There are so many good reasons to invest in Captiva and Sanibel Island real estate. Sometimes, the best reason is the one that is hardest to catch. Local fisherman Jon Black has been receiving local, regional, and national press for the estimated 552-pound grouper that he Continue Reading
Sanibel and Fort Myers Area Cuisine Featured at 2015 Expo Milano
Last night, overlooking some of the most romantic real estate in Milan, journalists and leaders were invited to taste and celebrate the unique cuisine of the Sanibel Island - Fort Myers region of southwest Florida. Under the leadership of American Chef Paul Sanguinetti, an Continue Reading
REITs – A good bet in a strong economy
NEW YORK – March 16, 2015 – With the economy gaining strength, this is a good time to consider investing in commercial real estate. You can do that via real estate investment trusts (REITs). REITs trade like regular stocks, but they don't pay U.S. federal income taxes as Continue Reading
Realtor Joins John R. Wood Properties on Sanibel Island
John R. Wood Properties on Sanibel Island welcomes agent Kay Wyatt. Mary “Kay” is a native of St. Louis, Mo. and has been wintering in south Ft. Myers since 1997. With her husband, Jack, they became full time Florida residents in 2009, residing in the South Ft. Myers area. Continue Reading
Small, Exterior Home Improvements Offer the Best Value Investments in 2015, Say Realtors®
WASHINGTON (January 12, 2015) – Homeowners often consider various remodeling and replacement projects as a way to add value to their homes. Some projects add more value and better recoup their costs than others, according to Realtors® who rated small and exterior projects as Continue Reading
Does home staging help? Most Realtors say ‘yes’
WASHINGTON – Jan. 28, 2015 – Most homeowners know it's important to keep a home clean and free from clutter while it's on the market, but does staging the home increase the final selling price or offer other benefits, such as more interest buyers willing to tour the Continue Reading
55-plus housing market ‘one of healthiest segments’
LAS VEGAS – Jan. 23, 2015 – The 55+ housing market fared quite well in 2014, and 2015 should be no different, according to industry experts at a press conference held today at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders' Show (IBS) in Las Continue Reading
U.S. home equity continues to improve
NEW YORK – Jan. 12, 2015 – Average equity on all financed homes in the nation continued to grow as hundreds of thousands of borrowers moved into the black. As of the third quarter of last year, the average loan-to-value ratio (LTV) on all U.S. residential loans was 58.9 Continue Reading
End-of-year mortgage rates remain below 4%
Average U.S. mortgage rates rose slightly last week, but the benchmark 30-year rate stayed near a 19-month low. Mortgage giant Freddie Mac says the nationwide average for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage increased to 3.87 percent last week, up from 3.83 percent one week Continue Reading
John R. Wood Island Real Estate Welcomes Realtor Sue Scavelli
Sue grew up in Northeast Ohio and is a licensed real estate broker, as well as being licensed in Florida. Sue also holds a Bachelor of Art Degree from Youngstown State University where she worked as a director for computer learning centers and an evaluator of government Continue Reading
NAR: Improving economy brightens commercial outlook
WASHINGTON – Aug. 26, 2014 – The second quarter's strong rebound and job creation improved the outlook for all major commercial real estate sectors, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) quarterly commercial real estate forecast. "The job market has Continue Reading
Foreclosure inventory down 35%
U.S. foreclosure inventory plunged, but it's not yet time to break out champagne. Housing experts aren't quite ready yet to declare the foreclosure crisis over. And while things look better nationwide, Florida retains a leading spot as the No. 2 state for foreclosures Continue Reading
Consumer confidence rises again in July
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which improved in June, increased again in July. The Index now stands at 90.9, up from 86.4 the month before. The Present Situation Index increased to 88.3 from 86.3, while the Expectations Index that gauges attitudes about Continue Reading
Mortgage rates dip slightly
Read the article here: http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=310976 Average U.S. mortgage rates declined slightly this week with rates remaining near historic lows. Mortgage company Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the nationwide average for a Continue Reading
NAR: International homebuyers continue to invest in profitable U.S. market
http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=310591 WASHINGTON – July 9, 2014 – Favorable exchange rates, affordable home prices and rising affluence abroad continue to drive international buyers to the U.S. to purchase properties and make real estate Continue Reading
