There is no greater pleasure we receive than to go out to a home and meet with potential sellers.  We preview the home and look at ways of increasing its value while evaluating it’s sales potential.  And, we get to meet face to face with the seller and speak with them about what they’re trying to accomplish.  We’re not here to just sell homes, we solve puzzles.

Selling a home is like putting a puzzle together.  You must uncover all the pieces, put the corners together, and identify if there are any missing pieces.  Once you’ve laid the foundation, you can make decisions.  Once sellers open up about what the goals are and we identify the obstacles, we can begin solving the puzzle.

Virtual Meetings Solves the Puzzle with Sellers and Buyers
Video Meeting

Sometimes there are multiple decision makers, and they can’t always be in SW Florida at the same time, or at all.  We can still view the home and communicate over the phone, but it loses that face to face, and getting everyone on the same call can be challenging too.

The Ellis Team has added virtual meetings to help.  We can meet with up to 50 people at a time, and we can communicate face to face even if we’re thousands of miles away.  A few years ago we sold a home to a couple from Dubai.  We didn’t meet them until months after the closing, but we met face to face regularly.

Not only can we meet face to face, but we can share with the entire group listing comparables on screen, ways we will advertise their home, and go over all the details of the listing right on screen.  If they have questions we can cover those line by line.

Virtual Meetings Solves the Puzzle with Sellers and Buyers

Virtual Meetings Solves the Puzzle with Sellers and Buyers-Pricing
Pricing Recommendations

This is really helpful when we have spouses in two different locations.  Many times one is leery of signing all the documents without going over it with their spouse.  Now we can all go over everything together.  We can show them their net sheet so they know how much they’ll get at closing and they can ask questions.  We can even present multiple offers and let the sellers choose the best one.

Buyers love this service too.  An Ellis Team agent can go over contracts line by line.  We can also view listings together and talk about which ones they like or not.  They key word is together.  Better communication helps buyers and sellers make better decisions.

We have all the technology and equipment on our end.  All the buyer or seller needs is a computer, Internet connection and a web cam if they want us to see them.  If they’re missing the web cam, we can still show them everything on our screen and have a conversation.

Most laptops, tablets, and smart phones have web cams, so that’s not really an issue anymore.  Yes, a buyer or seller can use their tablet or smart phone with our virtual meeting technology.

While the technology is just one more example of how we help our clients stay one step ahead of the competition, it really just comes back to improving communication.  Real estate is a communication business, first and foremost.

Some get lost in the glamour of selling exotic homes or meeting famous people.  For us, it’s all about connecting with people and solving puzzles.  If technology can help us do that better, then we’re all for it.

It’s not just the first meeting that counts.  Listing a home is a process.  Sometimes it’s necessary to meet to go over marketing strategy, shifts in the marketplace, evaluate new listings that enter the market, new solds that affect appraisal, or talk about inspection issues. Virtual meeting technology means we can meet just about anywhere, anytime.  We don’t have to get everyone to the same location.  It makes us more efficient, which means our clients can react faster and make better decisions.

If you’re looking to buy or sell in SW Florida, put our team to the test.  We look forward to meeting you face to face, and that can be in person or online.  Don’t worry about the details, we’ll take care of that.  Call us at 239-489-4042 or visit our MLS Search Site

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Last week we highlighted two listings we felt stood out for value and included them in our Bargain Listings of the Week.  We are happy to report both sold last weekend.  Today we have another another listing that stands out!

Ellis Team Bargains of the Week

Luxury Waterfront Home seconds to the river
Seconds to the river and just minutes to work in Downtown Fort Myers

31 Lagoon St-5 Bedrooms, 3 Baths-Pool.  Waterfront-seconds to River-Private dock

Real estate transactions are more complicated than ever.  Increased governmental regulation has added layers to transactions in recent years and made it virtually impossible for a buyer or seller to go it alone.  Working with a Realtor or attorney is a must today.  As a real estate insider you’d think we’d be happy about this.  We much prefer the days when you could do it yourself.  It wasn’t always wise, but it was possible.  Government is out of control and has made things harder on people getting a loan, and not for the right reasons.

Communication Critical to Serve Today’s Real Estate Buyer

Communication Critical to Serve Today’s Real Estate Buyer

Today’s home buyer is leery of making a mistake.  They really want to research the market, and they have lots of questions.  They go online and search, and preview, and search.  They take virtual tours, video tours, and search some more.  They analyze price per square foot, amenities, and condo and HOA fees.  Before long their head is spinning.  It’s a lot to take in, and it can become overwhelming.

I see the emails coming in to our buyer specialists.  Buyers want an agent who will hold their hand and make sure they make an intelligent decision. I sit in on some of the consultations with buyers.  They want to know about the area they’re looking at and how it’s appreciated versus other areas.  They want to know what commute time to work will be, and to schools, kids activities, or beaches.  They like to see things on a map, and they want input from their agent.

Basically, communication is critical to serve today’s real estate buyer, and they want it now.  When a new home enters the market they’re afraid they’re going to miss out because of limited inventory.  They want an agent who can show them the home when it enters the market.

Our team of buyer specialists uses technology and to keep our buyers informed of new listings.  After listening to a buyer’s needs we setup search parameters in the MLS so our agent and the buyer are notified when a new listing enters the market, or an existing seller reduces their price that meets our buyer’s needs.

We have a new system where we can communicate with buyers via video and answer questions, talk about new listings, and go over the buyer’s needs.  The buyer can use their computer or Smartphone wherever they are, so an Ellis Team buyer specialist is never far away.

Buyers get frustrated when their agent is unavailable.  Sometimes they call on one of our listings as their agent is out of town.  If you’re an agent and leaving town, let your buyers know and assign them to another agent in your office who can help them out.  If you don’t buyers anxiety level rises.

We have a team of buyer specialists and they work well together.  If a specialist goes on vacation or is unavailable, they’ll have another member ready to help out.  We never want one of our customers feeling abandoned or afraid they’ll miss out on a property simply because life happens.

Ideally buyers should sit down with their agent and have an initial consultation.  You should ask questions and discuss how listing alerts will be handled, what will happen when agent is out of town, and how available agent will be.  Are they working another job and doing real estate on the side?  You research the home you’re looking for.  Wouldn’t it make sense to research the agent who will help you find that home?

You can search the MLS for free at www.LeeCountyOnline.com  Of course, you can speak with one of our buyer specialists at 239-489-4042 and we’ll be happy to answer your questions or setup a buyer consultation and get you on the path to home ownership.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Ellis Team Bargain Listings of the Week

Ellis Team Bargain Listing of the Week
Large Home With Pool and Spa, 3 Car garage

12724 Aston Oaks Dr-5 bedroom, 3 bath, 3 car garage with pool and spa in South Fort Myers.  Only $350,000  Call today, it won’t last long

 

 

 

 

 

 

8685 Banyan Bay Blvd
5 Bedroom 3 Bath Home with pool and spa-gated community

8685 Banyan Bay Blvd-5 bedroom, 3 bath home in gated community features granite counter tops, pool, spa, and fantastic price for a growing family

If you read our article on a consistent basis you’ve been hearing about a decrease in pending sales and a potential shift in the SW Florida real estate market.  Official numbers confirm a February real estate sales drop in SW Florida.

February Real Estate Sales Drop in SW Florida

Nationally existing home sales fell 7.1% in February.  Locally home sales were down 12.8%. This wasn’t a difficult prediction to make as we’ve been watching pending sales decline.  The good news is we made some adjustments to our listings in reaction to the market and we’ve been able to get many of our listings under contract in March.  Regardless of whether the market is up, down, or sideways, understanding the market and making changes can be the difference between success and riding the merry go round awhile longer.

Median sales prices are up 11.8% over last year.  They are down 6.95% from January numbers.  Average sales prices are down 1.2% from last February and down 31.23% from January.  This is why we use median price as a more valid indicator than average price because it’s a more stable indicator and less susceptible to wide variations due to a few large or small sales.

February Real Estate Sales Drop in SW Florida

It does tell an interesting story though.  While we hesitate to read too much into one month, we did see a fall-off in sales and prices in February.  SW Florida wasn’t alone as the overall US market seems to be affected as well.

We have a new metric to track which is the total dollar volume of the local market.  Obviously if sales are down it will influence this number.  When prices are rising its not uncommon to see declining sales as less people can afford the higher prices.  If you have lower sales you can sometimes make up for it with higher prices, but we didn’t see that this month.

SW Florida Real Estate Dollar Volume

Total dollar volume fell 13.6% in February.  We’ll be keeping an eye on this indicator going forward and help you track it.

It pays to know the numbers.  If you ask an agent how the market is doing most will give you an honest answer based upon how their own sales are going.  Knowing the underlying numbers is critical. If an agent is having a good month or a lousy month it may have no bearing on what the overall market is doing.  I would even go so far as to tell agents you’ll have better months if you study the market and take actions for your clients based upon what’s really happening.

New pending sales fell 12.1% in February and new listings increased 14.3%.  This tells us March and April sales might not be at 2015 levels either.  Keep in mind some January pending sales may get extended into March as new lending guidelines can extend some closings.

Buyers may have a few more choices if new listings keep rising.  We have a pretty healthy market, but as of right now, gone are the days when the seller can name the price and the buyer had to comply if they wanted to buy.  It’s a more balanced market now and sellers must justify their price.  Buyers and sellers are on a level ground in many price ranges with the seller still having the upper hand in a few ranges.

If you’re looking to buy or sell, consult a professional who can guide you through the market, financing, and closing process.  We’d be happy to help 239-489-4042 or visit our Free SW Florida MLS Search Site where you can search the MLS for free and do valuable market research.

Good luck and Happy Hunting!

View our Ellis Team Featured Listings

Valuable Market Reports– Find out what’s selling in your neighborhood

Last week we wrote about sellers in SW Florida who have had their home on the market this season and their home hasn’t sold.  We talked about market activity and closing statistics as well as the latest pending stats. In that article we mentioned one sentence that elicited responses from readers “We have a graph we send our sellers that shows typical showing activity.” This week we’ll focus on the question, is your price on target?

We have a lot of information we send our sellers that educates them on how the industry really works and how best to sell their home.  We don’t normally share all this information with the public, but in this case we’re going to share the pricing target graph.

Is Your Price on Target

This graph is based upon research and showing data over many years in many markets.  We know that the seller sets the asking price and the market determines the value.  Over time the market speaks to us.

Some sellers place their home on the market and receive lots of showings, while other go on and receive little to no showings.  Is the market speaking to you?  Perhaps this guide may answer some of those questions?

If you are getting showings but no offers it generally means you are in the range 3-5% above market value.

If your number of showings is low and you’re experiencing a lot of drive-ups but the buyers don’t come in to see the home, your home may be 5-10% overpriced.

If you aren’t receiving showings at all, then your home is likely priced 10% more above what the market will bear for your property.

Many sellers say things like “Well, we can always come down but you can’t go up”   , or “They can always make an offer”.  The reality is buyers don’t make an offer when a home is overpriced.  They make offers on other homes that are priced correctly.  Many times they don’t even view the overpriced listings because it’s not what they’re looking for at that price.

Overpricing a home hurts a seller two ways.  Legitimate buyers in that range are used to seeing other homes that offer more than yours.  When they view yours, it just doesn’t measure up, so they will never buy it.

The actual buyer for your home never sees it, because it’s not on their radar screen.  It’s priced above where they are looking.  So you miss the mark 2 ways.  Sellers that overprice never had a chance.  So when we hear things like “They can always make an offer” we know that they won’t be receiving that offer.

A lot of sellers call us blaming their crappy real estate agent because their home hasn’t sold.  It may not be your agent’s fault.  Have you listened to your agent and had the pricing discussion?

Now if your agent suggested a higher price and never communicated with you how your home is stacking up against the competition, you might have a point.  Many times it’s the owner who wants more than what the agent says, or they Realtor shop until they find one that agrees with them.

You’ve heard of Doctor shopping for pills.  That’s a bad thing, and so is Realtor shopping for an agent that will write you a price prescription.  That prescription never works and can do you more harm than good.

Our suggestion is call a good Realtor who knows the market.  You may not like the medicine he/she recommends, but a bitter pill only last a few seconds while taking the wrong medicine can hurt for months or years.

Plus, we live in paradise.  Life’s too short not to move on and get what you want.  When you overprice you delay your goals.  You’re not moving on to where you should be.  You’re trapped in your current circumstance, just because you wanted more than what the market would bear.  That’s usually an ego thing.  It’s human nature.  We all do it.  The real question is, are you going to let ego and greed hold you back?  Some people do and they regret it for years, and some accept the market, take their medicine, and live their dreams.

If you’re looking for a Realtor that will tell it like it is, call us 239-489-4042.  Our marketing is pretty good, and chances are we can get you where you want to be if we work together.  You can search the MLS at www.LeeCountyOnline.com

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

This Week’s Featured Listings

31 Lagoon St

Luxury Waterfront Home seconds to the river
Seconds to the river and just minutes to work in Downtown Fort Myers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6087 Waterway Bay Fort Myers

6087 Waterway Bay Fort Myers

So your home hasn’t sold yet this season?  Don’t fret; you’re in the same boat as a lot of Lee County home sellers.  January and February started off a little slower but we have seen an increase in buyer activity the last few weeks.  Will it translate into stellar numbers?  We’ll have to wait and see.

So Your Home Hasn’t Sold Yet This Season-Market Watch

January closings were off but we’re predicting February number of closings to come in higher than last year.  So far sales prices are up versus last year but not so much over previous months.  We have noticed some multi-million dollar closings in February which will help the averages but not necessarily the median prices.

So Your Home Hasn’t Sold Yet This Season-Homes Closed Graph

So your home is on the market and you’re wondering if it’s time to worry.  Worrying won’t do you much good.  It’s important to study the numbers and if there has been a shift in the market the sellers most informed will get out first.  Our market is constantly moving and being influenced by external forces.  It pays to keep abreast, especially when you’re ready to buy or sell.

If your home has been on the market awhile it’s either not being marketed correctly or it’s overpriced.  It could be both.  We have a graph we send our sellers that shows typical showing activity.  If your home isn’t receiving any activity chances are you’re overpriced.  If it is receiving activity, a small adjustment may be in order.

Look over your marketing.  Do the photos put your home in a good light?  Does the listing description paint a true and enticing picture of your home?

Is your home being marketed locally in print as well as globally online?  Does it go out to sites like HGTV, Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, propsmart, Homes.com, Livedeal, Dupont Registry, etc?  We submit your home to over 100 websites as well as advertise in the News Press and other local outlets.

If your home is For Sale By Owner you’re at a disadvantage as we haven’t found a seller yet that can expose their home properly to the market.  Now you might say it only takes 1 buyer, and this is true.  It only takes 1 qualified buyer who likes your home above all others and sees the value above All others.  If you’re not exposing to the full market, chances are you’re going to have limited success, if any.

If your marketing is good, how is your price?  One way to research is to look at Market Reports for your neighborhood.  Go to www.LeeCountyOnline.com and click on Market Reports.  If you don’t see yours listed yet, you can create your own.  Sellers love this feature.

Of course, you can always call us out and we can sit down with you and answer your questions.  A real estate expert can guide you through the process from correctly pricing to offer simple repair and maintenance tips to get you Top Dollar.

When interviewing agents be sure to look at their marketing plan.  You’ll be surprised to note that not all Realtors market the same and there can be vast differences.  Make sure you know what you’re getting.

Lastly, no matter which agent you select, keep in mind that the seller sets the price, but the market determines the value.  It pays to price your home at or close to market.  If you have questions, give the Ellis Team a call. 239-489-4042  We’re never pushy and we present you with your options so you can make the best decision for your family.

Good luck and Happy Selling!

Official January 2016 real estate sales numbers are in for SW Florida and as expected single family home sales fell 5.5% Condo sales were down 7% from last year.

January 2016 Real Estate Sales Numbers Are In Home Prices SW Florida

Median sales prices were up 22.6% over last year; however they were only up .87% over last month.  We did see a big jump in mean average sale prices in January, going from $280,186 in 2015 to $427,536 in January 2016.  That’s a 52.6% jump.  One reason we don’t use the mean average is because one large sale can skew the numbers.

Pending inventory fell 13.6%.  Some say it is because we have fewer inventories to sell while others suggest the market may be taking a breather and leveling off.  Now that the stock market has recovered some and oil has rebounded off its lows, maybe we’ll have a sense of stability going forward.

January 2016 Real Estate Sales Numbers Are In Singe Family Homes Sold

Of course we have that election thing hanging out there and I think everyone can agree this election cycle is like nothing we’ve ever seen before.  If uncertainty creates confusion, we’ve got it in this election process.

Within the next few months perhaps the economy’s future will come into focus and people can start planning where they want to go with their real estate desires.  So many in SW Florida have options now that their mortgage has paid down and prices have risen.  Many feel like they’re no longer in jail and are free to explore their options.

We’ve seen an increase in local homeowners considering a move.  They need to properly value the current home they have and see what improvements or repairs are needed to make it most sellable.  They also want to know what they can buy if they do sell.

Our website www.LeeCountyOnline.com is great for both because you can search all the listings available for sell, as well as see sold and pending data in your neighborhood via the Market Reports section on our site.  There is even a button to receive an online computerized valuation of your home.

Deciding whether to sell a home and buy another home is like putting together a puzzle.  All the pieces have to fit, and when they do you have to decide if you like the finished puzzle.  There is no substitute for meeting with a professional Realtor who understands this process.  However, if you just want to turn all the pieces over and begin putting the corners and edges together first, our website is an excellent place to start.

If you’d like advice from a professional, give us a call.  239-489-4042 We’re friendly and never pushy.  We simply present you with your options and let you decide what’s best for you.  If you do decide to make a move, you’re not going it alone as you have someone by your side advising you and helping you with the process.  We turn a complicated process into a smooth transition for you and your family.

And we help you avoid some costly mistakes.  Please call, we’d love to help you.  We’re the name you know and the people you trust.  Always call the Ellis Team at RE/MAX Realty Group. 239-489-4042

Open House This Weekend Sat 1-4 PM

Ellis Team Open House
Large pool home in Cape Coral-Open House Sat 1-4 PM

2110 SW 13th St Cape Coral

Is there a shift in SW Florida real estate market?  Many agents I’ve talked to have complained that buyers thus far this year lack a sense of urgency.  They’re making offers at times but then shutting off to counter-offers.  For some listings, there are no offers at all.

Last year it was common to have multiple offers per property.  Prices were rising and Realtors could price homes ahead of the last known sale.  This year might be different.  We’ve noticed a slowdown of offers on homes priced about $275,000 and up.  One Realtor we talked to this week has noticed a slowdown on homes over $200,000.

Is the stock market affecting the real estate market?  Some speculate yes, others aren’t so sure.  Sometimes there is a flight to tangible assets like real estate when the stock market is in trouble.  Other times the stock market affects consumer confidence and people are afraid to do anything.

Let’s look at some of the numbers.  Just because Realtors start talking doesn’t mean the numbers bear out their suspicions.

Shift in SW Florida Real Estate Market February Pending Sales
SW Florida Pending Sales Feb 1-9 2016

Last year there were 1,537 new pending sales in February.  As of February 9th, 2016 there are 217 new pending sales.  The average list price of those pending sales are $280,569.  We know that closed sales were down 2.8% in December.  Unofficial January numbers suggest sales were down 12.7%

This confirms that so far this year new pending sales are off as well.  Of the pending sales, average price is down.  We won’t know what these pendings close at until they close, and of course we’re not dealing with a full month.  In December, the average closed sale price was $333,735.  Official January numbers won’t be released until later this month.  If the rest of the month holds true, it would confirm strength in the lower price ranges and lack of urgency above $280,000.

Shift in SW Florida Real Estate Market Closed Sales 2015
SW Florida Closed Home Sales

What should sellers do with this information?  They could wait and see if this is a temporary lag in the market.  This sometimes happens as season picks up steam the latter half of February and into March.  Or, sellers could reposition their home in the marketplace and be the first ones out in case buyers remain unmotivated.

In January we listed two condos in Reflection Lakes and sold both within a matter of days.  Just because the overall market may see a shift doesn’t mean all properties are affected exactly the same.

If you’re putting your home on the market, it pays to look at what has sold and what your competition looks like.  Look at it objectively like a buyer would.  If you have had your home on the market, look back and see how you made your initial determination.  Did you price ahead of the market expecting the market to increase?

Look at it like a basketball game.  Just because your team had a good 1st quarter doesn’t guarantee you a solid 4th quarter.  To win you have to be better at the end of the game, not just at the start.  If your home has been on the market and not selling it’s either the marketing or the price.  And even if it’s the marketing, chances are it still might be the price as well.

I’ve been tracking a few listings that interviewed with us and went with another Realtor who listed at a higher price.  In each case, those properties are still on the market and they’ve reduced the price down to where we initially said.  They are still on the market, and if buyers remain indecisive, they may end up reducing more.

Sometimes it’s best to be the first one out than to languish on the market and compete with all the other sellers reducing their prices.  Of course, Season could kick in any moment and clear out the inventory shelves.

Check your competition for yourself at our SW Florida MLS Search Site or call us at 239-489-4042  We can help you sell your home and find your next home as well.

This Weekend’s Open Houses

Saturday 1-4 PM

6087 Waterway Bay Dr

Open Saturday 1-4 PM

12510 Kentwood Ave

SW Florida real estate home prices aren’t quite back to what they were in January 2006 however Southwest Florida home prices rise to highest level in years.

December 2015 median home sales price in Lee County came in at $231,000 which was a 21.6% increase over sales in 2014. Average sales prices rose 17.2% up to $333,735 in December.

Southwest Florida Home Prices Rise to Highest Level in Years

Closed sales fell 2.8% in December and most attribute that to delayed closings due to new Federal regulations knows as TRID.  We’ve written extensively on how TRID would delay or kill some closings and you can search those articles right here on our Blog

While overall sales fell 2.8%, cash sales fell 10.8%.  We don’t really have an explanation other than as prices rise we tend to see more financed sales.

Each year listing inventory increases starting in January but this year we actually saw a 4.2% decrease.

January started out strong.  Typically sales don’t pick up until about January 18th or so, but this year it was early.  If anything we perhaps saw a slowdown in the 2nd half of January.  Perhaps this was reaction to major stock market corrections?  We don’t know, and we hesitate to get caught up in sales activity over a one or two week period.  January isn’t the biggest month for sales anyway.

Sales tend to build in season.  February becomes a very strong month and March builds on top of that.  Mortgage rates have actually fallen with all the financial turmoil, so buyers may benefit from that when they go to purchase.

Official year end stats for 2015 won’t be released until February 17th, so we’ll wait and report that breaking news on our Blog that day.  You may wish to subscribe to our Blog so you don’t miss it.  We know year end prices will be up; it’s just a matter of how much.  Sellers like to know as it forebodes next year’s tax assessments.  It also gives sellers a good idea in case they are considering selling.

If you’re considering selling you might like to check our the Market Reports section on our Southwest Florida MLS search website   We wrote about this new feature last week and many signed up to receive real-time reports of active listings, pending sales, and solds in their neighborhood.  If your neighborhood isn’t listed yet, you can create your own.

If you’re a buyer, you can use our website to search for properties.  Buyers love it because it’s updated every 5 minutes.  It’s fun as a Realtor to make a change in MLS and watch it update on our site in just a minute or so.  A lot of national websites don’t update or don’t have all the listings, so buyers get frustrated when the home that interests them isn’t there or sold months ago.

That won’t happen on our website as long as Realtors have updated the MLS.  While buyers love shopping on our site, there’s no substitute for sitting down with a knowledgeable professional who will listen to your needs and make suggestions.  People who are not from here feel at a disadvantage because they don’t know the area.  They want local help from someone who cares and knows the area.

That’s where we come in.  We’re the Name You Know.  We don’t try to sell you anything.  We just educate you on the market and guide you in the right direction so you can make the best decision for you.

Call us today at 239-489-4042 or search online at LeeCountyOnline.com

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

The Ellis Team is growing.  We’d like to welcome two fantastic additions to our team.  Ashley Johnson and Alisha Swientek have joined the team as buyer specialists.  Both bring a wealth of real estate experience to the team.  They look forward to helping you find your dream home, along with Kevin Ellis and Chris Herrington.  We are deeply proud of each of our team members as they share our values and goals of helping our customers buy or sell the perfect home for them.

 

In the old days we used to send out market update reports to neighborhoods which would provide homeowners a list of nearby properties on the market, pending, and recently closed sales.

New Market Report for Home Sellers in SW Florida
Sample Market Report

Sellers loved the information because it gave them a handy reference guide of similar homes in their neighborhood.  They could take it and drive by those homes and compare locations and appearance to their own home.  People would track homes for months especially when they had a potential interest in selling in the near future.

We pioneered the online computer valuation estimate even before the big national online valuations came out.  Sellers are now able to go online at sites like  www.LeeCountyOnline.com or www.Ellisteam.smarthomeprice.com  and get an instant price analysis of their home.  These sites are great and sellers love them, but they don’t give you the list of comparables like those old reports did.

One of the problems with the old reports was they were somewhat outdated the day they came out.  Agents compile the reports and send to printer.  Once it’s printed, they get mailed, which takes time.  They weren’t real-time.

We decided to bring back those reports, but not for just a few select neighborhoods.  We want everyone to have them, and in real-time.  And we’ve done it.  Introducing new market report for home sellers in SW Florida.

Simply go to Market Reports section on our website.  You’ll see several neighborhoods listed with more on the way.  If you don’t see your neighborhood listed, don’t worry.  Just click on a neighborhood, any neighborhood.  At the top select Create Your Own Market Report.  With just 2 clicks you can select your neighborhood and yours is created.  You can even save it and have it sent to you monthly.

We’ve created market reports for neighborhoods like Reflection Lakes, Whiskey Creek, Cross Creek Estates, Danforth Lakes, Highland Pines, Caloosa Trace, Daniels Park, Botanica Lakes, and even the Downtown River District high rise condos.

You can see what homes and condos are listed for, which units are going pending, and what homes are selling for.  You’ll get the price per square foot for each home along with the averages so you can compare your home to the market.

It’s all in Real-Time, just like our MLS search site.  You won’t have to wait for properties to close, agents to compile reports, and the postal service to send them.  Our database is updated every 5 minutes. Don’t believe it?  Test it out.  Within an agent inputting a listing or sale in MLS, our system updates.

If you’re thinking about selling, www.LeeCountyOnline.com will be a great resource.  There’s no substitute for professional advice though.  Please call us and find out how our marketing is bringing more buyers and top dollar for our sellers.

If you’re a buyer, you’ll love the website too.  It’s hard to find properties and beat out other buyers to hot new listings.  Because our site is updated every 5 minutes you’ll have a distinct advantage over other buyers.  Our agents are great and listen to your needs.  We’re not here to sell you anything but rather find you what you’re looking for and help you get it.

Our people are the best, and our technology isn’t too shabby either.  Call us and we’ll talk, or login and see the difference.  Not all Realtors have the same people skills or the same technology.  And they don’t all spend the money to market your home the way we do either.

Call us at 230-489-4042.  Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Large 5 Bedroom 3 Bath Home in Danforth Lakes

Danforth Lakes Market Report 5 Bedroom 3 Bath Pool Home
Danforth Lakes Pool Home 5 Bedrooms 3 Baths

In real estate we teach Realtors to create their own Unique Selling Proposition to gain clients.  When you’re asking customers to work with your team you must ask the question, why should a customer work with us?  What makes us Unique?  What do we do that’s better than everybody else?

At the Ellis Team at RE/MAX Realty Group, we feel we have several things that make us unique.  There are several things we do that the average agent doesn’t, and we’re quite sure nobody does everything we do to get a home sold.  Every agent should ask themselves this question, and if the answer is nothing is unique, find something that is and offer it.  The United States is filled with solid companies that identified a need in the marketplace that wasn’t being met and created a solution or product to meet that need.

If you’re interviewing agents to buy or sell, we think we should definitely be in the conversation.

While the Unique Selling Proposition is true for every agent and every company, it can also be true for every property.  When we list a property, we try to identify who the target buyer might be.  We also identify all the traits of the property to determine if there is something we can advertise to make this property stand out. Create Your unique selling proposition to sell your property.

Create Your Unique Selling Proposition to Sell Your Property
31 Lagoon St

You’d be surprised at all the ways a property can stand out.  Perhaps you own a property seconds to the water.  This is an attractive feature to boaters, and not all properties meet those criteria.

We’ve listed and sold properties that sit inside an air park, so we advertised to pilots and air enthusiasts.  We’ve sold horse and ranch properties, so of course we geared our advertising to reach those potential buyers.

Perhaps your selling proposition is value.  If your home is the lowest priced, or has the most add-ons and extras per square foot, that is something to mention.  Perhaps you live in a golf community with a golf view but golf membership is voluntary.  We would market to someone who appreciates a gorgeous view but doesn’t necessarily have to pay to golf.  You can go both ways on this one.  You can market to avid golfer, or someone who isn’t but wants resale ability later on to someone who is.

Perhaps your condo association offers lots of amenities for a low fee.  This is a great way to attract buyers.  Maybe you have a very high fee but your association offers one amenity nobody else does.  We would definitely advertise that as chances are that’s why you purchased there and most likely is why the next buyer will as well.

Obviously your property must be priced correctly, as that is a value proposition all its own.

Be careful though, as some sellers mistakenly believe certain things are appealing to buyers when in fact they are a turn-off.  Some sellers believe they’ve built the perfect home and load it up with all kinds of weird stuff, and for that a buyer should pay a $200,000 premium for it.  It pays to consult a professional that can guide you through the process and look at your property objectively.

Watching HGTV doesn’t make you a real estate expert.  We watch it for the entertainment, and for the occasional good idea.  There’s just no substitute for market knowledge though.

If you’re considering buying or selling, call a professional.  There are lots of great Realtors out there.  Just pick one with lots of experience and one who will listen to your wants and needs.  Pick one that isn’t afraid to tell you the truth and will educate you.

You can search the MLS for free at www.LeeCountyOnlinie.com or call us at 239-489-4042.  We’ll be glad to help you.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Check out our latest- Neighborhood Market Reports-You can create your own too.

Botanica Lakes Market Report

Cross Creek Estates Market Report

River District High Rise Condos Market Report

Reflection Lakes Market Report

Whiskey Creek Market Report

Fort Myers Waterfront Homes Market Report

We’re also adding Single Property Websites to each of our listings.  Check back as we’ll be adding a lot more.