Fort Myers Real Estate News and Information
Welcome to ft. Myers Beach Florida
Greetings from Paradise!
Ft. Myers Beach Mayor Bill Thomas lost his three-year battle with pancreatic cancer on April 19th at the Hope Hospice in Ft. Myers. He is survived by his wife of forty- two years, Diane, and their three sons and ten grandchildren. He was 68 yrs old. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, he grew up in Rhode Island. Vice Mayor Bill Van Duzer has succeeded him as Mayor.
The Ft. Myers Beach LPA (Local Planning Agency) voted unanimously to approve a multi-family Gulf-front condominium project that will replace the aging Carousel Motel at 6230 Estero Blvd. There will be twelve upscale Gulf-front condominiums with a building height limited to three stories over parking, not to exceed 45 feet over base flood elevation. The combined maximum interior space of the structure cannot exceed 48,926 square feet. The project should start construction early next year. If you would like sales information on this property, call Isabelle here at the office hot line: 866-765-8500.
Town Attorney for the last ten years, Richard Roosa, was dismissed and replaced by Anne Dalton Esq. Dalton graduated from Fordham University in 1997. She will serve as an interim replacement for a time not to exceed one month, at a salary of $150.00 an hour, until a permanent attorney is named.
Ken Katcko has been appointed to fill the vacant seat of Bill Thomas on the Town Council. Katcko owns Hammerhead Gym on the Island. He is originally from Canada.
The Town Council voted to rezone The Mound House from residential to Commercial Planned Development. Details will be studied by the Cultural and Environmental Learning Center Advisory Board to clarify what uses would be allowed at the facility.
It's so nice this time of year to walk into the pro shops at area golf courses and be greeted like a long lost friend. Staid country club atmospheres lessen noticeably and, even better, you can actually finish a round in four hours or less. Rates are at least 50% cheaper too. Now that we have so many good courses within a twenty-mile radius, this area is becoming a golfer's paradise.
Just a reminder: The primary election for town council is October 4, 2005. The General election is November 5th. The qualifying period for candidates is noon August 15th through noon August 19th. The only requirements are: 1) being a beach resident for a one-year period, and 2) being a registered voter.
Do you know what property on the Beach was selling for in 1991? I looked at an old Multiple Listing Book for the period of July-Sept. 1991. The results are at the bottom of the last page.
Books: "The Last Party " (Scenes from my life with Norman Mailer) by Adele Mailer
Wow! Talk about a no-holds-barred tell-all- this is it! Adele Morales met Norman Mailer in New York in 1951 just after his novel about WW II, "The Naked and the Dead" had made him the hottest young writer in America. Over the next ten years she saw all the good, bad, and ugly of this complicated, driven man, while also struggling to maintain her own identity in the glare of his world. The ugly ended with Norman stabbing her one ill-fated evening. These two seemed to bring out the best and the worst in each other, and Adele doesn't hold back on the telling of either.
"Irrational Man" A Study in Existential Philosophy by William Barrett
Written in 1958, this brilliant, lucid explanation of existential thought could have been written yesterday, it is so relevant. From the Greeks through the Middle Ages, The Enlightenment, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, up to Sartre, the author traces the roots of man's journey to understand "being"and what it means to take his place in the universe.
"John Adams" by David McCullough
It's hard not to like the style of Mr. McCullough, and harder still not to like John Adams. We all wonder what those"founding fathers" were really like, and thanks to the abundant written correspondence of John and Abigail Adams we get first-hand impressions of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington, to name the most illustrious. If you had to start a country, you could do worse than this group, but I'm not sure it would have come out as well as it did without Adams and his tenacious character. A remarkable man from a remarkable time.
Weekend Getaway Tip: Boca Raton Resort & Spa
When you are a couple, and work together like we do, it is imperative to get away for a weekend every few months or so. But where do you go without getting on an airplane and killing one-third of your time passing in and out airports? Key West is too long a drive and Miami Beach is fun, but getting there is nerve racking. Boca Raton is a nice alternative and it's only two-and-a-half hours away by car on Florida's east coast.
After cruise-controlling through the sensory deprivation of Alligator Alley (audio deprivation too, because we have a rule of never talking business on these trips, which can lead to some stunning silences for the first hour or so) you can skirt around Ft. Lauderdale and sift through west Boca until you get to the Intercoastal Waterway. Look for the big pink Tower: this is going to be the resort. After getting past the security gate you will feel "untouchable" in the freest sense of the word. You are now in the world of founder and high society eccentric, Addison Mizner. It was his dream in 1926 to create "the greatest resort in the world." It certainly feels like he succeeded! They still talk about the days when Mr. Mizner would stroll the grounds greeting guests with a pet monkey on one shoulder a macaw on the other, and two chows leading the way. The Cloister rooms have views of the golf course and gardens, while the Tower rooms have spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal. Just walking around here is a visual experience: the architecture is a pastiche of ecclesiastical, Italian Renaissance, and Greco-Roman, with lots of flamingo pink colors framed by lush foliage. You'll find guests wandering around in a cocoon of self-contentment, nary a worry line to be seen. If you want to curl up and read a book, I suggest the croquet court: players in white flannel putter around, hitting about one shot every two minutes. One note: Pass on the option of playing golf at the Boca C.C. It's a twenty minute shuttle ride away, and is not as plush as the more famous older course on the hotel grounds. There are three restaurants at the resort, six or so bars, so you don't really need to go anywhere. If you do, and it's around dinnertime, make sure to allow about twenty minutes for valet parking to get your car to the front. You won't mind waiting however, because this is a great place to people watch. You'll have fun guessing who is going to get in, or out, of the white Bentley, or who might have to fess up about renting the Toyota Tercel.
We got the Bed and Breakfast package. There are few things more pleasurable in life than trying to act nonchalant as you answer the gentle morning knock and wave the hushed attendant in with the white linen-draped table. Let's see: morning newspaper, fresh flowers, little cards reading "decaffeinated" and "tea"' next to their decanters, the heavenly aroma of baked croissants, toast, slightly seared ham, the eggs trembling ever so over-easy under their metal heat covers, squeezed orange juice covered with plastic wrap to save each precious drop, four different kind of preserves in their little jars waiting to be slathered with abandon once you sign your OK and the door closes on the retreating attendant. We wouldn't mind being kept prisoner in our pink Tower for a few more days! There's also a wonderful spa on site, but after paying for our room, we couldn't fit it into the budget.
501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton 33431 http://www.bocaresort.com/ Tel: 561-447-3121
The Market was the hottest we have ever seen it this past season. Many properties had multiple offers within the first few days of listing. If you think you might want to sell, please call us; there has never been a better time to maximize your profits.
.Recent Sales by Bob & Isabelle Wells:
Palm Harbor #701W $580,000 130 Ohio Ave. $280,000
Waterside #243 $499,000 Creciente #912 $529,000
Palm Harbor #202W $460,000 Creciente #410 $755,000
Yacht & Racquet Club #228 $277,000 Captains Bay #203 $360,000
Estero Cove #453 $265,000 Ostego Bay II #5-C $545,000
Royal Pelican #337 $339,000 7879 Buccaneer Drive $500,000
Real Estate Update:
The following are closed sales taken from the Multiple Listing Service for the period March 23rd to May 22nd of this year.
Condominiums Single Family Homes
Bermuda Dunes #1403 $532,500 4340 Estero Blvd. $526,950
Waterside #521 $755,000 237 Egret St. $730,000
Palm Harbor #701-W $580,000 3306 Shell Mound $361,000
Estero/Bch Tennis #PH2 $274,000 21050 St Peters Dr. $1,235,000
Marina Towers #603 $425,000 341 Jefferson Ct. $535,925
Sandarac #404-B $500,000 250 Primo Dr. $690,000
Estero/Bch Tennis #302-A $220,000 726 Estero Blvd. $1,050,000
Waterside #421 $505,000 540 Randy Ln. $1,025,000
Lovers Key Resort #805 $375,000 127 Washington Ave. $339,000
Ocean Harbor #1205 $610,000 7979 Buccaneer Dr. $500,000
Santa Maria #310 $259,000 140 Bay Mar Dr. $565,000
Island Beach Club #1004 $665,000 3320 Shell Mound $410,000
Creciente #723 $499,500 135 Bay Mar Dr. $465,900
Estero/Bch Tennis #206-A $293,000 330 Madison Ct. $650,000
Waterside #2H2 $685,000 117 Gulfview Ave. $545,000
Caper Beach Club #906 $842,000 200 Eucalyptus Ct. $442,000
Creciente #912 $529,000 117 Hibiscus Dr. $357,000
Estero Bch/Tennis #801-C $269,900 130 Ohio Ave. $280,000
Pointe Estero #1001 $657,000 40 Fairview Blvd. $479,900
Terra Mar #704 $449,000 2543 Cottage Ave. $540,000
Island Winds #501 $585,000 428 Palermo Cir. $370,000
Creciente #410 $755,000 460 Palermo Cir. $475,000
Estero Cove #453 $265,000
Royal Pelican #328 $400,000
Captains Bay #403-N $439,900
Estero Bch/Tennis #801-A $254,900
Casa Marina #634 $434,900
Island Shores #101 $820,000
Boardwalk Caper #201 $402,500
Riviera Club #903 $500,000
Sandarac #610 $650,000
Sunset #105 $650,000
Hibiscus Pointe #342 $379,500
Estero/Bch Tennis #706-A $355,000
This is the best real estate market we have seen in fifteen years. If you have thought about selling, we can assure you an excellent price for your property. Call us today for a Free Market Appraisal !
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1991 Condominium selling prices: Yacht & Racquet Club #224 $87,900 Seaside #206 $155,000 Estero Cove #521 $115,000 Riviera Club #105 $130,000 Creciente #712 Listed @ $159,900 (Expired w/o selling!) Creciente 920 $175,000 Sandarac #503 $163,000
Sunset #1005 $188,000 Estero Beach/Tennis #1008 $78,500 Average sale price: $127,817.
Single Family Home Selling prices: 145 Jefferson St. $92,000 3552 Estero Blvd 3br 2.5 bath gulf front built in 1990, 3709 total sq. ft. 5 car garage $539,000 161 Chapel St. $82,500
7830 Buccaneer Dr $133,900 5560 Avenida Pescadora $190,000 Average sale price: 167,312.
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