Buyers and sellers may want to tune in because changes are coming to the lending process in September and it will affect home buyers. Sellers tend to say that’s not my problem, but it will be if your buyer no longer qualifies for the loan.

Credit Report Changes Coming

Certain loan programs are going to what they call Trended Credit Reports. Trended credit data is different than a FICO score which captures a particular point in time. Trended data looks at the trend and whether a borrower’s creditworthiness is improving or declining over time.

A buyer may have an excellent FICO score but if their trend is negative as Federated Financial reports says it could affect their ability to finance that much or the pricing on the loan, which also can affect the total amount financed. Many lenders are up in arms over this change, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

For instance, let’s say you charge $1,500/mo on your credit card for everything from groceries, repairs, phone bill, etc. You pay off that $1,500/mo so you have a zero balance each month. Under the current system they see an average balance of $1,500 mo on your credit report. You choose to collect the points on your credit card instead of writing checks but the money remains the same. Under trended credit reporting it just might be that you’re not penalized for charging to your credit card instead of a bunch of online banking payments.

We believe the new reporting will focus on credit utilization scores among other things and what that overall trend looks like, although we don’t know for sure. It’s important to note that this is a FNMA decision. This shouldn’t affect FHA loans.

We often tell buyers, don’t go out and buy a new car just before you close on your home. Buyers get the loan approval to buy their home and think everything is a done deal. What they don’t realize is lenders go back and pull credit again just before the closing and if there is a change they can deny the loan. I’ve seen it happen more times that I care to count. I know agents out there counsel their buyers but for some reason they forget that point.

If you’re considering buying it really helps to talk to a lender first. Sellers won’t entertain your offer unless a pre-approval letter accompanies your offer anyway. You can save a lot of time by knowing what the lender requires. Quite often a buyer needs to just have one thing changed in their financial situation and they’re good to go. Doing it upfront can save your deal and help you to shop in the correct price range.

If you’d like to speak to a lender, give us a call. 239-489-4042 We can recommend some good ones for you and really speed up the process. It doesn’t cost any money to talk to a lender upfront, and it can save you money on inspections and appraisals by knowing the facts upfront. You’ll save time and money.

Buyers are happy to find out they qualify for more now because rates have dropped. You might be surprised at what you can afford, but don’t go buy that new car until after you get the home.

If you’d like to search for your perfect home, go to www.LeeCountyOnline.com It has all the homes and the database is updated every 5 minutes, so you’ll beat out other buyers to hot new listings.

If you have a property to sell, you can call us too. 239-489-4042 Find out why our listings sell fast and for top dollar.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Open House Extravaganza This Weekend

Open Sat 1-4 PM

Bell Tower Park Courtyard Home — Open Saturday 1-4 PM

5693 Kensington Loop

$260,000

Open Sunday 1-4 PM

Viridian Pool Home on Lake — Open Sunday 1-4 PM

12407 Arbor View Dr

$485,000

This past week we’ve been speaking with agents who have noticed lower sales counts across the county, which begs the question “Is something happening to the local real estate market?”

June’s official numbers won’t be released until a few days after this article is written, so we decided to look at May’s numbers and combine some current data from MLS and a few large real estate companies in SW Florida.

Agents Reporting Lower Sales Counts Across Lee County

If you look at May’s data you’ll notice pending inventory is down 12% from last year. New pending sales are down 6.4% while inventory is up 14.1% This chart lends credence to the fact that the number of sales counts are softening.

At Keller Williams our office tracks Listings Sold Volume. The board was down 13.21% in June while our office was up 25.33% That’s a differential of 38.54% I spoke with 2 large RE/MAX offices and they both said they were up about 38% and 50% respectively. I’m not sure if that was sold volume or units, but either way they’re up.

So why are some offices increasing sales while others are obviously losing sales? The answer can be complicated. Perhaps the office had 1 or 2 large sales skewing the volume numbers. Perhaps they sold a chunk of homes to an investor. Or, perhaps their agents are just more tuned in to what’s going on in the market and making adjustments.

Agents Reporting Lower Sales Counts Across Lee County Market Watch — 7 Day Market Watch

I pulled a 7 day Market Watch available through our MLS. Price decreases are outpacing new listings. I was excited to see pending sales outpacing new listings as well, although we know not all pending sales will close. You’ll see some sellers giving up by looking at the terminated, expired, and withdrawn counts.

It can be frustrating to bring a property to market and have little to no showing activity. When this happens it tells you that you’ve overshot the market. If your home is priced at market it should receive showings. If your home is way above the market, it’s not really on the market and is shunned by potential home buyers.

Sometimes the sellers believe the market is at one point and the buyers believe it to be at a lower point. When this stand-off occurs, activity lessens. The sellers that want or need to sell react and make a move to find the buyers. When this occurs, a property will sell.

We recently had a property go under contract. We picked a price and had lots of showings. It was priced close enough to where buyers would look at it, but not make an offer. We reduced it once and got even more showings and one low-ball offer. We reduced it a second time and it sold, for much higher than the low-ball offer.

The home initially was priced right where it should be based upon past sales. However, the market rarely stands still. In that price range we noticed a shift in the market. If this seller would have stayed at yesterday’s prices, the home could still be on the market.

You never want to get caught chasing the market down. You want to get ahead of it. People read that prices are up, and they are up 4.7% in May versus last year. That doesn’t tell the whole story. That is median price, and some price ranges are increasing while some are decreasing.

Knowing where your home fits is crucial. Sure, you can interview 5 agents and pick the one who says the highest price. But have you done yourself any favors? If your home sits on the market and 6 months later you’re shaking your head because it hasn’t sold, are you going to be happy you selected the agent with the highest price?

We’d suggest interviewing agents who know the market, will be brutally honest in regards to price, and markets the home in a way to reach the entire market. If you do that, you will have success. If you don’t, you can find that agent the 2nd time around and hope that prices haven’t declined further. If it was priced right the first time, it should have sold. Keep in mind, just because you overprice it today doesn’t mean the market can’t fall further. If it does, you’ll just be chasing the market down.

Always call the Ellis Team at Keller Williams, we’ll help you get your home sold now! 239-489-4042 Find your dream home now!

Join us for Open House in Reflection Lakes Saturday July 23 1-4 PM

13925 Bald Cypress Cir

Reflection Lakes Gated Community South Fort Myers — Reflection Lakes 4 Bedroom Pool Home on Lake

Best real estate team SW Florida News Press Readers poll — Ellis Team Voted Best Real Estate Team in SW Florida

Thank you for voting the Ellis Team Best Real Estate Team in SW Florida News Press Readers Poll

Back in the mid 90’s we ran an ad in the News Press that said “By the Year 2010 All Real Estate Agents Will Operate the Way We Do” It was forward thinking. We were the first team in SW Florida and probably one of the first in Florida. Today we’re pleased to announce the Ellis Team shaking up real estate industry once again.

We caught a lot of flack for that back in the 90’s from agents because they didn’t see or agree with that vision. Real estate had just never been done that way before. Sure there were some loose knit affiliations where agents teamed up and covered for each other, but not to the extent each person on the team had a specialized area and they owned that part of their job.

Fast forward to 2016. There are many teams here locally and across the country. The benefits to consumers are many. On the listing side quite often the listing agent isn’t the best photographer. They may not be the best person answering multiple phone lines, writing ad copy, and all the various other tasks. What you want is an agent that’s great with people, marketing, and negotiating. All the other stuff can be handled by people who do that best.

And yet, not all agents work as a team. That’s OK for agents doing less than 10-20 deals per year. Once you start doing some volume those tasks add up quickly. At that point if you don’t have an assistant, you are your own assistant, and you have to ask yourself if that’s the best use of your time.

You wouldn’t go to a doctor that greeted you as you came in, asked for your ID card, called your insurance company, took your blood pressure, and all the stuff the receptionist and nurse does. You want a doctor who is tops and only doing what she should be doing, which is evaluating, treating, and diagnosing patients. The same is true with a good real estate agent. You want them doing tasks that will make you, the buyer or seller, money.

Running a team requires managing people, setting up systems, and acquiring leads. It takes money. Converting leads is another thing, and without conversions, it all comes crashing down whether you’re a single agent or a team. Real estate has changed, and agents are learning to adapt.

At the Ellis Team Keller Williams Fort Myers & the Islands we’re all about efficiency. We don’t know everything, but we have learned to listen from the best. We talk to other top teams and trainers throughout the country. We’re experts at creating leads. We have thousands. Sometimes our buyer agents get so busy working with buyers, answering internet leads, newspaper calls, sign calls, referrals, etc. We’ve been looking at ways to free them up to work with more buyers and sellers all the time.

Ellis Team Shaking Up Real Estate Industry Once Again

For this reason, we’re expanding our team to include 2 inside sales agents. Inside sales agents work with our buyer and sellers leads and nurture them until they’re ready to meet for an appointment. At that time a Realtor on our team meets with them and lists their home or finds them a home to buy.

Inside sales agents can answer questions in minutes because they don’t leave the office. This is better for the consumer because the ball doesn’t get dropped. Imagine thousands of buyers emailing in asking questions like “What are the HOA dues on this particular listing?” Or “can you send me more photos of this home?”

We love to help people and want to in the most efficient way possible. We get people the information they need when they need it.

We want everyone on our team to have a wonderful life, and our customers to be better enriched by the experience.

If you know someone who would make a good Inside Sales Agent, give us a call. We may have a position they never knew existed.

If you’re looking to buy or sell, check out www.LeeCountyOnline.com Or you can call us at 239-489-4042 Happy House Hunting, and let’s shake things up once again!

The Ellis Team Seller’s Club is a big hit, so we put our 1st episode on YouTube. The Seller’s Club is a private video e-mail each month to our sellers, potential sellers, and For Sale By Owners. It’s basically for anyone either selling or thinking of selling their real estate in SW Florida. We go in-depth with research and analysis and inform sellers everything they want to know to make informed decisions about their property. If you’d like to get on this list, simply call us at 239-489-4042 or email us.

Ellis Team Shaking Up Real Estate Industry

Open House Extravaganza- We do open houses differently too. This weekend we’ll have 2 builder model homes on the golf course open in River Hall.

Open Saturday 1-4 pm

River Hall Open House Extravaganza — Builder Model on Golf Course

3301 Chestnut Grove Dr

Open Sat 1-4 PM

Builder's Model River Hall Open House Extravaganza — River Hall Home on Golf Course

16420 Windsor Way

Open Sat 1-4 PM

Great Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, also known as Brexit, shook financial markets to the core leaving investors scrambling. There was a definite flight to quality into US Treasuries as the 10 Yr note yield fell instantly as the vote was announced. We answer the question, “Could Brexit benefit Southwest Florida home buyers?”

Could Brexit Benefit Southwest Florida Home Buyers?

The answer is yes, it is already benefiting many borrowers. Since Brexit rates are down about 1/4% to ½%. This works out to about 6% more purchasing power for the same payment in one week’s time. In other words, a buyer has two choices. They can either step up about 6% in purchase price and not have the payment cost them any more, or they can purchase the same amount and spend less per month doing it.

This helps more buyers qualify, so it can help sellers too. We have a listing in Bella Casa that has Open House Friday 5:30-7:30 and Saturday 5:30-7:30 July 8th and 9th. It is 3 bedrooms and 2 baths and is listed at $185,000. Before Brexit we needed a buyer that qualified for the full $185,000. Today we could find a buyer that qualified for a maximum $174,000 just last week and make that deal happen and it wouldn’t cost the buyer any more.

In the higher price ranges it’s even more dramatic. Essentially borrowers just got either a financing discount or a purchasing boost for the same money. The buyer definitely wins, and one could argue sellers do too because now there are more available buyers for their home.

When times are uncertain investors flock to tangible assets or quality. Good examples of tangible assets are gold and real estate. Both can fluctuate in value but real estate can be rented out. It’s hard to do that with gold. The EU may not be done losing participants either, and if anyone else bows out like Great Britain did it could spell more uncertainty for the markets.

Gold rose and oil fell after Brexit. Gold was considered a flight to quality while oil fell because people feared a business slowdown. Sometimes the markets are fueled by consumer confidence while other times they’re fueled by opportunities.

We could have fewer British and European buyers in the US market which could hurt some local markets while at the same time helping many buyers. Many times there are competing forces at work and so it is difficult for anyone to accurately predict which force wins out and who the winners and losers will actually be. Just keep in mind there are opportunities in situations like these and the news isn’t always grim.

If you’re thinking about buying in this very low interest rate market we’ve got the website for you. www.LeeCountyOnline.com We think you’ll like it because it is updated with all the listings every 5 minutes. Most of the other sites take days and still don’t always get it right.

Sometimes days is too long. The best properties go fast. Timing is critical. If you’d like to take advantage of this financial situation, give us a call at 239-489-4042 or register on our site. We can get you in touch with a lender who has rates below 3% as of the time we’re writing this article.

If you’re a seller, we have lots of buyers and may have a buyer that’s looking for a home like yours. You can call us too. If we don’t currently have a buyer, we have marketing that attracts buyers. Give us a call and let’s see if we can get you to your next goal.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Next weekend we’ll feature an Open House Extravaganza, so stay tuned.

Welcome to the Ellis Team Seller’s Club. Each month we inform sellers in Southwest Florida trends and data to make the best decisions. E-Mail us if you’d like to be included in our Seller’s Club.

Back in April we reported sales seemed to be picking up just a bit after a lackluster season. We’re happy to report some encouraging news with SW Florida real estate sales picking up slightly.

The trend we saw in April bears out in the statistics. Month’s supply of inventory in all but one price range declined which means there are more sales relative to the amount of inventory on the market. We’ve supplied a chart comparing month’s supply of inventory for single family homes in Lee County Florida in June compared to April 2016. While there is still a large amount of inventory priced $400,000 and up, numbers are looking better.

SW Florida Real Estate Sales Picking Up

We reported that sales were down about 20% earlier this year; however closed sales in May were just about even with last year’s numbers. While February and March sales were down from last year, May is showing some progress this year.

Brexit is in the news and the jury is still out on its effects on our national and local markets. One boon could be lower rates as we see a global flight to quality to US treasuries. When this happens it drives down mortgage rates which are largely based off the 10 yr note. Lower rates would add buying power to local buyers and create newly qualified buyers into the market. The downside could be a lack of consumer confidence and exports which could cost jobs, so we’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out.

Every circumstance presents a new opportunity, so we’ll be looking for creative ways to market to the opportunities as they present.

New listings are up 10.6% in May, so hopefully the pending sales keep coming and keep that supply of inventory down. Pending inventory fell 12% in May over last year while inventory increased 14.1% in May over last year, so we’ll have to keep our eye on that.

There are so many statistics we research each month that give us a guide to where the market may be headed. It’s worked well in the past and sellers appreciate reviewing all the data when they’re making selling decisions on their home.

This is one of the reasons we’ve decided to start up a Seller’s Club. The Ellis Team Seller’s Club is a group of people who have their home on the market or are considering selling their property and are thirsty for market data. We produce a video going over many charts and analyzing the data. We only have so much room in each of these articles so with the videos we’re able to present much more. All of the data is geared to sellers and what they need to know. If you’re listed with another broker this is not a solicitation to obtain your listing.

If you’re considering putting your home on the market then you definitely want to tune in. Just email me at Brett@topagent.com and ask to be placed in our Seller’s Club and we’ll add you. It’s that simple, and you’ll look at the same data we look at and receive expert analysis of what it all means and how it affects you.

If you’d like to search the MLS like a pro, head on over to www.LeeCountyOnline.com Our database is updated every 5 minutes, so you’ll find hot new properties before other buyers do. If you’d like to list your home now, give us a call. 239-489-4042 We’re easy to talk to and we’re here to help.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

July 4th Independence Day Specials

SW Florida Real Estate Featured Properties — Olde Hickory Golf Course Home

14381 Hickory Fairway Ct

4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths

SW Florida Real Estate Reflection Lakes — Reflection Lakes Pool Home on Lake

13925 Bald Cypress Cir

4 Bedroom, 3 Bath Pool Home on Lake

Whiskey Creek pool home SW Florida Real Estate Fort Myers — Whiskey Creek Pool Home

5668 Jerez Ct

3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, Oversized Lot

SW Florida Real Estate Viridian Fort Myers — Viridian Pool Home on Lake

12407 Arbor View Dr

4 Bedrooms, 4 Baths, Pool Home Lakefront

SW Florida Real Estate Cape Coral Pool Home — Cape Coral Pool Home

2110 SW 13th St

3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 4 lot site

SW Florida Real Estate Bella Casa — Bella Casa Home With Garage

Bella Casa Home Fort Myers

3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths with Garage

SW Florida Real Estate Bella Casa Riviera — Bella Casa Riviera Floor Plan

Bella Casa Riviera Floor Plan

3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, Community Pool

The Ellis Team Seller’s Club is brought to you by the Ellis Team – Keller Williams Fort Myers & The Islands

Now it really gets fun. We’ve been doing a series of articles on what you can buy at various price points, and today we answer the question, what does $ 1 Million buy in SW Florida real estate market?

We concentrated our search on single family homes but there are some nice condos available in SW Florida in all these prices ranges. None of the listings presented here today are our listings. In fact, in all four articles so far, none have been. We’ve been trying to educate readers on what you can buy, so we’ve hand selected some interesting properties.

What Does $ 1 Million Buy in SW Florida Real Estate Market?

In Fort Myers we found a home listed for just under $1 Million. It is a large 2 story home with over 4,400 square feet of living area. It is located between McGregor and the River and this pool just really caught our eye. There are so many great homes located in this area it was hard to choose. This is a fairly newer home built in 2007 so it was unique.

1 Million Buy in SW Florida Real Estate Market St James City — St James City Million Dollar Home

We found a home in St James City listed for just under $1 Million as well. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths and has gulf access with a boat dock right out your back door. You can be fishing some of the world’s best fishing spots in minutes. This home is bay front and has 2 boat lifts.

1 Million Buy in SW Florida Real Estate Market Sanibel Island — Sanibel Island Million Dollar Home

Next we head over to Sanibel Island, home to some of the world’s best shelling. This home is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath home and has excellent rental income. You can enjoy this home for yourself on gorgeous Sanibel Island or you can rent it out and receive close to $70,000 income until you’re ready to call it home. Or you could do both, renting it out and vacationing here. It is nicely decorated and is furnished.

1 Million Buy in SW Florida Real Estate Market Cape Coral — Cape Coral Million Dollar View

Lastly we found a home in Cape Coral priced just over $1 Million by a few thousand dollars. Imagine heading out on your boat in this gulf access waterfront home and when you come back after a great day of fishing or boating you can jump right into your gorgeous pool. That’s living the good life and what SW Florida is all about. This home features 4 bedrooms plus a den and 3 full baths. It is over 3,000 square feet of living area. If you’d like to rent this home you can for $8,000- $10,000 per month.

They say SW Florida sells itself, and it does. Once people vacation or visit SW Florida they’re hooked, but where do you go to find more information and snoop around all the homes for sale?

Simply go to www.LeeCountyOnline.com and you can search like a Realtor. The database includes all homes for sale in the MLS and is updated every 5 minutes, so you’ll know about price changes or new listings hitting the market before other buyers. The key to scoring a great deal is to work with an agent who is knowledgeable about the market and having access to the data.

We provide both for you. If you have a property to sell, we can help with that too. Many buyers must sell a property before they can purchase another. If your property is located in another city, we can find you the best agent in that city.

You can always call us at 239-489-4042 if you’d like to speak with an experienced agent, or search away on our website until you find something that interests you. Our team is here to help you wherever you are in the process, and on your terms. Give us a call, you’ll be glad you did.

The Ellis Team at Keller Williams Fort Myers & The Islands is hiring agents– Read more and see if you have what it takes.

If you’ve been reading our articles lately you’ll notice we’re doing a series on what you can buy in the SW Florida real estate market at various price points. In recent weeks we’ve done the $250,000 and $500,000 range and showed you some excellent choices in those ranges. Today we answer the question, what does $ 750,000 buy in Lee County real estate market?

If money is no object, it gets a lot more fun to shop as we go higher in price. These are by no means the entirety of the market, but rather a sampling of a few things you could buy around town in this price range.

What Does $ 750,000 Buy in Lee County Real Estate Market?

750,000 Buy in the Lee County Real Estate Market — Fort Myers Beach Waterfront Pool Home

At Fort Myers Beach we found a nice waterfront home on a wide canal built in 1981. It is 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. It has a gorgeous pavered pool area and boat lift for your boat at the canal. It’s located mid island at Fort Myers Beach and is listed for $725,000.

http://blog.topagent.com/2016/05/20/250000-buy-lee-county-real-estate-market/ Fort Myers — Fort Myers Gulf Access Waterfront Home

In Fort Myers we found another gulf access waterfront home. This home has 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths with 2,549 sq ft living area. I like the stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, wood like floors, and of course its location. Keep in mind, none of these listings are ours and we’re reporting based upon pictures in the MLS.

http://blog.topagent.com/2016/05/20/250000-buy-lee-county-real-estate-market/ Cape Coral — Cape Coral Waterfront Pool Home

In Cape Coral we found a home just under $750,000 with almost 2,600 sq ft of living area. This too is a gulf access waterfront pool home with no bridges. It’s a 2 minute boat ride to the river. It has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, high tray ceilings and stainless steel appliances with granite counter tops in the kitchen. It has a boat lift and a wet bar with refrigerator area off the pool for entertaining when you get off the boat.

If money is no object, it gets a lot more fun to shop as we go higher in price. These are by no means the entirety of the market, but rather a sampling of a few things you could buy around town in this price range. Palmira Golf & Country Club — Palmira Golf & Country Club Bonita Springs

Lastly, we have a gorgeous home on the golf course for you in Bonita Springs priced below $750,000. It is located in Palmira Golf and Country Club and features 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths with granite counter tops and custom cabinets on a quiet cul-de-sac street. The community offers a resort style pool and a community center, fitness center and bar and grill.

The bottom line is SW Florida has so much to offer for all kinds of different lifestyles. Whether you’re a casual boater, avid fisherman, tennis player, golfer, workout buff, or just like to chill out on your lanai and watch nature, SW Florida has it all.

We have single family homes, condos, villas, town homes, and coach homes for easy living. This is one reason our agents spend time asking buyers questions. We don’t really sell anything, because SW Florida sells itself. Rather, we listen to what buyers like to do, what makes them happy, and how they will use their home. Once we determine that, we can identify suitable properties and make some recommendations based upon the buyer’s lifestyle. Each home and each community offers something different.

It can be a daunting task when you’re not from here. Buyers don’t want to make a mistake. This is why hiring a seasoned agent accustomed to working with buyers can make all the difference. I can’t tell you how many times buyers have thanked us for listening to them and suggesting certain properties based upon their needs.

We help with new construction as well. It doesn’t cost any more to use a Realtor, and many times it will save you money because we know the incentives being offered. Builders also like Realtors because we can be a source for repeat business. A good Realtor can point out the pros and cons based upon your needs, not the seller’s or the builder’s.

We have new construction available on our website at TopAgent.com and of course we have the entire MLS available at www.LeeCountyOnline.com Of course, there’s no substitute for talking with experienced agents who know the area. If our team can help, please call us at 239-489-4042

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

The Ellis Team is looking for talent. If you’re a licensed agent in Florida and willing to learn and work, we may have the opportunity for you. Please contact us. Our team is growing and we need good people to help our clients.

A few weeks ago we wrote an article about what $250,000 buys in the SW Florida real estate market. Today we answer the question,

What does $500,000 Buy in Lee County Real Estate Market?

We use the MLS to do our search but you can do the same and search like a Realtor at www.LeeCountyOnline.com and find the same homes.

What does 500,000 buy in Lee County real estate market Carillon Woods — Carillon Woods Pool Home by fibreglass pool installers Geelong

In Fort Myers we found a home in Carillon Woods listed for $498,000 that is 3 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths and has a nice pool. The home is nearly 3,200 sq ft of living area and is in a gated community with sidewalks, street lights, tennis courts and playground. Carillon Woods is a very popular neighborhood in this price range.

What Does 500,000 Buy in Lee County Real Estate Market Cape Coral waterfront home — Cape Coral Waterfront Pool Home

In SW Cape Coral we found a gulf access waterfront pool home with 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths and almost 2,500 sq ft living area on a 120 ft canal for $500,000. It has a 3 car garage and is only a few years old. We especially like the infinity pool on this home.

what does 500,000 buy in lee county real estate Fort Myers Beach — Fort Myers Beach waterfront home

At Fort Myers Beach we found a home that is waterfront, completely furnished, and located on a large lot at just under $500,000. It is 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and is located mid-island close to shopping, supermarkets, entertainment, and marina.

Grandezza pool home Estero Florida — Grandezza Pool Home Estero

In Estero we located a 3 bedroom 2 bath home in Grandezza with 2,190 sq ft living area and is a former model for just under $500,000. It has a gorgeous solar heated pool and heated spa and overlooks a preserve.

Again, none of the listings I this article are ours. We just wanted to give you an overview of some of the kinds of things you can find in this price range. Of course, you can find waterfront condos, homes on golf courses, and so much more. Lee County is fairly large and has lots to offer with varying neighborhoods, locations, and amenities.

Because our area offers so many different types of boating, golf communities, and neighborhoods with lakes, preserves, and varying lifestyles it pays to sit down with an agent that’s familiar with the entire county and can listen to your wants and desires.

At the Ellis Team we feel like we don’t have to sell anything. Rather, we listen to your needs and match you with properties that meet what you’re looking for. Some agents specialize in one neighborhood or one amenity and they struggle when people ask about other areas. Many times that buyer will come back to the original community they called on, but they want an agent who can explain the differences first so they can see if that’s really what they’re looking for. If you can’t be flexible and in curiosity when working with a buyer, chances are you’ll just lose them to another agent who can.

That’s one reason why we provide all the listings on our website along with so much community data and market reports. We want buyers to feel comfortable with their purchase. It’s a big decision and some buyers are paralyzed because there is so much data and they’re afraid to make a mistake. This is where a good team can assist you. We marry the data with personal, professional advice to help you attain your dreams, and that’s all a buyer is trying to do.

We take the hassle out of the buying process. If you’re a seller, you should talk to us too as we work with a lot of buyers, and chances are we may have a buyer looking for a property just like yours. If not, our marketing will surely attract attention for your home.

You can always call us at 239-489-4042 or search away at www.LeeCountyOnline.com

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Pool home in Viridian in South Fort Myers- 4 Bedrooms 4 Baths

The Ellis Team has several new listings coming to the market. We have a 4 bedroom lakefront home coming for $450,000 in Reflection Lakes. We have a gorgeous home in San Carlos Park on a 3 lot site coming this upcoming week for $215,000. We also have 2 units at Bella Casa coming this week as well, and don’t forget the 2 new listings we just listed at River Hall for $275,000 and $215,000

We’ll have a few more listings coming as well as soon as we can get them ready. If you’re a buyer, call us as we may be listing exactly what you’re looking for.

Google Street View of Ellis Team – Keller Williams Fort Myers & The Islands office

Vote for the Ellis Team in the News Press Reader Best of Poll

If you ask many real estate agents in SW Florida most would tell you the 2016 wasn’t a good one this year and the numbers would bear that out. We’ve been reporting since January that sales just haven’t come in like they have in previous years as inventory grew. April housing shows some signs of improvement though as sales improved.

The numbers may look a little better simply because last years numbers have been revised down. For the past several months year over year prices have been positive because of those changes. Had it not been for those changes we could have seen some negative prices.

April Housing Shows Some Signs of Improvement

So let’s take a deeper dive into what we know. Closed sales by sale price dropped at the lower end simply because there is no inventory at the low end, so don’t read anything into that. $150-$300k is strong. Once we get over $300,000, that’s where we start to see weakening in the market. It’s been this way all year.

April Housing Shows Some Signs of Improvement — Inventory by Current List Price

Let’s look at inventory by current list price. Here we start to see inventory rising at anything over $150,000. We’ll keep our eyes on those numbers. $200k especially jumped out at us, although as agents we’re glad because it’s been hard to find any inventory in that range to show buyers.

April Housing Shows Some Signs of Improvement Inventory Active Listings — Active Listings Inventory Lee County

When we look at overall listing inventory we see it’s risen year over year every month since January. New pending sales dropped 7.3% in April, so overall listing inventory could continue to rise in coming months. We’ll continue to track those numbers as well.

New listings were up 2.9% in April. When we see listings rising and pending sales falling, we can reasonably assume inventory may rise a bit in coming months.

As bad as all this sounds, April was an improvement in some areas over what we were seeing in February and March. We predicted a market shift months ago and I think the numbers show that. We’re not rocket scientists. We just study the numbers. Many times the future isn’t hard to predict if you study where the tracks are headed.

If you’re a seller or need to sell in the next few months, you need to know these numbers. In fact, I’m going to be starting up a Seller’s Club whereby we’ll produce a monthly video each month going over the numbers in detail. We don’t have room to show all the graphs here so we spread them out over the month, but in that video we could show them all as they are hot off the press.

E-Mail us at Brett@topagent.com if you’re considering selling and would like to be included in the seller’s club monthly video update.

Lastly, we haven’t covered the distressed market in awhile. That’s because there isn’t much of a distressed market anymore. We continue to get calls from buyers looking for foreclosures and short sales. This past week we received two calls in about 30 minutes, and when we tell them there aren’t many, they are bewildered.

April Housing Shows Some Signs of Improvement Distressed Market — Lee County Distressed Market

As you can see, there were only 9 single family short sales in the county, and only 55 foreclosures. That’s indicative of a fairly healthy market. Oh the market has shifted from a seller’s market, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a healthy market.

The market rarely stands still. It can shift like sand at the sea and it can be balanced and healthy or sick. Right now we have a pretty healthy market. If you’re a buyer or seller, it pays to know the hot spots and weaker spots.

You can search the MLS and do market research for Free at www.LeeCountyOnline.com or call us at 239-489-4042

Good luck and Happy Selling!

A lot of people ask what they can buy at certain price ranges in the SW Florida real estate market, so today we thought we’d pick a price range and report on that. We answer the question, “What does $250,000 buy in Lee County real estate market?”

We logged into MLS but you can do the same at www.LeeCountyOnline.com and search like Realtors do and find the same information.

What Does $250,000 Buy in Lee County Real Estate Market?

In Cape Coral we spotted a brand new home in SW Cape Coral. It is listed for $245,900 and has 2,180 sq ft. It has 5 bedrooms 3 baths and is on an oversized lot.

We then decided to see if we could find any waterfront homes with gulf access in this price range. We found 6. We found a home with 1,588 sq ft and a 10,000 lb boat lift with a spa in SW Cape Coral with gulf access. We found another gulf access home with boat lift and a pool. It has 1,436 sq ft and a single car garage. It is 10 minutes to the river by boat.

Lee County Real Estate Market Gulf Access Waterfront Home Cape Coral — Cape Coral Gulf Access Waterfront Home

Next we decided to look at Fort Myers Beach and see what’s available for $250k. We did find a small single family home for $219,000. It’s a 1 bedroom, 1 bath home with 630 sq ft. but hey, it’s at the beach. When we searched for condos we found 15 in that price range. Some ranged from small 1 bedroom condos at Pink Shell with great investment potential to larger 1 bedroom units along the beach with greater size. Manufactured housing opened up 7 more homes at Fort Myers Beach and many were waterfront.

In Fort Myers we found 69 single family homes listed up to $250,000. For instance, we found a 3 bedroom, 2 bath lakefront home in Botanica Lakes with 1,782 sq ft for $240,500. It was built in 2012

What Does $250,000 Buy in Lee County Real Estate Market? Fort Myers Home Botanica Lakes Under $250,000 — Fort Myers Home Botanica Lakes

As you go further south into Estero and Bonita the pickings get a little slimmer. We found 33 single family homes available. We found a cute 2 bedroom + den in the Villages at Country Creek for $249,900. It has 1,382 sq ft, a 2 car garage, and has been completely updated with stainless steel appliances.

250000 Buy Lee County Real Estate Market Estero Home — Estero Home Villages at Country Creek

None of the listings shown today are our listings. We just wanted to show you what your money will buy at this price range and show you how you can search and find these kinds of properties.

Our website allows you to see the home on the map so you can see exactly where it is and what it is close to, like shopping or water. You can view all the photos of each home in the photo gallery. You can setup a showing request when you see something you like, or find out how much it will cost with the mortgage calculator.

You can also add homes to your favorites to easily find them again or check on their status, or save your search and have the system email you when new homes enter the market or when an owner changes their price.

You can search all price ranges and all areas, not just the $250k example we did today. As Realtors we get to see a lot of homes each week. If you’ve been searching awhile and having a hard time making sense of it all, you’re not alone.

Sometimes it pays just to sit down with a good agent who listens to what you’re looking for and they can point you in the right direction for you. Ellis Team agents listen and are experts at finding what you want. Give us a call at 239-489-4042 and we’ll be happy to sit down and discuss the market and homes that may interest you.

If you’re not ready to meet just yet, that’s fine too. Simply search away at www.LeeCountyOnline.com and let us know when something catches your eye. You might not be ready today, but someday you will be, and this site is perfect for those who want to see what’s out there and what is possible.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Open House This Saturday 1-4 PM

2110 SW 13th St, Cape Coral FL

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