-treated a stain on her shirt and forgotten she left the sink running flooding the bathroom, the soap tray fell out of the wall in the shower so I quit getting upset.I made up my mind to have the bathroom remodeled when they left.I did.Stripped it down to the studs and they’re not allowed to even come visit anymore.
I better get a card or something today for the hell they put me through.I’d settle for someone washing my car.
“I never thought I would be one of those people.” he said.Frankly, I never thought he would be one of those people, either.We’ve all read about foreclosure and we’ve seen a few stories on TV but may not have the chance to see it up close and personal.To have a face, a name and a family to put on the action of foreclosure is a sad day, indeed.Unfortunately, I’ve known more than a few families that have added their identity to the face of foreclosure recently.
Steve is a great guy, a smart guy, hard worker, a local business man, a great boss, father, honest, kind and now, a victim of foreclosure.Bankruptcy is not too far around the corner, either.The rotten economy and downturn of the building industry has left more than a few people and Bonita Springs businesses in one heck of a bind.I visited Steve at his Bonita Springs homeand he just looked around, at the new hardwood floor he had put in just a few months ago, the new halogen lights in the ceiling and the custom marble floors.I sold him the house about three years ago.He’s done wonders with it.It was a decorating disaster and he turned it into a raving beauty.I envy anyone that lives under the roof. It’s gorgeous, now.Unfortunately, there’s one person under that roof that I don’t envy right now.The look on his face says it all.He again, reiterates, “I never thought I would be one of those people.”This time the “those” he’s referring to is not only the people that lose their home but the “those” that start stripping out the house.
According to Steve, the “help line” that his mortgage company has isn’t really a help line. It is no more than a dept collection tip off line.When he called it, they just started harassing him, not helping him.Not one lick of effort was focused on helping him stay in his home, deferring payments to the end of the mortgage or a mortgage “work out” plan.He could have opted for a deed in lieu of foreclosure, had anyone mentioned it.More effort was made to harass him into the next mortgage payment and track him down to serve him with the lis pendens and foreclosure notice.Sadly, the end is near. The American dream of home ownership has turned into a nightmare. The bank will soon own a home with no toilets, fans, light fixtures, wash basins or even light switches.He’s got those one touch jobbies that are very expensive.He was kind enough to offer them to me, knowing full well that I hired him to install them in my house last year when I had my home updated.
Every time I see the commercial or hear the ad on the radio about “calling someone” or “doing something” to stop foreclosure I think of Steve, his rotten bank, the flawed system, the ugly truth of foreclosure and the sad state that families are left by it.
If you are a Bonita Springs home owner and you’re not sleeping well because foreclosure is looming, know this:
Not everyone that loses their home has a subprime loan.
You don’t have to be a dead beat to lose your home.
Losing your home doesn’t make you a dead beat.
Most families are only a few paychecks away from the danger of foreclosure.
Some crazy Bonita Springs real estate agent still cares and will help you buy another home down the road.
Many home owners are too embarrassed to ask for help until it’s too late.If Steve had come to me sooner we might have been able to sell short or direct him to start on a deed in Lieu of Foreclosure to keep him from losing the home to bank action.That’s a big “might have been able to” because the banks aren’t really cooperating too well with a lot of home owners.
So Steve will pack up and move out and probably take a few things that aren’t screwed down so tightly.He had a beautiful house that was a labor of love and a roller coaster ride to watch get restored.Now it’s just collateral damage of the economic downturn and housing crisis.Steve, thanks for the memories…and the chandelier.
In the quest to capture Southwest Florida mailboxes I ran across this lighthouse mailbox. Hey, it’s Southwest Florida. The city of Bonita Springs is peppered with unique mailboxes, the likes of which are mostly nautical themed, fish themed, boat themed, lighthouse themed or ocean themed. I feel like Forest Gump; shimp gumbo, shrimp scampi, shrimp creole…
Today’s lighthouse mailbox is sponsored by a lovely canal front, gulf access home just off of Vanderbilt Bay. It’s at the far end down by The Ritz Carlton hotel and Pelican Bay. For those of you curious, Vanderbilt Bay offers gulf access via Wiggins Pass, just 20-30 minutes idle speed away. Most of the Vanderbilt area is no more than a 10-15 minute bike ride to the white, sugar sand beaches of Vanderbilt. Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park is located on the gulf at Vanderbilt Beach, too.
Little do many people know that there are Collier County Beaches in Bonita Springs. At the entry to the Barefoot Beach Community is a large Collier County beach park. In addition to the Collier Count Parks Beaches there is a State Park at the south end of Barefoot Beach. The state park is accessible via Barefoot Beach Blvd across the Street from The Bonita Beach and Tennis Club Condominiums.
Collier County offers beach parking to visitors and residents with beach permits.
Collier County Residents pay for beach permits in their property taxes and may pick up a beach sticker at any community center at a Collier County Park.
Residents are required to provide documentation proving their residency. Read the below list.
Without a beach permit, individuals must pay a $6 parking fee at any of Collier County’s beach parking facilities including the Vanderbilt Beach Garage
Full time Residents must provide the following to obtain a parking permit:
Original Collier County Vehicle Registration (copies not accepted)
Original Collier County Drivers License
Part time Resident Property Owners must provide the following to obtain a parking sticker:
Original Vehicle Registration or rental car agreement
Original Drivers License (regardless of state)
Current Collier County Tax Statement or deed or current closing paper for a property
Visitor/Non Resident Beach Parking Permit
Cost is $30
Annual Beach Parking Permit is for visitors and part-time residents, who do not own property
The Stickers will cover 12 months of parking beginning at the time of purchase
If visitors do not wish to purchase an annual Beach Parking Permit, they still have the option to pay pay as they park at a cost of $6 at Collier County Parks and Recreation locations
Locations to obtain $30 Vistior/Non Resident Beach Parking Permit
Caxambas Park - South Collier Boulevard (642-0004)
Veterans Community Park - 1895 Veterans Park Drive (566-2367)
North Collier Regional Park - 15000 Livingston Road (254-4024)
North Collier Government Services Center - 2335 Orange Blossom (774-8999)
City of Naples - City Hall - 735 8th Street South (213-1800) or (213-7120)
Folks, we’re winding down from tourist season here in Bonita Springs, Florida but we’re still seeing sales activity. The last several weeks have seen a steady increase in pending and closed sales. The same tune is playing about Bonita Springs real estate, it has to be priced right and when it is, it sells. We aren’t over the hump yet but things are leveling off. According to economists the Bonita Springs and Naples areas will maintain level pricing and see and uptick in sales with more movement increases in the fall.
I’d like to thank the stupendous “Mr. J” for passing on this article (through the bars of the fortress) for me to share with you from the Wallstreet Journal - Dated May 6, 2008: The Housing Crisis According to WSJ
Your April ‘08 Estero and Bonita Springs real estate market report is available and ready for your review. The report shows the units of sale for the month of April for the last three consecutive years. Yada, yada: The data is from the Sunshine MLS which is, of course, deemed accurate but not guaranteed. After all, the information is put into those computers by humans. Enjoy this months Bonita Springs market report and check out the low rise condo sales for April ‘08.
The following units of sale for each of the categories listed are as follows:
An absorption rate of less than six months indicates a sellers market, an absorption rate of more than six months indicates a buyers market. The current absorption rate for the Bonita Springs - Estero standing inventory is:
If your home is listed for sale or you are thinking of selling your Bonita Springs home here are some tips to make sure your home will be on of the *sold* properties in the next May or June market report:
Get a proper CMA with comparable sales no older than three months.
It is *imperative* to have your agent figure the absorption rate for your property - Multiply months on market by the monthly holding costs to figure out if you can afford the home that long. This is what an absorption rate is.
Adjust the price accordingly - which may be even lower than the CMA. You’re either going to bleed now or bleed later.
Take your property off the market if you can not price it effectively or get it in the condition to compete with its competition.
There is a large lake with a water feature fountain between Coconut Point Mall and Tamiami Trail. While taking a shortcut from Rapallo I crossed the big wooden bridge by Hemingway’s and Moe’s and saw this lovely swan keeping house. She’s on the south side of the bridge in some bunches of grass. Today, when I took her picture she had company. Mr. Wonderful is curled up behind her.
I am not sure how long the pair have been on the nest or how long it would take for peeps to hatch. I looked it up online - 35 days after the last egg is laid. There is some serious math involved, here, and some serious guessing as to how many eggs are actually there. They’ve been on the nest for a few weeks now. I can’t wait to see the peeps. There is also a pair of black swans on the lake. I wonder if there will be white peeps, black peeps or two tone peeps.
Now, I look for excuses to cut through Coconut Point. I take the long way from the Brooks or Marsh Landing just so I can ride over the bridge to see Harold and Maude. If you stop in to take a look, just take a look. Don’t get too close to them and certainly don’t touch them. You can see them by slowly driving by. Everyone is slowly driving by now. The secret is out. Harold and Maude are going to be parents.
For the record, the swans have excellent taste. They’ve chosen one of the most prime locations in all of Estero. It’s waddling distance to just about every convenience.
As-Is with The Right To Inspect | Bonita Springs Real Estate
Sometimes homes in Bonita Springs are sold “As-Is”. What is an “As-Is” sale? Well, it’s kind of what it sounds like. Typically the purchase offer is written on an “As-Is” language specific contract which also gives the buyer the right to have the home or condo properly inspected so the buyer knows if there are any defects. They are buying the property with the understanding that they are accepting the home as it is, without the seller providing any warranty or guarantee to fix or repair faulty items.
In some instances homes or condos are sold “As-Is” because the seller isn’t able or willing to provide repairs. The reasons can vary.
The seller may not live in the area and is unable to perform the repairs.
The property price was negotiated taking into consideration the estimated cost of known defects.
The seller may have passed away and the property is part of an estate liquidation.
The property is bank owned.
The seller has sold to get out and not financially able to afford repairs.
The property is sold at a tremendous discount and the seller doesn’t want further expense associated with the close.
Most Bonita Springs real estate is sold with a seller’s disclosure document. The seller’s disclosure is a few pages of questions and answers about the condition of the home. The seller usually provides the document to the buyer no matter if the home is being sold with warranty or not. A buyer or a buyer’s agent is welcome to ask the seller to provide one if it is not readily available, also.
If a buyer goes into an “As-Is” purchase and sale with their eyes wide open and they perform their due diligence and inspections there isn’t really an issue. Home inspections in the Bonita Springs area can run from just a few hundred dollars and vary in price depending upon the size and age of the home or condo. Common defects that are typically found are usually minor; such as dripping faucets, frozen GFCI outlets, loose handles and burned out light bulbs. If there is a larger issue the contract usually provides for a contingency that the “home inspection is acceptable to the buyer”. The buyer can then determine whether or not they would like to move forward with their purchase. Some buyers may even request that code violations be remedied at the seller’s expense prior to closing.
If you’d like to learn more about purchasing or selling Bonita Springs real estate on an “As-Is” contract, contact your real estate agent to review a Florida FAR-BAR contract.
Lately, I’ve been busy trying to keep up with work, writing, blogging and getting ready for the next opportunity that will comes around the corner. A few months ago I wrote about how Active Rain got me ready for writing for the local paper. Another page has turned in my story and I’ve now been asked to be on a panel at the NAR - National Association of Realtors Mid Midyear Legislative Meetings and Trade Show.
This is a fantastic opportunity and I know it will be a lot of fun. I will have an opportunity to meet dozens of friends and colleagues I’ve met through real estate blogging and online social networking. It goes to show that blogging can bring more to the writers of real estate blogs than clients, customers, closed sales and listings. There are other opportunities just waiting to be discovered. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
If you’re attending Mid Year this is my panel. My twitter ID is CGriffith. Tweet or comment if you’ll be in Washington DC!
There are a variety of other meet and greets in the process of being scheduled, also. Feel free to email for links and lists of them, the hotel most of us are staying at and other get togethers.
This little cutie was found in Vanderbilt in Naples, Florida just a few miles south of Bonita Springs. I stopped into the *best* sushi restaurant in Florida, Sushi Thai and took a drive after my birthday dinner and found Bessie the mailbox.
Vanderbilt offered fewer mailboxes of interest than I thought I’d find, but the houses and real estate are fantastic. If you don’t know the area, Vanderbilt is tucked behind Naples Park and the homes are all on canal front lots or on the bay. There are some stellar mansions and even a few quaint cottages that just make you saw “awe”! when you see them. All of the homes have gulf access, which means you hop in your boat after work and drive to the beach for sunset on water instead of on pavement. It’s a pretty sweet place to have a crib!
A little know fact about SW Florida and the Bonita Springs area is that May 1 - November 31 is sea turtle nesting season. Those lovely beachfront condominiums and the homes on Bonita Beach and in the Barefoot Beach community are held to strictly maintain the use of their lights to protect the turtles as they nest and hatch. No lights can shine or be visible from the beach.
Lee County, Bonita Springs, Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach have sea turtle light ordinances. During nesting season lights are to be turned off or shielded for view from the beach. Under natural conditions the brightest lights would come from the water and when the baby sea turtles hatch they make their way to the sea following the light. That is why man made light must be monitored. If the turtle hatchlings see bright lights inland they will follow the light and die from exposure, predator attack or even run over by cars.
I’m betting most of our turtles are protected, but especially our sea turtles are protected. Don’t touch them, pick them up or disturb them in any way.
Whether you’re a home owner, vacationer or tenant staying in a beach front home you need to abide by the rules. The citizens of Bonita Springs and our turtle hatchlings thank you in advance for you cooperation.
It’s as easy as 1 2 3: (seriously, it is just that easy)
Turn your lights off.
Don’t touch the turtles.
Remove boats, furniture and other items from the beach during nesting season.
Sometimes a buyer’s offer isn’t received so well. Seller’s may still have in their mind that their home is not only worth what they paid for it, but even more. If it’s been said once, it’s been said a million times. A home has to appraise to close sale when there is a mortgage involved. The bank doesn’t care what the seller originally paid for their Bonita Springs real estate or even that they want to “break even”. The real estate has to be priced right to attract buyers and contracted right in order to appraise and close sale.
Recently, I helped a buyer place an offer on a Bonita Springs home. The offer was considerably less than the asking price of the home. Did the buyer make the offer to hurt the Seller’s feelings? Did the buyer think that just because the market is better for buyers they should “low ball” the seller? The answer to both questions is no.
The Buyer and I looked at dozens of homes in Bonita Springs and Estero and when the buyer decided to place an offer on the home we did our research. We found out what “like kind” properties had recently sold in the area, what their closed sale price was and what upgrades or features of significance the homes had and created a comparative market analysis. What we found was that even if this buyer fell head over heals in love with this home and made a full price offer it would likely not appraise and the lender funding would not be approved. There was more than one closed sale within the last 30 days to support this notion.
For example, if a buyer was getting an 80% loan to value mortgage on a $500,000 home the lender/bank will loan the amount of 80% of what the home appraises for ($400,000 is 80% of the value of $500,000). If the home only appraised for $400,000 but was contracted for sale for $500,000 the bank/lender would only lend $320,000, which is 80% of the appraisal value. Somewhere, someone has to make up the difference of $100,000. This is where things get wobbly. Contracts fall apart when low appraisals in contrast to the contracted price come in. In a buyers market a seller can reduce their price to the appraised value, if they so choose, to keep the deal together. A buyer, if so inclined, could bring the addition funds to closing if they so desired, but this isn’t likely.
For the record, appraisers adhere to a code of conduct, read also: strict guidelines. Manipulating or influencing the appraiser or appraisal process isn’t permitted. Underwriting procedures are more stringent than ever. The banks are being very careful with their money and lending guidelines.
Sometimes there is no way to salvage large spreads between contract price and appraisal price and everyone goes their separate ways. In an area with a couple of years of inventory, most buyers choose to start shopping for a home more appropriately priced to save themselves the heart ache of falling in love with a home that might not close due to appraisal issues.
If you’re going to be living in the Bonita Springs area for a while and you’ll, no doubt, be hitting Bonita Beach. You might want to invest in a parking sticker. The average “donation” at the public access is nearly the same for a one time visit as it is for an annual pass. Who can say no to a deal like that?
During the winter season parking at Bonita Beach is a premium but you’ll get to enjoy easy access and toll free parking most of the summer and by chance during the busy season and holidays. Visit Bonita Springs Parks and Recreation Center today for your pass to the white, sugar sand, beaches of Bonita Springs, Florida.
Your sunset pictures are waiting. Stop in at Doc’s Beachhouse while you’re there. They’ve got the best, fried shrimp dinner in town.
**Note** Bonita Beach Road is the County line. The pass only works on the North Side which is Lee County. South of Bonita Beach Road is Collier County.
1. Parking permit decals are for Bonita Springs residents or taxpayers.
2. Parking decals must be permanently affixed to the left rear bumper of your vehicle for validation. (the persons name that is on the photo id/drivers license/ tax bill and registration must be present)
3. Must show proof of residency or taxpayer. Must show proof of all of the following…
Drivers license
Current property tax bill
Vehicle registration
4. Each permitted vehicle must have it’s own decal. The decals are NON-TRANSFERRABLE.
5. Your parking permit decal is valid for 12 months from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007
The parking decal you have acquired will allow you parking at Bonita Beach Park, Access #1 and Little Hickory Island Beach Park only. Parking availability is not guaranteed.
Pine Avenue is located off of West Terry Street by Bonita Middle School and the Community Pool, maybe two blocks from Old 41 Road and the railroad tracks.
Bonita Springs Real Estate and The Art of the Purchase
The finest masterpieces are painted with varied color palates and a multitude of brushes and tools. One must never forget that their own life is multifaceted, made up of little strokes, pixels if you will that build to form the whole picture.
The same is true of the stock market, the produce market and even the real estate market. Much like the having a specific sector of the stock market suffering or under performing, a segment of the housing market may be under performing. If you look at our nation as a Van Gogh masterpiece and each little city as one of the brush strokes, it begins the foundation of the “big picture” which is “the broad stroke”.
It takes a myriad of little markets to make the big market. Even in our little market of Bonita Springs there are more “little brush strokes” that are as fine as the leaves on a cypress tree or the crisp twinkle in a star. City to city markets vary, but within a city there are facets that also make up the market. Right now, you can be put in a car and shown neighborhoods with little inventory and stable pricing or taken to a neighborhood struggling with massive inventory, short sales and pre-foreclosures. It would be wrong to paint the Bonita Springs real estate market with a broad stroke and state that the city is soaked in short sales. True, certain neighborhoods have their share but not every neighborhood has them.
This phenomenon of “bad news sells” isn’t exclusive to Bonita Springs Florida. From Kitsap to the Blog by the Bay everyone has grown sick tired of it - moving on to sick and tired of being sick and tired. It’s like the media is now just trying to “out bad-news each other”.
If you’re seriously interested in the stability or volatility of a specific neighborhood in Bonita Springs or Estero contact Chris today to get the facts. The facts are out there in the little brush strokes, but you just won’t see it on TV or in the paper. Arm yourself with the information and find out for yourself why now is a great time to buy real estate in Bonita Springs, Florida.
I am whooped. I’ve been cruising the beaches all day helping a lovely couple finding a view like this from a condo in Bonita Springs, Florida. Seems easy enough, doesn’t it? It sure would be easier if the condos were just a little bit more accessible. Listing agents don’t return calls, keys aren’t where they’re suppose to be, tenants and owners are left not expecting us and they are way, super surprised when I show up.
Tomorrow’s a new day. I know this view is waiting for us. We’re finding it tomorrow at the Barefoot Beach Club or Casa Bonita on North Hickory. While I’m down on Hickory I’ll keep and eye out for my lost credit card, which still hasn’t shown up since I saw red at Bonita Beach.
A Community Development District (CDD) is a local, special purpose government authorized by Chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes as amended and is an alternative method for managing and financing infrastructure required to support community development. Real Estate in Lee County, which includes the cities of Bonita Springs, Estero and Fort Myers may be subject to a CDD.
CDD’s possess several powers as a legal entity, such as the right to enter into contracts; the right to own both real and personal property; adopt by-laws, rules and regulations and orders; to sue and be sued; to obtain funds by borrowing; to issue bonds and levy assessments. CDD’s provide a mechanism for the financing and management of new communities, which is consistent with the local governments’ development procedures and regulations. They represent a major advancement in Florida’s effort to manage its growth effectively and efficiently.
The community development district may impose and levy taxes or assessments, or both taxes and assessments, on the property.
These taxes and assessments pay the construction, operation and maintenance costs of certain public facilities and services of the district and are set annually by the governing board of the district. These taxes and assessments are in addition to county and other local governmental taxes and assessments and all other taxes and assessment provided for by law. CDD’s are fairly common in the Bonita Springs and Estero Florida areas.
Q.Can I pay off my CDD assessment?
A. Yes, you can pay off the capital assessment on your property at any time, but not the O & M assessment
Q.What time period does the assessment cover?
A. CDD assessments are collected in advance.
Q.I paid off my CDD so why do I still have an assessment on my real estate tax bill?
A. The property continues to be subject to annual operating and maintenance (O & M) assessments for the maintenance of common improvements that the CDD provides. This assessment is subject to change annually with the adopted budget.
Q.What does the O & M pay for?
A. The O & M (operating and maintenance) assessment is an annual assessment for maintenance for common improvements within your community that the CDD provides. The services vary depending on which community you live in. For example, it may cover landscaping, street lights, guard facilities, roving patrol, storm water management, etc., or it may only include a few of the services listed above.
To perform a data search or to find information regarding a CDD in your neighborhood visit: http://www.cddswf.com/
Communities that have CDD’s include: Spring Run at The Brooks, Pelican Landing, Village Walk of Bonita Springs and Copperleaf.
Come on! What else would I use for a title? I spotted this mailbox in Bonita Shores. If you don’t know where Bonita Shores of Bonita Springs is, it’s that small part of Bonita Springs on the Southwest corner of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Bonita Beach Road. Besides the neighborhood of Barefoot Beach, Bonita Shores is the only part of Bonita Springs that is technically in Collier County. Real estate in Bonita Springs with a Collier County tax.
Bonita Shores is number streets; 1st Street, 2nd Street, etc. and a few cross streets with the name “valley” in them, which is funny because we don’t have a valley in this entire village. I have run every street in the Bonita Shores and I‘ve never seen a valley. Homes in Bonita Shores are sometimes older - built in the 50’s. When you get that close to the beach you have to know it was developed long ago. Many homes have been updated and remodeled, but some have not, so if you’re looking for a project, Bonita Shores might be the place to find it. The end result will be a cute little beach community bungalow within biking or walking distance to Bonita Beach, shopping, dining and many other conveniences.
The community isn’t deed restricted so you will get a mix of mailboxes, none of that boring uniformity of gated communities. There are more than enough fish mailboxes, I might add. I decided the featured fish lure mailbox deserved our mailbox of the week spot this Friday since the homeowner went the extra mile and put the little hookey thingies on it and the frilly fish attractor baity pom pom.
In case you’re wondering, homes in Bonita Shores are currently priced from just under $200,000 but the mailboxes are priceless.
There’s “Us” and “Them” in Golf - Justin [AKA Slice]
Just for the record, the “crime” part is my game, and the punishment is…my game too. I’ve took a trip to the driving range for something to do. I don’t know, it’s kind of like bowling for me. Every few years you think to do it and when you do finally do it, you stink up the joint and embarrass yourself. At least I haven’t been asked to leave the range, like my friend Justin. Seems there’s a little league & pop warner field just beyond the super high fence to keep balls on the range. Justin’s technique is so “advanced” he’s able to make it over the fence and earned the nickname “Slice” - whatever that means. Apparently he has a low success rate on the driving range. He may as well shovel balls over that fence. I’m a hazard on the range, but Justin is a hazard and a loss. I know, those little leaguers are wearing helmets, but it’s still dangerous.
Apparently there are 26 practice tees at the Estero Driving Range just for driving balls. Apparently? Well, somebody just told me that. I never counted them myself and frankly I am concentrating so hard to not hurt myself or anyone around me that the quantity of tees never entered my mind. Not even once. Don’t get me wrong I have a deep respect for golfers and golfing. I understand what a challenge it is. Believe me, I understand it is a challenge because I’m a golfing failure. Don’t worry, I’ve embraced that shortcoming. I’m more or less the comedy relief for whomever I’m golfing with.
My promise to you is: If you’re at Golf Coast Driving Range in Estero, Florida and I show up. Number one, I’m sorry in advance and number two, you can ask me to stop until your done. I promise I will. Deal?
The Golf Coast Driving range is one of the few driving ranges open to the public in the Bonita Springs and Estero area. It’s actually located by Estero High School on Williams Road and right beside the Estero Community Park.
Here’s the skinny on the range! Happy driving, folks.
Golf Coast Driving Range is at:
9000 Williams Rd
Estero, FL 33928-3265
(239) 498-3900
It’s near the railroad tracks, right beside Estero High School. I take back every time I curse sitting on those metal bleachers in a thunder and lightening storm. Ah, the good old days.
Keep Quiet, Keep to Yourself, Keep Out During Showings
Selling your Bonita Springs home is a business or at least you should approach it that way.The goods and services you offer to buyers, as a Florida home owner is the home itself, your neighborhood amenities and any incentives you would offer to a buyer to entice them in to purchasing your real estate.
Most Sellers start off on a level playing field.Assuming the proper care has been taken to prepare the home and price it for the buyers market that is visiting Bonita Springs, everyone has a the ability to sell their home in a reasonable amount of time for a fair market price.
There are always a few factors that can go wrong to sway a buyer away from a property.Last week, while I was driving in Vanderbilt Lakes I noticed a home for sale. Beside the real estate sign there was a political sign. My first impulse was to wonder if it would affect a buyer or influence their decision to see the home or even purchase it just based on their political opinion.
Today, I was showing property in a lovely Bonita Springs golf community.The home owner was there when we arrived.He never left and neither did his cigarette smoke.He actually never got much further than 18 inches from the buyer.He also shared that he worries that water can seep through concrete slab that the home is built on. (Buyers love water issues, it’s their favorite)Next, he shared with us that the neighbor on “that side” is the big trouble maker in the neighborhood.The woman that lives in that house is a former rutabaga farmer who is retired, beats her husband and strips at neighborhood parties.Yes, I was looking for the hidden camera at this point.It get’s worse. It wasn’t until after we left, that the buyer said that the seller shared some unbelievably serious health issues and the fact that he had to sell.Thanks for the tip.
So this lovely home started out fairly priced, freshly painted, ready for a sale and a ready, willing and able, approved buyer walked into it. From that point forward it gets ugly.The seller is surrendering stories that may or may not be simply neighborhood gossip which can affect whether the buyer even wants to live there at this point and then offers that he is under duress due to illness and forced to sell.Maybe the seller doesn’t listen to his agent.I have no doubt that she has asked him to leave when others are looking at the home.Some people just can’t help themselves…and it costs them big time.Who knows, this house might have been sold months ago if the seller wasn’t a deal killer.
Sellers:A buyer can’t imagine themselves living in your space if you’re still standing in it.GET OUT, SUSH UP, and just don’t ever talk to the buyer.Listen to me, it’s for your own good.
It’s the little things that count. Here are 10 things you can do as a citizen of Bonita Springs, or anywhere for that matter to make a difference to the planet Earth.
1. Rather than writing checks and stuffing envelopes each month, switch to tree-free billing and pay everything from your credit card to your cell phone bills online.
2. Get involved at the local level. Find out the quality of your community’s rivers and streams at the EPA’s “Window to My Environment,” www.epa.gov.
3. Turn your backyard into a wildlife habitat. Visit the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) “Garden For Wildlife,” and see what you can do to attract songbirds, butterflies and native species.
4. Eat healthier fish. Not only do certain fish species contain high levels of mercury but many of the world’s fisheries are either farmed destructively, severely overfished or under threat from invasive species.
5. Use organic alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Fish emulsion, aged manure and compost are all great sources of nutrients.
6. Make your home sparkling clean with these earth-friendly products: baking soda, white vinegar, borax, lemon juice and vegetable-based liquid soap.
7. Support your local farmers and retailers by buying their products. This not only enriches your area’s economy, it reduces the impact of shipping items.
8. Add a 3-inch layer of mulch to conserve moisture and reduce the need to use chemical herbicides to control weeds in your flower beds.
9. Conserve water by choosing drought resistant plants. Successful drought tolerant gardens depend on deeply tilled, well-drained soil. Your best bet is to plant in raised or mounded beds that are 12 to 18-inches tall.
10. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent with a 32-watt CFL (compact florescent light bulb) can save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
Don’t stress, if doing them all is too much pressure, just start with one.
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