FEB 2008

BUYERS NEWS NAPLES/CARLTON LAKES:  2+den coach home with garage.  Gorgeous view of the lake with quiet location at the end of a cul-de-sac.  All appliances remain including washer/dryer.  Solid surface kitchen countertops.  TWO lanais, plenty of storage.  $189,900. Struggling Naples and Ft Myers Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings Tuesday, and CEO Peter Lynch says the data shows Winn-Dixie's post-bankruptcy turnaround is on track

FLORIDA STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS RELEASE - Florida's Total Active Business Entities Domestic Profit Corporations: 863,231 Domestic NonProfit Corporations: 132,255 Foreign Profit Corporations: 52,262 Foreign NonProfit Corporations: 2,714 Limited Partnerships: 22,705 Limited Liability Companies: Trademark/Service Mark Registrations: 20,181 446,525 Designation of Agent (Alien): 5,689 Name Reservations: 23 Miscellaneous Corporate Filings: 2,939 General Partnerships: 10,297 CAPE CANAVERAL NASA Deals Blow to Florida's Spaceport Dreams. NASA on Tuesday chose Virginia-based Orbital Sciences to develop a spacecraft to supply the international space station after the space shuttle is retired in 2010. Science won Tuesday. But not by knockout. Over the objections of religious conservatives, a sharply divided Florida Board of Education adopted new science standards Tuesday that embrace evolution.

Fl Governor Crist Proposes Low-Cost Health Insurance The governor's plan would vastly expand coverage for children and offer a pilot program of low-cost primary care in 14 counties. The plan would call for coverage to all uninsured Floridians age 19 to 64. Lawmakers look anew at storm insurance rates A new bill would allow homeowners to buy a windstorm policy from a state program for a lower cost upfront but assessments could come later. Fort Myers Beach $649,000 Bayfront Views beautiful Bay Views from your 330 Sq. Ft. tiled deck. This Newer piling home is in Excellent Condition with Newer Roof and Air Conditioner. Recent upgrades include Floor Tile, Ceiling Fans, Shutters and Sliders. 3 Bedrooms / 2 Bathrooms

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MAR 2008

BUYERS NEWS: The Dodgers have played their spring ball in Florida since the 1940s. They are moving to Arizona making many Floridians sad. But if you buy a home in our area you will have plenty of baseball as we have spring training here and minor league ball

If you want to move toFlorida to get away from the skyscrapers in NY and Chicago, better not move to Miami. For years some have wanted to build skyscrapers in Naples and Ft Myers and can’t get permission. Well Miami 80 story  Four Seasons Hotel & Tower on Brickell Avenue will not hold the record  as the tallest for long. Some 100+ story buildings are going up soon. Tibor Hollo's One Bayfront Plaza and Maclee Development's Empire World Towers,

Both of Florida’s top-selling commercial health insurers UnitedHealthcare Blue Cross and Blue Shield say they like Gov. Charlie Crist’s proposal for covering more of Florida’s uninsured citizens and will bid to get some of the business

BUYERS ATTENTION – the 1000s of terrific bargins to be had in Ft Myers Naples area will not be around FOREVER Example -Final Price Reduction at $299,900 Excellent Location near Livingston and Vanderbilt Beach - Built in 2004, 3 Bedrooms, 2 1/2 Bathrooms End Unit, Attached Garage - 1849 Sq.Ft. Custom Tile, Wooden Floors, Corian Counters, Cathedral Ceilings, Looks and Feels New - Well maintained, Lowest Priced End-Unit

ROCKSTAR THURSDAYS LADIES NIGHT! BLISS SUSHI LOUNGE & VISION NITECLUB 11901 N.TAMIAMI TRAIL, NAPLES | @ THE BREEZE PLAZA FROM 9PM TIL 11PM FREE MARTINI'S & SUSHI FOR THE LADIES WANNA FEEL LIKE A ROCKSTAR LADIES...THEN PARTY WITH US THURSDAY NIGHT!! DJ ANTHONY MARTIN MIXING NON-STOP HIP HOP, RnB & DANCE MUSIC...

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BUYERS NEWS     "I think this is actually the biggest (real estate) bubble in U.S. history and possibly even world history."
                             Robert J. Shiller,  Stanley B. Resor Professor of Economics,  Yale University

BUYERS BARGINS. Chris wants to say please listen – this will not  continue. Many many 1000’s of homes are on market for 20% to 40% off in Southwest Florida. Take a peek at some typical reduced homes prices on our site then give Chris a ring. Just example of 1000’s  CHRIS' SAMPLE OF BARGINS

Chris feels one of the reasons to live here is the diversity of things. Our sites tell you about the Miccosukee Tribe &  Seminole Tribe of Florida. Along with casinos, restaurants, citrus, sugar cane, tobacco and  craft shops, the Seminole Tribe is now offering Seminole beef to grocery stores.

While prices for homes world wide have fallen, prices for ALL COMMODITIES have gone up steeply. The Florida black out last month which put Florida in a state of hotness, saw one of Florida’s atomic powered electric stations shut down. Florida is looking at possibly building two new atomic powered electric generators in Levy county Florida, and rising commodity prices have pushed the price from 7 billion to 17 billion dollars.

Collier County is making an effort to help along the growth of small town Immokalee just up the road from where Chris and Deane live. A pleasant treat there for us is not only the cheap yummy food at the Seminole Casino. but also Lake Trafford, one of Florida larger lakes. Well the County is going to buy for preservation the 2500 acre  Pepper Ranch just west of the Lake towards Naples.

If you move down here to Florida, we are sure you will love it just like Chris and Deane did. (1n 1992 Deane said she would look at property in Florida only as a favor to Chris. Chris was a Century 21 agent in Williamsburg Va. We bought the home Deane had picked out with the Century 21 agent in Florida on our first day here and you couldn’t get her to ever leave here.) But if you do come here your medical records may end up as coloring books for fourth grade kids. Read on  http://www.miamiherald.com/775/story/450945.html

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OCT 2008

Fannie Mae scraps higher down-payment requirements - ALAN ZIBEL

Washington-based Fannie Mae said Friday it will require minimum down payments of 3 percent for loans made through its computerized underwriting system.
The new policy, effective June 1, replaces a December one that required a 5 percent down payment for home loans in areas with declining real estate prices. Fannie Mae predicts U.S. home prices will drop 7 percent to 9 percent on average this year. READ ARTICLE

PROPERTY TAXES
Contrary to popular opinion, city and county governments cannot easily raise tax rates to make up for any income deficit created by the January 2008 passage of Amendment 1 which cut taxes on homes. A local tax increase now requires approval by a super-majority of officials, and it must be called a "tax increase" if considered. READ STORY

Pending Home Sales Up Month over Month CNBC Jun 9, 2008. 10:00 AM EST A look at the latest pending home sales numbers. "BARGAIN HUNTERS HAVE ENTERED THE MARKET EN MASSE" SEE VIDEO

COLLIER COUNTY HOME SALES SOAR IN APRIL

Report Shows Double-Digit Increases for Single-Family Homes and Condos

NAPLES, Fla. – May 16, 2008 – High season in Naples culminated in strong home sales and the busiest month this year for local Realtors®, according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors® (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island).

“We are thrilled to report positive numbers for April in both the single-family home and condo markets,” said Arlene Carozza, NABOR president and Realtor. “Lower-priced properties continue to comprise the majority of transactions, but we are now starting to see sales increase in the higher-priced categories, which is indicative of overall market improvement.”

Mike Timmerman, a senior associate with Fishkind & Associates, agrees with the reports findings. “The passing of Amendment 1 has helped to motivate buyers and spur sales, including the high-end market,” said Timmerman. “In addition, dropped prices have made people contemplating a purchase decide that now is the time to buy.”

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We can all breathe a sigh of relief. The housing BUST is over.
Mortgage News Daily - from Wall Street Journal - The Housing Bust is Over Mon, 19 May 2008 

At least that was the headline on the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal earlier this month when Cyril Moulle-Berteaux, a managing partner of Traxis Partners LP, a hedge fund firm based in New York made his case that the housing market is hitting bottom right now. (which is what Chris sees here in Ft Myers & Naples)   READ ARTICLE

May 13, 2008  Interviewed on CNBC, Toll Brothers Builders CEO, says all backed up inventory of new homes in Naples has been sold, and they are raising prices in Naples Florida for their to-be -built homes.Toll Brothers is the nation's premier builder of luxury homes and is currently building in Southwest Florida.
Remember, Chris' will represent you as your LEGAL FLORIDA BUYER'S AGENT, free of charge for these lovely Toll homes, and any and all other Florida homes. Toll Brothers in Naples and Ft Myers at  Estates, Villas,  and  Vistas.

Energy bill heads to Crist BY MONICA HATCHER Miami Herald on Thu, May. 01, 2008

The Florida Senate gave final approval to an energy bill Wednesday, bringing new energy-efficient building codes, renewable fuel standards and several other initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases and reduce the state's dependence on foreign oil. The bill, approved by the House Tuesday, passed on a 39-1 vote in the Senate.It now heads to Gov. Charlie Crist, who has indicated he will sign it. While the bill has its shortcomings and could be stronger, it puts Florida at the forefront of the nation's climate change movement, its sponsors said. READ ARTICLE

 CHRIS HAS TOLD SOME OF HIS PROSPECTS THAT HE DID NOT FEEL THEY WERE READY FOR OWNERSHIP!   

GET ON THE PHONE, DIAL OUR FREE NUMBER. TALK TO CHRIS ABOUT IT

CNNMoney.com March 26, 2008 Mortgage application volume rises

Mortgage Bankers Association weekly survey says the number of mortgage applications filed increased 48% last week; jump driven by refinancings. Purchase volume increased 10.6%.   READ ON....

U.S. OFFICIALS WARN OF SCAMS TARGETING HOMEOWNERS  Federal officials say a wave of opportunistic scams are targeting innocent homeowners who are trying to avoid foreclosure in the current housing downturn.   READ ON ....

EXISTING HOME SALES RISE IN FEBRUARY - WASHINGTON D.C. March 24, 2008 - 

Sales of existing homes increased in February and remain within a fairly stable range, according to the National Association of Realtors®. They rose 2.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.03 million units in February from a pace of 4.89 million in January.                          AND THEN

Existing-Home Sales Slip in March - WASHINGTON, April 22, 2008 -

Existing-home sales edged down in March, remaining within a narrow range of sales activity that has persisted since last September, according to National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales – including single-family, town homes, condominiums and co-ops – were down 2.0 percent to a seasonally    READ ON ....       

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NOV 2008

CHRIS SAYS Oct 3, 2008 BAIL-OUT PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU Under the new Rescue Laws (aka bail-out, deliverance, disentanglement, extrication, salvation) banks and other mortgage note holders, who can only choose between foreclure or foreclosure, will have a new better choice they can take. The new HUD program will make a Federal quarantee of the loan-going-bad to the bank. First, the bank must have the home appraised for it new lower market value. Second, they adjust the loan amount down to 90% of that new market value. If the loan-with-new-lower-payments defaults, HUD issues a check for the 90% to the bank and HUD owns the home, to be auctioned off. In most cases, this is a far less expensive choice for the bank than foreclosure. It ought to do several important things. The banks will not have to go through expensive and slow foreclosure. The banks will not have to carry worthless loans on their books because the new loan is back paying on time. The effect of these first two will be to stabalize declining home values. Also banks will have money to loan once again as payments are made by home owners. Finally, while it is too late for the millions of foreclosures already made in 2006, 2007, and 2008, perhaps tens of millions of additional families can be spared from the lasting scars of the foreclosures that would have occurred in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. The Bail-out package

has many pro-taxpayer, pro-borrower and pro-bank provisions. Everyone who is a home buyer or seller or borrower will want to know a little about the Rescue efforts. Chris and Deane have assembled a collection of real   estate related recent articles, with excepts and links to them, that help you

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JAN 2009

Fannie Mae Acts to Forestall Delisting CHRIS SAYS Dec 3, 2008 A SAD DEATH  The once vital healthy King Kong of the Housing Finance World, now a feeble and dying specimen, fights to prevent being kicked off the New York Stock Exchange.... SEE ARTICLE

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