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.