If I had to use just one word to describe the 2013 Naples Florida real estate season, I might use the word, "heartbreak" or "challenging".  2013 marks the season where sellers recognized they were once again in the drivers seat and buyers had a difficult if not impossible time finding Naples properties suitable for their objective. Here's a compilation of some of my experiences this season and some points you'll want to know about if you are still considering selling or making a Naples real estate purchase.


The other point about the inventory not many people out of the industry are grasping is the new inventory hitting the market is not probably hitting at the same value as the last property.  Evidence of increased pricing is abundant and confidence with both seller's agents and sellers is considerably stronger than even last Fall.

Negotiation Strategies ~ Strategies have changed dramatically this year compared to years past. It used to be extremely easy for me to put together a five point selling strategy to help buyers get their prices.  This year I have had to become much more creative when putting together a compelling negotiating plan and some of my best work was completely ignored this year.

Responsive Buyers are Winning ~ I have seen responsive buyers do a great job getting really GREAT Naples properties this year.  As an example I put together a Pelican Bay high-rise condo deal I closed on Friday. This gentleman called me on a Tuesday to ask questions about a property located in St. Pierre at Pelican Bay of which I was intimately familiar. After a short discussion I sent him some similar Pelican Bay high rise listings. He called me back to ask about a brand new listing that had just hit in Claridge at Pelican Bay.  I wasn't familiar with the property so I made an appointment, went over and took video. After checking the property out, I knew it was priced well and would not be on the market for long. I loaded the video and called him with the direction that if he wanted a real shot, he needed to do something.  He called me back a short time later and told me he would be down mid morning the next day. He wrote the offer and a few short weeks later, joyfully accepted the keys at closing. 

Some buyers are really unhappy about not having the luxury of taking their time making decisions on whether or not they want to go forward with an offer. Others are missing out completely.  I know one buyer (not mine) who has lost three properties so far this year because he just can't bring himself to compete. It's a real shame. 

Some Naples buyers are agreeing to pay more than documented prices ~ When I say the market has been challenging, I mean I have found my share of sellers who want more than fair market value for their properties this year.  As an example, I did a deal earlier this year where the buyer made concessions for what they really wanted due to lack of inventory but when they finally settled on a Naples bayfront condo to purchase, the owner wanted several thousands of dollars more than what the property was worth.  All of this after sitting on the market for 18 months without one offer. We ended up getting it worked out but it wasn't easy.

I also assisted a seller in Pelican Marsh who questioned if we listed too low while he was signing a very good contract to sell his place on the 3rd day of being on the market.  It was later determined that he got a terrific price on his property...yaaae!

Is there relief in site for the Naples buyer who doesn't want to overpay right now?

There may be.  Keep in mind many believe the Naples real estate selling season is over when the Easter bunny makes his presence of for some of us, when He Has Risen.

The number of price reductions each day has inched up ever so slightly and some of those Naples sellers are starting to reconsider their hard fast position.  As an example I wrote 5 offers for a buyer who was looking for a Pelican Bay condo under one million.  While he had a defined list of features he wanted, he was in no way unreasonable with his offers but we had one hell of a time putting one together for him.  Of the four offers we wrote (starting in October) all four are still on the market...another shame.  It turned out the 5th offer we wrote ended up working out (so far) and in my personal opinion, this one is going to suit the family's needs better than anything else they had considered so while I am still holding my breath for them. I am cautiously excited for them.

Some sellers are "kooking out"! What is "kooking out"?  They're going on the market only to decide they don't really want to sell.  My experience has been that sellers are going on the market assuming they're going to get what they want to replace their property and then they're finding out that what's available doesn't match what they want. My first heartbreak on this one happened in Brighton at Bay Colony last holiday season.  We went in with a FABULOUS offer.  Honestly we weren't expecting anything other than a beautiful signature back and the buyers and I envisioned skipping happily to the closing table shortly after...only to find the owner had reconsidered and took their place off the market with a promise they would come back down after the holidays and find their place of which we could purchase then.  They came down after the holidays, looked around and decided not to sell...at all. Boooooo!  I had another Naples beachfront condo seller do the same to me last month. After finding not one but two people who were interested in writing an offer...such a downer.

This is a really long post and I haven't even had a chance to tell you about my experience in Mediterra, Aqualane Shores or Olde Naples or Port Royal...there are some FABULOUS homes listed in Port Royal right now! My favorite one is on Rum Row...WOW! Let's go take a look!

So the 64 million dollar question today is when will season end?  I already have buyers scheduling trips down here in the middle of the summer so I am excited! While I don't think we will be alone as we may have been for the last several summers, I think we will have a bit of an easier time but let me caution you my Naples buyers.  Many owners take their units off the market so if you can at all possible get down here before June, by all means, do it.  Your selection will be bigger.  If not, then don't worry about it but let's get a showing strategy before you get here so you aren't disappointed before you get down here.

For my Naples sellers.  If you're thinking about selling, call me.  I can market your property unlike any other agent in town and will do a fabulous job for you. 

Please call me to schedule your appointment today!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Good Day Naples Friends,  Tis the season! Naples real estate buying traffic is strong, activity is high and lots of exciting new Naples real estate happenings are occurring...

In fact, I just wrote a magnificent Naples real estate post about how the Naples seller behavior is changing only to realize for the sake of some of my deals on the table, I better not post due to the fact that I would not be writing in the best interest of my current clients.  Many times when my posts slow it's because I'm very involved in deals I simply can't write about for the sake of confidentiality.

I fear the content I can't share will not give you what you need to be in the know and have the edge you deserve for being one of my Naples real estate subscribers.  So here, I will speak in generalities and if you would like details, I'm a phone call or email away.

1.  Sellers are getting very confident with some increased pricing but more importantly very tight negotiations.  This is different than years past.  The biggest news is that behavior is inconsistent which is going to cause a ripple of drama.  Buyers not ready for hard negotiations may want to react accordingly and find themselves suffering in the long run because of it.  Call me for details on this.

2.  Some sellers need to be strategic about buying and selling here in Naples.  Some sellers are taking their properties off the market because they can't find another property to replace what they have when they sell.  Until recently it was easy for Naples sellers to put their home or condo on the market, wait for a sale and then have a nice selection of Naples properties to choose from when they get an acceptable offer.  I just lost a deal due to the fact the seller couldn't find another place to go and didn't want to move twice. We might get it together in the near future but this was a downer for my buyer.  We might be going toward a market where some of our more affluent Naples sellers need to go out and find what they want first, purchase and then put their place on the market.  It's hard to believe I'm saying that out loud in this very turmultuous economic state this country is in but it is true depending on where you want to go and the location of your current property.  Many areas of Bay Colony is a place where you could do this pretty easily provided you are priced appropriately when you sell.  It's very wise to have a Naples real estate expert help you do this.

3.  If you like to shop for Naples deals there are some good negotiation opportunities for locations like:

Collier's Reserve, Port Royal, Grey Oaks and Quail West.  All of these locations are showing some oversupply with slightly under or over 1.5 years of inventory.  Keep in mind each negotiation may go differently so if it is at all possible (which it should be since your main motivation here is the "deal")you will want to go in and choose 3 properties and know the first one or two may not go your way but I do think some sellers here should show you some flexibility still.  That is probably not going to be the case in areas like Park Shore, Aqualane Shores and Olde Naples since inventories are light and traffic is heavy.

4.  Intelligent agents are putting deals together and/or keeping deals together that may not have made it otherwise.  Because the tables are turning a bit it takes a different and sometimes very aggressive approach to getting the deal done. Smart Naples agents know how to find solutions to problems whether it's property condition, beginning negotiation stale mates and other tricky aspects of the contract to close timeline.  I have also seen a few examples where inexperience or lack of business acumen has obliterated a deal to pieces...very sad. 

It was said the other day during a John R. Wood board of directors meeting (I currently hold a position there thanks to having the honor of working with some fantastic clients) that some sellers will think they can get their deal done without an agent now that the market is turning.  If getting the deal done is your goal, that's fine...but if getting the deal done with the
1.  highest and best price
2.  timeline you prefer
3.  and without additional exposure to expensive legal issues

is the goal, having an excellent Naples Realtor with their vast network of experienced professionals behind them may be a small price to pay in the long run...especially if you're talking about some of the bigger ticket items around town. 

Friends, these contracts look very simple and they are for someone who assist people with them everyday. I have found the most successful buyers and sellers hire the best Naples real estate professionals to handle their real estate business because:

1. They have more time to do what they really enjoy doing.
2. They recognize the value in someone having the experience they do not in handling some of the local behavioral aspects that arise during the marketing and negotiating of their property.
3. They understand the vast network of professionals that stand behind their Naples Realtor to get the job done in the best most convenient way.
4. They know their Realtor and network will keep them performing within the timeline of their contract.
5.  They can get the extra assistance they need when things get emotional...let's talk about that one.

The most legal exposure occurs when times are most emotional.  When is real estate emotional?  When there is a clear upper hand and a clear underdog ie. when it is a Buyers market or a Seller's market.

YOU SCREWED ME!

Doesn't naturally occur for the most part in a happy, amicable, stable, even market.

It can be tough for sellers and/or buyers to not want to inch a little closer towards the edge when they feel like they have a solid edge to negotiate and it can be easy to completely and unknowingly go over that edge when performing to a contract. What I mean by that is that sometimes when the intentions are completely honorable you can cross a legal line that can get you in a huge pile of crud.  It can cause a horrible legal stink that ultimately the guilty party would've never caused to happen had they known what their legal responsibility was.  Because of our experience, we can say....ehhh that may not be such a great idea, here's why... This is one of those points I'd love to follow up with an example but I can't.  Call me for details on this one.

Ok, that is all I have time for today.  Buyers, put your helmets on! Give me a call, let's make a date and let's do this!!!

Sellers, give me a shout! Let's make a plan and let's get rolling!

PS~ Days til Winter = 20!!!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Hello Naples Friends! I've noticed a little uptick on Naples luxury real estate foreclosure and short sale interest and to be honest I'm not sure why since we clearly saw the bottom of our market in 2010 but I've compiled a list of all the short sales and foreclosures available in the Naples neighborhoods I cover...

Here are all of the Naples luxury foreclosures and short sales currently available in Naples Florida's most luxurious locations:

Aqualane Shores:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Audubon Naples:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Bay Colony Naples:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Collier's Reserve:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Coquina Sands:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 1

Grey Oaks:
Foreclosures: 1
Short Sales: 1

Mediterra:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 2

Moorings:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Naples Cay:
Foreclosures: 1
Short Sales: 0

Olde Naples:
Foreclosures: 1
Short Sales: 1

Park Shore:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 1

Pelican Bay:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Pelican Marsh:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 2

Pine Ridge:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Port Royal:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Quail West:
Foreclosures: 3
Short Sales: 0

Royal Harbor:
Foreclosures: 3
Short Sales: 1

Tiburon:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 0

Vanderbilt Beach:
Foreclosures: 0
Short Sales: 2

As you can see there are 20 short sales and foreclosures in the 19 locations I cover.  That's honestly about 18 more than I expected! Is this a reason for buyer's to hoot and holler? There are over 1,300 listings in those neighborhoods so the overall percentage of distressed properties is 1%.  It is however an indication that there are still deals to be had in these locations but opportunities may be fading fast.  The bigger story is the supply and demand situation we have going on...see what the supply is in the following locations now:

Aqualane Shores:
7 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Audubon Naples:
13 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

Bay Colony Naples:
6 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Collier's Reserve:
16 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

Coquina Sands:
4 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Grey Oaks:
12 months of inventory = STABLE

Mediterra:
10 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Moorings:
7 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Naples Cay:
22 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

Olde Naples:
8 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Park Shore:
8 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Pelican Bay:
8 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Pelican Marsh:
5 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Pine Ridge:
9 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Port Royal:
16 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

Quail West:
15 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

Royal Harbor:
8 months of inventory = UNDERSUPPLIED

Tiburon:
16 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

Vanderbilt Beach:
12 months of inventory = OVERSUPPLIED

As you can see 7 of the 19 Naples luxury neighborhoods are still experiencing an oversupply of inventory which IS excellent news for a buyer but you want to make your selections early this year. 

Something different this year compared to the last 3 years is by October most sellers start to feel an air of confidence because "season" is just around the corner and high traffic with purchasing expectations is almost here.  This year, there's an election...uncertainty is a buyers friend. Sellers are still very negotiable right now compared to most year so it could be your best time to cut your best deal is now til election day.

Some of you have already figured that out and made appointments with me.  For that reason, my calendar is filling up.  Do we need to get together this season?  If so, PLEASE call me today so I can get you on my calendar, afterall, I provide this content so I can work with you.  I don't want to miss the opportunity to assist you.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Aqualane Shores is a Naples real estate success story showing a vibrant sales history during the past year with 34 sales and pending contracts.  With only 9 months of inventory on the current Aqualane Shores market does that mean pricing is on the rise?

I currently analyzed the Aqualane Shores market for a customer who is considering selling his Aqualane Shore home and while I wasn't surprised of the recent sales activity in Aqualane Shores, I am pleased to see the market has more than stabilized. My Naples real estate market experience is vast.  I've seen the tables tilt towards both a seller's and a buyer's market in drastic comparisons. I enjoy a widely accepted stable market the most. When buyers and sellers have both come to grips with the reality of a market is when the most amicable negotiations take place and the least amount of heartache and disappointment exist.

The Aqualane Shores market is moving again though which has a potential of producing a little kooky behavior from both sides.  It's probable sellers will want to push up on price and tighten on negotiations and buyers want to push back as a natural reaction.  Just as the opposite occurs during a sinking market.  But in any market smart sellers will remain reasonable as well smart buyers.  Here's what I see right now.

The most interesting point about the Aqualane Shores market right now is for the first time in several years the original list price is lower than the current list price. What I mean by that is when I average all of the prices of the current Aqualane Shores listings the average current list price is now: $3,744,296.  The average original list price is $3,738,352.  Some owners are choosing to INCREASE their prices.  While this isn't a wide spread occurrence yet, many owners are coming to grips with an improving market and it is becoming more clear on paper who's confident with their price, who wants to sell and who wants to see if they can capitalize on the current success.  18 of the 27 listings are standing firm on their original offering price.  5 of the 27 have made some sort of downward price adjustment during the term of their current listing and 2 have made substantial price increases.

Aqualane Shores negotiations are tightening.  In an Aqualane Shore market analysis from December 2010, I reported that ratio coming in at 85% of list or 76% of original list. Today list price to sales price ratio is 89% of list and 85% of original list. This is further proof Aqualane Shores owners are less flexible today than just two years ago.

Let's look at the number of Aqualane Sales over the past few years:
We're going to use August 20th is the mark.

Aug. 20, 2011- Present:
# Closed = 26
Avg. Closed $ = $2,695,862
Avg. List Closed $ = $3,048,556
Avg. $/Sq. Ft. Closed = $666
Avg. $/Sq. Ft. List = $730
Avg. List to Sales Price Ratio 88%

Aug. 20 2010 - Aug. 2011
# Closed = 21
Avg. Closed $ = $2,258,524
Avg. List Closed $ = $2,656,500
Avg. $/Sq. Ft. Closed = $662
Avg. $/Sq. Ft. List = $783
Avg. List to Sales Price Ratio 85%

Here are some other interesting statistics to consider here. 

• The average size of homes sold increased 15% this year compared to last. The bigger the home, the lower the price per square foot can be accomplished when doing an apples to apples comparison yet the average price per square foot still went up slightly. 
• The average days on the market for the properties that have sold decreased 32% compared to last year.
• There were only 3 homes that sold for over $3,000,000 the year before. This past 12 months there were 9. That's a pretty big difference.
  

Agents are already complaining about having problems finding inventory for their customers. Some buyers are coming to town expecting a nice selection and being disappointed with their choices and leaving town without pulling the trigger. Fortunately new potential sellers are reaching out to see if now might be a good time to sell...phew. We need you!

If you're thinking about buying an Aqualane Shores home, please have a smart agent like myself assist you with your search and help you with your negotiations. To put it simply, it's getting tougher.

If you're thinking about selling your Aqualane Shores home, I encourage you to hire an agent who knows the market and can help you maximize your exposure to capture those buyers waiting for the perfect place to call their home while capturing the true current value for your property.

Of course you can always contact me direct with any questions you might have regarding your personal Naples real estate objective or search my Naples real estate website for more information.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

PS~ There's 121 days til winter....are you ready?

I was contacted yesterday by a correspondent who's preparing to write a segment on the current Naples real estate market. When she calls I always try to give her accurate, cutting edge information only a few may have already realized.  Here's what I told her:

If last year's big Naples real estate story was dwindling inventories, this year's big story will probably be about the turn towards a seller's market, smaller list price to sales price ratios and higher pricing.

Naples Real Estate Buyers: Get Strategic!  Up until now it's been fairly easy to march into any Naples neighborhood and find some sort of deal.  Not so much anymore. Ideas of negotiating heavily off list prices in all Naples areas like the beachfront in Bay Colony and other locations throughout Naples are probably in the past. 

As an example there are two properties currently listed in a neighborhood in Tiburon.  They are priced over 70% higher than the last two units sold.  Statements from the listing agents equated to, yes, those were pretty good deals...suggesting the seller may not be firm but clearly not interested in discounting to past levels.

The Good News For Buyers is you can still negotiate if you're a little more strategic than you were in the past.  If you find yourself wanting a property in a Naples location that's experiencing a high level of sales and you don't think you're going to have much negotiating power, you might consider other options.  While many of our best locations are doing well...some still aren't and may welcome your dollars a little more eagerly compared to other hot locations.

For example:

1.  Olde Naples homes are doing quite well right now with only 8 months of inventory.  It might be better for you (depending on your budget) to consider a location like Aqualane Shores where there's 19 months of inventory on the market right now.

2.  Pelican Marsh has 10 months of inventory while Tiburon has 28 months of inventory.  Your negotiating strategy may be far more welcome in Tiburon than Pelican Marsh.

3.  Moorings mid-rise condos have only 9 months of inventory while Vanderbilt Beach has a 27 month supply of inventory.  I think you're seeing where I'm going with this...

So maybe you like your Naples location and you aren't willing to necessarily consider an alternate neighborhood location.  That can be ok too depending on the situation.

For example:

There's opportunity in Grey Oaks right now because their single family inventory has with just over 20 months of inventory and their detached villa product has 24 months of inventory BUT their low rise product is doing exceptionally well. So maybe instead of doing a Grey Oaks condo, you should consider an area like Terra Verde where there's 5 on the market and none have sold during the past 12 months....(although one is now under contract).

The big thing here is just because you've stumbled into a location where all the product is gone or negotiations have tightened doesn't mean your opportunity is lost in Naples.  Just contact a GREAT Naples Realtor who can help you identify what you really want and help you negotiate a deal you can be happy about.

1.  If at all possible. Get to Naples and get this done before October. NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO NEGOTIATE PERIOD.

2.  The smartest buyers choose more than one property to negotiate. It's the best way to keep the emotion out of it and land a deal just in case that first guy is either unrealistic or unresponsive to your offer.

If you're a Naples Seller ~ It's VITAL you have an agent who knows the market and knows what they're doing. This is the time when some sellers leave money on the table unknowingly because they aren't in tune with a changing market and also a time when some sellers fail at selling because they think their properties are worth more than they are because of recent activity.  If your agent will conduct their business in an accommodating fashion while still having the appropriate level of confidence for you to get your price you should do well provided everybody stays realistic. 

As an example:

I listed a Pelican Bay property last season a tad bit prematurely because the owner had just negotiated a contract for another property but hadn't closed yet. They were concerned about holding their old property for an undesirable length of time but I knew they couldn't give possession of their old unit before they could move into their new one. The end of our official selling season was coming to an end but I felt exceptionally confident we had a great condo at a great price and had no concern selling the property for the price I had expected.

The day we closed on their new unit the seller's wife expressed her grave concern about selling her old condo. I looked her straight in the eye and told her we would get it done and told her she couldn't spend five more minutes worrying about not selling. The following day I presented two offers one of which they accepted. Happily, it came in higher than my originally estimated price.  It's this kind of pressure that can make an inexperienced agent stumble or encourage a seller to sell for less than a property is worth and why you should always list your property with an experienced, proven professional. 

For more answers regarding Naples real estate, please contact me direct. If you'd like to see property or review your market value, please give me as much notice as possible so I can best accommodate your schedule.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl

Hello Naples Florida Fans!

As some of you have already learned, I've prematurely launched the new sold features on my Naples Florida real estate site.  I received a call from the Naples Area Board Of REALTORS this week explaining I was in violation of our MLS rules by displaying sold listings in the old format on my website.  You can imagine my surprise since I'd been displaying those listings in that format for about 4 years now.  Needless to say I felt much like Taylor Swift when Kanye West stole her microphone on the night she won best female video.  Even though the lady from NABOR couldn't show me where it was stated in the MLS rules where I was in violation, I felt it important to take the high road and just launch some of the new features of my site even though all of the features aren't working exactly right....sigh. 

So here's the highlights on the new sales format:  Currently you'll be able to see what has sold since 2009, you'll be able to click the number of pictures and roll through all the pictures that were available on MLS and click on the MLS number and see the full data about the home along with a detailed map view.  You will also be able to sort by price, subdivision, sales date etc!  It will also work on an Apple products for the first time since the beginning YAAE! There are a few more features but I want there to be at least some surprises :)

The not so great news is we're still working on functionality and accuracy.  For example I've included some great stats which are appearing at the top of the feed but are only accurate part of the time so until further notice, please don't rely on the statistics. Err....we have also included a feature that allows you to export the sales onto an Excel or Numbers spreadsheet but we're having a bit of trouble with the exporting feature.  This is great if you're interested in Aqualane Shores, not great if you're looking to do that with any other neighborhood in Naples right now....errr!  There are some other issues on the back end I won't bore you with but what you do need to know if you're looking in Pelican Bay, L'Ambiance at Pelican Bay sales is not working and if you're looking in Grey Oaks, L'Ermitage at Grey Oaks sales is not working...might have something to do with the fact that our coders are not French...Merde! We're working on it!

Lastly, I want to thank you for your patience, pats on the back and loyalty while we slowly continue to improve the site.  I've heard from many of you and it is truly the fuel that feeds the "always wanting to provide you with more" fire which propels us forward.  We appreciate you and LOVE to hear from you. So please don't be scared to send us your questions, comments and suggestions.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Currently there are 44 properties in Aqualane Shores on the market.  Pricing ranges between just under $600,000 to nearly $650,000 for an Aqualane Manor condo and Aqualane Shores homes start at just under $1,300,000 and increase to nearly $6,000,000.



There are 4 pending properties in Aqualane right now.

20 sales have occurred on the open market so far this year leaving just over a 2 year supply of homes still on the market.  While some locations in effect have leveled it's apparent that Aqualane Shores still has some selling off to do before she can be considered a stable market. 

Stability is also reflected in the sales price to list price ratio at closing.  On average properties are selling at about 85% of list and 76% of original list in Aqualane Shores right now.  Now don't get too excited...some of these homes were on the market for quite awhile and that's why we're currently seeing that 76% number. 

That brings me to two different negotiating topics I want to explain to help you better understand the Aqualane Shores market and really Naples as a whole.  We are not blessed with a real estate market that thinks alike in whole which leads to confusion and frustration when it comes to negotiating.  Typically a market shares a like mind and it's easy for buyers, sellers and agents to grasp and understand how negotiations are handled and understood in a market.  Naples isn't like that.  With so many people coming from so many different places, owners and agents tend to take with them their negotiating strategies and other beliefs with them when they come here.  That leads to chaos...LOL.  Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about.  Some owners think they need to list their property high so they can negotiate alot of money off the price so the buyer feels like they're getting a great deal.  If you've ever seen this done, there's no mystery...the numbers can be  impressive.  Take 440 15th Avenue for example: 

They negotiated from $1,890,000 which was the original list price to $1,275,000.  That's only 67% of list price.  Now TONS of people are thinking...well if I would've known they'd go down to that, I would've bought it...sigh...the thing is it's hard to determine what an owner will take until you have your Realtor do some homework for you or you take a stab at it. 

Here's another example: 

260 18th Ave. S. was on the market for $5,495,000 and sold for $5,300,000.  That's 96% of list price.  As you can see if you were expecting to purchase this property at 67% of list price you would've felt like you'd been smacked in the head to get that counter from the seller.  You just can't assume in Naples....trust me. 

The other topic I'll touch on is market time.  It's the weirdest thing you'll ever see but when I put it in this light, you might understand it better.
Too many sellers especially those located in REALLY great areas are willing to wait to sell.  From what I've gathered there's two reasons for this.

1. Because they'll use their place during season if it doesn't sell.
2. Because cause they can wait.

Seriously, Naples is not a rough place to hang out while you're waiting for your property to sell and I have never had anyone say, "Oh my GOD get me out of this town".  It's typically a bittersweet departure if they're even fully leaving town to begin with.  Many sell and purchase something else here...

My whole point of this post is to explain...now would be a good time to purchase in Aqualane Shores and pick a smart Realtor to help you do it.

By the way, did you know there's only 17 days til winter?  It's supposed to snow in Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Bloomfield Hills this week.  Maybe you should call me! :)

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

When most people think Cyber Monday, I doubt seriously anybody is wondering what kind of discount they can get on a Naples property by purchasing online today...in fact I'll bet that most people wouldn't even imagine clicking their way to purchasing a property in most places. Of course the more tech savvy the town is, the more house purchasing click happy buyers are but when many people think, "Naples Florida", we're barely what many would consider tech advanced.  In fact, I once saw on Fox News that Naples was at town rated "least likely to tweet".  Being @NaplesSmartGirl on Twitter, I was naturally offended. 

So back to those online Naples real estate deals.  Can you believe somebody actually purchases Naples real estate online?  They do! As a matter of fact, more of the buyers I worked with a couple of years ago purchased online than in person! 

I actually have a plan to make it easier for you to do so in the works right now! 
But for now it's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1.  You click around www.ShannonLefevre.com and find something you like, contact me to get the additional details.

2.  I'll go take a peek at it and take some video and shoot just about anything there is you want to see.  Granted, this is not cinematography at its finest but it lets you see exactly what you're purchasing before you purchase without having to rush and get on a plane and deal with all that new hocus pocus at the airport.  Besides if it's a great deal do you think you're the only one interested in it? I hope your answer is "no" because my dear...you are no longer alone in your quest for Naples Real Estate!

3.  When you've seen it and you're sure you love it, we'll write an offer, work on getting it accepted, run inspections, get title work and get it closed for you just in time for winter...or Christmas or New Year's...whichever you want your deadline to be. 

Can you believe it can be that easy?  It happens all the time.  So in the spirit of Cyber Monday, I've put together my top 10 deals in my most favorite top 10 Naples neighborhoods.  Call me when you're ready to roll and in the meantime, Happy Clicking!

1. Aqualane Shores Deals
2. Bay Colony Deals
3. Grey Oaks Deals
4. Mediterra Deals
5. Old Naples Deals
6. Park Shore Deals
7. Pelican Bay Deals
8. Pelican Marsh Deals
9. Port Royal Deals
10. Quail West Deals

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!