Cape Deb - your Guide to Paradise » NW Cape Coral

24 Hr Cape Coral Real Estate Market Watch…

CapeDeb — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:30:14 +0000

8.24.10

39 new Residential listings, 26 went under agreement, and 25 SOLD!!!

8.21.10

33 new Residential listings, 29 went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

8.14.10

42 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 16 SOLD!!!

8.7.10

40 new Residential listings, 31 went under agreement, and 18 SOLD!!!

8.4.10

46 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 19 SOLD!!!

7.30.10

40 new Residential listings, 22 went under agreement, and 24 SOLD!!!

7.29.10

35 new Residential listings, 16 went under agreement, and 18 SOLD!!!

7.28.10

38 new Residential listings, 24 went under agreement, and 29 SOLD!!!

7.27.10

41 new Residential listings, 17 went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

7.24.10

32 new Residential listings, 26 went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

7.23.10

44 new Residential listings, 28 went under agreement, and 12 SOLD!!!

7.22.10

33 new Residential listings, 24 went under agreement, and 15 SOLD!!!

7.21.10

34 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 15 SOLD!!!

7.15.10

33 new Residential listings, 21 went under agreement, and 18 SOLD!!!

7.1.10

35 new Residential listings, 33 went under agreement, and 43 SOLD!!!

6.29.10

31 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 36 SOLD!!!

6.28.10

9 new Residential listings, 6 went under agreement, and 5 SOLD!!!

6.24.10

33 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

6.22.10

39 new Residential listings, 13 went under agreement, and 21 SOLD!!!

6.18.10

38 new Residential listings, 19 went under agreement, and 20 SOLD!!!

6.17.10

34 new Residential listings, 25 went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

6.16.10

41 new Residential listings, 38 went under agreement, and 28 SOLD!!!

6.15.10

54 new Residential listings, 33 went under agreement, and 30 SOLD!!!

6.12.10

51 new Residential listings, 23 went under agreement, and 23 SOLD!!!

6.11.10

45 new Residential listings, 17 went under agreement, and 20 SOLD!!!

6.10.10

62 new Residential listings, 23 went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

6.9.10

47 new Residential listings, 21 went under agreement, and 38 SOLD!!!

6.8.10

46 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 30 SOLD!!!

6.5.10

46 new Residential listings, 37 went under agreement, and 27 SOLD!!!

6.3.10

39 new Residential listings, 30 went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

5.29.10

35 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 39 SOLD!!!

5.27.10

35 new Residential listings, 39 went under agreement, and 25 SOLD!!!

5.26.10

40 new Residential listings, 29 went under agreement, and 25 SOLD!!!

5.25.10

46 new Residential listings, 31went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

5.22.10

44 new Residential listings, 24 went under agreement, and 31 SOLD!!!

5.19.10

39 new Residential listings, 40 went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

5.15.10

28 new Residential listings, 35 went under agreement, and 33 SOLD!!!

5.12.10

29 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 20 SOLD!!!

5.11.10

35 new Residential listings, 30 went under agreement, and 24 SOLD!!!

5.7.10

36 new Residential listings, 30 went under agreement, and 45 SOLD!!!

5.6.10

54 new Residential listings, 26 went under agreement, and 28 SOLD!!!

5.5.10

48 new Residential listings, 28 went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

5.4.10

37 new Residential listings, 38 went under agreement, and 41 SOLD!!!

4.30.10

31 new Residential listings, 44 went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

4.29.10

44 new Residential listings, 42 went under agreement, and 33 SOLD!!!

4.28.10

46 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 21 SOLD!!!

4.27.10

47 new Residential listings, 30 went under agreement, and 34 SOLD!!!

4.23.10

44 new Residential listings, 52 went under agreement, and 38 SOLD!!!

4.21.10

51 new Residential listings, 39 went under agreement, and 27 SOLD!!!

4.17.10

50 new Residential listings, 37 went under agreement, and 21 SOLD!!!

4.15.10

48 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 16 SOLD!!!

4.14.10

53 new Residential listings, 22 went under agreement, and 26 SOLD!!!

3.30.10

48 new Residential listings, 37 went under agreement, and 33 SOLD!!!

3.27.10

32 new Residential listings, 35 went under agreement, and 31 SOLD!!!

3.26.10

39 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 31 SOLD!!!

3.25.10

44 new Residential listings, 35 went under agreement, and 23 SOLD!!!

3.24.10

43 new Residential listings, 52 went under agreement, and 22 SOLD!!!

3.23.10

41 new Residential listings, 33 went under agreement, and 26 SOLD!!!

3.20.10

44 new Residential listings, 37 went under agreement, and 23 SOLD!!!

3.19.10

45 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 33 SOLD!!!

3.18.10

55 new Residential listings, 22 went under agreement, and 27 SOLD!!!

3.15.10

18 new Residential listings, 31 went under agreement, and 12 SOLD!!!

3.13.10

39 new Residential listings, 31 went under agreement, and 22 SOLD!!!

3.12.10

33 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 25 SOLD!!!

3.5.10

60 new Residential listings, 42 went under agreement, and 19 SOLD!!!

3.3.10

43 new Residential listings, 33 went under agreement, and 40 SOLD!!!

2.26.10

44 new Residential listings, 32 went under agreement, and 24 SOLD!!!

2.25.10

44 new Residential listings, 44 went under agreement, and 18 SOLD!!!

2.24.10

39 new Residential listings, 33 went under agreement, and 25 SOLD!!!

2.23.10

54 new Residential listings, 32 went under agreement, and 30 SOLD!!!

2.20.10

34 new Residential listings, 42 went under agreement, and 19 SOLD!!!

2.19.10

47 new Residential listings, 35 went under agreement, and 38 SOLD!!!

2.18.10

55 new Residential listings, 32 went under agreement, and 30 SOLD!!!

2.17.10

37 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 23 SOLD!!!

2.16.10

31 new Residential listings, 27 went under agreement, and 22 SOLD!!!

2.13.10

45 new Residential listings, 34 went under agreement, and 19 SOLD!!!

2.11.10

49 new Residential listings, 43 went under agreement, and 16 SOLD!!!

2.10.10

51 new Residential listings, 40 went under agreement, and 11 SOLD!!!

2.9.10

56 new Residential listings, 32 went under agreement, and 19 SOLD!!!

2.5.10

43 new Residential listings, 32 went under agreement, and 13 SOLD!!!

2.4.10

68 new Residential listings, 36 went under agreement, and 18 SOLD!!!

2.3.10

57 new Residential listings, 43 went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

2.2.10

35 new Residential listings, 31 went under agreement, and 29 SOLD!!!

1.30.10

67 new Residential listings, 46 went under agreement, and 36 SOLD!!!

1.29.10

43 new Residential listings, 28 went under agreement, and 24 SOLD!!!

1.28.10

37 new Residential listings, 44 went under agreement, and 23 SOLD!!!

1.27.10

45 new Residential listings, 29 went under agreement, and 20 SOLD!!!

1.26.10

43 new Residential listings, 36 went under agreement, and 32 SOLD!!!

1.25.10

13 new Residential listings, 9 went under agreement, and 3 SOLD!!!

1.24.10

9 new Residential listings, 10 went under agreement, and 2 SOLD!!!

1.23.10

37 new Residential listings, 44 went under agreement, and 11 SOLD!!!

1.22.10

47 new Residential listings, 33 went under agreement, and 16 SOLD!!!

1.20.10

48 new Residential listings, 28went under agreement, and 17 SOLD!!!

August 2010 Newsletter….Cape Coral FL Real Estate News from Cape Deb………

CapeDeb — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:12:45 +0000

August 2010

State and National News:

Mortgage rates hit another record low, 4.44% Read more….
The worst is over, come conclude Read more…
Economic forecast paints brighter picture Read more…
Florida homes and condo sales up Read more…
Capping of well brightens economic outlook for Florida Read more…
Canadians told it’s time to buy a US home Read more…

Taxes and Insurance:

Vacant Homes–Insurance coverage changes Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

Cape Coral Parks and Recreations Fall Guide Read more…
New Trash bin distribution Read more…
For South Florida market, a hopeful sign Read more…
Pine Island Road widening comes down to money Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

5 surprise reasons to buy a home now Read more…
Tips on how to grow grass Read more…
Garbage Disposal troubleshooting Read more…
Inspecting Roof condition Read more…

Green News:

Cape Coral nature trails Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my website at

www.CapeDeb.com

_______________________________________________________________________

This month’s feature…..

Gulf Access….Basin View!…..PRICED at $239,000!!!!!!

(click picture for more info)

-Pool Home

-Two Master Suites and more….

{Search all properties here }

______________________________________________________________________

8 Tips for Adding Curb Appeal and Value to Your Home

By: Pat Curry Published: March 25, 2010 Appraisers and real estate agents offer advice for curb appeal that preserves value and attracts potential buyers. Adding architectural numbers to the outside of your house gives it a distinct style. Image: CustomHouseNumbers.comCurb appeal has always been important for homesellers. With the vast majority of today’s homebuyers starting their search on the Internet, the appearance of your property is more critical than ever. You only have a few seconds to catch their attention as they scroll through listings online to get them to stop and take a closer look.But the role of curb appeal goes beyond just making a good first impression. The way your house looks from the street can impact its value. It can also shorten the time it takes to sell your house.

We asked real estate agents, appraisers, home stagers, landscape designers, and home inspectors which curb appeal projects offer the most value when your house is on the market, both in terms of its marketability and dollars. Here is what they told us:

1. Paint the house.

Hands down, the most commonly offered curb appeal advice from our real estate pros and appraisers is to give the exterior of your home a good paint job. Buyers will instantly notice it and appraisers will note it on the valuation.

“Paint is probably the number one thing inside and out,” says Frank Lucco, managing partner of Houston-based IRR-Residential Appraisers and Consultants. “I’d give additional value for that. If you’re under two years remaining life (on the paint job), paint the exterior because it tends to show wear badly.”

Just make sure you stay within the range of accepted colors for your market. A house that’s painted a wildly different color from its competition will be marked down in value by appraisers.

2. Have the house washed.

Before you make the investment in a paint job, though, take a good look at the house. If it’s got mildew or general grunge, just washing the housecould make a world of difference, says Valerie Torelli, a California real estate agent with a background in accounting.

Before she puts a house on the market, Torelli often does exterior makeovers on her clients’ homes, a service she pays for herself to get higher selling prices. Overall, she says her goal is to spend less than $5,000, with a goal of generating an extra $10,000 to $15,000 on the sale price.

Torelli specifies pressure-washing—a job that should be left to professionals. Pressure washing makes the house look “bright and clean in addition to getting rid of unsightly things like cobwebs, which may not be seen from the yard but will detract from the home’s cleanliness when seen up close,” she says.

The cost to have a professional cleaning should be a few hundred dollars—a fraction of the cost of having the house painted.

3. Trim the shrubs and green up the yard.

California real estate agent Valerie Torelli says she puts a lot of emphasis on landscaping, such as cutting down overgrown bushes and replacing them with leafy plants and annuals mulched with beautiful reddish-brown bark. “It runs me $30 to $50,” says Torelli. “Do you get a return on your money? Absolutely. It sucks people in.”

You also don’t want bare spots. Take the time to fertilize the yard, throw out some grass seed, and if need be, add some sod.

4. Add a splash of color.

It could be a flower bed of annuals by the mailbox, a paint job for the front door, or a brightly colored bench or an Adirondack chair. “You can get a cute little bench at Home Depot for $99,“ Torelli notes. “Spray paint it bright red or blue and set it in the yard or on the front porch.”

It’s not a bad idea, but don’t plan on getting extra points from an appraiser for a red bench, says John Bredemeyer, president of Realcorp in Omaha. “It’s difficult to quantify, but it does make a home sell more quickly,” Bredemeyer says. “Maybe yours sold a couple weeks faster than the house down the street. That’s the best way to look at these things.”

5. Add a fancy mailbox and house numbers.

An upscale mail box and architectural house numbers or an address plaque can give your house a distinctive look that stands out from everyone else on the block. Torelli makes them a part of her exterior makeovers “I’ve gotten those hand-painted mailboxes,” she says. “A nice one runs you $40 to $50.” Architectural house numbers may run as high as a few hundred dollars.

6. Repair or clean the roof.

Springfield, Va.-based home inspector and former builder Reggie Marston says the roof is one of the first things he looks at in assessing the condition of a home. He’ll look at other houses in the neighborhood to see if there are a lot of replaced roofs and see if the subject house has one as well. If not, he’ll look for curls in the shingles or missing shingles. “I’m looking at the roof for end-of-life expectancy,” he says.

You can pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower appraisal; appraisers will mark down the value by the cost of the repair. That could knock thousands of dollars off your appraisal. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2009-2010 Cost vs. Value Report, the average cost of a new asphalt shingle roof is more than $19,000.

“Roofs are issues,” Lucco says. “You won’t throw money away on that job. You gotta have a decent roof.”

Stains and plant matter, such as moss, can be handled with cleaning. It’s a job that can often be done in a day for a few hundred dollars, and makes the roof look like new. It’s not a DIY project; call a professional with the right tools to clean it without damaging it.

7. Put up a fence.

A picket fence with a garden gate to frame the yard is an asset. A fencehas more impact in a family-oriented neighborhood than an upscale retirement community, Bredemeyer says, but in most instances, appraisers will give extra value for one, as long as it’s in good condition. “Day in a day out, a fence is a plus,“ Bredemeyer says. Expect to pay $2,000 to $3,500 for a professionally installed gated picket fence 3 feet high and 100 feet long.8. Perform routine maintenance and cleaning.Nothing sets off subconscious alarms like hanging gutters, missing bricks from the front steps, or lawn tools rusting in the bushes. It makes even the professionals question what else hasn’t been taken care of.

“A house is worth less if the maintenance isn’t done,” Lucco says. “Those little things can add up and be a very big detractor. When people say, ‘I’d buy it if it weren’t for all the deferred maintenance,’ what they’re really saying is, ‘I’d still buy it if you reduce the price.’”

Georgia-based freelance writer Pat Curry has covered housing and real estate for consumer and trade publications for more than a decade, including covering new home sales and marketing for BUILDER, the magazine of the National Association of Home Builders.
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————-

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

Century 21 Sunbelt, 725 Cape Coral Pkwy W, Cape Coral, FL 33914

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, please click here

Sold!-Buildable WATERFRONT Lot with Access to the Gulf of Mexico….$49,900

CapeDeb — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:45:57 +0000

GULF ACCESS lot located on the Fishingrod Canal! This fabulous home site offers an eastern exposure making morning sunrises a view to behold. Located in desirable Unit 59…a short boat ride to Matlacha Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. Now that’s ACCESS!!! No waiting around for an answer on this one seller promises quick response to all offers.

Cape Coral is one of the magical jewels of SW Florida…hundreds of miles of waterfront canals….palm trees……blue skies and lots of SUNSHINE! Located just a 35 minute ride from the Fort Myers International Airport, 15 mile drive to the sandy beaches of Sanibel, 35 miles to Naples….

For more info CLICK HERE

January 2010 Newsletter….Cape Coral FL Real Estate News from Cape Deb………

CapeDeb — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:06:09 +0000

January 2010

State and National News:

Feds set criteria for Defective Drywall diagnosis Read more….
HUD and CPSC issue guide on identifying toxic drywall Read more…
Federal Short Sale Guidelines could speed up transactions Watch Video for more…
Banks seek payback from walkaways Read more…

Taxes and Insurance:

Energy efficiency can bring take savings Read more…
Tax incentives Read more…

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

10 Most Undervalued Housing Markets Read more…
Crime drops 15.7 percent in Cape Coral Read more…
Cape Coral crime rate down Read more…

Real Estate Tips:

10 Inexpensive ways to WOW Buyers Read more…
Housing Components don’t last forever Read more…
The world’s 18 Strangest Homes Read more…
7 ways to improve your homes sell-ability Read more…

Green News:

Manatee deaths a record Read more…

_____________________________________________________________________

Check out my new website at

www.CapeDeb.com

______________________________________________________________________

8 Steps to Getting Your Finances in Order…….

Develop a family budget. Instead of budgeting what you’d like to spend, use receipts to create a budget for what you actually spent over the last six months. One advantage of this approach is that it factors in unexpected expenses, such as car repairs, illnesses, etc., as well as predictable costs such as rent.

Reduce your debt. Generally speaking, lenders look for a total debt load of no more than 36 percent of income. Since this figure includes your mortgage, which typically ranges between 25 percent and 28 percent of income, you need to get the rest of installment debt—car loans, student loans, revolving balances on credit cards—down to between 8 percent and 10 percent of your total income.

Get a handle on expenses. You probably know how much you spend on rent and utilities, but little expenses add up. Try writing down everything you spend for one month. You’ll probably see some great ways to save.

Increase your income. It may be necessary to take on a second, part-time job to get your income at a high-enough level to qualify for the home you want.

Save for a downpayment. Although it’s possible to get a mortgage with only 5 percent down—or even less in some cases—you can usually get a better rate and a lower overall cost if you put down more. Shoot for saving a 20 percent downpayment.

Create a house fund. Don’t just plan on saving whatever’s left toward a downpayment. Instead decide on a certain amount a month you want to save, then put it away as you pay your monthly bills.

Keep your job. While you don’t need to be in the same job forever to qualify, having a job for less than two years may mean you have to pay a higher interest rate.

Establish a good credit history. Get a credit card and make payments by the due date. Do the same for all your other bills. Pay off the entire balance promptly.

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

______________________________________________________________________

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

Century 21 Sunbelt, 725 Cape Coral Pkwy W, Cape Coral, FL 33914

deb@CapeDeb.com

www.CapeDeb.com

239.233.2322

To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here

SOLD ~Gulf Access Waterfront Lot $29,900

CapeDeb — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:25:35 +0000

Location! Location! Location! FABULOUS NW GULF ACCESS LOT!…….This GREAT home site is located in Unit 60…only one 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!!!

More info on MLS#200954466 | See Map

Contact: Deb Cullen,Century 21 Sunbelt | 239.233.2322
deb@CapeDeb.com

Sold!~Fabulous price on this Sailboat Access Lot…$69,000

CapeDeb — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:45:30 +0000

SAILBOAT ACCESS lot located on the wide Salida Canal! This fabulous home site offers a WESTERN EXPOSURE making nightly sunsets a view to behold.

Located on a cul-de-sac in desirable Unit 81…there are NO BRIDGES to restrict you from Matlacha Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. Imagine building your dream home….walking out your back door…..getting in your boat and heading out to any where in the world. Now that’s ACCESS!!!

No waiting around for an answer on this one–seller promises quick responce to all offers.

More info on MLS#200954800 | See Map

Contact: Deb Cullen,Century 21 Sunbelt | 239.233.2322
deb@CapeDeb.com

Cape Deb - your Guide to Paradise » NW Cape Coral

24 Hr Cape Coral Real Estate Market Watch…

August 2010 Newsletter….Cape Coral FL Real Estate News from Cape Deb………

August 2010

State and National News:

Taxes and Insurance:

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

Real Estate Tips:

Green News:

Check out my website at

www.CapeDeb.com

{CapeDeb’s Listings here}

{Search all properties here }

8 Tips for Adding Curb Appeal and Value to Your Home

1. Paint the house.

2. Have the house washed.

3. Trim the shrubs and green up the yard.

4. Add a splash of color.

5. Add a fancy mailbox and house numbers.

6. Repair or clean the roof.

7. Put up a fence.

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

Century 21 Sunbelt, 725 Cape Coral Pkwy W, Cape Coral, FL 33914

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, please click here

Sold!-Buildable WATERFRONT Lot with Access to the Gulf of Mexico….$49,900

January 2010 Newsletter….Cape Coral FL Real Estate News from Cape Deb………

January 2010

State and National News:

Taxes and Insurance:

Cape Coral and SW Florida News:

Real Estate Tips:

Green News:

Check out my new website at

www.CapeDeb.com

8 Steps to Getting Your Finances in Order…….

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. www.REALTOR.org/realtormag

To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here

SOLD ~Gulf Access Waterfront Lot $29,900

Sold!~Fabulous price on this Sailboat Access Lot…$69,000