New Listing

The Old World Charm of Calabria has come to Naples Florida!

There's a beautiful new listing in Naples Florida that we are so excited to tell you about! Over 5,000 square feet makes this Mediterranean masterpiece one of the best values for its size, age and location in the always popular downtown Naples locale. Three spacious bedrooms, each with its own balcony, plus a den, 5 full baths, a private 2-car garage and private elevator all create a very livable, maintenance free home in the heart of Naples. Nothing has been overlooked...the architectural details are magnificent and are enhanced by the lush landscaping, charming courtyards with trellis and fountain and colorful gardens, all of which surround the pool, spa and water feature. You will feel like you are in another world in this romantic setting, yet you are only one block away from the fabulous shoppes and restaurants of Fifth Avenue South, and a short stroll to the pristine white sand beaches of Olde Naples. This perfect Naples lifestyle is waiting for you to call it home. Call today to preview, and you will see why we think Villas Calabria is such a wonderful opportunity! 239.370.0574 For a unique perspective of this wonderful residence please click here: VIRTUAL TOUR Thank you, and make it a great day, The Naples Real Estate Blogger

October in Beautiful Naples Florida!

October is a very special month in Naples Florida. [I know, every month is special in Naples Florida--it's true] Summer is winding down, we are all busily getting ready for the influx of "snowbirds"... There are a lot of fun activities going on around town. The weather is near perfect-- not too hot...not too cool...It really is a great time of year to be in paradise! I found a couple of links that I wanted to share with calendars of events. Downtown Naples Calendar Naples Halloween Activities October Events and Happenings

What is a QR Code?

Once again, Chip and I are leading the charge in new marketing ideas! According to Wikipedia, a QR Code is a "matrix barcode, readable by QR scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smart phones. The code consists of black 'modules' arranged in a square pattern on a white background." The information encoded can be text, URL or other data--even artwork! Created in Japan by a Toyota subsidiary in 1994, the QR code is becoming one of the most popular two-dimensional barcodes in the world. The initial 'QR' stands for Quick Response as it allows the content to be 'decoded' at a very high speed! Although initially used for tracking parts in a automobile factory, QR codes today are being used in many different ways, including making real estate information quickly available: such as this barcode shown here. Users simply can generate and print their own QR codes for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR Code generating sites. The Harris-Peppe Team is now using these codes in all of our window displays, fliers in information boxes, mailings, and certainly print media where we are restricted by ad space issues. We are presently working on ways to retrieve data on how and when the codes are being scanned. This is the future folks! If you have *code reader capability, scan this matrix and let me know what you "see"! I think you'll find information about one of our fabulous waterfront listings here in Naples Florida...Now, isn't that just the best? I'm not sure who said this, but I agree..."You can't do today's job with yesterday's methods and be in business tomorrow." Thanks for 'reading', and make it a great day! The Naples Real Estate Blogger *Many Android phones now come with QR code readers already installed...also, Nokia phones running S60 3rd edition or newer, Blackberry phones running Blackberry Messenger 5.0 or more recent versions can scan using the "scan group barcode" option in the BBM menu.

Vote NO on 4

Make no mistake about it...although the company I work for makes it clear that I appear to be apolitical, I actually have very strong, varying opinions on many issues. I understand completely the reason behind the policy, and I respect it. As an example last year an agent in my office lost out on a listing because of the bumper sticker on her car. To me, regardless of ones political affiliation...it has nothing to do with their ability to sell houses. In this case, she happens to be a super agent...and that seller missed out on working with a true professional.

With that being said, I think it is safe to share my opinion about Amendment 4 without making any enemies, or breaking any company rules...Also, because this has to do with land-use and development, I believe that with 29 years of experience selling real estate in Florida,  people just might look to me for my opinion. I know myself, when there is something on the ballot that I don't completely understand the ramifications of, I turn to professionals that I respect for their input.

I have read BOTH sides of this issue. Just Google Amendment 4 Florida 2010 and you, too, can read up on the pros and cons.
Here are my reason for voting NO on Amendment 4:

Amendment 4 is a "vote on everything" amendment. Imagine everyday citizens, with no knowledge of certain technical issues such as zoning and comprehensive land-use plans, voting on propositions and making decisions which could have a devastating impact on our state's economy. Tax increases for homeowners, significant job loss, fewer services, and an overall weaker economy. The amendment actually states that it is impossible to estimate costs. Do we really want to vote yes on something that cannot give us an exact cost? Aren't our taxes high enough? This has the ability to impact restaurants, schools--potentially every business and family in the state. 

I urge you to read up on both sides of this important amendment. Please let me know what your opinion is as well. I am interested in hearing from you  about either side!

Thank you, and make it a great day!

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

Beyond Slogans

Catchy

Simple

Short

Sweet

Witty

Direct

and, most of all...

Memorable!

Here are a few of my personal favorites...

"Connecting People"
~Nokia

"Because You're Worth It."
~L'Oreal

"The Ultimate Driving Machine."
~BMW

"Expect the Best"
~Coldwell Banker

"Where Do You Want To Go Today?"
~Microsoft

If I had not listed the company name you probably would have guessed most of them correctly, right? But, if any of these companies had the slogan without the substance to back it up, they would merely be empty sentences. There needs to be something Beyond Slogans to keep the consumer coming back to a company that originally may have grabbed their attention with a catchy phrase. Slogans become mantras as well..."Just Do It" has become a figure of speech...part of our modern terminology...."Can You Hear Me Now"? Don't we all dream of coming up with a slogan so popular that when people see it, hear it, they know the company without having to be told? 

Chip and I have 'gone through' several slogans. Before we 'joined forces' mine was "Michele Sells By The Seashore."--His was, "Chip Harris, The Name Friends Refer To Friends." We tried to incorporate both of these into some of our marketing, yet it never really had the same inpact as a team that they did individually. We then tried to stress the fact that we give "Old fashioned service with state-of-the art technology to better serve your real estate needs".....WAAAAAY TOO LONG!  We tried the "You May Be Our Customer Once But You'll Be Our Client For Life." I liked that one, and we do still use it ocassionally. "Local Knowledge, Global Connections" is also a slogan that I really like and we still use that in a lot of our international publications and mailings....BUT, you just can't have five slogans!  

For the past few years we have been using, "We ARE Naples Real Estate"--it truly does seem to sum it all up...and we certainly do have the 'substance' to back it up! Our website, NaplesRealEstate.com is one of the most popular real estate websites in Southwest Florida! Naples Real Estate is my facebook page name, and our fan page is We ARE Naples Real Estate...I've been selling in Naples since 1981...and I'm now known around town as The Naples Real Estate Blogger---So, for all the other slogans that we have used and outgrown, tried and changed...This one definitely fits us the best!

So next time someone asks you, Who are Chip and Michele? Maybe you'll just have to answer, "They are Naples Real Estate!!!" 

Thanks, and make it a great day,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

September Stats

I am always a couple of days delayed when the 1st of the month lands on a Friday, but here are a few statistics from September that I found interesting and wanted to share with you: 

• New listings taken in Naples, September 2010 numbered 1299. This is the fewest number of new listings taken in a month since August 2009.
• Currently there are 7,709 Active residential listings in Naples.
• Both "Pendings" and Closed Sales were down slightly in September 2010 as compared to September 2009.
• Of the 511 closed sales in Naples in September, 437 were residential. Across the board, the list to sale percentage was 94% and the Average Days on the Market was 165 days. 
• Median Sold price in Naples in September 2010 was approximately $165,000 compared to $185,000 in September 2009.
• Average sold price in Naples, September 2009 was just under $340,000. Last month's average closed sale was virtually the same. The 12 month average is $370,000 after a peak in July 2010 of $526,000.

Certain geographic areas are outperforming others. The luxury market has taken off, and there have been a number of housing starts in the high-end neighborhoods as well.

One particular area that strikes me is NA 07: the communities of Aqualane Shores & Port Royal. Here are some stats that I think are profound:

• Average sale price  0-12 months:  $4,924,416.
• Average sale price 24-12 months: $4,263,143.
• Average sale price 36-24 months: $3,893,318.

If that doesn't get some of the luxury buyers off their mark, I don't know what will!

Please call us with any questions. 239.370.0574.  Feel free to leave a comment below. We always welcome your feedback. A member of The Harris Peppe Team looks forward to hearing from you soon. 

Thank you,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger