State and National News:

• Florida Housing Market bouncing back   Read more…
• Interactive map shows population changes   Read more….
• Feds outlook turns a little healthier   Read more…
• Settlement reached in Drywall cases   Read more…
• FL ranks high among states in lowering unemployment   Read more…

Taxes, Insurance and more:

• How to Homestead you Lee County property   Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

• Cape Coral’s Iwo Jima statue restored   Read more…
• Planning & Zoning changes to Tarpon Point   Read more…
• Downtown Fort Myers thrives   Read more…
• Builder purchases remaining homesites in Sandoval   Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

• Before and After make overs   Read more…
• Green Living   Read more…
• Improve and Repair   Read more…

Outdoors:

• Interactive map: Florida Panther deaths   Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my FACEBOOK page for up-to-date reports:

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature property…..  you can own a beautiful buildable homesite with saltwater waterfront and QUICK direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond for just $79,900

DEAL of the Century!!!! Location! Location! Location!!! WATERFRONT Direct Gulf Access lot means NO BRIDGE or other obstacles. This GREAT home site is located in Unit 58…and the SEAWALL is already in!!!! Fantastic Western Exposure will give you the sunsets that you desire… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to anywhere in the world.. Now that’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere in the world. You’ll also love the fact that this lot is close to an 18-hole Championship Golf Course, shopping, restaurants, etc. Come take advantage of the deals while there are still available….

(click picture for more info)

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here}

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7 Tips for Staging Your Home

By: G. M. Filisko

Published: March 19, 2010

Make your home warm and inviting to boost your home’s value and speed up the sale process.

1. Start with a clean slate

Before you can worry about where to place furniture and which wall hanging should go where, each room in your home must be spotless. Do a thorough cleaning right down to the nitpicky details like wiping down light switch covers. Deep clean and deodorize carpets and window coverings.

2. Stow away your clutter

It’s harder for buyers to picture themselves in your home when they’re looking at your family photos, collectibles, and knickknacks. Pack up all your personal decorations. However, don’t make spaces like mantles and coffee and end tables barren. Leave three items of varying heights on each surface, suggests Barb Schwarz of www.StagedHomes.com in Concord, Pa. For example, place a lamp, a small plant, and a book on an end table.

3. Scale back on your furniture

When a room is packed with furniture, it looks smaller, which will make buyers think your home is less valuable than it is. Make sure buyers appreciate the size of each room by removing one or two pieces of furniture. If you have an eat-in dining area, using a small table and chair set makes the area seem bigger.

4. Rethink your furniture placement

Highlight the flow of your rooms by arranging the furniture to guide buyers from one room to another. In each room, create a focal point on the farthest wall from the doorway and arrange the other pieces of furniture in a triangle around the focal point, advises Schwarz. In the bedroom, the bed should be the focal point. In the living room, it may be the fireplace, and your couch and sofa can form the triangle in front of it.

5. Add color to brighten your rooms

Brush on a fresh coat of warm, neutral-color paint in each room. Ask your real estate agent for help choosing the right shade. Then accessorize. Adding a vibrant afghan, throw, or accent pillows for the couch will jazz up a muted living room, as will a healthy plant or a bright vase on your mantle. High-wattage bulbs in your light fixtures will also brighten up rooms and basements.

6. Set the scene

Lay logs in the fireplace, and set your dining room table with dishes and a centerpiece of fresh fruit or flowers. Create other vignettes throughout the home—such as a chess game in progress—to help buyers envision living there. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light.

Make your bathrooms feel luxurious by adding a new shower curtain, towels, and fancy guest soaps (after you put all your personal toiletry items are out of sight). Judiciously add subtle potpourri, scented candles, or boil water with a bit of vanilla mixed in. If you have pets, clean bedding frequently and spray an odor remover before each showing.

7. Make the entrance grand

Mow your lawn and trim your hedges, and turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes before showings to make your lawn sparkle. If flowers or plants don’t surround your home’s entrance, add a pot of bright flowers. Top it all off by buying a new doormat and adding a seasonal wreath to your front door.

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who occasionally rearranges her furniture to find the best placement—and keep her dog on his toes. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

Deborah ‘Deb’ Cullen, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, RSPS, SFR

deb@CapeDeb.com

www.CapeDeb.com

239.233.2322

Sign up to receive a free copy of the monthly newsletter click here

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 59… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere. You’ll love the fact that this lot is less than 2 miles away from an 18-hole Championship Golf Course. Canal width is an estimate.  This is a Short Sale subject to existing lender’s approval which could result in delays.

Click here for more info

CALL OR EMAIL FOR A ‘FREE’ CAPE CORAL MAP (no obligation!—I promise)….

For information on this or other SW Florida properties contact:

Debbie Cullen, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, RSPS, SFR

Serving SW Florida (Cape Coral…aka Paradise)

239.233.2322

deb@CapeDeb.com

www.CapeDeb.com

State and National News:

• Appliances Energy Star Program   Read more….
• Rental Market is heating up   Read more…
• Feds release final guide for toxic Chinese Drywall  Read more…

Taxes, Insurance and more:

• Cape Coral budget approved   Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

• The inventory of homes for sale has decreased by 39.4%   Read more…
• Cape Coral listed as one of the best places to retire   Read more…
• Cape Coral ranked 2nd safest city in Florida to drive in   Read more…
• Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Fall Guide   Read more…
• Lee County Home Permits rise   Read more…
• Building permits up   Read more…
• What experts say about Lee County housing market   Read more…
• The Iwo Jima Monument in Cape Coral   Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

• De-clutter the kid’s room   Read more…
• Accent your walls   Read more…
• Secret places to store things   Read more…

Outdoors:

• Anglers reporting mixed results   Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my FACEBOOK page for up-to-date reports:

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature property…..  asking price $24,900  (PRICE REDUCED)

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 59… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere.

“LOOKING FOR NEW LISTINGS!  Most of mine are under agreement or sold….”

(click picture for more info)

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here }

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Cleaning House: Secrets of a Truly Deep Clean

By: Jane Hoback

Published: January 14, 2011

Deep clean your house and you’ll brighten rooms and help maintain your home’s value.

De-bug the light fixtures

See that bug burial ground within your overhead fixtures? Turn off the lights and carefully remove fixture covers, dump out flies and wash with hot soapy water. While you’re up there, dust bulbs. Dry everything thoroughly before replacing the cover.

Vacuum heat vents and registers

Dirt and dust build up in heat vents and along register blades. Vents also are great receptacles for coins and missing buttons. Unscrew vent covers from walls or pluck them from floors, remove foreign objects, and vacuum inside the vent. Clean grates with a damp cloth and screw back tightly.

Polish hardware

To deep clean brass door hinges, handles, and cabinet knobs, thoroughly wipe with a damp microfiber cloth, then polish with Wright’s or Weiman brass cleaner ($4). Dish soap shines up glass or stainless steel knobs. Use a Q-tip to detail the ornamental filigree on knobs and handles.

Replace grungy switch plates

Any amateur can wipe a few fingerprints off cover plates that hide light switches, electric outlets, phone jacks, and cable outlets. But only deep cleaners happily remove plates to vacuum and swipe the gunk behind. (OK, we’re a little OCD when it comes to dirt!) Make sure cover plates are straight when you replace them. And pitch plates that are beyond the help of even deep cleaning. New ones cost less than $2 each.

Neaten weather stripping

Peeling, drooping weather stripping on doors and windows makes rooms look old. If the strip still has some life, nail or glue it back. If it’s hopeless, cut out and replace sections, or just pull the whole thing off and start new. A 10-ft. roll of foam weather stripping costs $8; 16-ft. vinyl costs about $15.

Replace stove drip pans

Some drip pans are beyond the scrub brush. Replacing them costs about $3 each and instantly freshens your stove.

Jane Hoback is a veteran business writer who has written for the Rocky Mountain News, Natural Foods Merchandiser magazine, and ColoradoBIZ Magazine.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. © Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

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Deborah ‘Deb’ Cullen, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, RSPS, SFR

deb@CapeDeb.com

www.CapeDeb.com

239.233.2322

Sign up to receive a free copy of the monthly newsletter click here

State and National News:

• Fewer homes for sale, inventories fall sharply   Read more….
• Offshore Investors snapping up Fla real estate   Read more…
• State forecasts property value increases   Read more…
• ForSaleByOwner.com Founder uses Agent to sell home   Read more…
• Fewer foreclosure warnings in July   Read more…
• Good thing with shorter mortgages   Read more…
• Number of short sales on the rise   Read more…
• South Florida’s condo market recovering   Read more…

Taxes, Insurance and more:

• Federal Health Insurance available online   Read more…
• Paws for Patriots   Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

• Average Floridan getting younger   Read more…
• Cape’s Convention Center dream gaining popular traction   Read more…
• South Cape business boom   Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

• 10 major Mortgage mistakes to avoid   Read more…
• Biggest decorating mistakes   Read more…
• Tips for small spaces   Read more…

Green News:

• Cape Coral Nature Trails   Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my website at

www.CapeDeb.com

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature property…..  asking price $29,900

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 59… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere.

“LOOKING FOR NEW LISTINGS!  Most of mine are under agreement or sold….”

(click picture for more info)

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here }

______________________________________________________________________

Do-It-Yourself Home Security: Windows May Leave You Vulnerable

By: Joseph D’Agnese

Published: November 12, 2010

Protecting your home from break-ins starts with a do-it-yourself home security check to indicate whether your windows are an open invitation to criminals.

Check ground-floor and basement windows

Ground-floor and basement windows are more likely to be targeted than those on the second floor, and deserve the most attention. The exception is those second-floor windows that can be easily accessed by a deck or other elevated structure outside the home.

Start your home security check by looking at your ground-floor windows from afar. Are they blocked by high shrubbery? Bushes give ideal cover for someone planning to break or force open a window; cut greenery back so that front windows are fully visible from the street.

Keep locks locked

Make sure all windows can be opened, closed, and locked with relative ease—and then remember to keep them locked whenever you’re not around. The biggest problem that occurs with windows is when home owners exit their home and leave windows wide open—and vulnerable.

In spring and fall, when daytime temperatures swing and windows are frequently opened and closed, get in the habit of locking windows as you shut them.

Install simple security devices

Add blocking devices to the most easily accessed windows so they can’t be opened from outside.

• Wooden dowels placed in the track block windows that slide horizontally, and require no installation.

• Steel locking pins (about $7 each), inserted in small holes that must be drilled through the frames, prevent vertically-sliding windows from being opened.

If you install a home security system later, the pros will install glass-break sensors on your most vulnerable windows.

Check garage windows

Garage windows are often forgotten—give them a home security check to make sure they’re securely locked. Install curtains or apply translucent security film on garage windows so that valuables aren’t readily visible. Thieves are more likely to attempt a break-in if they see items worth stealing.

Joseph D’Agnese is a journalist and book author who has written numerous articles on home improvement. He lives in North Carolina.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. © Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

——————————————————————————————————————————————–

Deborah ‘Deb’ Cullen, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, RSPS, SFR

deb@CapeDeb.com

www.CapeDeb.com

239.233.2322

Sign up to receive a free copy of the monthly newsletter click here

State and National News:

• Free advice to help owners keep their homes   Read more….
• Florida consumer confidence up   Read more…
• Government in talks to rent out foreclosures   Read more…
• Foreclosure activity down   Read more…

Taxes and Insurance:

• Some Cape Coral residents may see decrease in taxes   Read more…
• Florida Insurance cost comparison made easy   Read more…
• Tax exemption for military now available   Read more…
• Tax break on gas prices   Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

• Tax rate to remain the same in proposed budget   Read more…
• Violent Crimes down in Cape Coral   Read more…
• Cape’s first ‘Net Zero’ house   Read more…
• Cape gets dredging permit   Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

• Turned down for a loan?  Find out why   Read more…
• Hurricane Preparation Guide   Read more…
• Family Emergency Plan   Read more…
• 7 smart fertilizer tips   Read more…

Green News:

• Off the beaten track – Cayo Costa and Cabbage Key   Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my website at

www.CapeDeb.com

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature property…..  asking price $29,900

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 59… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere.

“LOOKING FOR NEW LISTINGS!  Most of mine are under agreement or sold….”

(click picture for more info)

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here }

______________________________________________________________________

7 Hot Home Improvement Trends that Make Your Home Work for You

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon Published: May 13, 2011

Home improvement trends embrace energy efficiency, low maintenance exteriors, and double-duty space.

Trend #1: Maintenance-free siding

We continue to choose maintenance-free siding that lives as long as we do, but with a lot less upkeep. But more and more we’re opting for fiber-cement siding, one of the fastest-growing segments of the siding market. It’s a combination of cement, sand, and cellulosic fibers that looks like wood but won’t rot, combust, or succumb to termites and other wood-boring insects.
At $5 to $9 per sq. ft., installed, fiber-cement siding is more expensive than paint-grade wood, vinyl, and aluminum siding. It returns 80% of investment, the highest return of any upscale project on Remodeling magazine’s latest Cost vs. Value Report.
Maintenance is limited to a cleaning and some caulking each spring. Repaint every 7 to 15 years. Wood requires repainting every 4 to 7 years.

Trend #2: Convertible spaces

Forget “museum rooms” we use twice a year (dining rooms and living rooms) and embrace convertible spaces that change with our whims.
Foldaway walls turn a private study into an easy-flow party space. Walls can consist of fancy, glass panels ($600 to $1,600 per linear ft., depending on the system); or they can be simple vinyl-covered accordions  ($1,230 for 7 ft. by 10 ft.). PortablePartions.com sells walls on wheels ($775 for approximately 7 ft. by 7 ft.).
A Murphy bed pulls down from an armoire-looking wall unit and turns any room into a guest room. Prices, including installation and cabinetry, range from $2,000 (twin with main cabinet) to more than $5,000 (California king with main and side units). Just search online for sellers.
And don’t forget area rugs that easily define, and redefine, open spaces.

Trend #3: A laundry room of your own

Humankind advanced when the laundry room arose from the basement to a louvered closet on the second floor where clothes live. Now, we’re taking another step forward by granting washday a room of its own.
If you’re thinking of remodeling, turn a mudroom or extra bedroom into a dedicated laundry room big enough to house the washer and dryer, hang hand-washables, and store bulk boxes of detergent.
Look for spaces that already have plumbing hookups or are adjacent to rooms with running water to save on plumbing costs.

Trend #4: Souped-up kitchens

Although houses are trending smaller, kitchens are getting bigger, according to the American Institute of Architects’ Home Design Trends Survey.
Kitchen remodels open the space, perhaps incorporating lonely dining rooms, and feature recycling centers, large pantries, and recharging stations.
Oversized and high-priced commercial appliances—did we ever fire up six burners at once?—are yielding to family-sized, mid-range models that recover at least one cabinet for storage.
Since the entire family now helps prepare dinner (in your dreams), double prep sinks have evolved into dual-prep islands with lots of counter space and pull-out drawers.

Trend #5: Energy diets

We’re wrestling with an energy disorder: We’re binging on electronics—cell phones, iPads, Blackberries, laptops–then crash dieting by installing LED fixtures and turning the thermostat to 68 degrees.
Are we ahead of the energy game? Only the energy monitors and meters know for sure.
These new tracking devices can gauge electricity usage of individual electronics ($20 to $30) or monitor whole house energy ($100 to $250). The TED 5000 Energy Monitor ($240) supplies real-time feedback that you can view remotely and graph by the second, minute, hour, day, and month.

Trend #6: Love that storage

As we bow to the new god of declutter, storage has become the holy grail.We’re not talking about more baskets we can trip over in the night; we’re imagining and discovering built-in storage in unlikely spaces–under stairs, over doors, beneath floors.
Under-appreciated nooks that once displayed antique desks are growing into built-ins for books and collections. Slap on some doors, and you can hide office supplies and buckets of Legos.
Giant master suites, with floor space to land a 747, are being divided to conquer clutter with more walk-in closets.

Trend #7: Home offices come out of the closet

Flexible work schedules, mobile communications, and entrepreneurial zeal are relocating us from the office downtown to home.
Laptops and wireless connections let us telecommute from anywhere in the house, but we still want a dedicated space (preferably with a door) for files, supplies, and printers.
Spare bedrooms are becoming home offices and family room niches are morphing into working nooks. After a weekend of de-cluttering, basements and attics are reborn as work centers.

Lisa Kaplan Gordon is a HouseLogic contributor and homebuilder.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. © Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

——————————————————————————————————————————————–

Deborah ‘Deb’ Cullen, CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, SRES, RSPS, SFR

deb@CapeDeb.com

www.CapeDeb.com

239.233.2322

Sign up to receive a free copy of the monthly newsletter click here

To remove your name from our mailing list, plea

State and National News:

• Fixed mortgage rates touch new low for 2011   Read more….
• Seven Deadly Credit Score Sins   Read more…
• More Americans flock to the South, West   Read more…
• Rising Rents   Read more…
• Survey: Americans still optimistic about houseing   Read more…
• 7 Great Places to retire   Read more…

Taxes and Insurance:

• Property Tax Break for Active Duty Military   Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

• Cape Coral 2nd safest city in Florida   Read more…
• 5 markets ripe for appreciation  Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

• 30 quick fixes and tips for everyday home problems   Read more…
• Lessons from a Home Inspector   Read more…
• May home-maintenance checklist   Read more…

Green News:

• Beaches   Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my website at

www.CapeDeb.com

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature property…..  asking price $39,900

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 59… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere.

(click picture for more info)

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here }

______________________________________________________________________

State and National News:

• Fixed mortgage rates touch new low for 2011   Read more….
• Seven Deadly Credit Score Sins   Read more…
• More Americans flock to the South, West   Read more…
• Rising Rents   Read more…
• Survey: Americans still optimistic about houseing   Read more…
• 7 Great Places to retire   Read more…

Taxes and Insurance:

• Property Tax Break for Active Duty Military   Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

• Cape Coral 2nd safest city in Florida   Read more…
• 5 markets ripe for appreciation  Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

• 30 quick fixes and tips for everyday home problems   Read more…
• Lessons from a Home Inspector   Read more…
• May home-maintenance checklist   Read more…

Green News:

• Beaches   Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my website at

www.CapeDeb.com

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature property…..  asking price $39,900

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 59… Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!! Boating access to the Gulf of Mexico, beaches, and surrounding islands such as Cayo Costa, Cabbage Key, Sanibel, Boca Grand… Not to mention…this area offers some of the best fishing to be found anywhere.

(click picture for more info)

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here }

______________________________________________________________________

     Gulf Acces

   Unit 82

only $49,000

 Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS NW GULF ACCESS LOT!…….EXTRA WIDE Canal!! This GREAT home site is located in Unit 82…no bridge out to open water. Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. That’s ACCESS!!!