Excerpt The Wall Street Journal June 2017 When Considering a Vacation Home Buy it for the right reason The Realtors association surveys find that the primary motivation for a vacation home purchase is vacationing. And many experts think that’s the best way to approach the deal. Rental income is so unpredictable it should be viewed as gravy, they say, and buyers certainly shouldn’t rely on it to cover their mortgage and other expenses. And the market is too unpredictable to … [Read more...]
Packing Secrets from the Pros
Whether it's dishes in a box or furniture in a truck, it will travel better if it's carefully and tightly packed. When things can move around they rub against each other, which increases the changes of damage or breakage. Here's packing secrets from the pros. The Dresser Trick You don't have to take everything out of your dressers when you move! Lightweight items, such as clothing and linens, can stay. In fact, it's a smart idea to put a clean set of sheets, towels, and pajamas in … [Read more...]
10 Sneaky Ways to Hide all the Clutter
Hide the Clutter, beautifully. A place for everything and everything in its place -- that's what prospective buyers want to see in your house. Here's how to lose (or disguise) the clutter. Ditch the Entry Rack As handy as entry racks are in your entry or hallway, they may be sending the message to potential buyers that you don't have adequate storage. Put handy entry racks away while you're showing your home, and clean out your entry closet while you're at it. Manage … [Read more...]
USEPPA ISLAND GETAWAY
By Nadine Welch Mike and I decided it was time to get out of Dodge and take a road trip with our flats boat. The hustle and bustle of south Florida makes this kind of trip a stark contrast and welcome break. We ended up on Useppa, a small island between Pine Island and Cabbage Key, on the southwest coast of Florida. These places are almost due west of Fort Myers, near the mouth of Charlotte Harbor. The path that led us there was anything but ordinary. It was as if we were being … [Read more...]
BUYER’S MARKET HELPS PREMIUM HOME SALES SOAR
We previously reported how a shortage of inventory in the starter and trade-up home markets is driving prices up and causing bidding wars, creating a true seller’s market. At the same time, in the premium home market, an over-abundance of inventory has started to see prices come down and put buyers in the driver’s seat, creating the beginning of a buyer’s market. Last week, the National Association of Realtors released their Existing Home Sales Report which shed some additional … [Read more...]
Natural Beauty on Useppa Island – Summer
by Karen Kauffman Summer on Useppa is extraordinary. Yes, it's warm and it rains every evening, but that also brings evening clouds that create extraordinary sunsets. If it's June, then it's also time for night blooming cereus. All year long strands of cactus slowly grow down the trunks of cabbage palms. During the month of June, long park red blossoms emerge. After dark, these burst open into glowing white blossoms nearly a foot wide. They … [Read more...]
National View – US Home Price Rise Strongest in Nearly Three Years
These are heady days for American home sellers, with a report Tuesday showing that housing prices in March recorded their largest annual increase in nearly three years. But the gains are inflicting more financial pain on home buyers, though the price run-up has fallen well short of the annual double-digit increases during the mid-2000s housing bubble. Home prices across the USA were up 5.8 percent annually in March, up from 5.7 percent the prior month, according to the S&P CoreLogic … [Read more...]
Why Housing is Not Headed for Another Bubble
With housing prices appreciating at levels that far exceed historical norms, some are fearful that the market is heading for another bubble. To alleviate that fear, we just need to look back at the reasons that caused the bubble ten years ago. Last decade, demand for housing was artificially propped up because mortgage lending standards were way too lenient. People that were not qualified to purchase were able to attain a mortgage anyway. Prices began to skyrocket. This increase in demand … [Read more...]
Find Your Secret Hideaway on Useppa Island
Do you remember when you were a child, with your own secret hideaway? It was that place where you always felt safe, calm, warm and protected. A place where you could dream and imagine….anything! Under a blanket as a fort, in a closet, behind a chair, beneath, or up in a tree; wherever that place was, it was your “secret escape.” Now, you’re grown and you haven’t thought about that childhood secret place for a very long time. It still may be your secret. Busy with life, work, children and … [Read more...]
A Sanctuary for Bird Life on Useppa Island
Bird Life on Useppa Island - Did you know that bird watching is one of the fastest growing nature hobbies in the US? Why is bird watching so popular? Birds are beautiful, entertaining and inspiring. This year-round hobby appeals to every age group; whether for school-age natural science exploration activities, or pure pleasure. Southwest Florida is a mecca for a wide variety of bird life. Abundant natural habitats, including the Everglades, mangrove forests and tidal flats offer a … [Read more...]