On average it cost just over $21,000 more to purchase a home in the Fort Myers area in 2011 than it did in 2009 with average selling prices increasing from $132,068 to $153,021.  This increase of 15.87% in the average selling price is among the highest in the nation for the 2009 – 2011 time period.

A key factor driving these home price increases was a significant drop-off in 2011 in the number of foreclosed homes hitting the market.  We are also seeing an increase in the percentage of end-user buyers vs. investors participating in the market as investors are finding it challenging to borrow to purchase real estate.

The increase in days on market can be most likely be attributed to the increased scrutiny buyers are experiencing in obtaining financing for their real estate purchases.  It is interesting to note that the average selling price to listing price ratio of 94% has remained virtually unchanged for three consecutive years.

In 2011, 18,634 residential properties sold in Lee County for a total of $2.8B in sales.  The average listing price was $163,541 and the average selling price was $153,021.  This represents an average selling price to listing price ratio of 94%.  This average selling to listing ratio of 94% remains unchanged from 2010 and 2009 in Lee County and is an excellent barometer for buyers to keep in mind when making an offer.

Anyone who tells you that banks are accepting offers at 50% of asking price is just not dealing in reality.  If you are interested in finding a discounted home in Southwest Florida, here is a resource to search for Southwest Florida Foreclosures.

TripAdvisor has named Fort Myers as the #3 Destination on the Rise in its most recent survey of travel destinations.  Fort Myers garnered the top ranking in Florida and only trailed Nashville and Austin on the national scale.

The TripAdvisor report cited deep-sea fishing, golf, beaches and the revitalized downtown River District as top draws.  Other attractions mentioned include the Edison and Ford Estates, Naples, Sanibel and Captiva.

Its great to see Fort Myers get national acclaim as a tourist destination.  I would add our weather, Red Sox and Twins spring training and a world-class airport as other tourist draws for the Fort Myers area.  If you are visiting and decide that you want to make make this your seasonal or permanent home, here is a resource to assist in purchasing Fort Myers real estate.

Morgan Stanley analyst Oliver Chang recently declared that 2012 will be “The Year of the Landlord.”  Chang further elaborated that “Rents are rising, vacancies are falling, household formations are growing and rental supply is limited,” the Morgan Stanley report stated. “We believe the demand for rental properties will continue to grow.”

One of the most interesting markets for owning income property in Southwest Florida is Cape Coral.  This city of 155,000 is located just across the Caloosahatchee River from Fort Myers.  Cape Coral is widely recognized for having affordable property and more importantly from an investor perspective, ones that can generate positive cash flow.

One of the more popular income property options in Cape Coral is a duplex configured with either two or three bedrooms and 2 baths per side.  Some investors elect to live in one side and rent out the other, while others rent out bout sides of the property.  Configurations with three (triplex) four (quadplex) and more units are also currently available in Cape Coral.  Here is a resource to view active Cape Coral income property listings.

The Fort Myers-Cape Coral market was ranked 6th nationally for the increases in the median list price of homes in the October to November 2011 time period.  Median list prices increased 2.69 percent for the month and have increased a whopping 21.63 percent over the last 12 months.  The median list price for a home in our market is now $224,900.

If you are interested in exploring real estate options in the Fort Myers area market, here is a resource to search for Fort Myers real estate.

The cosmopolitan design and finishes of the Oasis are truly attracting global buyer interest.   In 2011, Oasis buyers have come from six international countries including Austria, Bolivia, Canada, China, Singapore and Switzerland.

The Oasis development has a total of 440 units which range in size from 779 Sq. Ft. to 1,674 Sq. Ft.  Finishes are high-end and include Italian cabinetry, stainless appliances, granite, glass railing balconies and floor-ceiling windows.  Development amenities include riverfront swimming pools, fitness center, long, billiards room and sauna.

Year-to-date in 2011, 35 units at Oasis have been sold per the Lee County Property Appraiser records.  The prices ranges from $145,000 – $285,000 with an average selling price of $165 Sq. Ft.  Here is a chart detailing 35 sales during 2011 YTD at the Oasis:

Oasis YTD 2011 Sales

Here is a resource to view active Oasis real estate listings.  Our team has sold several condos at the Oasis and is available to assist if you are interested in making an investment in this or other Fort Myers high-rise developments.

There are many homes and condos on the market in the Fort Myers area that were originally constructed with Chinese drywall, but are now being marketed as “fully remediated.”  Many buyers are intrigued, but struggling to move forward with these properties.  Buyers looking at these homes are asking:

What should I be concerned about in buying a home that was originally constructed with Chinese drywall?

There are two main factors to evaluate when considering the purchase of a home that was originally constructed with Chinese drywall, but has been repaired:

1. Is it safe?
2. Will future value be impacted?

With proper testing, the safety of the home can be validated, so data is available to get comfortable with this issue.

It is harder to understand what the future economic impact will be on a home that previously had Chinese drywall. In 10 years, will buyers look for a discount on these homes the way they do for a home on a busy street or next to a business? Most experts believe that you make your money in real estate at the time of purchase, so the discount due to previously having Chinese drywall would need to be enough to outweigh any future discounts that would need to be given when it comes time to sell the home.

UPI reports that seven of the top ten markets with real estate price increases this year are in Florida.  Median prices in the Fort Myers market for August where up a whopping 33% over August 2010.

A key driver leading to median price increases is the dramatic reduction in the inventory of homes listed for sale in the Fort Myers market.  Inventory levels are down 41% over the past year, mainly attributed to the decrease in bank-owned foreclosures coming on the market.

If you are considering a second home in the Fort Myers area, there still are opportunities to participate while prices are near the bottom.  Here is a resource which offers all the inventory of active Southwest Florida foreclosures categorized by both geography as well as lifestyle options.

Average annual temperatures in the mid 80s, hundreds of miles of canals and rock-bottom real estate prices have propelled Cape Coral to the top of CNN Money’s top retirement destinations.  The real estate downturn significantly impacted Cape Coral and now median home prices are under $100,000.  Today’s prices are more than 60% below peak 2006 pre-bubble home prices.

Cape Coral is home to over 150,000 residents who enjoy the casual laid-back life-style in this Southwest Florida Gulf Coast community.  Boaters are attracted to Cape Coral’s 400 miles of man-made canals, many of which provide access to the Gulf of Mexico.  Cape Coral has easy access to the RSW International Airport, located across the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers.

Both second-home owners and investors are drawn to the value-priced real estate currently available in Cape Coral.  The large majority of our housing stock is not in gated communities and free from monthly HOA fees.  Many buyers are finding great deals on Cape Coral foreclosure and Cape Coral short sale homes that are currently available in the market.

Here is a resource to learn more about the Cape Coral real estate market and expedite your search for the perfect home in Cape Coral.

Inman News reports that the Fort Myers market was ranked 9th nationally for the largest drop in housing values over the last 5 years.  Our market experienced a 56% loss in value from $289,671 in 2006 to $125,575 in 2001.

This significant valuation drop has opened the door for many new buyers to enter the Fort Myers market.  The activity levels this summer have been higher than any other summer in recent memory.  Buyers who have watched the Fort Myers market for the past couple of years are feeling that this may be the last chance to get a really well-priced home or condo down here before pricing increases.

The market in Fort Myers has been heavily influenced by distressed sales including short sales and foreclosures.  These distressed transactions are the ballast that continues to drag values across the entire market downward.  We are starting to see inventory shortages particularly at the lower end of the market which is causing prices to creep upward.

If you have thought about a second home in Southwest Florida, this fall is an outstanding time to take another look.

The reality of our market right now is that homes are selling for significantly more than assessed values.  Properties are assessed once a year using the prior year’s sales data, so while prices are trending upwards, the assessed values have not caught up with this trend.

We had a client this week who wanted to drill down further on selling price to assessed values for single-family waterfront homes in Cape Coral.  We analyzed selling price to assessed values for the last 10 transactions in Unit 64 (Southwest) and Unit 11 (Savona).

The bottom line is that the last 10 waterfront homes to sell in Cape Coral Unit 64 sold for an average of 137% of assessed value and the last 10 waterfront homes in Cape Coral Unit 11 sold for 123% of assessed value.  If you are an analytical buyer looking for an information rich, low pressure experience, the Greater Fort Myers Team is ready to assist with your search.

Canadians, Granadians, Australians and Botswanians (maybe not but it rhymes!) and residents of the entire global community are targeting our very own Cape Coral as a place to invest in real estate.   As covered by Wink News, Trulia recently reported that Cape Coral was the third most popular US city after Los Angeles and New York for foreign investment. This is quite remarkable as Cape Coral and its 154,000 residents is dwarfed by New York and its population of around 8 million and LA with just under 4 million citizens.

Investors are primarily eying single-family homes in Cape Coral in both waterfront and off-water settings. Many investors are pursuing a buy and hold strategy…..electing to rent out rather than personally use their Cape Coral home. With the severe real estate market bust, there are significant numbers of Southwest Floridians who are eagerly renting these investor-owned homes.

Our team enjoys working with foreign investors from all continents and countries as they pursue investment opportunities in Southwest Florida. To get started, here is a resource to view Cape Coral foreclosure real estate listings.

The team here at Greater Fort Myers Real Estate is quite fond of the Gateway Community and we always enjoy sharing our enthusiasm with new clients.  Here are a few of the reasons why we like Gateway:

1. Bike or jog on the 15 miles of Gateway recreation trails
2. Work for world-class companies including Gartner Group, Sony Electronics, Comcast and VR Laboratories
3. Send the kids to the Gateway Charter School for a quality education
4. Drive to RSW International Airport in five minutes
5. Golf on the Tom Fazio designed championship course
6. Walk to a Red Sox spring training game at the adjacent JetBlue Park
7. Enjoy desert from Norman Love Confections or Oly’s Ice Cream
8. Take Fido to the Gateway Dog Park
9. Cool off at the Gateway Commons Pool
10. Have a picnic or celebrate a birthday at the Gateway Fun Park

Real estate options at Gateway are robust and the community has a home or condo for just about any lifestyle or family.  Here is a resource to learn more about Gateway’s communities and view Gateway real estate listings.  Our team is available to provide a low-pressure, information-rich tour of available real estate in this dynamic community.

The Estero gated communities of Belle Lago and The Reserve at Estero are featuring an incentive sale offering significant savings on new construction homes in these neighborhoods.  The incentive program is being sponsored by national builder Toll Brothers and runs through July 31, 2011.  The discounts and incentives vary by community and property.

The Reserve at Estero offers new construction single-family homes starting in the mid $200,000s.  Homes range in size from 1,509 SF to 2,545 SF.  Community amenities include a clubhouse, resort-style pool and tennis courts.

Belle Lago features new construction single-family homes priced from the mid 300,000s.  Amenities at Belle Lago include a clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, basketball court and walking trails.  Belle Lago residents also have cart access and the opportunity to join the Estero Country Club at The Vines.

Here is a resource to learn more about the Reserve at Estero and Belle Lago communities.  Our buyer-focused agents are available to assist and guide your purchase of a new construction or existing home in these Estero communities.

The IV has been pulled and the hospital gown is gone as the Fort Myers real estate market passed a monumental recovery milestone last month.  For the first time in over two years, more than half of our sales were conventional transactions rather than distressed short sales or foreclosures.

Great prices, amazing weather and friendly neighbors are the cornerstones of the Fort Myers area.  If you are considering a home in the Fort Myers area, here is a resource to view active Fort Myers real estate listings.

After topping the list as a national foreclosure leader for the past few years, it is great to see the Fort Myers real estate market garner recognition as a market “ripe for appreciation.”  Realtor.com named our market as the third most likely in the nation to see near-term appreciation.

This winter season has seen an aggressive buying market with second home-owners taking down our inventory of available homes.  Across our client base, there has a general belief that we are at the bottom and that now is the time to get a deal.  Many of these second home buyers are paying cash for their properties.

The Fort Myers market is a popular draw with snowbirds and second home owners due to its location and climate.  One of the keys for snowbirds and second home owners is that the temperatures be warm during their visits to the area.  Fort Myers tropical climate with average annual temperatures in the mid-70s is a much “safer” weather bet than locations further north like Orlando and Tampa.

Over the first quarter of 2011, we are seeing the most transaction activity in the $150,000 – $200,000 range.  Buyers in this price range are overwhelming attracted to newer homes in gated communities that are in move-in ready condition.

Canadians buyers have flocked to the Fort Myers area this winter in great numbers.  Our team has worked with more Canadian buyers this season than any in recent memory.  Our low property prices, coupled with the strong Canadian dollar and crummy winter weather have been the key drivers in encouraging Canadians to buy a second home in Fort Myers this winter.

A recent article by Reuters titled Housing Market Attracting Bargain-hunters cited a Bank of Montreal study that one in five Canadians would consider buying U.S. property. The Fort Myers area is attractive to Canadians due to our tropical climate.  With average annual temperatures in the low 70s, their is a high-degree of certainty that it will be warm when you come to visit your 2nd home in Fort Myers.  This big difference vs. other locations further north in Florida that do not have as warm winters as we have.

If you have considered buying a second home in Florida, here is a book available on Amazon that may be helpful to Canadian buyers:

See larger image South of 49: The Canadian Guide to Buying Residential Real Estate in the United States (Hardcover) By (author) Philip McKernan, Dan Sampson, Mike Cunning List Price: $34.95 USD New From: $19.20 In Stock Used from: $18.94 In Stock

One of the most sought after neighborhoods in South Florida is an affordable golf community.  Many part-time residents and snowbirds are reluctant to pay 12 months of club fees when they only plan to be in Florida for a portion of the year.

One option to consider for those looking for affordable golfing is Golfview Golf & Racquet Club.  Golfview features a Gordon Lewis designed nine-hole course that plays 1,236 yards.  The modest Golfview HOA fee includes unlimited rounds of golf.  This is a great course to perfect your short game and the price is certainly right!

Golfview Golf and Racquet Club offers is comprised of 400 condos located in ten four-story buildings situated around a lake and the course.  Residents enjoy both golf and water views from their condo’s lanai.  Condos at Golfview currently start in the low $80s.  Here is a resource to view active Golfview Golf and Racquet Club listings.

• Hawthorne: $4,000 towards appliance upgrade, 1/2 off flooring or closing costs
• The Plantation: $4,000 towards appliance upgrade, 1/2 off flooring or closing costs
• Sandoval: $4,000 towards appliance upgrade, 1/2 off flooring or closing costs
• Verandah: Up to 40% on new homes and homesites. New homes starting at $194,000.
• VillageWalk: $4,000 towards appliance upgrade, 1/2 off flooring or closing costs

Unfortunately, none of the local builders are giving away a Bentley right now!

In 2010, 19,372 residential properties sold in Lee County for a total of $2.6B in sales.  The average listing price was $144,459 and the average selling price was $135,445.  This represents an average selling price to listing price ratio of 94%.  This average selling to listing ratio of 94% remains unchanged from 2009 in Lee County and is an excellent barometer for buyers to keep in mind when making an offer.

Anyone who tells you that banks are accepting offers at 50% of asking price is just not dealing in reality.  If you are interested in finding a discounted home in Southwest Florida, here is a resource to search for Fort Myers area foreclosures.

Investopedia reports on 10 reasons real estate could rebound in 2011.  While the article generalizes about real estate trends on a national basis, several of these points are very relevant to the market in Southwest Florida.

One of the biggest factors currently drawing in new buyers is the new construction currently underway here in the Fort Myers area.  Many buyers, particularly busy pre-retirement snowbirds are cautious about jumping into the distressed short sale or foreclosure market.  These buyers want a problem-free experience associated with new construction.  At present over 15 communities in the greater Fort Myers area have new construction underway.

Another key factor drawing buyers to Fort Myers real estate is the low prices of our existing inventory.  Prices have dropped by as much as 50% or more in some sectors and buyers, particularly second-home buyers, are now able to pay cash for a home in Southwest Florida.  The decision for many comes down to a decision of asset allocation, would I rather keep my money in the stock market or move some of my portfolio to a beaten down real estate asset in Southwest Florida?

If you are like the majority of our clients, it is cold outside, you are already sick of winter and would welcome a warm place to hang your hat every winter.  If that is the case, here is a resource to begin your search for Fort Myers real estate.

Portfolio.com rated each area in the six categories below. The highest scores in each category went to the markets described in parentheses.

1. Seniors as share of total population—Percentage of all residents who are 65 or older. (Highest scores: largest percentages.)
2. Median age—The market’s midpoint age, with half of all residents being older and half being younger. (Highest scores: oldest medians.)
3. Seniors born out of state—Percentage of all seniors who were born in a different state from their current state of residence. (Highest scores: largest percentages.)
4. Incoming seniors—Percentage of all seniors who moved to their current county of residence from another county (or nation) during the previous 12 months. (Highest scores: largest percentages.)
5. Difference in out-of-state births—Comparison of the percentages of seniors and younger residents (64 or younger) who were born out of state. (Highest scores: largest advantages for seniors.)
6. Difference in incoming rates—Comparison of the percentages of seniors and younger residents who moved to their current county from another county (or nation) during the previous 12 months. (Highest scores: largest advantages for seniors.)

Here in the trenches of Southwest Florida, we are seeing a steady flow of pre-retirement baby boomers from Northern cold-weather climates looking to jump on a retirement home while our prices are really low.   A large percentage of these clients are paying cash and viewing the purchase as an asset relocation from a stock portfolio to value-priced Southwest Florida real estate.  On average over the past year, our clients are spending just under $200K on their Fort Myers area properties.  The housing style is fairly evenly divided between town homes, condos and single-family homes with a significant majority located in gated communities.

If you are considering an investment in a retirement home in Southwest Florida, here is a comprehensive Fort Myers area real estate resource to begin your search from the comfort of your home.  Hopefully, this resource will help you evaluate different housing options from afar so that your trip down to view properties is most productive.

The Associated Press ran a story yesterday titled Where fewer foreclosures are now bad for business which featured Lee County and detailed how the slowdown in the foreclosure pipeline is bad for business. The irony of this premise is thick enough to cut with a knife…..yes our economy has become dependent on foreclosure transactions to keep sputtering along.

While the volume of foreclosures has slowed, there are still plenty of foreclosure listings for astute, bargain-hunting buyers to sort through during this winter season.  Today, our MLS inventory for Lee County has 870 residential foreclosure listings ranging in price from $9,900 for a boarded up Franklin Park bungalow to $3.2M for a Bayshore Road riverfront compound.  There are some real winners as well as a few dogs in this inventory of Fort Myers area foreclosures.  Here is a resource to start your search for a Southwest Florida foreclosure deal.  Let us know if you need any help finding a home run foreclosure deal.

The general consensus in the real estate industry is that listings have the most activity in the first seven days, have the best chance of selling in the first 30 days and become stale in the 90 day time frame.  It is hard to imagine any buyer giving a second thought to a listing that has been on the market over 1700 days like these 2005 listings.

Currently, there are four active listings in our MLS dating back to dating back to 2005.  Three are in Cape Coral and the fourth on Sanibel Island.  There are no short sales or foreclosures in this group, heck most of us didn’t even know what a short sale was in 2005!

The prize for the oldest, stalest  listing goes to a Cape Coral home located at 615 SW 52nd Street that has been on the market for a whopping 2010 days.  This 1,344 SF home is listed for $495,000 / $368 SF.  No million dollar intersecting canal view hidden behind some overgrown brush, in fact this is an off-water home.  Over the past 90 days, 17 similar off-water homes in this part of Cape Coral have sold.  The average selling price of these homes was $58 / SF.  Based on actual comps, the value of this property is in the $78K range or about $417K below asking price!

If you are looking for a good deal on a new home in the Fort Myers area, here is a resource to learn about and view the hottest, newest Southwest Florida real estate deals.

With literally hundreds of communities to choose from, it can be very confusing for an out-of-towner or newcomer to search for a gated community home in the Fort Myers area.  Two key decisions that can help to narrow your search are: (1) What type of amenities do you require and (2) What part of Fort Myers do you want to live in?

Amenities

Gated community amenities in the Fort Myers area run the full spectrum from luxury country club or marina to nothing more than a front gate.  One of the most polarizing amenities is golf, people either want it or they don’t want it and the expenses associated with it.  Many gated communities offer a central pool and clubhouse with a fitness center.  The fitness center amenity is popular in Southwest Florida as homes are built without basements, where most people in the north keep their exercise equipment.  You can really assist your Realtor in narrowing your gated community search by thinking through the amenities that you require.

Location

Fort Myers gated communities are located along the main thoroughfares in the city.  Popular Fort Myers roadways for gated communities include Daniels Parkway, Summerlin Road, McGregor Boulevard and Colonial Boulevard. Many of our customers find it helpful to segment their search via these main Fort Myers real estate corridors.

Some of my favorite Fort Myers gated communities include:

Golfing: Fiddlesticks; Renaissance
Luxury: Devonwood; Gulf Harbour; Miromar Lakes
Architecture: Paseo; Portofino
55+: Heritage Cove; Pelican Preserve
Boating: Caloosa Yacht & Racquet; St. Charles Harbour
Water skiing: Harbourage
Value: Calusa Palms, The Forum; Parker Lakes

What should investors be targeting for the best returns?

Over the past year many investors have entered or are re-entering the Southwest Florida real estate market.  Home prices beaten down by the extensive inventory of distressed property in our area has allowed investors to see positive ROI in some sectors.

The almost daily question that I get asked from out-of-region investors is what Southwest Florida real estate investment will provide the best return?  While this is one of those questions that will often get a wide range of answers, there is no need to rub the crystal ball right now as one sector of our market really stands out for offering the best returns.  The answer to the million dollar question is……Cape Coral single-family homes.

With the job losses and foreclosure crisis that has devastated our region, there is a whole segment of the population that cannot for the foreseeable future qualify for a mortgage.  Most of these residents will be long-term renters until they can clean up their credit challenges and they are driving the rental market in Cape Coral.

Cape Coral is divided into quarters segmented north-south by Hancock Bridge Parkway/Embers Parkway and east-west by Santa Barbara Boulevard.  Currently, the areas of the Cape offering the best returns are in the NW and NE quarters.  Home prices tend to be lower in the NW & NE, so the initial capital required for the investment will be lower in this section of the Cape.  Also, much of the housing stock in the NW & NE is newer, which should offer lower maintenance and insurance costs.

Another investor benefit is that there are no HOA fees in the plated sections of Cape Coral which tend to gobble up investor ROI in so much of the Florida market. Most of the NW & NE sections of Cape Coral do not have city utilities and are on well and septic, this offers your tenants significant savings on municipal water and sewer expenses.

At present, bank-owned foreclosures in Cape Coral are generally priced below market to quickly attract a buyer.  Investors paying cash have a significant advantage in getting an offer accepted by the bank vs. a traditional buyer with a mortgage contingency.  If you are considering an investment in Southwest Florida, here is a resource that is updated daily with the latest Cape Coral single-family foreclosure listings.

1. Lock in Housing Expenses – Fixed rate mortgages lock-in monthly payment and don’t increase like rents do
2. Forced Savings – Mortgage payment allocated to principal is a forced savings plan
3. Landlord Headaches – Landlords are a mixed bag, particularly the ones around here that collect rent and don’t pay their mortgages
4. Neighborhood – It can be challenging to find rentals, particularly those with 4 or 5 bedrooms for a growing family, in desirable communities

Here is a resource to begin your Fort Myers home search.

Here is the post written by Margaret and Christine:

Prices down 20-40% 40%-50%. In places like Coronado, CA and greater San Diego Fort Myers and Southwest Florida, you can pick up a beach cottage or high-rise condo at extremely low prices. That’s only the beginning. Lower prices and less competition are the tip of the iceberg-sized list of factors that make it a good time to consider a vacation home buy.

Interest rates. Rates, of course, are at historic lows. Lock in a good rate, buy a vacation home in a desirable location, and watch your asset appreciate over the long-term.

A relatively safe investment. Real estate has proven itself to be a safe place to park your money for the long-term. (Long-term is key). Stock market woes have always pushed people to look for alternate investments, and real estate is a consistent stronghold.

Make a profit. Or, better yet, make your vacation home pay for itself. Only planning on using your vacation home a few months out of the year? Rent it out short-term to vacationers looking for a great place to stay. Many homeowners make a killing listing their homes on VRBO.com. (Vacation Rental By Owner). When your monthly mortgage payment is less than or equal to one peak week rental, twelve weeks of rental will cover your mortgage payments for the entire year.

Vacation rental demand is heating up. Overall, vacation rentals are less expensive than hotel rooms, especially for longer visits and for families. Savvy travelers know this, and are heating up the demand for vacation rentals. In addition, the weaker dollar makes U.S. destinations attractive to travelers from countries with stronger currencies.

The pressure of bidding wars is off. Sure, you may not get bargain basement prices on a beachfront cottage—but you might if you’re willing to buy a few blocks away. Houses aren’t exactly flying off the shelves these days, but buyers now have less pressure to make a hasty decision. Buyers looking for deals on vacation homes can really do their homework.

Here is a resource to begin your search for a Fort Myers vacation home.

The Fort Myers market on Florida’s southwest coast is very popular with Canadian second home buyers.  Our climate is tropical, so chances are you are going to experience warm weather throughout your winter visit.  The beaches of Southwest Florida are beautiful and a magnet for young and old alike.

We are continuing to see heavy user traffic on our Fort Myers real estate website from Canadian users.  Last month seven percent of our website visitors were from Canada. Our team is experienced in handling the intricacies of a Canadian buyer transaction.  Here is a great resource to start your search for a second home in the Fort Myers area.

Buyers are benefiting from the aggressive incentives that builders are offering to quickly move inventory.  It appears to me that builders are making deals to raise cash to be able to purchase raw land at today’s discount rates

Fort Myers area communities with new construction availability and aggressive builder incentives include:

• Avalon Preserve / Taylor Morrison
• Bell Tower Park / Grosse Point Development
• Botanica Lakes / GL Homes
• Catalina Isles / DR Horton
• North Star Yacht Club / Liffey NSYC LLC
• Promenade at the Forum / DR Horton
• Residences at Coconut Point / Kosene & Kosene
• San Simeon / DR Horton
• Tarpon Point / Grosse Point Development

We track new construction opportunities and incentives and are available to provide guidance and representation to buyers interested in these communities.