2012 : The Year We Have All Been Waiting For...

"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in...A pessimist stays up till midnight to make sure the old year leaves."

~Bill Vaughn

So, has there ever been another year written about as often as 2012? Of course, 1984 comes to mind...as does the new millennium. Ah yes, waiting for the clock to strike on December 31st, 1999 at 11:59 PM--I'm sure you remember where you were at that moment....ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...Wasn't the world supposed to end then, too? But, the Twenty-12 phenomenon has crept beyond ones own imagination into the mainstream with impending fears of cataclysmic events that are predicted to change the world as we know it...Movies have been made [the disaster film made in 2009: 2102], scholars have studied Mayan history and culture [it's their calendar that many of the predictions are based upon], and New Age beliefs about galactic alignment are taking notice among even the less mystic-minded souls...Doomsday theories have spread like wildfire, especially with the use of Internet, Youtube...Dan Brown's book, The Lost Symbol...why even The History Channel aired a special series about "The Last Days on Earth" and "Nostradamus 2012". The Discover Channel also aired "2012 Apocalypse"...supposedly more evidence that earthquakes and volcanoes will throw us all into a black hole...just more doomsday hype?

What do you think all the hype is about? And, what do you think we should be taking seriously, or not so seriously? What are you planning to learn from all this sensationalism, and where do you intend to be on December 21st, 2012? I'm sure, if you are being honest, you've thought about this. For me? Well, I've seen Gregg Braden live, I've read his books...I'm interested in what he says and very open to his explanations. I've studied Mesoamerica prophecy, although not as in-depth as many, but enough to feel pretty comfortable about hosting Christmas Eve at my house again next year--

I believe this...Typically, in trying times, the greater the challenge the greater the lesson. An example; if you have ever spoken to someone who is a cancer survivor they will tell you that event changed their life forever...and almost always for the better---Difficulties teach us to prioritize. They teach us to remain calm during a storm. They teach us to live life to the fullest. They teach us to appreciate those things that we might overwise take for granted. They teach us that "this too shall pass..." They bring out the best in us that we might otherwise have never been called forth to dig as deep to find our inner strength...So, it's not necessarily the END OF THE WORLD, but rather the end of the world as we know it...from the smallest scale to the largest. And maybe, just maybe it will be a kinder, gentler world--now wouldn't that be wonderful! I believe everyday can be our "doomsday" or the "first day of the rest of our lives"...Only you get to decide.

Let's make 2012 the best year yet!

Thank you, and Happy New Year,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

Business Planning 101

Well, here we are, getting ready to flip our calendars over to yet another year. It'll probably take more than a few times of mindlessly writing 2011 on checks and letters before the new year sinks in and twenty-12 becomes more natural. It's been a good year...we met our business goals, our children and grandchildren are all healthy, my mom is still getting younger with every passing year, we took a few great vacations...Yes, life is good in paradise. As I am writing this Chip is sitting at the desk beside me working on spreadsheets for our income taxes and I have been busy putting the finishing touches on our 2012 Business Plan. I've been writing a Business Plan for many years, and only once in the past 20 or so years did I make the choice to go it alone without the aid of a written plan. [It's a long story]. As it turns out, that ended up being a pretty good year, yet the very next year I went back to a written plan. I'm just one of those people that stays on track more easily if I have a plan. I think that's true of most folks. Personally, I will be very happy on the day I can chuck all that planning aside for a more serendipitous life, but for now, and for my sanity I plan, I organize, I color code.

For those of you reading this that are considering writing a business plan, maybe even for the first time, here's a little guidepost to get you started.

#1. You've got to have goals, but more importantly, you've got to have strategies for obtaining your goals: tactics and systems in place that support and direct you to the results you desire.

#2. I recommend, in addition to a business mission statement that you also have a personal mission statement. One or two concise sentences that sum up who you are. I've had the same personal mission statement since 1995...never changed one word. It's the purpose of my life.

#3. You must have a marketing plan. This should include a budget that you stick to throughout the year.

#4. Surround yourself with happy, successful, energetic, positive, proactive people.

#5. Keep your plan in a place where you can refer to it often.

Yup...that's about it. Like the post title says, "Business Planning 101"...it really doesn't have to be complicated. You probably already know what you have to do to meet your goals...the question now becomes are you willing to do the work?

If buying or selling a home in Naples, Florida becomes one of your goals, please call us. It would be our privilege to assist you in meeting your Naples Real Estate goals! 239.370.0574

Good luck to everyone in 2012! I think it's going to be an unbelievable year!

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

22 Shopping Days 'til Christmas!

Have you made your "list" and checked it twice? As any of you who know me well know, I am a list maker...I have lists for everything!

1. The everyday "To do" list
2. The "I never go to the Grocery Store without a" list
3. The Books I want to read list
4. The Birthday and anniversary cards for the month ahead list
5. The Things that need to get done around the house list
6. The Guests attending our Christmas parties [yes, I'm having more than one party] list
7. The What to cook at each party list
8. The Christmas gift list...card list...

Well, you get the picture. It comes from being a first born, organized, sometimes compulsive, cannot say "no", overachiever...lists are what keep me sane! I actually like lists. When I get a little behind, I've even been known to put things on my lists that I've already done...gives me a sense of accomplishment..."check!" ~Have you seen the commercial on TV lately of the woman who goes to the check out and asks the clerk if he can read anything on her list and he says, "No, there's a line through everything."...and she smiles and gives him a "Boo-ya"!

Anyway, I know a lot of you reading this like lists, too. In fact, one of the most requested blog post suggestions I've gotten recently is for me to post lists of what's selling and what I think are some of the best buys around Naples. So here's a short recap of what happened in the market in November, and what is currently for sale in some of the neighborhoods where The Harris Peppe Team lists and sells:

• There were a total of 231 single family homes and 243 condos that closed in Naples in November 2011. Down less than 1% over the same time period a year ago.
• Of those 474 closings, 89 were listed as "Short Sales"...that's about 18%
• 43 of the 89 short sales were priced below $300,000!
• 98 were listed as "foreclosures"...about 20%
• 91 of the 98 were priced below $300,000!
• There was a total of 33 closings priced at or above $1 million
• 3 of the 33 were short sales, and only 1 was a foreclosure!
• There was a total of 20 single family homes that sold last month in NA 04 to NA 08 [this includes but is not limited to Pelican Bay south to Port Royal along the beach and includes Old Naples, and the Royal Harbor Area as well] 3 of the 20 were short sales. There were 49 condo sales in these same areas, and only 2 were short sales.
• Presently there are 67 single family homes for sale in Old Naples [NA 06]. Only 9 are listed below $1 million! The least expensive home for sale in Old Naples as of this writing is priced at $549,000
• There are 139 condos listed in Old Naples starting at $109,000 for a 1 BR/ 1 BA on up to a luxurious villa for $2,550,000
• There are 102 homes for sale in NA 05 [Crayton Road corridor]. With just a handful priced below $500,000, on up to a waterfront home boasting 5,400 sf built in 2004 with an asking price of $5,250,000.
• One of the hottest neighborhoods is NA 15, the area between US 41 and Goodlette Road, which showed a 7% improvement in the past 12 months as compared to the previous 12 months. Presently there are 46 single family homes available. 15 of the 46 are listed as short sales, and 36 of the 46 are priced below $300,000.

Well, that's my list for the day--I hope it helped you get a better picture of what is happening in some of the areas in Naples Real Estate. Please call us if buying a home in Naples is on your list! 239.370.0574

~And remember, Naples is usually Santa's last stop!

Thanks, and make it a GREAT day,

The Naples Real Estate Blogger

*Data is derived from the Naples multiple listing system, SunshineMLS and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.