If you ask your local realtor if they busy with buyers, the likely answer is YES. Next ask them if it’s easy to buy a foreclosed home in our area, and you will notice the look of frustration in their eyes and the resounding answer will be NO.
The reason for that answer is because they are finding, as I am, that within 24 hours of coming onto the market newly listed homes have multiple offers on them and in most cases (especially Cape Coral) they are selling for more than the asking price. Sometimes on homes listed for sale under $100,000 the highest bid goes as much as $20-25,000 over the asking price.
I recently had a motivated buyer find a 1,800 sq. ft. house in the SE area of Cape Coral listed for just under $60,000. It needed little work and was in good shape. I explained to him it would sell for much more than the asking price. He agreed to put in an offer $15,000 over the asking price and still did not get the home. The bank took 10 days to make a decision and asked all buyers twice to give them their highest and best offer.
I see this happening more and more every day.
The really annoying part is that the same bank a week or so later will take a similar property in the same general area and in the same general condition go ahead and list not at the $75,000 range but at an even lower listing price than the one that sold the week before.
This makes no sense to me. Why do that when they know it will sell for considerably more? I see this happen all the time. Buyers think, Wow I can get a great house at a great buy .WRONG! Or they wonder what’s wrong with this area since prices continue to drop.
I just had another email from a buyer who has $50,000 to spend and has interest in 2 houses in Cape Coral that just came on the market. Here is the basic info on one of them: NW Cape Coral, built in 2004, just over 1,600 sq. ft. Houses like that sell in the $75,000 to $80,000 range, this one is listed just shy of $50,000.
Why do they do that?
All of the banks continue to do this and it makes no sense.
While I am on my soap box-Another stupid thing is that banks want a receipted escrow check with an offer. However, they do not tell you who the Title Co. will be. Not all real estate firms have an escrow account and local title companies do not want to hold escrow checks if they are not going to do the title work. Just imagine if 20 people make an offer on the same house, all need to provide a copy of a receipted escrow check. Only one gets the property. Now the buyer has to go through the trouble of getting their escrow money back. They have to do this over and over again till they get a house.
Notice to banks: PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS!
Price these houses at realistic prices! They sell at that price anyway! Stop the silly auction format! Make it easier for buyers to buy.
In the last 4 months Cape Coral Active inventory has dropped by over 1,000 homes. That’s a great sign.
For all your real estate needs contact Adrian at www.adrianwaring.com for all your real estate needs.Or call s239-281-5612, email adrianpwaring@hotmail.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/capecoralrealtor
cape coral
cape coral 2
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Cape coral Real Estate Inventory Continues to drop
Just a brief update on current inventory,some people seem to think that realtors have rosey colored glasses or make things seem better than they really are.Any sign of a decrease in numbers of homes listed for sale in Cape Coral should be considered a good thing.
We all want to see some evidence that things might be showing signs of improvement no matter how small it is as I am sure you feel the same as I do that I am sick of my property continuing to drop in value at some point in time that has to stop.
Between Dec 10th and Jan 10th 2009 our active single family housing inventory for the Cape was at 3924 homes.This is far less than it was at the beginning of last year when it was over 5000.We had over 900 properties go under contract in the same month.
Active inventory as it stand on Feb 3rd 2009 is at 3722 homes, an almost 10% drop in a month.Within the last 30 days 826 properties are now under contract ranging from under $20,000 to over $1,000.000.00.
I consider this to be a good sign that we are at least leveling off.Hopefully this trend will continue.
For the latest foreclosure listings and to get them in your email daily visit www.adrianwaring.com
We all want to see some evidence that things might be showing signs of improvement no matter how small it is as I am sure you feel the same as I do that I am sick of my property continuing to drop in value at some point in time that has to stop.
Between Dec 10th and Jan 10th 2009 our active single family housing inventory for the Cape was at 3924 homes.This is far less than it was at the beginning of last year when it was over 5000.We had over 900 properties go under contract in the same month.
Active inventory as it stand on Feb 3rd 2009 is at 3722 homes, an almost 10% drop in a month.Within the last 30 days 826 properties are now under contract ranging from under $20,000 to over $1,000.000.00.
I consider this to be a good sign that we are at least leveling off.Hopefully this trend will continue.
For the latest foreclosure listings and to get them in your email daily visit www.adrianwaring.com
Thursday, January 29, 2009
South West Florida Where Should you Invest ?
Lee County
Overview
Lee County is situated in Southwest Florida, right on the Gulf of Mexico. Lee County’s four main cities are Ft. Myers, North Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Cape Coral. Ft. Myers is the oldest of the four, with historic homes dating from the early 1900’s. It is situated on the Caloosahatchee River which allows access to the Gulf of Mexico. Right across the river is North Fort Myers. Fort Myers Beach is located on a barrier island, southwest of Fort Myers. Lastly, Cape Coral is the areas largest city nestled between the Caloosahatchee River to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the south and west. Lehigh Acres is our newest city and located inland toward the interior of the state and with no water access. Bonita Springs is the furthest south in Lee County and is just north of Naples. Naples is in a Collier County and will be discussed briefly.
Population
Lee County’s population is approximately 600,000. Once the area was primarily retirees but the median age has continued to drop over the years as more and more families have relocated here.
Accessibility
Interstate 75 provides easy access to all of Southwest Florida. We are approximately 3 hours from Disney and Miami and 2 hours from Tampa. Fort Myers International Airport is growing and brings in many visitors.
Why Lee County?
This areas greatest appeal is its natural beauty and abundant opportunities for enjoying the water and wildlife. Boaters, fishermen and beach goers all have extensive opportunities to enjoy the bounty. The world renowned beaches of Sanibel and Captiva are located on barrier islands just off the shores of Lee County. Many families find the beaches appealing here due to the calm rippling waves and the shallower waters close to shore. It’s all this along with the tropical climate that draws many “snowbirds” for the North to spend their winters here.
What is the current state of the housing market here and
how did it get that way?
Between 2002 and 2005 property values were rapidly escalating. Prices were rising in excess of 30% a year with some properties in 2005 going up as much as 50%! From late 2004 the greatest majority of new home purchases were not by end users but purely by investors with the intent to re-sell quickly at a premium.
A good example of this is Lehigh Acres where for many years building lots were selling for less than $1000 each. By 2005 they were selling for $60,000 with no ceiling in site. However, when you visited this area and looked around you would have been surprised at how much vacant land was still available. This was clear evidence that the market was clearly being speculatively driven.
Investment clubs were being invited to invest here and a number of them did so. The main home builders involved with this were Hanson Homes, First Homes, and Adams Homes. These were all entry level builders with homes in the1500 to 2000 sq ft. range. These homes were being built and sold to investors with the expectation to resell with a substantial profit upon completion.
In Nov 2005 it became evident that prices had reached a peak and started spiraling downwards. Builders continued to build as loans had been secured for the investor. When it came time to modify, values were considerably below what they had agreed to pay for the homes. These investors either needed to bring money to the table or allow them to go into foreclosure.
What is the market like today?
Currently, in today’s market, values have dropped by as much as 70% on these homes in these areas. They have dropped so much that they now sell for below what it costs to build them which has forced builders out of business and also resulted in an increase in the unemployment rate here.
The silver lining in all this is that for those who currently have the funds to invest, now is the time to do so! Many investors recognize that the current state of Lee County’s housing market represents a marvelous long term investment strategy. This is readily evident in the fact that some of these homes now get multiple offers for cash and often sell at the asking price or slightly above. Depending on the home and location sometimes they sell for well above the asking price.
Market conditions aside, this area has a large appeal for both national and international buyers. Interstate 75 makes it very easy to drive here from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, thus many people from these states own second homes here or relocate here entirely. I also often see buyers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
Internationally, Germans enjoy a large local presence. A non-stop flight from Düsseldorf, Germany is offered weekly to Fort Myers International Airport.
The British and other Europeans also find it easy to fly into Orlando, Tampa or Miami and make a connecting flight to Fort Myers or rent a vehicle in one of those cities and drive the rest of the way. For these international buyers, the weakened dollar has offered good value for money against the Euro and the British Pound. Many can buy a home here for less than they would buy a car at home.
Now let’s examine the specific numbers in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. As of Jan 10th 2009 there are a combined total of 9,702 single family residences for sale. 1,523 of these are foreclosures, 4,039 are short sales and the rest are standard listings.
Homes with pending sales as of the 10th of Dec 2008 total 1,044 for Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. Of the 1,044 sales pending, 620 are foreclosures, 296 are short sales and the rest are standard listings. Please keep in mind with the holiday season some slow down is expected.
Below is a further break down of these figures by city:
Cape Coral
Total Listings: 3,924
Foreclosures: 522
Short Sales: 1,945
Sales pending as of Dec 10th 2008:
Total: 821
Foreclosures: 495
Short Sales: 229
Fort Myers
Total Listings: 3,176
Foreclosures: 338
Short Sales: 742
Sales pending as of Dec 10th 2008:
Total: 282
Foreclosures: 149
Short Sales: 66
Lehigh Acres
Total Listings: 2,603
Foreclosures: 663
Short Sales: 1,353
Sales pending as of Dec 10th 2008:
Total: 293
Foreclosures: 214
Short Sales: 59
A comparison of the figures above shows the most active market currently for sales pending is the Cape Coral market. Cape Coral has seen the greatest increase in pending sales, running at almost 100% over the same time last year. I believe this area still offers the greatest value for money at this time.
Another interesting fact is that of the 9,702 homes currently for sale 5,260 of those homes were built after 2000. So, over 50% of the homes for sale are less than 10 years old. Additionally 3,665 homes were built after 2005. That means 30% of the homes are only 4 years old or less!
These figures are consistent with what was said earlier concerning the majority of investor homes being built at that time. The majority of these newer and often never lived in homes are located in Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres.
Bonita and Naples did not see the speculative investor book as these other area did in the single family homes and not so many are currently for sale or no the market.
Bonita currently has 250 homes active of which 43 are foreclosures and 39 are short sales.Naples has 223 active listings of which 35 are foreclosures and 4 are short sales.
However the information concerning these 2 areas may not be accurate as the others as they have just formed their own MLS and not all listings in those areas can now be found in our MLS system.
Based on visits to these 2 areas to look at properties with customers the information above is deemed a good representation of what the current market is like in those area. Values have always been higher and the entry level builders where not building in those 2 areas to the extent they where in the other 3 cities.
If we look at condominiums in these area which I feel is where the greatest speculation took place we may find it to be very different.
None of the above information concerns condominiums as I feel there is still too much risk in these at present and would suggest avoiding these for the next 12 months.If you need an additional explanation as to why I can provide that as needed.
Cape Coral offers the best value as we currently have homes from 50,000 to over 5,000,000.With being surrounded by water this City has a wide appeal to all people.
Fort Myers offers similar appeal as Cape Coral does but does consist of more gated communities and has homes from 30,000 to over 10,000.000. Lehigh Acres has values from 30,000 to up to 350,000.Lehigh appeals to a wide range of ethnic groups and also first home buyers it does not have any water access to the Gulf so home values are not as high.
Contact Adrian at 239-281-5612 or adrianpwaring@hotmail.com for all of your real estate needs.
Overview
Lee County is situated in Southwest Florida, right on the Gulf of Mexico. Lee County’s four main cities are Ft. Myers, North Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, and Cape Coral. Ft. Myers is the oldest of the four, with historic homes dating from the early 1900’s. It is situated on the Caloosahatchee River which allows access to the Gulf of Mexico. Right across the river is North Fort Myers. Fort Myers Beach is located on a barrier island, southwest of Fort Myers. Lastly, Cape Coral is the areas largest city nestled between the Caloosahatchee River to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the south and west. Lehigh Acres is our newest city and located inland toward the interior of the state and with no water access. Bonita Springs is the furthest south in Lee County and is just north of Naples. Naples is in a Collier County and will be discussed briefly.
Population
Lee County’s population is approximately 600,000. Once the area was primarily retirees but the median age has continued to drop over the years as more and more families have relocated here.
Accessibility
Interstate 75 provides easy access to all of Southwest Florida. We are approximately 3 hours from Disney and Miami and 2 hours from Tampa. Fort Myers International Airport is growing and brings in many visitors.
Why Lee County?
This areas greatest appeal is its natural beauty and abundant opportunities for enjoying the water and wildlife. Boaters, fishermen and beach goers all have extensive opportunities to enjoy the bounty. The world renowned beaches of Sanibel and Captiva are located on barrier islands just off the shores of Lee County. Many families find the beaches appealing here due to the calm rippling waves and the shallower waters close to shore. It’s all this along with the tropical climate that draws many “snowbirds” for the North to spend their winters here.
What is the current state of the housing market here and
how did it get that way?
Between 2002 and 2005 property values were rapidly escalating. Prices were rising in excess of 30% a year with some properties in 2005 going up as much as 50%! From late 2004 the greatest majority of new home purchases were not by end users but purely by investors with the intent to re-sell quickly at a premium.
A good example of this is Lehigh Acres where for many years building lots were selling for less than $1000 each. By 2005 they were selling for $60,000 with no ceiling in site. However, when you visited this area and looked around you would have been surprised at how much vacant land was still available. This was clear evidence that the market was clearly being speculatively driven.
Investment clubs were being invited to invest here and a number of them did so. The main home builders involved with this were Hanson Homes, First Homes, and Adams Homes. These were all entry level builders with homes in the1500 to 2000 sq ft. range. These homes were being built and sold to investors with the expectation to resell with a substantial profit upon completion.
In Nov 2005 it became evident that prices had reached a peak and started spiraling downwards. Builders continued to build as loans had been secured for the investor. When it came time to modify, values were considerably below what they had agreed to pay for the homes. These investors either needed to bring money to the table or allow them to go into foreclosure.
What is the market like today?
Currently, in today’s market, values have dropped by as much as 70% on these homes in these areas. They have dropped so much that they now sell for below what it costs to build them which has forced builders out of business and also resulted in an increase in the unemployment rate here.
The silver lining in all this is that for those who currently have the funds to invest, now is the time to do so! Many investors recognize that the current state of Lee County’s housing market represents a marvelous long term investment strategy. This is readily evident in the fact that some of these homes now get multiple offers for cash and often sell at the asking price or slightly above. Depending on the home and location sometimes they sell for well above the asking price.
Market conditions aside, this area has a large appeal for both national and international buyers. Interstate 75 makes it very easy to drive here from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, thus many people from these states own second homes here or relocate here entirely. I also often see buyers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
Internationally, Germans enjoy a large local presence. A non-stop flight from Düsseldorf, Germany is offered weekly to Fort Myers International Airport.
The British and other Europeans also find it easy to fly into Orlando, Tampa or Miami and make a connecting flight to Fort Myers or rent a vehicle in one of those cities and drive the rest of the way. For these international buyers, the weakened dollar has offered good value for money against the Euro and the British Pound. Many can buy a home here for less than they would buy a car at home.
Now let’s examine the specific numbers in Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. As of Jan 10th 2009 there are a combined total of 9,702 single family residences for sale. 1,523 of these are foreclosures, 4,039 are short sales and the rest are standard listings.
Homes with pending sales as of the 10th of Dec 2008 total 1,044 for Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres. Of the 1,044 sales pending, 620 are foreclosures, 296 are short sales and the rest are standard listings. Please keep in mind with the holiday season some slow down is expected.
Below is a further break down of these figures by city:
Cape Coral
Total Listings: 3,924
Foreclosures: 522
Short Sales: 1,945
Sales pending as of Dec 10th 2008:
Total: 821
Foreclosures: 495
Short Sales: 229
Fort Myers
Total Listings: 3,176
Foreclosures: 338
Short Sales: 742
Sales pending as of Dec 10th 2008:
Total: 282
Foreclosures: 149
Short Sales: 66
Lehigh Acres
Total Listings: 2,603
Foreclosures: 663
Short Sales: 1,353
Sales pending as of Dec 10th 2008:
Total: 293
Foreclosures: 214
Short Sales: 59
A comparison of the figures above shows the most active market currently for sales pending is the Cape Coral market. Cape Coral has seen the greatest increase in pending sales, running at almost 100% over the same time last year. I believe this area still offers the greatest value for money at this time.
Another interesting fact is that of the 9,702 homes currently for sale 5,260 of those homes were built after 2000. So, over 50% of the homes for sale are less than 10 years old. Additionally 3,665 homes were built after 2005. That means 30% of the homes are only 4 years old or less!
These figures are consistent with what was said earlier concerning the majority of investor homes being built at that time. The majority of these newer and often never lived in homes are located in Cape Coral and Lehigh Acres.
Bonita and Naples did not see the speculative investor book as these other area did in the single family homes and not so many are currently for sale or no the market.
Bonita currently has 250 homes active of which 43 are foreclosures and 39 are short sales.Naples has 223 active listings of which 35 are foreclosures and 4 are short sales.
However the information concerning these 2 areas may not be accurate as the others as they have just formed their own MLS and not all listings in those areas can now be found in our MLS system.
Based on visits to these 2 areas to look at properties with customers the information above is deemed a good representation of what the current market is like in those area. Values have always been higher and the entry level builders where not building in those 2 areas to the extent they where in the other 3 cities.
If we look at condominiums in these area which I feel is where the greatest speculation took place we may find it to be very different.
None of the above information concerns condominiums as I feel there is still too much risk in these at present and would suggest avoiding these for the next 12 months.If you need an additional explanation as to why I can provide that as needed.
Cape Coral offers the best value as we currently have homes from 50,000 to over 5,000,000.With being surrounded by water this City has a wide appeal to all people.
Fort Myers offers similar appeal as Cape Coral does but does consist of more gated communities and has homes from 30,000 to over 10,000.000. Lehigh Acres has values from 30,000 to up to 350,000.Lehigh appeals to a wide range of ethnic groups and also first home buyers it does not have any water access to the Gulf so home values are not as high.
Contact Adrian at 239-281-5612 or adrianpwaring@hotmail.com for all of your real estate needs.
Cape Coral Real Estate an Introduction
CAPE CORAL AN INTRODUCTION
Cape Coral is one of the nations first master planned communities. The dream was born in 1957 when two developers, the Rosen brothers and the Gulf American Corporation saw the possibilities for development of the peninsula on the NW side of the Caloosahatchee river.
They were drawn to the sunshine, balmy breezes in the winter and the seemingly endless opportunities for waterfront living.
Their plan was to create the Venice of America. Four hundred miles of fresh and salt water canals were unearthed many times that of the Italian city. Homeowners with their boats in their own back yard could motor or sale to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in a matter of minutes, basking in the mild winters and pleasant warm summers of sunshine and cool breezes.
Today Cape Coral is a vibrant and friendly city moving forward towards continued development and future growth, currently offering buyers opportunities in some cases not seen in decadesWe have a wide variety of housing opportunities for both full time and part time residents so come and take your pick.
Opportunities for leisure include everything under the warm southwest Florida sun.
WELCOME TO CAPE CORAL.
REAL ESTATE
With a total area of 115 square miles Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and Miami and was the 5th fastest growing city in the USA up to 2005.The population is now in excess of 160,000 .One reason for it’s appeal is the almost four hundred miles of canals that wind their way through the city. That translates into some 800 miles of potential waterfront property from which to take your pick with easy boater access to the inter coastal waterway in the Gulf of Mexico.
With only about 1/3rd of the city developed Cape Coral still has considerable room to grow .Cape Coral is one of the nations first master planned communities. It offers an incredibly diverse choice of property running as low as $50,000 to in excess of $7,000.000, offering a wide choice for all pocket books and tastes. You can purchase a home here for seasonal visits .Many Northerners (affectionately known as “Snow Birds”) looking to escape the harsh northern winters choose Cape Coral as their winter “roost”.
Better yet you can become a permanent resident like me and enjoy the sun year round. You can choose single family residences with or without a pool, condominiums, golf course property, a home in one of the areas gated communities, or high rise waterfront condominiums with incredible views of the surrounding area, another option is waterfront homes both gulf access and fresh water including canal front, river front, lake front ranging in price from the low $100,000 to over $7,0000.000 .You can even buy a vacant lot to build your dream home on now or down the road.
Cape Coral offers a wide variety of school choices including traditional schooling options and within the last few years has added a number of successful charter schools. The charter school recently built opened in 2005 with state of the art teaching and technology.
TOURISM AND ATTRACTIONS
Cape Coral’s sub-tropical climate and extensive system of waterways provide the perfect setting for anglers hoping to catch Tarpon, Redfish, Grouper, and Snook .These water ways also make Cape Coral a boaters paradise. Cape Coral has a number of city owned boat ramps offering easy access to the river an ideal arrangement for those wanting to access the river without the need to own water front property. The Cape’s proximity to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico makes our outdoor recreation some of the best.
Cape Coral also offers both private and semi-private golfing facilities at every skill level. Many golfers enjoy the city owned Coral Oaks Golf Course, a finely manicured course designed by Arthur Hills. Sculptured around magnificent oak trees and shimmering lakes .
Families will enjoy Cape Coral’s municipally run water park called Sun Splash as well as our own BMX track located right in Cape Coral and used a few days each week. The city has a wide variety of parks scattered throughout the area, some situated right on the river and others offering facilities for all types of sports related recreational activities.
Environmental education mixes with recreation at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve with its own boardwalk surrounded by mangroves winding leisurely towards the river. You can even canoe or kayak and explore close to some 400 acres of salt water wetlands populated by a wide variety of bird life and animals. Four Mile Cover offers a glimpse of what this area looked like hundreds of years ago before development.
We must not forget our own beach located at the Cape Coral Yacht Club in the southeast corner of the Cape. This is a public beach with plenty of parking and great for just relaxing and letting the kids play in the shallow waters. The fishing pier which stretches out into the river is a major draw for fishing enthusiasts of all ages.
Since Cape Coral has one of the largest burrowing owl populations in the country it has become known as Cape Coral’s official bird. Other birds often seen here are Osprey, American Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and many others. At times you may even get a glimpse of Otters swimming in the many lakes or leisurely basking on the shores these are often fun to watch.
Cape Coral is served by Regional South West Florida International Airport situated across the river in Fort Myers and in most cases less than 45 minutes away by car. This was recently considered to be the 8th fastest growing airport in the country. In the last few years the airport underwent complete renovation costing in excess of $408,000,000 to upgrade the mid field terminal, giving greater access to all parts of the US and even the World including weekly direct flights from Germany.
Cape Coral offers a number of hotel properties including the recently built downtown 75 room Hampton Inn, situated less than a mile from our office.
EDUCATION
Most of the public schools in Cape Coral are operated by Lee County. For more information on each school in our area click on the school tab info on the web site. Six schools in Cape Coral earn a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Honors from the State of Florida. Four have taken National Honors and additional schools are being added within the county as this area continues to develop. We even have our own recently developed Charter School system with two elementary schools a middle school and a high school. To encourage future investment in College and University Facilities 180 acres of city owned land have been set aside for future development. Courses are already being offered in Cape Coral by Nova SouthEastern, Florida Gulf Coast University, and International College. The county-run High Tech North Centre is a post secondary institution that provides vocational and career training in a number of fields. Each curriculum is designed to offer the maximum training in a minimum of time.
Situated across the river in Fort Myers is the main campus of Edison State College which is both highly regarded and respected in the area and offers courses of study leading to Associates in Arts and Sciences, and many other educational opportunities.
The main campus of Florida Gulf Coast University offers 37 under-graduate and 20 graduate programs as of 2005. Consumers Digest magazine named “Florida Gulf Coast University number 11 in the top 50 for best values for public Colleges and Universities in the Nation.”
HEALTH CARE
Cape Coral Hospital has served residents throughout the area for more than 20 years .The 280 bed Facility provides superior health care, combining the latest in medical technology with care and compassion for its patients and their family. Cape Coral Hospital has been recognized nationally as one of the top 100 hospitals in the US. one of the top 100 Orthopedic hospitals. The hospital features the areas largest emergency department.
Cape Coral Hospital also offers in and out patient services. Cape Coral is within driving distance of some of the best facilities and specialty care units in the region.
CAPE CORAL SHOPPING
Coralwood Mall is an open air mall with 3 national retailers, a number of specialty stores and its own movie complex .We have a number of smaller malls scattered throughout the Cape with large name brand stores offering a wide variety of shopping choices. Over the last few years in addition to Wal-Mart we now have at least one Target, Publix, Home Depot, Lowes and many others .Going across the bridge to Fort Myers is no longer a shopping necessity.
Cape Coral offers a wide variety of dining experiences from traditional hamburger joints to more up scale specialty dining. In fact, we have just about all type of restaurants to meet every taste and budget. Why not come and taste it for yourself you will not be disappointed.
Contact Adrian Waring at 239-281-5612 or adrianpwaring@hotmail.com for all of your real estate needs.
Cape Coral is one of the nations first master planned communities. The dream was born in 1957 when two developers, the Rosen brothers and the Gulf American Corporation saw the possibilities for development of the peninsula on the NW side of the Caloosahatchee river.
They were drawn to the sunshine, balmy breezes in the winter and the seemingly endless opportunities for waterfront living.
Their plan was to create the Venice of America. Four hundred miles of fresh and salt water canals were unearthed many times that of the Italian city. Homeowners with their boats in their own back yard could motor or sale to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in a matter of minutes, basking in the mild winters and pleasant warm summers of sunshine and cool breezes.
Today Cape Coral is a vibrant and friendly city moving forward towards continued development and future growth, currently offering buyers opportunities in some cases not seen in decadesWe have a wide variety of housing opportunities for both full time and part time residents so come and take your pick.
Opportunities for leisure include everything under the warm southwest Florida sun.
WELCOME TO CAPE CORAL.
REAL ESTATE
With a total area of 115 square miles Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and Miami and was the 5th fastest growing city in the USA up to 2005.The population is now in excess of 160,000 .One reason for it’s appeal is the almost four hundred miles of canals that wind their way through the city. That translates into some 800 miles of potential waterfront property from which to take your pick with easy boater access to the inter coastal waterway in the Gulf of Mexico.
With only about 1/3rd of the city developed Cape Coral still has considerable room to grow .Cape Coral is one of the nations first master planned communities. It offers an incredibly diverse choice of property running as low as $50,000 to in excess of $7,000.000, offering a wide choice for all pocket books and tastes. You can purchase a home here for seasonal visits .Many Northerners (affectionately known as “Snow Birds”) looking to escape the harsh northern winters choose Cape Coral as their winter “roost”.
Better yet you can become a permanent resident like me and enjoy the sun year round. You can choose single family residences with or without a pool, condominiums, golf course property, a home in one of the areas gated communities, or high rise waterfront condominiums with incredible views of the surrounding area, another option is waterfront homes both gulf access and fresh water including canal front, river front, lake front ranging in price from the low $100,000 to over $7,0000.000 .You can even buy a vacant lot to build your dream home on now or down the road.
Cape Coral offers a wide variety of school choices including traditional schooling options and within the last few years has added a number of successful charter schools. The charter school recently built opened in 2005 with state of the art teaching and technology.
TOURISM AND ATTRACTIONS
Cape Coral’s sub-tropical climate and extensive system of waterways provide the perfect setting for anglers hoping to catch Tarpon, Redfish, Grouper, and Snook .These water ways also make Cape Coral a boaters paradise. Cape Coral has a number of city owned boat ramps offering easy access to the river an ideal arrangement for those wanting to access the river without the need to own water front property. The Cape’s proximity to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico makes our outdoor recreation some of the best.
Cape Coral also offers both private and semi-private golfing facilities at every skill level. Many golfers enjoy the city owned Coral Oaks Golf Course, a finely manicured course designed by Arthur Hills. Sculptured around magnificent oak trees and shimmering lakes .
Families will enjoy Cape Coral’s municipally run water park called Sun Splash as well as our own BMX track located right in Cape Coral and used a few days each week. The city has a wide variety of parks scattered throughout the area, some situated right on the river and others offering facilities for all types of sports related recreational activities.
Environmental education mixes with recreation at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve with its own boardwalk surrounded by mangroves winding leisurely towards the river. You can even canoe or kayak and explore close to some 400 acres of salt water wetlands populated by a wide variety of bird life and animals. Four Mile Cover offers a glimpse of what this area looked like hundreds of years ago before development.
We must not forget our own beach located at the Cape Coral Yacht Club in the southeast corner of the Cape. This is a public beach with plenty of parking and great for just relaxing and letting the kids play in the shallow waters. The fishing pier which stretches out into the river is a major draw for fishing enthusiasts of all ages.
Since Cape Coral has one of the largest burrowing owl populations in the country it has become known as Cape Coral’s official bird. Other birds often seen here are Osprey, American Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and many others. At times you may even get a glimpse of Otters swimming in the many lakes or leisurely basking on the shores these are often fun to watch.
Cape Coral is served by Regional South West Florida International Airport situated across the river in Fort Myers and in most cases less than 45 minutes away by car. This was recently considered to be the 8th fastest growing airport in the country. In the last few years the airport underwent complete renovation costing in excess of $408,000,000 to upgrade the mid field terminal, giving greater access to all parts of the US and even the World including weekly direct flights from Germany.
Cape Coral offers a number of hotel properties including the recently built downtown 75 room Hampton Inn, situated less than a mile from our office.
EDUCATION
Most of the public schools in Cape Coral are operated by Lee County. For more information on each school in our area click on the school tab info on the web site. Six schools in Cape Coral earn a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Honors from the State of Florida. Four have taken National Honors and additional schools are being added within the county as this area continues to develop. We even have our own recently developed Charter School system with two elementary schools a middle school and a high school. To encourage future investment in College and University Facilities 180 acres of city owned land have been set aside for future development. Courses are already being offered in Cape Coral by Nova SouthEastern, Florida Gulf Coast University, and International College. The county-run High Tech North Centre is a post secondary institution that provides vocational and career training in a number of fields. Each curriculum is designed to offer the maximum training in a minimum of time.
Situated across the river in Fort Myers is the main campus of Edison State College which is both highly regarded and respected in the area and offers courses of study leading to Associates in Arts and Sciences, and many other educational opportunities.
The main campus of Florida Gulf Coast University offers 37 under-graduate and 20 graduate programs as of 2005. Consumers Digest magazine named “Florida Gulf Coast University number 11 in the top 50 for best values for public Colleges and Universities in the Nation.”
HEALTH CARE
Cape Coral Hospital has served residents throughout the area for more than 20 years .The 280 bed Facility provides superior health care, combining the latest in medical technology with care and compassion for its patients and their family. Cape Coral Hospital has been recognized nationally as one of the top 100 hospitals in the US. one of the top 100 Orthopedic hospitals. The hospital features the areas largest emergency department.
Cape Coral Hospital also offers in and out patient services. Cape Coral is within driving distance of some of the best facilities and specialty care units in the region.
CAPE CORAL SHOPPING
Coralwood Mall is an open air mall with 3 national retailers, a number of specialty stores and its own movie complex .We have a number of smaller malls scattered throughout the Cape with large name brand stores offering a wide variety of shopping choices. Over the last few years in addition to Wal-Mart we now have at least one Target, Publix, Home Depot, Lowes and many others .Going across the bridge to Fort Myers is no longer a shopping necessity.
Cape Coral offers a wide variety of dining experiences from traditional hamburger joints to more up scale specialty dining. In fact, we have just about all type of restaurants to meet every taste and budget. Why not come and taste it for yourself you will not be disappointed.
Contact Adrian Waring at 239-281-5612 or adrianpwaring@hotmail.com for all of your real estate needs.
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