All About Naples Florida

Fifth Avenue S Naples

Many of us are familiar with the fun you can have at an Evening on Fifth .... However did you know there is also fun to be had during the day? Coming up this next weekend on the 5th there will be a great sidewalk sale from 10 - 5p.m.  Then on Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th.. there will be an Arts & Crafts Festival. , also held from 10- 5.  This takes place right on Fifth Avenue and is FREE!  There is always live music and a variety of food stands ( forget the diet)!  Might be a great time to get that unique gift for dare I say it .... the upcoming holidays!  Some suggestions if you have never been -  dress comfortably, expect to walk a lot, wear sunblock, bring a hat and bottled water.

The Next Evening on Fifth  will be Thursday September 11 from 6:30 -9:30 p.m.  As always live local talent will be situated along the sidewalks. 

Evening on Fifth

As always I am At Home By The Gulf

Women's Blues Revue performing 8/23 at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Club

As you can see this past Saturday night " Summer Jazz on the Gulf " Concert Series was  a lot of fun! 

The weather looked iffy but in the end held and the crowd was friendly and relaxed. 

There were people on the lawn who enjoyed looking at the stage .....

And there were people on the beach listening and watching the sunset....

An excellent time was had by all... there were plenty of dining options within the Naples Beach Hotel and the Sunset Beach Bar offered a great view and an adult refreshment. 

 If you are looking at these pictures and thinking that it would have been fun to go .... Don't worry you still have 1 more opportunity this year!   The next and final concert for this season will be held Saturday September 13th.  This time the featured band will be Stacey Knights.   Remember the concert is FREE and food and beverages are available.  Time is 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. The concert is held Gulf side on Watkins Lawn.  There is free trolley service if you want to park at Lowdermilk.  Coolers are not permitted but bring your chair, beach blanket, and smile... I guarantee you will have some fun!  See you there!

Enjoying the Women's Blues Revue

As always I am here At Home By The Gulf

Von Liebig Art Center

   Well today being another rainy day here in Naples I decided to head down to the Von Liebig Art Center and check out  It's a Dog's Life  Photographs by William Wegman. I have four dogs and often try to capture their essence in photos, so I appreciate and admire Wegman's work! While Wegman has a penchant for Wiermaraners I have a nice Welsh Corgi collection. 

                 Derby                                                Pub                                 Sadie

William Wegman

Unfortunately for me there was a misprint and the exhibit had moved on!  How disappointing!   I decided to stay and check out the latest exhibit and was very glad I did.  

Presently the 2008 Faculty Biennial was on display.  This is an amazing display of current faculty talent that only comes around every even numbered year.   The Exhibition is sponsored by Physicians Regional Medical Center.   I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw and had a few favorites.  I loved Meredith Feist's Photos taken from a Russian Ice Breaker of Antartica - stunning!   Carmello Blandino's 48 x 96 oil on wood titled Corkscrew Sanctuary was spectacular.  Ted de Clercq's oil on linen Northwood was so real it caught my eye from clear across the room, and Don Gilmore's Sonset oil was unique.... These are just a few of my favorites.  There are many more, all for sale, and a great example of the Von Liebig faculty talent. Price lists are available at the reception desk.

Also on exhibit were some works from some of the youth art students.  Also a pleasure to see and a reflection of the great programs the Von Liebig has to offer. 

On my way out a stopped and picked up a list of classes.  I enjoy art in all it's forms and am thinking I might try a class or two this fall.  Classes cover a variety of mediums and are reasonably priced!

I also stopped in the tiny, but cute gift store.  I decided on a water color card by local artist Page Penna for my parents anniversary.  The cost was $4 and a portion of the proceeds goes back to the local artists.  I think I will put this  on my list of places to shop; unique gifts and putting money back into our community! ( Plus I can literally walk out the back door of my office and across the street and I'm at the Von Liebig)

The Von Liebig is easy to get to, located in Olde Naples  behind Fifth Avenue on 585 Park Street. Hours are Monday - Saturday 10- 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 - 4 p.m.  If you appreciate Art and are in Naples it is worth a trip.  Exhibits are free but donations are always welcomed. 

After my stop at the Von Liebig I grabbed a cup of coffee at Starbuck's on Fifth and headed down to beach.  It was now clear skies and warm breezes.... just another day in paradise!

As always I am here At Home By The Gulf

Copyright © 2008 by Shannon Gilmore, All Rights Reserved, Von Liebig Art Center Naples Florida

Summer Jazz  On The Gulf Saturday 8/23

Don't forget Summer Jazz On The Gulf ,  Saturday evening  I have all the details .... here  

Rookery Bay

Also this Saturday  there is a Shelling Kayak tour at Rookery Bay. Admission is $35 p/person and $30 for members.  It is limited to just 10 so be sure to call . Time for this event is 12:00 p.m until 3 p.m.  For more information call 239 417 6310

If you are unfamiliar with Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve it is worth checking out! Rookery Bay encompasses over 110,000 protected acres of uplands, mangrove forest,  & Rookery Bay. It is located at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands. Ten Thousand Islands is home to over 200 species of fish and is a natural treasure. For a printable brochure on Rookery Bay with lots of information click here ...They have terrific programs and a learning center with a 2300 gallon aquarium and interactive learning exhibits.  If you are interested in learning more about our local environment, or have grand kids visiting or home-school it is a good place to visit.  Although the center is not huge there are some interesting exhibits and great self guided tours and a group tour guide option available.  Plan ahead check out their website and learn more about our great wildlife and vegetation here in Collier County!

As always I am  here At Home By The Gulf

Lowdermilk Park

Come on when is the last time you ran a 5K?  It's not that hard..... I have my John Clay Tee Shirt and so should you!  How do you get one - well you have to earn it and register to run the John Clay 5k!

When? Saturday August 30, 2008

Where?  Lowdermilk Park Naples Florida

What time?  7:30 a.m  ( but get there earlier)

How much ? Depends on registration  ( see register link above)

So maybe your not ready for this race but you'd like to train for a future race, join a running club or even volunteer ?  Check out the Gulf Coast Runners Club of Naples .  They'll get you moving in the right direction! 

As always I am At Home By The Gulf

Okay well hopefully Fay is yesterday's news by now.  How'd it turn out?  Not so bad.  Naples fared well and it never became Hurricane Fay. She is a bit stubborn and may have set her sights back on the Gulf Coast.  Let's hope not!  My company has a press release to ease the minds of those who were bombarded with the media hype and couldn't be here for all the excitement.

Probably the biggest issue we had throughout the whole ordeal was water.  We have had a wet summer and then an additional 8 inches in some areas just spells MESS.  Unfortunately I am one of the residents who has to deal with the water and the mess.  I had no electricity for the day yesterday and have several inches of standing water on my property.  Ordinarily not a big deal however I have horses. 

I have had to move my horses to the higher and dryer land around my house and for now am dealing with horses looking in the windows.  I now know what a fish in a bowl feels like... They are fascinated with looking in and as I type this they are dozing outside my office window. 

I have one huge favor to ask everyone... please ask Mother Nature to be kind and send us SUN!  The water is receding s l o w l y.

Probably the best part of Yester-Fay was the sunset ( ok maybe that's not entirely true, 2am when the power came back on would top the list)  In any case the sunset was spectacular.  Don't you think?

As always I am At Home By The Gulf

Well if you have been watching the news it's hard to miss what is going on here in Southwest Florida.  Yes it appears Tropical Storm Fay may pay us a visit.  What is it like here right now?  Calm... Here is a picture I took at 9:30 a.m. from Vanderbilt Beach Naples.  You can see some of the storm clouds coming in the distance by Marco Island. 

Some important websites and phone numbers to have :

Collier County Emergency Information news releases, links to pet shelters, human shelters, closings and more!

Collier County Shelter Map

Latest News Wink , ABC7 , Weather Channel

Also the Red Cross has a list where you can Register in the event of an emergency it is a great way to communicate with family that you are safe.  Especially if you have family out of state! 

Red Cross Safe and Well List

The Attorney General has activated the price gouging hotline.  If you feel that you have been taken advantage of while preparing for the storm call  866-9-NO-SCAM (866-966-7226).

Finally the biggest danger from any storm is human error.  Stay home while Fay passes.  There may be some flooding and that can make driving treacherous, some downed power lines, or even power failure. 

 If you plan on using a generator please take a minute and visit here  You must be aware of the danger from carbon monoxide and how to properly use a generator!

Want to watch the weather develop?

Visit Vanderbilt Beach Resort webcam for live pictures of the beach.

 As always I will be At Home By the Gulf

  Leeward Lane, Moorings

  Well it's that time of month again where we look back and report on what is happening in the market here in Naples Florida.  This report will look at the $2,000,000+ Naples, sales, new listings and pendings.

Let's start with Sold listings in this price category.  YTD through July there have been 138 closed properties between $2 and $5M in Naples.  Aqualane Shores shows the most activity with 13 closed sales.  Aqualane consists of about 350 homes most with Gulf access in an area between Third St.South and Port Royal  ; all but one sold had Gulf Access, some had boat lifts.  Houses in this area vary in design and the area homes were originally built in the 1960's and 1970's.  Renovations and new replacement construction occur regularly.

$5M+ There are YTD through July; 26 closed properties. In this price range the area with the most activity was Port Royal with 11 of the sales.  Again an area of single family homes, many with quick Gulf access; renovations & razing occur.

Based on the most recent July numbers pended sales $2M and up continue to  increase for the third consecutive month. 

Currently there are 43 Pending Sales $2M+ in Naples.

19 Pendings  are at the new beachside Highrise Aqua. These luxury units are all new 3500+ sq feet and have direct Gulf access by Wiggins Pass. 

9 Pendings are over $5M.

Now for the active listings in Naples.  Presently there are 540 active listings $2M-$5M.  377 are single family homes.

94 units are  single family $5M+

111 total units $5M +

Over $5M+ you will find your biggest selection of single family residences in Port Royal

New listings  $2M - $5M presently are showing a downward trend.

New listings $5M+ rose slightly this spring and have leveled off and even slightly decreased.

If you are considering a Naples Florida luxury residence it might be worth your while to find out what is happening in the area you are interested in. 

As always I am At Home By The Gulf.

Disclaimer: All information from Sunshine MLS. Accuracy is deemed correct but not warranted.

Venetian Bay Sunset

Recently I have come across a couple of articles of interest regarding the real estate market.  There is a lot of information out in the national media that can cause confusion and broad speculation.  Collier County where Naples is located often gets lumped into the Florida Category or even Southwest Florida which often times can include areas that are unique and in no way represent the Naples market. Many people don't realize that often numbers in the media  frequently include Lee county and the Ft. Myers, Cape Coral areas. Naples itself is a large area geographically equal to about the size of the state of Rhode Island.  Many areas within Naples are themselves different and some like Pelican Bay have seen strong sales.

When you really want to know what is going on in a local market look more to local news, read it cautiously and carefully discuss it with a real estate professionals and ask what they are seeing happening in their market.  One such is example is n the magazine of Naples .  n's  July Issue has a special feature article that proves interesting. Real Estate Buyers: Time to start your engines
Local realtors reflect on the state of the market as it moves toward a comeback.  

The Chamber of Commerce also has a broader article about different areas of real estate on their website titled An Overview of the Current Situation in Southwest Florida by Marci Seamples.

Finally the latest press release on market date from the Naples Area Board of Realtors showing again improved sales and decreased inventory. Stats

Remember " there is always more money to be made in a down market" Donald Trump

As always I am At Home By The Gulf.

Naples Real Estate continues to show improvement. Below is the latest press release from the Naples Area Board of Realtors. 

NABOR REPORTS UPWARD TREND LINE CONTINUES Report Shows Strong Pending Sales and Reduction in Overall Inventory NAPLES, Fla.-

August 14, 2008-July sees positive signs in multiple market indicators, with lower priced property sales doubling from last year, while all other price segments showed small increases in the median price (The "median price" means half of the sales were above that price and half were below) 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). Overall pending sales, which are a key indicator of buyer activity, increased 75 percent in July 2008 compared to July 2007.

This increase was seen in both the condo market, up 48 percent from last year, and the single-family home market, where pending sales increased 19 percent in July 2008 versus July 2007. "Every geographic area saw a positive increase in transactions, closed and pending sales," said Jo Carter, president of Jo Carter and Associates. Tom Bringardner, president of Premier Properties, acknowledges, "Pending sales are up, inventory is down, and median sales prices are beginning to level out." Statistics compiled by NABOR show overall inventory has decreased by 5 percent with 10,640 in July 2008 compared to 11,190 in July 2007. "With the market activity of the $300,000 and below category and overall pending sales increasing dramatically, now is the time to buy in the Naples market," stated John Steinwand, president of Naples Realty Services. The report which provides annual comparisons of single-family home and condo sales (via the SunshineMLS), price ranges and geographic segmentation also includes an overall market summary. The statistics are presented in chart format, along with the following analysis:

 Overall pending home sales in the greater Naples Area, which includes Naples Beach, North Naples, Central Naples, South Naples, East Naples, Immokalee and Ave Maria, increased 75 percent, with 480 in July 2008 compared to 274 in July 2007.

 Overall pending home sales for properties less than $300,000 saw a 208 percent increase with 302 in July 2008 compared to 98 in July 2007, and properties priced in the $500-$1 million rose 15 percent with 62 in July 2008 versus 54 in July 2007.

 Overall home sales were 361 in July 2008 compared to 275 in July 2007, a 31 percent increase

 Single-family home sales increased 22 percent overall, with 188 in July 2008 compared to 154 in July 2007; Pending sales of single-family properties of less than $300,000 were 174 in July 2008 compared to 30 in July 2007, a 480 percent increase

 Overall condo sales increased 43 percent, with 173 in July 2008 versus 121 sales in July 2007; and pending condo sales under $300,000 increases 88 percent with 128 in July 2008 compared to 68 in July 2007.

 The overall median sales price decreased 29 percent from the same month last year.

According to Phillip Wood, president of John R. Wood Realtors®, "The new housing stimulus package as it supports Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is positive as it provides a number of incentives for buyer groups," noting the pending sales increase in all geographic areas. "I believe we have hit the bottom of home sales prices in some categories and in other categories we are bouncing up as the market continues to recover," said Bill Coffey, Branch Manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate.

To view the entire July report, go to www.Naplesarea.com The Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR) is an established organization (Chartered 1949) whose members have a positive and progressive impact on the Naples community. NABOR is a local board of REALTORS® and real estate professionals with a legacy of nearly 60 years serving 5,000 plus member-customers. NABOR is a member of the Florida Association of REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS®, which is the largest trade association in the United States with more than 1.3 million members and over 1,400 local boards

 Interested in past reports or information as always I am At Home By The Gulf