Overall Median Home Price Hits 57-Month High

Naples, Fla. (December 20, 2013) – Not since March 2009 has the overall median home price been above $225,000. 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), the overall median home price for November 2013 was $237,000. The Naples area housing market’s November 2013 Southwest Florida MLS statistics show a 19% increase in overall median closed price from $200,000 for the 12-months ending November 2012 to $237,000 for the 12-months ending November 2013. The report also shows overall pending sales for homes between $300,000 and $2 million increased by double digits, and a substantial increase in single-family home sales activity in the North Naples area.

While overall closed sales rose a respectable 9% from 9,010 in the 12-months ending November 2012 to 9,801 in the 12-months ending November 2013, a 17% decrease in overall inventory will continue to influence closed sales growth. “Buyers want to purchase, they just can’t find the inventory,” said Kathy Zorn, Broker, Florida Home Realty.

“When we look at the numbers in this report we need to keep in mind the amount of uncertainty our market was facing over the last few months,” said Dr. H. Shelton Weeks, Department Chair of Economics & Finance, Lucas Professor of Real Estate and director of the Lucas Institute for Real Estate Development & Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University. “Despite the outcome and speculation of such factors as the government shutdown, flood insurance, healthcare reform, and quantitative easing, the market in our area did quite well. This indicates that there was continued confidence despite the uncertainty and that we have a well functioning market. The market report also tells me that both buyers and sellers are getting a fair deal.”

The NABOR® 2013 November Report provides comparisons of single-family home and condominium sales (via the Southwest Florida MLS), price ranges, and geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. The NABOR® November 2013 sales statistics are presented in chart format, including these overall (single-family and condominium) findings:

• The overall median closed price in the $0-$300,000 category increased 15% from 140,000 in the 12- months ending November 2012 to $161,000 in the 12-months ending November 2013.
• Single family home closed sales increased 32 percent in both the $300,000-$500,000 category and
$500,000-$1 million category from 763 closed sales in the 12-months ending November 2012 to 1,009
closed sales in the 12-months ending November 2013, and 530 closed sales in the 12-months ending
November 2012 to 700 closed sales in the 12-months ending November 2013, respectively.
• The overall pending sales increased 4% from 10,667 in the 12-months ending November 2012 to 11,102
in the 12-months ending 2013.
• The overall inventory decreased by 17 percent from 6,518 properties in November 2012 to 5,428
properties in November 2013. Pending sales with contingent contracts are included in the overall
inventory number.

“We are beginning to see increased interest in the North Naples [34109, 34110, 34119] market with the highest number of closed and pending sales versus any other area in Collier County,” said Carmen Isbely Vasquez, Owner/Broker of U.S. Prime Realty. “The report indicates that the North Naples area had 2,639 closed sales and 2,942 pending sales in the 12-months ending November 2013. This is an 11% increase from 2,373 closed sales and a 6% increase from 2,772 pending sales in the 12-months ending November 2012.”

“Reported data confirms that we are also in a predominately cash buyers market,” says NABOR®’s new
President Patricia Pitocchi, who added that “cash purchases make up more than half of all home sales in Collier County. If seasonal residents with homes appraised below $300,000 and in good shape are considering selling before they head north next year, the 15% increase in median closed price for this category could mean a cash sale.”

Contacts: Pat Pitocchi, NABOR President & Media Relations Committee Chairman, (239) 261-2214, Marcia Albert, NABOR Director of Marketing, (239) 597-1666

The Naples Area Board of REALTORS® (NABOR®) is an established organization (Chartered in 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 4,000 plus members. NABOR® is a member of the Florida Realtors and the National Association of REALTORS®, which is the largest association in the United States with more than 1.3 million members and over 1,400 local board of REALTORS® nationwide. NABOR® is structured to provide programs and services to its membership through various committees and the NABOR® Board of Directors, all of whose members are non-paid volunteers.


The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics.

How Do We Determine Your Home’s Competition?

Naples Real Estate

How Do We Determine Your Home’s Competition?

People from all over the world come to live in or vacation to our beautiful Naples community. Who could blame them with our incredible beaches and perfect weather?

Having such a demand for homes is great news for sellers, but how do we get your home noticed? Sellers frequently ask us how they can determine who their competition is so they can become the #1 competitor.

That’s a great question and that’s where with our years of experience, we can help you. When it comes time to market your home, there are a few different critical elements we look at.

Our first step is to look at your neighborhood. What condition are the homes around you in? Are they in good condition and what features and amenities do they have and what are the prices like?

Remember when we said buyers from all over the world come to Naples? When those buyers come, they don’t necessarily have a specific neighborhood they are looking at. Rather, they have certain criteria they want for their home: maybe a gated community, a golf course community or maybe a water front property.

It’s our job then to not only find the competition in your own neighborhood, but find where else in Naples they can buy a home with their wants and needs.

Sounds like a big task, right? How do you find all the homes in Naples similar to yours? Don’t worry; we have the tools, the experience and the networks to not only find out who your competition is, but how to make your home the most appealing to buyers.

If you are thinking about buying or selling, please give us a call at 239.595.8500. We would love to help you! Thanks for watching!

10 Critical Questions to Ask When Hiring an Agent

10 Critical Questions to Ask When Hiring an Agent - Naples Real Estate

Our selling season is approaching quickly and people are often wondering, “What should I be looking for when hiring my next real estate agent?”  We have compiled a special report just for you that details ten critical questions to ask when hiring an agent. If you are looking to buy or sell a home, make sure you vet your agent before hiring him or her to make sure they can get the best deal for you! Buying a home is one of the largest investments you will ever make; take the time to make sure that the real estate agent you hire is the best for you.

1. “Are you a full-time agent?”
There are many part-time real estate agents, especially in a resort market like ours. You should only be looking for a full-time committed real estate agent who relies completely on the income they earn by selling real estate to support themselves and their family. An agent who also earns income outside the real estate industry will not feel a financial hit if they do not sell your home the same as they would if they relied completely on the income of selling your home to support themselves financially. Some part-timers are just dabbling in the business to make a little extra money or because they aren’t good enough to make a living full-time in the real estate industry. You need someone who lives, eats and breathes real estate.

2. “How long have you been practicing?”
In a softening market, you’ll probably want someone who has been a licensed agent for at least eight to ten years. Finding someone with experience will help you sell or buy a home in any type of market. Also, ask your potential agent how long he or she has been an agent in your local market.  Markets vary from location to location; it is best to find someone that knows the ins-and-outs of the market you are looking to buy or sell.

3. “How many homes have you sold in the last consecutive 12 months?”
This is an important question because it demonstrates an agent’s track record. Make sure the potential agent can back up his or her answer to this question with documented proof. A good starting point to separate effective agents from ineffective agents is to see if they have sold over 20 homes in the last year. 

4. “Does the agent have a clear and defined Plan of Action that specifically states exactly what that agent will do to sell your home?”
By asking this question, you can find out if your potential agent relies on passive marketing techniques or active marketing techniques. Passive marketing is where an agent lists the home, puts a sign in the yard, enters it into MLS, runs a newspaper ad or two, sits floor-time and waits for a buyer to call. Active marketing is where an agent aggressively spends their time looking for and talking to people who want to buy and sell homes. There are a host of systems specifically designed to find and locate buyers. Make sure your agent specifically identifies the systems they use.

5. “How well does the agent know their Market stats?”
Going in depth on the numbers that make up a real estate market can help an agent fully a market. This can lead to thousands of dollars in savings! Some important statistics are: the number of homes on the market, the number of homes sold in the past 30 days, the average time on sale for a home and how many months of inventory are currently available to by. This data is required to accurately price and strategically present the property to create a successful sale.

6. “Does the agent work alone or does the agent have a staff of professionals assisting throughout the entire sales process?”
With all the activities required to get a home sold and closed in today’s market, will the agent get bogged down with the day to day office activities? Make sure your agent has a paid staff including a listing manager a closing manager, a receptionist and an office manager. Having specialized positions will make the process run much smoother. This also allows your agent to be out generating buyer interest instead of in the office processing paperwork.

7. “Is the agent involved with continuous, ongoing training along with regular practicing and updating of their skills?”
The real estate industry is constantly changing. This is why it is important to find an agent that is dedicated to perfecting their current skills and acquiring the newest strategies to best sell your home. It also shows that the potential agent is committed to finding the best systems to sell your home quickly and for the highest possible price.

8. “Does the agent represent themselves as a million dollar or multi-million dollar producer?”
With the median home price approaching $250,000 dollars over the past several years, a million dollar producer would only need 4 sales for the year and a multi-million dollar producer would only need 8 sales per year. Too many agents actually believe people are impressed with these titles. As a seller, your concern should be that the agent you hire has a consistent track record that represents their ability to get homes sold.

9. “What makes the agent different? Why should I list my home with you?”
This question really gets to the core of the agents ability to communicate and demonstrate how they can make your home stand out from the competition. The answer to this question requires some critical thinking and creativity on the potential agent’s part; they can’t just give you numbers or a canned answer. When an agent has a confident, impressive answer to this question it shows that they take their job seriously and are proud of their work. This will translate to a stress-free selling process.

10. “What is the agent’s definition of “work”?
Over the past five to six years, an agent did not have to “work” to make a reasonable living. With the drastic changes in the market, hundreds of thousands of agents who never learned how to work are in a panic and are paralyzed with fear about what to do to get a home sold. We know what it takes to sell your home.

We at the Saad Team will be happy to answer these questions for you if you are trying to find an agent. If you or someone you know has any real estate needs, or are looking to find a real estate agent to sell your home, please give us a call at 239.659.5145 or email us at sold@thesaadteam.com. Thanks and we look forward to speaking with you!

Government Shutdown Risks Hurting The Housing Recovery

Government Shutdown Risks Hurting The Housing Recovery

From: http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2013/10/01/heres-how-the-government-shutdown-will-affect-housing/

By:  Morgan Brennan, Forbes Staff

The government shutdown is here. Whether it’s not being able to get a new Social Security card or visit a national park, Americans will immediately feel the effects. But there’s one bright spot of the economy that stands to be affected as well: housing.

One of the biggest questions regarding the shutdown and how it will affect housing has revolved around the mortgage market, specifically prospective buyers’ access to new home loans. After all, more than 90% of all loan activity is underwritten, insured, or owned by the government and its affiliated entities.

Initially at least, the mortgage market is likely to be only minimally impacted. New loans will continue to push through most government agency pipelines. What will change is how long the process takes, as many agencies expect to experience delays.

Mortgages purchased and securitized by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be unaffected because their operations are paid for by fees charged to lenders. And the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue to guarantee mortgages for Americans that have served in the military since these loans are funded by user fees as well.

But if the government shutdown of 1995-1996 is any indicator, the process will take longer than usual. “Loan Guaranty certificates of eligibility and certificates of reasonable value were delayed,” the VA warned in its September 25th contingency plan.

Where there has been mounting concern is the Federal Housing Administration, which currently endorses about 15% of the entire single-family mortgage market. Several media outlets recently reported that the FHA would be unable to endorse any single-family loans and that no staff would be available underwrite and approve new loans.

That prospect would be somewhat worrisome – if it were actually true. The FHA’s Office of Single Family Housing will indeed remain open for business, albeit with a smaller staff. “FHA will be able to endorse single family loans during the shutdown. A limited number of FHA staff will be available to underwrite and approve new loans,” the report now states. In other words, other lenders’ loans will continue to be insured and some in-house lending will continue to take place at a reduced rate.

The reason for that mix-up: the initial draft of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s contingency plan mistakenly stated that single-family loan operations would cease. The report was amended over the weekend.

The FHA’s single-family loan operations are funded through multi-year appropriations, meaning their budget is not tied to the government’s standoff over funding for the new fiscal year that starts in October. On the other hand, what will be more affected is the agency’s Multifamily Housing Office, which is funded through yearly appropriations.

“Because we are able to endorse loans, we don’t expect the impact on the housing market to be significant, as long as the shutdown is brief,” continues the HUD report. “If the shutdown lasts and our commitment authority runs out, we do expect that potential homeowners will be impacted, as well as home sellers and the entire housing market.”

One government lender that will indeed suspend its home loan activity, however, is the Department of Agriculture. The USDA says that no new housing loans or guarantees will be issued through its Rural Development programs in a shutdown. The department also warns that such a scenario could cause “a setback in construction start-up,” and if the shutdown lasts for an extended period, “a substantial reduction in housing available in rural areas relative to population.”

“The government doesn’t generally approve loans, they basically just insure them,” says Don Frommeyer, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers and a vice president at Amtrust Mortgage Funding. “For the most part you aren’t going to see much of a hit in the mortgage market unless it goes for a long period of time.”

If it does stretch on, he adds, the worry will be what mortgage rates do in a market shrouded in fiscal uncertainty and how that will affect the home buying, especially in light of recent rate spikes.

Home lending aside, many economists and real estate experts are keeping a close watch on how Americans will react to this shutdown. “Administratively everything should keep moving along, but it’s more about the confidence of consumers and whether they perceive that the government shutdown could lead to a recession,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.

Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi recently told the Senate Budget Committee that a partial shutdown could shave as much as 1.4 percentage points off of fourth quarter economic growth if it drags on for several weeks.

Americans’ confidence in their ability to buy and sell homes hit a record high in May, according to a Fannie Mae survey. Since then, as mortgage rates jumped more than a percentage point, that confidence level has plateaued.  If prospective homebuyers fear that the country’s economic recovery will stall, or worse slip back into recession, they will pull back on purchases, worries Yun.

“Home sales is always the first housing variable that changes so one would see sales declining and that would naturally lead to more inventory on the market and eventually put pressure on prices,” he says. But that would be a worst-case scenario based on a long-term shutdown.

Jed Kolko, chief economist at Trulia TRLA +6.43%, notes that if the shutdown lasts longer than a few days, the first places to feel the impact will be local economies with large concentrations of federal government workers. Metro areas like Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, Md., where 19% and 13% respectively of total local wages go to federal employees, would be the feel the negative effects of unpaid furloughs and with them, tightened consumer spending and weakening local economic growth. Though not all will be equally affected, other metro areas like Virginia Beach, Va., Honolulu, Hawaii, and Dayton, Ohio are areas that Kolko is keeping an eye on: “Whether there is a big effect depends on how long the shutdown lasts, how long people think the shutdown lasts, and whether people get back-pay. All those things matter for the impact.”

Still others are worrying even more about the next fiscal standoff, in  mid-October, surrounding the debt ceiling debate and its accompanying threat of debt default by the U.S.  ”With the threat of an impending partial government shutdown and yet another battle over the nation’s debt ceiling, in particular, we are really messing with fire right now—even if it doesn’t seem to bother some legislators,” says Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow.

“But the effects of a government default associated with the impending debt-ceiling deadline would be more pronounced because of its greater impact on domestic and international markets. This will rattle consumers and investors alike, slow down the overall economic recovery and further slow the housing recovery, which is already undergoing a moderation in the pace of home value gains due to rising mortgage rates,” he warns.

Get Your Home in Top Shape to Get Top Dollar!

Get Your Home in Top Shape to Get Top Dollar!

Hello and welcome back to our video blog!

Many people are wondering what they need to do to spruce up their home and make sure it is in peak condition before they put it on the market. To maximize your curb appeal there are many things you can do that will cost you little or no money. These include: keeping the lawn edged and cut, picking weeds and performing other landscaping tasks. Clean and align your gutters. Repair and repaint loose siding and caulking. In Naples, we are at the tail-end of the rainy season, so you should pressure wash the front walkways, driveway, back porch and even the roof. Creating a great first impression to a potential buyer will go a long way in getting the best offer.

Moving to the interior of the house, there are some simple tasks that can be completed to make the property more enticing to buyers. Apply a fresh coat of paint to the walls. Change burnt-out light bulbs and change leaky faucets. Remove clutter and any family pictures to de-personalize the house. You want the buyer to immediately feel like the house could be theirs and it is harder for that to happen when they are constantly reminded of the current tenants.  A stager will do wonders in preparing a home for market by freshening up the presentation of the house.

If you are thinking of selling and have questions regarding what you may need to do to get your home ready for market, please give us a call at (239) 595-8500 or send us an email at sold@thesaadteam.com. We’d be happy to talk with you about what you can do to make sure that your home is in top shape so that you can get top dollar. Thank you!

5 Reasons Your Home Isn’t Selling

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to our video blog!

I get asked quite often from frustrated sellers about why their home isn’t selling. Well, I have a list of five main occurring themes that explain why your home is sitting on the market.

1. Pricing. We have a great market, but it’s still price sensitive. Many sellers received incorrect information about where the market is and they then overprice their home.
2. Staging and photography. Did you know that 98 percent of buyers start their search online? That means how your home looks in photographs is the first impression buyers have. You need a professional photographer with a wide-angle lens to help showcase your home.  You also want to make your home appealing to a wide range of buyers, have neutral colors and ‘declutter’ your home.
3. Restricted listings. It’s important to make your home available as much as possible to potential buyers. It can be a huge turn off for a potential buyer if they can’t view your home.
4. Attendance of sellers at showings. A lot of the time the seller likes to be present at the showing but most buyers find this uncomfortable.
5. First offer is the best offer. It’s an old saying in real estate, but most of the time it is still true. If the offer is lower than you wanted, see if you can negotiate or compromise.

These are five main reasons why your home may not be selling. If you have any questions about the market, or if you are ready to buy or sell, please give The Saad team a call at 239-595-8500! We’d be more than happy to help you!

Are you Overpaying Your Taxes?

Are you Overpaying Your Taxes?

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to our video blog. By now, all of you should have received an envelope from the Collier County Tax Collector’s office.

It is not a bill, but rather a notice of what your taxes should be. If you look at the notice, it gives the market value for your home from both 2012 and 2013.

If that value doesn’t seem right and you think you might be overpaying, give the Saad Team a call. We would be more than happy to do a free market analysis on your home!

If your home value is incorrect, you are able to file a petition with the Collier County Value Adjustment Board. The deadline to file is September 10th, so don’t wait to call us and get a market value!

We also invite you to visit the Collier County Tax Collector’s website. If you have questions about the amount you need to pay or if you find an error on your bill, this site is designed to help with all of your questions.

If you have any other questions about real estate, please give us a call!

Home Inspections

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to our video blog.

We get a lot of questions from our clients about home inspections. Well, first, congratulations on buying or selling your home!

Home inspections can be stressful for both the buyer and the seller. There is a sales contract that outlines specific requirements, but sometimes that can be muddled. Buyers want to know what they can ask to be done and sellers want to know what they have to fix.

When an inspector finds something not up to standards, he is required to report it. As a seller, you do have the right to decide not to fix it, however, anything the inspector finds needs to be disclosed to all other buyers, as well. So, you can take the chance of losing your current buyer, and hope to find a buyer who will accept the home as is or you can make the repairs.

If you have any other questions about home inspections or are ready to buy or sell, please give me a call at 239.595.8500. The Saad Team would love to help you.

Real Estate Market Update July 2013

Welcome back to my video blog! I’m here in Las Vegas at the Mike Ferry Superstar Retreat where 3,500 of the greatest agents around the world come to talk about the market and new ways to better serve you!

I wanted to tell you some great news; we are currently experiencing one of the most amazing markets in 15 years with the lowest inventory!

So my question to you is: do you know anyone who needs to get their home sold in this amazing market? If you do, call me now at 239.595.8500. Now is the perfect time.

Thanks again for watching!

2013 Naples Listing Report

Hi everyone! We wanted to give you a midyear update on the 2013 market. There have been some very interesting things happening.

If you do a side-by-side comparison of 2013 to 2012, you will find some major differences. As you can see from this first graph, listings have steadily dropped the further into 2013 we get.

Despite the dwindling inventory, though, there has been continued growth in pending sales. This means more and more homes are being purchased and fewer are coming on the market.

The final statistics we wanted to look at today was the number of closed sales. In 2013 we have seen an increase in the number of closing sales.

What does this all mean? These three factors lead to higher prices! The market is starting to rebound from the 30-40% drop in prices we used to see. This is great news for everyone!

If you have more questions or want to know more specifically about your neighborhood, call us immediately at 239.595.8500!

The Value of Your Home in Today's Market

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Welcome back to our video blog!

A lot of people have been asking how to find out about the value of their home in today’s market. Let me add, if you’re not planning on selling, it doesn’t matter where the market is.

If you do plan on selling, though, we are happy to provide you with a market analysis. We noticed many of you are using a website called ‘Zillow’. This website is great to use if you want to find a general idea of the market, however, if you want more specific information go ahead and click on this link and we will provide you with a market analysis! Or if you feel more comfortable, you’re more than welcome to call us directly.

We’ll be able to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date sales information with properties most comparable to your home. From there we can discuss what is best for you and your needs.

So go ahead and click on that link to get a market analysis or gives us a call at 239.595.8500. Thanks for visiting our blog!

Selling in the Summer

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Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot of people saying nothing is going on in Naples – it’s summertime!  Many think the real estate market falls apart after May.  I’m here to squash those rumors!

You’re right that January to May is the season we make the most sales, but those months following have plenty going on, as well.  The summer months are the perfect time for Naples locals to make their move.

Often those seasonal visitors enjoyed their stay so much that they come down to look at a property for next year.  Summer showings are usually with very qualified clients who are seriously looking to buy.

So if you are looking to sell, let’s talk about how we can optimize your sale during the summer.

If you have any questions about the market please call us at 239.595.8500.

Work with a Real Estate Team, not just an Individual

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When you work with just one real estate agent, that Realtor can’t possibly be there for you at all times. But when you deal with a highly trained real estate team, someone is always available to take your call, answer your questions, and reply to your requests.

That’s the advantage The Saad Team provides you when buying or selling real estate in the Naples, Florida, area. Three of us on our team are full-time licensed Florida real estate agents. Plus, we have a dedicated support staff that ensures you receive the best-possible customer service at all times. I invite you to learn more about our staff and what we do.

So when you call us, someone will always answer the phone. I can’t tell you how busy it gets at the height of the real estate season. Too often, when we take our buyers out to see properties, they are not available for us to show – simply because there’s no one who can open a door for us. That’s the big disadvantage of working with just one Realtor.

When you’re ready to buy or sell, give us a call or drop us a line, and our full team will be happy to help you get started.

Moving to Naples? Learn about Driver’s Licenses and Beach Parking Permits

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If you have bought a home and are moving to Naples or Collier County, here are two driving tips about which you need to be acquainted with. You must get a full Florida driver’s license within 10 days, and you’ll find it helpful to get a free beach parking permit for Naples.

1. When you move to Florida, you must have a Florida driver’s license if you are here more than 10 days. So even if you plan to live in the home just part of the year, you’ll need to visit the Department of Motor Vehicles and apply for a full driver’s license.

2. All Collier County taxpayers are eligible to receive an annual permit to park at all City of Naples and Collier County beaches free of charge.

Residents of the City of Naples may obtain their free annual beach parking permit from City Hall at 735 8th Street South. Residents must provide proof of residency, specifically, a drivers license and original vehicle registration, both with the same name and address within the City limits. Non-residents who own property in the City limits must provide a copy of their Collier County tax statement reflecting an address in the City limits, as well as their current drivers license and vehicle registration.

Collier County offers beach parking to visitors and residents with beach permits.

Residents pay for beach permits in their property taxes and may pick up a beach sticker at any community center at a Collier County Park. Click here for a list of park locations that have community centers and distribute beach parking permits.


Documentation needed to prove eligibility for a free permit, as well as times and locations for Collier County parks, is online at the Collier County Government web site.

This gives you access to parks at the ends of all our beaches where you can park for free, even in spots with parking meters. For Collier County residents, a parking permit can be obtained with a few more requirements.

Learn all about the these beach parking permits at the City of Naples website.

The Pros and Cons of Open Houses

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My clients fall into two camps about holding an open house to sell their homes: some are eager to hold one while others question if such an event is worth the time and effort.

Who’s right? It depends. You must weigh the open house pros and cons.

Here’s the positive: An open house is an easy way to passively market a home. You put an ad in the newspaper and set out a sign advertising the open house, and potential buyers often show up. Homes are sold 4 percent of the time through open-house events.

Now here’s the downside: If you’re not actively contacting people to show up, the only attendees could be nosy neighbors and unqualified buyers.

Plus, here in Naples, Florida, using an agent is free for the buyer. So why wouldn’t you use an agent to schedule regular showings instead of holding an open house? And, unfortunately, some agents who hold open houses are more interested in gaining leads to sell other properties rather than producing exposure for you and your home.

To hold a proper open house, send invitations and follow up to make sure invitees are coming. That way, you target qualified buyers and could reach other potential buyers who otherwise would not hear about your home.

Have questions about buying or selling a home in the Naples area? Call or email The Saad Team today so we can help.

The Value of the Blank Canvas

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If you’re thinking about selling your home, you need to think like a buyer. Taking a few steps will help you create the blank canvas and quickly sell your home.  It’s called staging and it works!

To help you with this step, we plan a staging consultation with a professional stager. We know buyers are knowledgeable about the market, tap into online searches and are extremely particular. They will not settle, so you want to present your home in the best possible light. Teaming together with our staging professional, we’ll give you an edge over the competition.

Less is More  

When it comes to getting your home ready for the market, less is more. De-cluttering is one thing most people need to do. A good rule of thumb is to remove 25 percent of your belongings from the house. To overcome clutter inertia, think of three advantages:  the money you will save on moving expenses because you’ll have less to pack, you’ll only have things you really want in your new home, and the buyer will be able to see your home in the best light possible. De-cluttering is a win-win-win.

As you go through your house, make sure you create an identity for each room. Many people use a room for more than one purpose, such as having a dining area serve as a home office as well. The dining room should be the dining room, the den should be the den, etc.

Neutralize to Depersonalize

Paint is inexpensive and it will increase the value of your home, but you need to choose a neutral palette so the buyer can think of how their personal taste would be implemented in your home. That purple accent wall or black walls in a teen’s room do need to go. No wild colors should grace the walls of your home. The goal is to appeal to the masses because when we do, we get more showings, which leads to more offers and then, ultimately, the highest price possible for your property.  

Don’t Ignore Broken Items  

There’s nothing worse than walking up to the front of the house and opening a squeaky front door that sticks. If it’s broken, fix it. Of course, potential buyers don’t notice those items when they work, but they certainly do notice when they’re broken. To make the selling process as smooth as possible, deal with these types of issues at this stage, not when the home is in Escrow.

If you would like to build a strategy to market your home or find the home of your dreams, please contact me at (239) 595-8500 or fahada@thesaadteam.com. We’d be happy to assist you.

How to Write the Best Offer to get Your Dream Home

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In the real estate business, we answer countless questions from our clients. One of the most common is, “How do we best write an offer so we get the home we truly want?”

Here are three actions we take to help you write an offer that gets you the home of your dreams!

1. Contact the other real estate agent to learn what the seller wants. Everyone, of course, would like to receive their full-price offer for their home, but we know that we will usually have to negotiate. Together, we need to determine the terms that will work so all parties involved benefit.

2. Study the market for the neighborhood. We look at the market statistics for the area in which you want to buy. If homes are selling, for example, within 2-3 percent of the asking price, writing an offer for 30 percent less than that number probably won’t get the deal done. Be realistic and in line with the market when you offer.

3. Leverage your position. It’s important to work with the seller to make the deal goes as smoothly as possible. For example, does the home need an inspection? If it’s a new home that was inspected recently, maybe not. Can you select a closing date that works best for the other party? You need to cooperate on issues like this to make for a happy seller who accepts your offer.

Give us a call or drop us a line, and we’ll be happy to help you with your home buying and selling needs in southwest Florida.

Giving Back to the Beautiful Community of Naples

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We love to give back to our community and the Saad Team regularly engages in many charity events, fundraisers and projects. Oftentimes our friends, neighbors and clients ask us how they can get involved in the community as well.

Here are just some of the many ways you can get involved or help give back to the wonderful community here in Naples, Florida.

The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples

Dedicated to helping build our children’s futures through a host of enrichment activities, programs and exhibits, the C’Mon is a great way to share the love. Fahada and her husband Sam are avid supporters of this great cause.

The American Cancer Society’s Bucket List Bash

The live auction to take place on March 1 of this year will be a great event held at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort. Personally involved, Yasmin is a member of the committee and plays an important role in helping to set up the auction.

What is it that gets you excited? Do you prefer doing things that involve outdoor activity? Does a certain group appeal to you, such as the men and women that serve to protect us? There are also great programs offered to help people with business and networking opportunities. Any way you look at it, there are many ways we can give back.

Gulf Coast Runners Club

Formed to help extend a message of healthy lifestyles, the Gulf Coast Runners Club is a great way to stay active while helping the community’s youth to learn the value of exercise, fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. Visit their website to view their event schedule.

Citizen’s Police Academy

This program is designed to share an inside look at those that protect and serve the community. Through this organization, you can learn how to become an involved community member, helping our law enforcement to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe.

Girls On the Run

As a Running Buddy for this program, Yasmin understands first hand the value of imparting a role model of strong character. Girls On the Run is a non-profit organization that dedicates itself teaching young girls the importance of confidence while working to help them with character development.

The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce GAIN Program

Beginning in February, the Chamber of Commerce hosts a series of events through its GAINprogram that lead to building strong networking opportunities for professionals while helping to strengthen business acumen for participants.

The League Club
Janice Fonda is a member of the League Club, a grant giving organization. Janice serves on the Community Involvement Committee. The CIC committee reviews and awards grants to local non-profit agencies seeking assistance.Since 1987 the CIC has awarded grants to 121 agencies in Collier and Lee Counties. Once a year agencies apply for grants through an application process. The League Club raises money for grants through fundraisers and donations.  If you know of any agency looking for funding please let us know.

Up a Creek Kayak Tours

This is a great way to share the love of nature. Through kayakingtours, participants get to enjoy the serene beauty of the outdoors and benefit from being in touch with some of nature’s hidden treasures.

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If you would like to explore other areas and ways in which you can help, contact us today. We’d love to help you find your niche here in our community!

239-595-8500

The Housing Market Finds Its Strength

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2012 was a great year thanks to a very active real estate market.  According to year-end reports, we’re clearly seeing a turnaround.  One sign of strength was the number of houses that sold.   Overall, home sales grew by 40% from 2011 to 2012.   At the same time the days a house was on the market before selling decreased.  Top off these factors with a decrease in inventory of 13%, and there’s reason to believe the housing market took root in 2012 and is poised for growth in 2013.
 
The real telling factor of the health of the real estate market is new pending sales continuing to increase above new closed sales.  This scenario caused the decrease in inventory and increased sales for the year.  The number of homes that closed was 9,121 in 2012 as compared to 8,345 in 2011.  This is a big difference.  We’ll again watch these factors in 2013.

If you’re thinking about selling your property, now is the time because inventory from 2011 to 2012 went down by about 1,000 homes.  With the lower inventory in 2012, sellers got more for their money:  the median price of homes increased by almost $30,000, going from $175,000 in 2011 to $204,000 in 2012.

Here’s the thing:  supply and demand affect what you’ll get for your home.  When everyone who has been thinking about selling their home puts their home on the market is not the time to dive in.  If you wait to sell your home, your home will have lots of homes to compete with.  And when the supply of homes goes up, the price you’ll get for your home inevitably goes down.  At the end of the day, you have a better chance at success if you decide to sell now, instead of waiting until all the Joneses get in the market.        

Also, keep in mind that the mortgage loan rates are still fantastic.  A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hovered at record-low rates during 2012, but the rates won’t last forever, so there’s not a better time to buy than now.
If you are interested in buying or selling your home and want to get in on record-setting low interest rates, contact me today at 239.595.8500 so we can build a strategy to get you the results you want.  I’d be happy to assist you.