Charlie Pigeon's Blog: All Categories

 It's Paradise for Canadian Buyers !

If you were a Canadian and came down to Southwest Florida in 2006, you found that buying your vacation home in Paradise was a most unpleasant experience.     In January of 2006, the Canadian dollar was worth only $.87 US. Consequently a four bedroom/3 bath home listed for $400,000 US but cost Canadians $460,000 Canadian. And so many Canadians saw their piece of Paradise as being more and more unattainable.   But here we are two years later. This home in Ft Myers has fallen from $400,000 to $249,000 today. It still has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths in a gated community and only 5 miles from the gorgeous beaches of Southwest Florida. However, now it costs Canadians $249,000 with the two currencies at parity. For a… Read Full Post

Get ready to fire, but don't shoot till you see the tears in their eyes.  I mean, how much evidence do you need that it is a Buyers Market...

In today's News Press from Ft Myers:

Sales of existing homes plummeted 45 percent in December, compared to a year ago, according to figures today from the Florida Associated of Realtors.

The median price also dropped, from $322,300 to $262,500, down 19 percent from a year ago.

Condo sales, however, were up 27 percent from a year ago, from 127 to 167; the median price however was down 16 percent, from $306,500 to $256,300.

Percentage-wise, Lee County saw the biggest decline in the state. Statewide, the numbers of sales dropped 30 percent, while the median price saw a decline of 2 percent from $205,500 to…

Read Full Post

When the media is not talking about the housing bubble, they feel compelled to tell people about Florida hurricanes( shudder, shudder).  Despite their efforts, over 1,000 people per day move to the Sunshine state.  So what do these people know? 

Here are the Facts:

In the Last 20 years since 1987, hurricanes have made landfall about once every 5-7 years in Southwest Florida.  Most times, hurricanes come close and then peter out to a tropical storm.  In 2004, it was a statistical anomally to see more than 1, nevermind three !

When you're ready to throw away your tie and jacket in favor of shorts and sneakers, call me. But first, take a look at some of the fabulous homes in the Naples to Ft Myers, Florida area at www.CharliePigeon.com. 

"Until the…

Read Full Post

It's January...Time to buy straw hats!

Here are the most recent statistics for Southwest Florida, namely Ft. Myers/Cape Coral area and the Naples, FL area.

Statistics for the Ft Myers/Cape Coral Area    2006 Sales Current Inventory

Months of Inventory

Single Family homes 8,699 13,748 19 months Condos, villas, etc

3402

9,693 34 months

Statistics for Naples Area   2006 Sales    Current Inventory     …

Read Full Post