Reflection Lakes Archives - Page 22 of 23 - Fort Myers Real Estate and Homes For Sale

The number one complaint we hear from sellers is that they listed with a Realtor and never heard from them again. The number one complaint we hear from buyers is that either the Realtor doesn’t return their calls or their Realtor is out of town and can’t show them properties.

Buyers and sellers aren’t being unrealistic. They need help and that’s why they go to a real estate agent. Because buyers and sellers have questions, it’s not enough for the agent to know the answers but keep the knowledge locked up in a vault. That knowledge and information must be communicated with the customer.

In the old days we provided each of our clients with a communication binder where they would store all the reports, ads, and feedback we’d send them through the mail or personal delivery. We would discuss the reports with the clients, but there was a delay because of they way they were sent.

Communication the Key to a Successful Real Estate Transaction

Today communication is better and immediate. Our sellers receive a communication portal which is essentially a website we setup for each of our listings with private access by each seller. They login and see the marketing activities, the showings, and the feedback. They see the timelines and what is left to do on the checklist and what our team has already completed. There are links to the PDF of their ad in the newspaper. They can view each ad just as it’s printed. We can also post links to websites all over the Internet. When we list a property we place it on dozens of websites. The seller sees as we post these ads. They can preview their ad on Zillow, Trulia, realtor.com, Craigslist, News Press, LeeCountyOnline.com, REMAX.com, and all the other websites we place it on.

Sellers love viewing their printed newspaper ad online. They can send it to friends, or just have it for their records. All communications between sellers are stored there as well for easy reference.

When the property goes pending, the transaction gets another website. Inspection reports are posted along with progress on buyer’s loan if applicable, timelines, etc. When we speak with clients they can actually see what we’re talking about. It really helps make our sellers a more educated seller, and that’s a good thing.

We have systems for buyers as well. While they’re shopping for a home we have a client portal. In that portal they can store favorites, take notes, and be alerted when matching properties enter the market or change price immediately. This helps buyers get a leg up on other buyers who are shopping for the same thing. The early bird gets the worm.

When the buyer finds a property and goes under contract, we also setup a web portal where they can log in and check their progress. We are in constant communication regarding their loan, inspections, insurance, HOA or Condo Association deadlines, etc. We’ve taken a complicated process and made it easy to follow along and understand.

It all starts with communication. When buyers and sellers understand the process and know ahead of time what to expect, they begin to trust. They trust their agent and they trust the process. When buyers and sellers trust the process, they’re not surprised and they can make adjustments when necessary without freaking out because they were caught off-guard. Yes, unexpected surprises can happen in a real estate transaction, but being prepared and proper communication upfront goes a long way to solving surprises later on.

Many transactions have few if any surprises, and that’s the way it should be. Each Realtor has their own systems they like to use. When selecting a Realtor, just make sure you ask about communication so you know what to expect. Have them show you their systems. Selecting a Realtor based upon communication systems and skills might be the single best criteria you could use to determine which Realtor to work with.

You can always reach us at 239-489-4042 or search the MLS at www.LeeCountyOnline.com

Good luck and Happy Selling/Buying!

Our team is growing again. We need a closing transaction coordinator. Full-time position. Call us at 239-489-4042 if you are looking for a job and have real estate, mortgage, HOA or title experience.

New Listings:

31 Lagoon St

31 Lagoon St North Fort Myers– 5 Bedroom 3 Bath home on the water seconds from the river with pool.

31 Lagoon St Single Property Website

Virtual Tour 31 Lagoon St

31 Lagoon St North Fort Myers on Instagram

12724 Aston Oaks Dr

5 Bedroom 3 Bath Home in South Fort Myers

12724 Aston Oaks Dr Single Property Website

12724 Aston Oaks Dr Virtual Tour

7479 Twin Eagle Ln

Eagle Ridge 5 Bedroom 4 Bath Golf Course Home

7479 Twin Eagle Ln Fort Myers Single Property Website

Our team lists and sells a lot of property. We thought we’d share a few tips for selling your home.

Curb Appeal– Buyers judge the quality of the home by what they can see. You will never get to the home inspection stage if the buyer never offers. Look at your yard, landscaping, outside paint, roof, gutters, etc. If the outside looks bad, buyers judge the inside probably looks just as bad and they don’t schedule appointments to view.
De-Clutter Inside– If a room has too many things in it, it makes the room look smaller. Additionally, buyers have a harder time envisioning their personals in your home when all they see is stuff. Take out as much as you can.
Be sure to remove Personal Photos– Buyers always stop and look at the pictures on the wall, and if there are too many the home feels like it’s someone else’s and they have a hard time picturing themselves in your home. Knick knacks and photos subconsciously turn off buyers. A few are OK, but too many can be a turn-off.
If a Buyer Can Smell It, We Can’t Sell It– Cigarette odor and pet odors are the #1 turn offs for buyers today. We would suggest smoking outside and removing pets as best you can during the sales process, and hiring someone to remove any smells. Some breeds emit more odor than others.
Remove Pets For Showings– Buyers love pets, and the problem is many times they walk away remembering how cute your pet was, but they remember next to nothing about your home. Your home is in competition with other homes, and you want your home to be remembered and stand out against all others. You don’t want your buyer’s time distracted by your pet. Buyers will not buy your home because you have an adorable pet, but they may buy another if they don’t remember your home.

Be Gone For Showings-We have a saying that every word a seller says to a buyer costs the seller $1,000. Sellers think they know they’re home better than anybody and therefore they’re the most qualified to sell it. Buyers typically feel uncomfortable talking with the seller, and usually give feedback the seller wants to hear. The best and true feedback is a good offer, not meaningless words to appease the seller. Some buyers like talking to sellers because they glean information they’ll use against the seller in negotiations. Best advice is to be gone for showings.
Price-Overpricing a home is a sure fire way to make it sit. After your home is on the market awhile, buyers begin to wonder what’s wrong with it. After awhile fear kicks in and buyers don’t want to offer too much on a home nobody else wants to buy either. While the market is Hot today, it is a price sensitive market. Overpricing is a good way to ward off potential offers. Many buyers don’t want to insult the seller, so they just offer on another home that is priced where it should be. Sellers usually think the buyer can always make an offer, and of course nobody ever offers full price anyway so we’ll build in some negotiating room. This is a myth and statistically it’s proven that seller’s that overprice end up taking less later than sellers who price correctly upfront. Many homes in the market today sell at or near full price, and some sell for over asking price.
Marketing– Times have changed. Some agents employ the 3 P’s. Put a sign up in front yard, place it in MLS, and pray someone else sells it. Successful agents today rely on newspaper advertising, radio, TV, social media like Twitter, Linked In, Facebook Fan pages, YouTube, virtual tours, digital media as well as mobile technology and much more. Ask to see how your home will be marketed and which national sites it will be syndicated to when interviewing agents.
Have Your Interview Questions Ready– Agents may sound alike but they don’t all work alike or produce the same results. It’s up to you to ask powerful questions. Remember, the agent does this everyday, you don’t. It’s hard to know which questions to ask. If you need help, we have a list of crucial questions you should ask before signing any listing agreement in our Selling section on our website LeeCountyOnline.com
Select the Right Offer-Don’t just take any offer. Many times it pays to wait for the right one. Why waste time with a buyer that doesn’t qualify, or the loan program they’re pre-qualified for will present issues for your home or association. Knowledge is power and can save you from many bad transactions. If you don’t have time to do it right the first time, when in the world will you find the time to do it over?

If you’d like to search the MLS like a Pro visit www.LeeCountyOnline.com or call us at 239-489-4042 and we’ll be glad to help. Good luck and happy House Hunting!

Check out our new Ellis Team Instagram account where we’ll be posting videos on open houses and hot new listings in SW Florida

A few weeks ago we focused on gated communities in Fort Myers. This week we thought we’d focus on new construction condos in South Fort Myers.

Bella Casa Luxury Condos in South Fort Myers

We did a search in MLS for new builder product and 24 properties came up. The lowest priced listing we could find was in Bella Casa for $137,000. In fact we have a listing in Bella Casa for $134,716 and 2 bedroom 2 bath unit at $155,778.

Bella Casa is a gated community in South Fort Myers with a resort style pool and spa, state of the art fitness center, clubhouse with club room and an outdoor living room under truss with a two sided fireplace and lighted tennis courts. The best part might just be the low maintenance fees of only $213/mo which makes Bella Casa affordable.

Located on Plantation Rd off Daniels, it is close to Gulf Coast Hospital, Minnesota Twins Spring Training and the Lee County Sports Complex, shopping, airport, and US 41 and I-75. The builder has 36 units left for sale. There are some rented units for investors too who would like to purchase a condo with low fees and built-in income.

What makes Bella Casa luxury condos so unusual in today’s market is the combination of newer construction, garages, gated community with amenities, and low maintenance fees in South fort Myers. Typically a community might offer one or more of these features, but rarely all of them.

Bella Casa luxury condos offers 1 Bedroom, 2 bedroom, and 3 bedroom units. Many have lake or preserve views. For more information call our office at 239-489-4042 or visit our website at Topagent.com

Bella Casa Condominiums in Fort Myers is a saved search on our website which makes it easy for you to see what’s available in MLS. Did you know that you can search for a home or condo in MLS directly from our website? You can, and we make it easy. Virtually every property in MLS can be viewed on our website at Topagent.com Keep in mind not all new construction is listed in MLS, so that’s why our team works hard to keep up on inventory.

It’s quite possible the home you’re looking for is under construction and not in MLS at the moment. The Ellis Team has a team of buyer specialists devoted to keeping up on the market and listening to your needs. Quite often we listen and match buyers up with properties they didn’t even know were on the market.

As leaders in the SW Florida real estate market we try to find out about opportunities first, and we work hard to keep up with the changes. Because we work with a lot of buyers our specialists are out there regularly visiting projects so when you call we may have some ideas for you worth checking out.

Take Bella Casa luxury condos for instance. There may be 4 new construction units on the MLS and a few re-sales and yet active Realtors know the developer has models open daily and more to choose from, but they’re going fast.

We hope you enjoy reading about communities we’ve focused on recently like Bella Casa luxury condos and Reflection Lakes. If you have a community you feel has a lot to offer let us know and maybe we’ll write about it.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Check out Bella Casa Condominiums. We’ll be happy to show you this project in South Fort Myers

Ellis Team

Fort Myers Real Estate Agent

7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr

Fort Myers, FL 33907

239-489-4042

SW Florida Hurricane Tips From a Top Agent

It’s getting that time of year again when the tropics begin to heat up. The newspapers and TV stations do a good job of educating people how to survive a storm. We thought we’d give you our insights and tips from an agent perspective.

Remove for sale signs from yard. You don’t want that becoming a projectile in a storm
Purchase a Hi Definition antenna for your TV. TV stations broadcast over the air in digital format and Hi Definition. If you have a Hi Def TV you can receive these broadcasts over the air for free with $10 antennae. Mine has a 35 mile range and picks up stations from all over, including Sarasota and Tampa. Those old portable hurricane TV’s probably won’t work anymore as the standards have changed
If you have hurricane shutters, roll them down or slide them and lock into place and test them out. Over the years dirt, frogs, and other creatures can jam up the tracks. The time to work on these is before the storm
Be sure to go around your yard and look for loose items. Pay particular attention to your lanai and bring items inside that could blow around
Do not cut pool screens. It is true pool screens add resistance and could help bring down your cage in heavy hurricane force winds, but why cut them? You’d be better off removing spline and the screen and installing the screen after the storm. When you cut the screen you remove any chance of using it again
Park your cars against your garage door inside your garage. Experts will tell you this doesn’t work. Since your garage door may be the least protected exterior item on your home, I just don’t see how reinforcement behind the garage door could hurt. It’s no guarantee, but sometimes little things can help
Purchase a Sawzall, also know as a reciprocating saw. These are very useful in cutting down debris after a storm. We had one client take down his entire pool cage that had collapsed in Charley after the storm. Sometimes debris can block your exit to your home, so it’s nice to cut your way out if need be
Keep an axe in your home. Rising waters are usually more dangerous than high winds. If the waters were to rise, you might want a ladder and an axe. In Katrina people in New Orleans used axes to cut wholes in their roof from their attic. They were forced up in their homes due to rising waters. You’d hate to survive high winds only to drown in your own home
Buy lots of water-If the electricity goes out, you may not be able to count on having good drinking water
Fill up your car with gas ahead of the storm. Buying gas after a storm is never fun, and nearby stations could be out

We’ve created a Hurricane Tips Page on our website at Topagent.com with more tips. We’ll have an updated video you can watch on our YouTube Channel www.YouTube.com/brettellisfl with many more tips you might not think about. We’ve lived through and flourished through several storms, and we want you to as well. A storm doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds if you prepare ahead of time.

If you stay, be prepared. The decision to stay or evacuate is yours. Listen to the experts, and know what you’re going to do before so you’re not caught off-guard. Be sure to visit our complete checklist with more tips online.

Good luck and have a safe hurricane season!

View our July 2014 SW Florida Real Estate Market Update

To view our Listings in Hi Definition, visit www.HomesinHD.TV or click on our playlist below

Ellis Team

Fort Myers Real Estate Agent

7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr

Fort Myers, FL 33907

Fort Myers Open House

Fort Myers open house in Reflection Lakes gated community

When: Sunday, August 3, 2014 from 1pm – 4pm.
Where: 13745 Bald Cypress Circle. Map here.
Special Instructions: Reflection Lakes Pkwy to Gate 2 Code is: Press Phone button then 0293

Reflection Lakes Finest!

This beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bath, pool home located on one of the most desirable lakefront lots in all of Reflection Lakes. You will be captivated by the gorgeous view as you relax poolside and thoroughly enjoy the ideal Florida lifestyle. From the moment you enter, you’ll find a spacious open floor plan, high ceilings, and upgrades abound. The kitchen is equipped with stainless steel appliances, solid surface counter tops, and plenty of space to satisfy any home chef! Reflection Lakes is regarded as one of Ft. Myers best communities featuring its ideal location close to everything! With a large community clubhouse, resort style pool, tennis courts, children’s play area, fitness center, and low HOA fees, Reflection Lakes has it all. Be sure to put this at the top of your list and see it today.

View our July 2014 SW Florida Real Estate Market Update

To view our Listings in Hi Definition, visit www.HomesinHD.TV or click on our playlist below

Fort Myers Real Estate Agent

7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr

Fort Myers, FL 33907

New Form Required on Florida Home Sales

A new form just arrived June 1st informing buyers of what the homeowners insurance and flood insurance may cost, and if the cost exceeds the amount disclosed then buyer may have a right to cancel contract.

There have been significant changes to homeowners and flood insurance policies and costs in the past few years and some are quite surprised at the hoops they must jump through to obtain affordable insurance.

The Ellis Team is strongly encouraging our sellers to provide an elevation certificate so we can obtain upfront what the flood insurance costs will be. Without the elevation certificate insurance agents are forced to quote off the base elevation which can be much costlier. Some buyers were surprised to find out flood insurance was tens of thousands of dollars on a property. This is one reason the National Association of Realtors urged Congress to make changes to the flood program.

These changes are in effect now, but having the elevation certificate helps. Many people don’t realize the buyer can assume the seller’s flood policy. This is worth examining as well.

Homeowners insurance has seen its share of changes too. Wind mitigation surveys can significantly reduce policy premiums on homes, especially homes built before 2002. Older homes are getting costlier to insure because they were built to lesser codes.

I called Peter Craig over at Pacific Crest Insurance as he has been bailing us out and saving deals for us from surprised buyers brought in by other agents who didn’t know about inspections and saving money. Peter told me about a company that is charging $800 to nail in clips so that the insurance companies will reduce premiums. If the home has certain features like hurricane clips or straps the premium is reduced. Homes built before 1985 typically don’t have either so having nails put in helps with costs.

He also told me about a survey company that does elevation certificates quickly. We ordered one for a property because the seller didn’t have one and got it back within a few days. I think the seller paid $130 or so for the certificate, but it saved his deal and saved the buyer thousands on insurance.

Many buyers qualify for the home, but when they find out the homeowners and flood insurance costs are so high without these discounts they no longer qualify. I’ve talked with several agents who have lost deals because buyers no longer qualified for the home. It’s knocking them out on their ratios on the monthly payment.

Sellers used to not care because it was the buyer’s issue, but that’s no longer the case. It’s not about if the buyer pays more in insurance, it’s about whether the buyer can still qualify for the home. Most buyers buy as much as they qualify for, but when insurance costs are double or triple what the lender used for their monthly payment, it knocks them out of the deal. Now sellers care, and if they don’t, they soon will when they start losing deals on their home. Even if the buyer hasn’t bought as much as they can afford, they still shy away when they see high yearly insurance premiums they weren’t prepared for.

Now the new disclosure addresses this upfront, which is a good thing. For it to work properly, getting quotes before you find the buyer is essential, so I’d recommend real estate agents find a good insurance agent and do the research on each listing before you find the buyer. Having the elevation certificate is crucial. A wind mitigation report is helpful as well.

It’s so much easier to sell a home once than several times. Getting this information upfront can save deals and get the sellers on their way to their next property and get buyers into their home the first time. It’s more work on the front end, but it will help keep deals together and save work on the back end.

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!

Preview our Latest Listing in High Definition
1528 Pinecrest Rd

Cypress Lake Country Club

Fort Myers, FL 33919

Whether you’re ready to list your home today or just get an update on prices, we’re here to help. To get your home listed and marketed in High Definition simply call the Ellis Team at RE/MAX Realty Group 239-489-4042 or email us at Brett@topagent.com or Sande@topagent.com To search the MLS visit TopAgent.com To learn more about Hi Def video for your home visit HomesinHD.TV

Visit our Google+ Business Page

Search the MLS

Search For Homes in Reflection Lakes Fort Myers

View Larger Map

Feel free to view our Virtual Tours .

By Brett Ellis

Fort Myers Real Estate Agent

7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr

Fort Myers, FL 33907

Perhaps you’ve wondered what your home is worth in today’s market but you didn’t want to go to all the trouble of hiring an appraiser or interviewing real estate agents to find out. Now there is an easier way to find out what your home is worth online.

Find Out What Your Home is Worth Online

Simply go to www.swfloridahomevalues.com and enter your property address. The system will analyze your home and you can verify that it has your square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, and year built correct. If anything is not correct you can make changes.

Once you confirm details it will calculate your home’s value. Sometimes we find it is low and your home is actually worth more than what the report says. Others times it’s been high, but in any event we hope it’s a good ball park estimate based upon what’s selling in your neighborhood. The system should even update you when more recent home sales hit the market and it’s able to recalculate your price based upon the new sales. We had a seller who didn’t like the initial price but once some higher priced sales came in they were ready. The system alerted them to those new closed sales.

No online computer system is ever perfect. This tool is designed for those considering selling to weigh their options to see if the possibility even makes sense. If you’re struggling to make a decision, or need more information on how the process would work, there is no substitute for having a top professional come out and value your home and talk you through how the process would work.

We know you may want to purchase another property but can’t until you sell your current home. Many sellers don’t want to move twice so timing is also an issue. We can present you with some options that might make it easier for you to decide. Taking advantage of today’s low interest rates might be an advantage for doing this now versus waiting.

Often times sellers will wait for their home to go up in value all the while the next home they want to purchase is also going up in value. Waiting may be a wash on values, but it could cost you when interest rates increase.

Our new Marketing in High Definition program has been a big hit with sellers. For more information go to www.HomesInHD.TV We are now filming homes inside and out using High Definition Video. We also use a drone to film overhead video in High Definition and take amazing aerial photos. Buyers love the new technology and really study our listings. Google loves the new format and ranks videos higher than standard virtual tours. We still do standard virtual tours that generate a lot of traffic; we’ve just added the new High Definition Video for even greater visibility and buyers are responding.

Here is an example of a home in Reflection Lakes we produced in High Definition.

Here is a beautiful golf course home in Olde Hickory we produced in High Definition.

To search the MLS visit TopAgent.com To learn more about Hi Def video for your home visit HomesinHD.TV

Visit our Google+ Business Page
Search the MLS

Search For Homes in Reflection Lakes Fort Myers

View Larger Map
Feel free to view our Virtual Tours .

Brett Ellis Bio

Fort Myers Real Estate Agent

SW Florida home sales climbed in March to 1,068 sales for single family homes. This is down 7.1% from last year but up 37% from February’s home sales figures. We would say this is good news for the local real estate market as sales are holding up nicely. We think they could have been higher if there were more listings on the market ready to compete for buyers.

In speaking with several real estate agents and new home communities it seems that buyers this year watched the huge price increases we’ve seen over the past few years and many decided it was time to consider new construction. For many years new construction was priced out of the market because existing homes were far less expensive. Existing homes were undervalued and new home construction basically had to sit on the sidelines or risk building at a loss.

SW Florida Home Sales and New Construction

With the recent run-up in prices builders can compete again. This will be news for many sellers in SW Florida as they’re not used to competing with new construction in many years, but those days are back. Our market was undervalued and had to rise. Now that it has, competitive forces come into play and will temper large price increases going forward. We may be back to a normal market where we’ll be watching indicators that may affect our market like supply and demand, along with inflation, the economy, interest rates, consumer confidence, insurance rates, and others.

All these forces affect the local and national market. Because we’re no longer undervalued by a wide margin, and because free money is leaving the scene, and flood insurance rates may rise, the market now must react to natural market forces. We were insulated the past 5 years.

This market wasn’t a lot of fun on the way down, although it was fun on the way up, but now we’re getting close to market equilibrium. There is still much room for market growth, but it may need to be sustainable growth based on reasonable market factors. Most agents would agree it’s actually kind of healthy to get back to a stable growing market.

Even in a stable growing market there will be pockets of sub markets that will thrive and some may struggle. Some areas of town will be hotter than others. Some subdivisions are still fighting off remnants of short sales and foreclosures, or the association is making up deficiencies left by members that didn’t pay.

Some price ranges have less supply and more demand, and vice versa. You cannot price your home by how the overall market is doing, just as we can’t price SW Florida based upon how the National market is doing.

If you’re considering selling, it pays to consult an agent who understands the market and what is really taking place. You don’t need an agent that simply reads the headlines and prices your home based upon where they heard the market is heading. By the time you read about it in the papers or see it on TV, chances are the market has already shifted. The market rarely stays in one place for long.

Listing inventory is rising again. In the next few weeks we’ll be introducing a new system that will really shake things up in the SW Florida real estate market. We’re not ready to release details just yet, but if you’re considering selling your home, now might be a good time to call the Ellis Team at RE/MAX Realty Group 239-489-4042 or stop by our office at 7910 Summerlin Lakes Dr Fort Myers, FL 33907

We’ll make sure you understand the market forces so you can make a good pricing decision, and you’re going to love the new program coming soon!

Good luck and Happy House Hunting!
Search the MLS

Search For Homes in Reflection Lakes Fort Myers

View Larger Map
Feel free to view our Virtual Tours .

Visit our Google+ Business Page

Brett Ellis Bio

Grading Period Ends Friday! Do those words bring back memories from your childhood school days? Were you one of those students that began searching for lost assignments the last week and began studying for that all important test so you could catch up and get that acceptable grade before your parents saw your report card? Perhaps you were organized and on-time and the reminder from teachers didn’t faze you much.

As the parent of two students in the school system I get these notices emailed to me so we can remind our children. It does bring back memories, although it seems my generation worried about grades and assignments just a little bit more than today’s kids seem to. I don’t recall having assignments not turned in, but my kids do, and other parents I talk to say the same thing.

Real Estate Grading Period Ends Friday!

Did you know that there are report cards in real estate too? One such grade you might want to pay attention to if you’re a seller is the Days on Market class.

As you can see from the attached chart, the average days on market for a foreclosure (REO) is only 33 days. This means they sell almost as fast as they come on the market. Buyers know it’s best not wait too long to make an offer on these properties or they’ll be gone in a blink.

Traditional Sales

The good news is traditional sales are down to 40 days on average. We have a shortage of homes on the market and a home that’s priced at the market will sell almost as fast as a foreclosure will. Short sales take a little longer, 109 days, as some buyers can’t afford to wait and see if the bank will take their offer. Some buyers need housing now and can’t wait for a yes/no/maybe answer for several months; all the while new listings hit the market and sell each week.

If you’re a seller and you see the average days on market is 40 days and your home has been on the market 200 days, it might be time to ask yourself some important questions. Your sale is failing the test. The market has not accepted what you’re doing.

Is it the Marketing?

It could be the marketing, the presentation, or the price. Of course, all the marketing in the world won’t sell a home that’s dramatically over-priced. Usually it is the price. If you’re going to pass the test, it’s wise to study the market and evaluate where your property stands in the market, not in your eyes as the seller but in the market’s eyes. It never mattered how smart I thought I was, what mattered was what the teacher thought. And believe me, the teacher’s thoughts mattered to my parents. There’s only so much fast talking you can do when the grades don’t come in.

You might ask yourself. Who am I fast talking? Am I selling myself on the value of my own home, or the buyer? If you’re selling yourself, you’re essentially buying your own home back at an inflated price. You wouldn’t do that if you were buying someone else’s home, so why do it to yourself? If the buyer’s aren’t buying and your home has been on the market a long time, you probably know the answer.

All Real Estate is Local

In school grading there is a district wide average and then there is a class average, and in real estate there is a county or city wide average and a smaller neighborhood or type average. This is important too. Perhaps $1 Million + homes take longer to sell, which they do. Golf course properties with high mandatory golf fees do as well. If your maintenance fee is high, that can add time. Be sure to compare the grades of like kind properties. Although, if you live in a home or community that has an average of 1.5 years to sell, you might want to price your home so it is the Next to sell, not # 14 on the list.

We hope this helps explain the Days on Market class grading system. If you have questions or considering selling your home, feel free to call us. 239-489-4042. We’ll be glad to help you get that perfect report card. You can search all the homes for sale at Ellis Team Website.

We’ve recently been testing a concept to gauge consumer interest at a subdivision level. For years agents have been sending out Just Listed or Just Sold postcards, or even market updates to communities. Typically this only reached sellers. This was OK because the target was always the sellers who might list their homes. It’s a practice in the industry known as “Farming.”

Map with Homes for Sale and Solds in Reflection Lakes — Reflection Lakes Interactive Map

We thought buyers might also be interested in similar information, but reaching them in addition to targeted sellers in that area can be dicey. You can’t just mail to a certain area as the buyer could come from anywhere.

We thought “What if we could target both worlds, the buyer and the seller?” One way to target buyers is to reach them on the Internet for specific search items. For instance, let’s say a buyer is looking to buy in Reflection Lakes. If we could somehow provide this list of data when buyers are searching, would buyers find that helpful?

We don’t know, but our hunch says they might. We’ve researched a way to provide a map of an area which shows all the homes available for sale, all closed sales within a certain time frame, and all pending sales and pinpointed them on the map. Additionally, if you click on the pin, you get additional information on the home, like list price, sold price, size, age, pool, waterfront description, bedrooms, bathrooms, and much more. You can customize it to display about anything you want.

We even went so far as to provide links to additional information if available, virtual tours and more. In this way, a buyer or seller can quickly see a homes location on a map and compare it with other like kind homes for sale. It is color coded and sorted by status, so you can look at the solds to get an idea of what homes are selling for or just actives. Perhaps you’re riding down the street and just want to know what it’s on the market for.

The map is set for a particular point in time, however it can be updated at any time. The agent selects the fields to display. The consumer can zoom in or out, as well as click on street view to look up and down the street and view the homes photos, or even take a satellite view to get an idea of the terrain and the surroundings of the community.

We exported all this information into a Google map., so the possibilities are endless on how you can view these homes. It’s really kind of fun. We liked it, so we thought consumers might too,

We selected fields we thought the consumer would be interested in. These fields are flexible and we can add or subtract when building the next map. It took me about an hour to setup this map in Reflection lakes. If you’d like to view it, simply go to www.Reflectionlakes.com

We can setup a map like this for any area and import data from the MLS. If you live in a community you think would benefit from something like this, give us a call at 239-489-4042 or send me an email Brett@topagent.com and I’ll look into it. If you think it’s missing something, or have feedback, we’d like to hear it.

If you think we’re nuts and nobody will use it, you can let us know too. Feel free to email us or comment on our Blog http://blog.topagent.com

We honestly don’t know if the public will use it or like it. We do know it’s cool and useful to us, and we enjoy trying new things if they have the potential to help in the buying or selling process.

Stay tuned for future updates for other areas around Lee County on our website at Topagent.com

Good luck, and Happy House Hunting!

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Category Archives: Reflection Lakes

Communication the Key to a Successful Real Estate Transaction