Naples Real Estate

Traffic alert. In order to make the Cocohatchee River bridge on Vanderbilt Drive in Naples more user-friendly for pedestrians and bicyclists, the bridge is being torn down and replaced. This will mean that the traffic will be detoured around this area and will no longer be able to get directly from areas such as Naples Park and Vanderbilt Beach, to Wiggins Pass Road, Bonita Beach Road, and Barefoot Beach. Construction of the new 53-foot-wide bridge, which will feature wide sidewalks on boths sides, should be completed by the end of the year.

Southwest Florida and Naples have always been known for golf and their golf courses, and in 2009 recognition has come again. Travel and Leisure Golf Magazine has named six golf communities in the area to their Top 100 Golf Communities in the country. Receiving this honor this year are Grey Oaks ( 3 courses ), Mediterra ( 2 courses ), Tuscany Reserve ( 1 course ), Twin Eagles ( 2 courses ), Bay Colony ( 1 course ), and Bonita Bay Club ( 5 courses ).

The Naples real estate market is expected to improve dramaticly, and it will happen yet this year.  That was the news noted Florida economist Hank Fishkind gave to a large group of Collier County Realtors recently.  Speaking at the Naples Area Board of Realtors, he stated that Naples real estate pricing has hit bottom here, and that sales are increasing, and that pricing should start to see a rise before the end of the year.

As season gets into full swing here in Naples, there is great news for anyone going to downtown Naples.  A brand new 300+ space parking garage is now open, and located at 6th Avenue South and 8th Street South, thereby making access to all the shops and restaurants located in the area so much easier.  It will also make attending many of the festivals and events held around there much more convenient.  There is no charge for parking, and the facility will be open 24/7 throughout the year.

It may seem like the same old story, but good news for the housing market needs to be told when it continues to get better. Activity in the real estate sector of the economy for the Naples area has improved for the seventh straight month. In a report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors, Naples home sales for the month of August increased by over 25% from a year ago. These numbers count actual closed sales of single family homes and condominiums in Collier County, excluding Marco Island.

We have always known that Naples and Collier County is a great place to live with the beautiful beaches, wonderful dining and shopping, numerous activities, and the fantastic weather. Now we have even another plus for the area. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office recently announced that the crime rate for the first six months of 2008 continues to go down and that it is now as low as it has been in nearly 40 years. While feeling safe is more of an emotion, there are now actual figures to support this comforting sense of security.

Fifth Avenue South has always been a mecca for shoppers around the world. Now things have even gotten better. On Wednesday, August 6, the area opened a sidewalk sale for its customers, which will run through September 30, and provide a greater opportunity for merchants to display their merchandise. It will all be done in good taste, as there are restrictions as to the amount of goods to be put on the street and how they are to be shown. The idea is to make shopping and bargain hunting just that much more fun for shoppers and store-owners alike.

We have known for a long time what a wonderful place Naples and Marco Island is to live, but now it is being nationally recognized as well. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Magazine has named Naples/Marco Island as one of the top ten places in the country to live and retire in the country. This study was based on the health and lifestyle habits of the people who live in these areas, using twenty plus health-related criteria such as life expectancy, eating and exercise habits, and physicians per capita. According to the article, our area is still “Florida’s last paradise”, and praised it for the beaches and art scene which “are often voted tops in the nation.” It continued by calling Naples/Marco Island “heaven” for golfers, with “the second most golf holes per capita in the country.”

The June housing sales figures are in and the news continues to get better. For the fifth month in a row, home sales, as reported by the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR), have risen, and there appears to be no reason why this trend should not continue. The figures reported are for Collier County, excluding Marco Island, and show not only increased closed sales, but a rise in the number of pending sales, as well as a decrease in available inventory. It is becoming more clear with each passing day that buyers are aware of the outstanding values in todays existing market, and are ready to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity.

It is now July, summer is upon us, the snowbirds have flown to their more northern residences, and the weather is still glorious. This fact has not been lost by the rest of the world, as Southwest Florida continues to attract thousands of new visitors. While some are here only for a short vacation, many have come for much longer durations. It could be for a long winter get-away, retirement, or a permanent relocation, people continue to realize that this area truly is paradise. The economic woes may still be here, but they are so much easier to take when it is warm and sunny, and the Gulf of Mexico and its sandy beaches are so convenient. All of this is what will keep Southwest Florida on the most desirable places to live lists for years to come.