Many of you have called or emailed during the past few days inquiring about Naples properties that are showing either Pending or Pending Contingency:

At the top of the listing information on my Naples real estate site it will tell you the listing status.  If you see either one of these statuses it means that somebody else has already written a contract and the owner has agreed to the terms and the contract between those parties is in effect. 

It also probably means earnest money has been deposited and it is very unlikely the seller has the ability to back out of the deal and accept your offer even if it's higher and/or has better terms.  Some owners will accept back-up offers depending on the nature of the first deal.  For example if it's a cash deal, inspections have been complete and closing is not far off, a back up offer may be a colossal waste of time but if there's a mortgage contingency or perhaps inspections have not been completed yet...it might possibly be worth your time to investigate. 

Be prepared to more forward quickly and agressively if you want to try to take a shot at a property that has already gone under contract. Chances are the only way you are going to get a crack at the deal is if the first buyer either doesn't get their loan (only about half of our deals in Naples are purchased with financing. Yes that's 50% or actually probably a little less) The other shot is during the inspection period. If the buyer attempts to get the seller to give an allowance for repairs or asks to have repairs made, the owner may be able to reject that request giving the buyer an out.  If the buyer takes the out the back up contract could move in to first position.  The seller may reject the buyer's request for repairs but the buyer can decide to move forward anyway. I saw it happen a couple of times this year. That's what happens when the market heats up and the seller has options. If the buyer moves forward then the second buyer won't get a shot at the property. 

As the market continues to heat up tactics like this are more common. It's all part of the buyer losing their traction in a seller's market.  Keep in mind, time is not usually on the side of the buyer in a seller's market so spending your time on a deal that's never going to go through in the first place may only award you more expensive listings rolling forward.  That's why it's important to have a SMART agent on your team.

Approximately 18% of our deals in Naples this year have gone back on the market.  Please keep in mind that number doesn't signify all contract back outs.  It also includes listings that were withdrawn from the market that have gone back on. Now that we must withdraw listings that cannot be shown for more than a week from MLS, we can expect that number to look bigger moving forward. So in essence your odds of getting a deal on a property after it goes under contract are less than 18%. Those aren't great odds.

We were losing about half of what we put under contract a day during the worst part of our market. So if there were 30 pending sales there would be 15 properties back on the market.  There were days when that number was even higher.  For example on June 11, 2010 there were 28 pending contracts that day. There were also 17 back on the market listings that day. (60%)...I don't miss those days at all.

Of the 945 Naples listings that have had a back on the market status this year (2013), 335 of those are still on the market, 193 have closed, 314 are under contract, 38 have been terminated, 24 have been withdrawn and 41 have expired.

As always it is best to work with somebody who can give you smart advice regarding your real estate objective. Why do people choose me? I'm responsive, competent and fun! Who doesn't want to work with that? Call me if I can help you sell or purchase your next Naples property because as you've learned today, sometimes it takes someone with a little more stamina to get your job done!

PS~ Did you see my half written post about Arbors at Pelican Marsh earlier this week...I could've died...I've finished it and you can read it here.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Hello Naples Friends,

If you have your ear to the ground like I do, then you've already heard whispers of Cap D'Antibes launching sometime very soon.  For the 3 of you who don't know what Cap D'Antibes is, it's the last Pelican Bay high-rise building to be built.  It will be located between St. Laurent at Pelican Bay and St. Raphael at Pelican Bay.  It's going to be a magnificent high-rise featuring 4 very roomy stack with the smallest floor plan coming in at just under 4,000 square feet of living space and increasing in size to over 5,200 square feet for the '04 units. 

If the name Cap D'Antibes at Pelican Bay rings a bell, you may remember the developer attempted to launch during the last peak market but ran into a little bit of legal trouble when they decided to increase the size of the footprint from the original plan.  A very long and perhaps tired story.  From here, I believe Cap D'Antibes will be embraced warmly as we are SO READY for some new high rise product in Naples.  Afterall, Moraya Bay in Vanderbilt Beach did exceptionally well during the past couple of years and even Aqua is selling which means we will have completely exhausted all of our "new" product inventory.  It's regretful to have to say that our new product was built in 2008 and 2009.  I think it shows the lack of energy our developers have had during the downturn...but who can blame them.  From what some of my local experts are suggesting some people have tried to acquire properties (especially up and down the beach) unsuccessfully.  I'm sure it's a challenge but it's a challenge...not impossible. 

I have a plan I would put in place if I were looking for a new Naples condo site.  It will take an emormous amount of money so be prepared but I think the payoff would be FABULOUS!  Want to know what it is?  Contact me direct!

Back to Cap D' Antibes at Pelican Bay.  If you are interested in putting your name in the hat for when this building launches, you'll want to shoot me an email.  I can help you keep posted so you don't miss out because I do think they are going to go very fast. 

In other news owners are miraculously much more happier to talk to buyers today than they were even 2 weeks ago!  Feel like giving a Naples property an offer?  You should contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!
 

Good Day My Naples Friends!  The election is over! The President is still the President and you can now get high legally in WA and CO...what a bizarre coincidence! The Naples real estate market shows signs of a fierce premature heat up but buyers might have a new edge in negotiations...


Between October 1st and November 6th:

There were 627 sales in the Naples area last year with 48 of those sales listed at $1,000,000+.  The highest priced property sold was listed at $6,950,000. 

This year a total of 735 sales in the Naples area with 45 sales priced at $1,000,000+. The highest priced property coming in at $6,200,000.

That's a 17% increase overall BUT a 6% decrease in Naples luxury real estate sales.

I personally was involved in the negotiation of 8 offers this past week.  Offers I negotiated were in locations like, Park Shore, Moorings, Olde Naples and Pelican Bay.  The overall tone amongst the listing agents (including myself) was extremely confident. On the most expensive condo (priced between 6 and 7 million) the seller and/or seller's agent was too confident and they ended up losing the deal which is a crying shame considering that property has been on the market for a million years (I may have stretched the market time a little bit here). 

What that means for our future Naples real estate market?  Had the election ended differently, I believe that would've have boosted momentum and it would've been extremely challenging maybe a little bit impossible to have a solid negotiating stance as a Naples luxury buyer.  The day of the first debate my web traffic for Naples real estate increased approximately 35% over the year before and stayed that way almost every day (Hurricane Sandy dropped for 2 days ). The day of the election my Naples real estate page views dropped 35% and increased only 9% from there yesterday.  More importantly, people were looking for more luxurious locations than what is being viewed today.

It is still too early to tell what specifically will take place this Naples real estate season so please don't think you have all this extra time to make a decision.  As many of you tenured Naples real estate enthusiasts know, the market can change on a dime and travels precisely at the speed of talk.  I'll give you an example.

I asked a top Naples agent yesterday about her traffic experience.  She replied, "I had 0 showings today".  I said, "what about yesterday"...if memory serves she said, "4".  I replied, "the day before that"?..."3".  Does that mean something?  Maybe not by itself but that's how I collect data about the market...ie...my ear to the ground if you will.  She was just one agent I spoke with...chatter with other agents, buyers, sellers, past clients, store and restaurant owners and employees...this is how we keep abreast of the current purchasing and selling behavior which is what makes a market turn my friends. 

Another example:  I dined at Tommy Bahama's last night...walked in (early 5:30) sat down right away...and while there was a nice gathering of people you could still get a table closer to 7:00 without wait.  Was it because it was chilly and breezy or because many people who are already here (up from last year) were bummed out?  Probably a combination of both...I walked into Island Company afterwards and asked a sales lady about her traffic experience..."crazy this past weekend...weird quiet yesterday and sporadic today"...again weather change, or tears in my champagne?  Probably a combination of both.

My gut tells me this lull may be short lived.  Although we may have a percentage of people drop out of the Naples purchase market because of the election, I do believe many will still buy this year and although it's a little quiet right this very minute, I don't believe it will last for long so NOW is the time you may want to do something. We have a new talking point to discuss when negotiating today but it may not be here long ESPECIALLY if it continues to dump snow and ice on our Northern friends.  Uncertainty is our friend in negotiations when buying so consider getting here soon and being prepared to pull the trigger. 

If you're considering selling your Naples real estate...you have a challenge.  Here's what I found in my experience last week.  Agents who have had a great deal of success over the years stayed on point through negotiations and while more confident than years past were still all about making the deal happen.  Agents who did not have a great level of success or long history did not fair so well.  This is why you want to go with an experienced proven professional when you list your Naples property.  In tumultuous times as these, a proven professional can assist you through important decision making and potentially save you $1,000's of dollars and help you accomplish your goals over those who do not have the ability to assist you in making wise decisions. 

I am ready to assist you when you are ready to go so please contact me in advance so I can help you personally.

Stay safe, Stay warm!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

As you can see there is some REALLY GOOD news for the Naples Florida market!  Here's the latest Naples area real estate update from our fabulous C.F.O., Dottie Babcock.  As you can see there are still terrific buying opportunities in Naples and there's also places where inventories have leveled and are even in an under-supply scenario. 

Inquiring minds are always asking me what's going on with the Naples real estate market. While I do believe we saw a bit of a successful pre-season, I along with all of my super intelligent Naples real estate colleagues agree that it is too soon to know for sure. I always ask every agent I know at least one Naples real estate question in my constant quest to have a my finger on the pulse of the market...the question lately has been: What do you think will happen this season...??? What I have found is the most successful agents in town say they don't know yet which is interesting because I haven't formulated my answer either. We all watch our own set of indicators but I haven't seen anything consistent or compelling enough to place my bet. Neither have they. 

If I were in the Naples market to buy a house right now: I would probably focus on locations where the market hasn't leveled if I could get what I want...if I couldn't get what I want in a market that was still over-supplied with inventory, I would want me in my corner helping me with my 5 point negotiation strategy.  If you're a buyer considering purchasing Naples real estate, give me a shout and we can discuss this strategy in detail. 

If I were considering selling my Naples real estate: I would concern myself with the current inventory in my Naples neighborhood and make my decision based on that.  If my home was located in a location where the inventory was level or under-supplied, I would go forward with intelligent pricing and enthusiastic advertising.  If my home was located in an area where inventory is oversupplied I would consider the reasons why I wanted to sell.  If I really wanted to sell regardless, I would price well and come up with a 5 point strategy to compete against my competition. That strategy might include points like:

1.  Best Location
2. Best Priced
3. Best Looking
4. A compelling compensation package
5. Purchasing perks

Then I would market the fool out of it and be excited to negotiate.  For more details about how to get your Naples property sold fast, call me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Many of us have either heard or been  a part of horrible real estate buying experiences and while much of that responsibility may be on the part of the agent.  Some of that, believe it or not, may be on the part of the buyer.  Here are some tips to accomplish the most on your next Naples real estate purchasing experience.

Contact me as early as possible with as much information as possible.  The more I know, the better I serve. I'm able to compile a ton of information for you before you so we don't have to do very much fact finding by the time you get here.  While some of what I learn about you happens during the viewing process, I have found the more I know you, the more I know what you'll be purchasing thus leaving more free time for you to do things you really want to do.  It used to be that people came to look at real estate for days, weeks and even months.  Most of my clientele really doesn't want to spend a lot of time anymore and would prefer to hang out on the golf course or the beach.  We can do that if we're prepared.

The other thing about planning early (especially between December-April) is that I have a better chance of getting you in everything you want to see.  Many people are in residence during this time of year and simply won't drop everything to accommodate your showing.  Sounds funny but Naples is the land of enjoyment and you know as well as I do nobody enjoys having to change entertaining or relaxing plans because of somebody else's inability to plan ahead.  Most sellers assume if you're expecting to see something without notice means you are not a serious buyer.  You know as well as I do that's not always the case. Besides, do you really want to buy something that "is acceptable" or do you want to buy the best out of all currently available options?  Many Naples luxury properties require a 24 hour notice and although we call to see if we can make exceptions, the odds are probably less than 50% sellers will accommodate ESPECIALLY if they're in residence.  Help me help you get into everything that interests you!

It's ok if you don't exactly know what you want to buy.  I'm at a point in my Naples career that if you talk (or type) long enough, I can usually identify what you will like before sometimes you can.  I know it sounds funny but just yesterday I met with some people who thought they were looking for one type of product that seemed entirely out of their price range but after a few minutes discussing their overall objective, we discovered we could easily accomplish their goal.  My community intelligence coupled with whatever partial vision you may have can help you get the Naples property you will LOVE!

Of course things come up or we get crazy ideas on the spur of the moment. For that reason I'm spending everyday implementing new ways to make purchasing Naples real estate easier for you.  Knowing some of you, "last minute arrivals" are out there and being prepared for you is one of our focuses that puts our team ahead of the rest. 

We're ready for you even when you aren't so give us a shout.  While I may not be working with you personally, I now have a whole team of skilled, proven professionals who are prepared to respond when you need us.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!

Every year I am in Naples real estate, I am more thankful to help my customers accomplish their goal.  I think it's because I get more customers who are interested in not just purchasing a Naples property but are more interested in purchasing a Naples experience.  More often they're anticipating Naples being a place where friends and family from near and far can join together here to spend time, reconnect, unwind and have a great time.  Parents with kids visualize being able to spend extra time here where their kids might enjoy coming. Grandparents look forward to entertaining grandchildren during spring break and even older kids (like me) look forward to mom and dad being able to get out of the cold and enjoy holiday time where the weather is still beautiful. 

While many consider Naples a place to lounge on a beach or swing a golf club...many consciously and even subconsciously imagine Naples as a place to make memories with the people they love the most...that's what I think I'm best at...I help people set a stage for some of their favorite future memories.

If you've been wondering how you can get all your favorite people together for some good times a fabulous location certainly helps!  Contact me and I'll help you identify the perfect Naples property to make it happen for you and yours.

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl

Naples Real Estate is heating up!  Currently there are 700 properties pending contract in the Naples Florida area and 1,210 Naples Florida listings active with contingency.  If a property is listed as "pending" in MLS it will disappear of my site.  If a Naples property is listed as "active with contingency" meaning it has a contract but there is a contingency that needs to be removed before closing, it will still show on my website.  That's what "active with contingency" means. 

The idea behind this concept was originally meant to continue to actively expose Naples properties that may not close with the current buyer so that another buyer could write a back up offer and negotiate a contract before the property went back on the market.  When and if the first deal didn't work out, the second buyer would then move into first position and be able to close. 

Because of the short sale process, many of these properties don't close and won't close until the bank communicates with the seller and potential buyer about what they'll accept as a sales price.  That's why it's common to see several of these properties go on and off the market SEVERAL times and still not close.

This process can literally take years.  In a hot market, it's common for buyers to want to see and write back up offers on properties like these because there isn't anything else available and it's the closest they may get to a deal.  In a market like this it is normally not considered a viable method to purchase property due to so much red tape and the fact that there are other options available.  The lion share of the folks I've worked with are simply unwilling to play the game in the name of saving a few bucks and would prefer to solidify a real deal and move on to enjoying it.  But, I must also admit a majority of my buyers are active and busy and they value their time.  Most don't want to spend it wondering if they have a deal.

I've had quite a few people lately inquire about Naples properties that are "active with contingency" during the last few months.  IT'S A TREND. While this is good news for sellers and for the overall health of the Naples Florida real estate market, it may look gimmicky or even "bait a switchy" for new buyers.  I can assure you this isn't an attempt to sell you something more expensive but it IS a pretty good indication that the best deals are selling!

If you've been waiting to purchase Naples real estate, now might be the time you want to do it cuz let's face it...Naples sellers tighten up negotiations starting about September/October when season is just around the corner.

For more information regarding Naples real estate, or to see Naples property, contact me direct!

Best Regards,

Shannon Lefevre, PA
Your Naples Smart Girl!