New Construction in Fiddler’s Creek

New Construction in Fiddler’s Creek is underway.  Fiddler’s Creek remains one of the few golf communities in Naples still building new homes.  They recently announced a new move-in-ready Cantabria residence is now available from homebuilder Ashton Woods in the village of Marsh Cove. Additionally, two fully furnished models are open for viewing in Marsh Cove, a gated, single-family enclave within the 4,000-acre master-planned community of Fiddler’s Creek. There are a total of 15-floor plans available in Marsh Cove which is a village nestled along lakes, creeks and Fiddler’s Creek championship golf course. The Cantabria is a single-story design offering 3,048 air-conditioned square feet with an open floor plan that includes three bedrooms, three and one-half baths, and a formal dining room that may be used as a study. The base price for the Cantabria starts at  $769,990.  A move-in-ready Cantabria model is priced at $1.052 million.

Fiddler’s Creek is located off of Collier Boulevard in southeast Naples.  The community is just a bridge away from Marco Island and their beautiful beaches.  Fiddler’s Creek 18-hole championship golf course was designed by Arthur Hills.  Currently, there is a special membership option available – Annual Membership of $8,700 or Seasonal Membership (January – April) for $6,850.

Are you considering purchasing a new construction home in Naples?  Or perhaps Bonita Springs.  Let me be your guide.  I already have existing relationships with all the golf communities building new construction as well as their membership directors and can help provide guidance through to ensure you receive the best deal possible from the builder.

Matt Klinowski – golf community real estate expert, 239-370-0892

October 16th, 2015, Posted by Matt

October 15, 2015 Posted by Matt

Five bucks the golf ball is going to end up in the sand trap?  Yeah…  I’m not taking that bet…

Zombie Foreclosures Down

What is a Zombie foreclosure anyway?  A Zombie foreclosure is a property that has been vacated by the home owner and left unattended.  According to a recent RealtyTrac Report, the number of vacant homes in the foreclosure process during the third quarter of this year have dropped significantly in Southwest Florida.  In Lee County, so-called zombie foreclosures totaled 85 which represents a 63 percent drop from 228 during the third quarter 2015. Collier County has 16 foreclosures on vacant homes which is down 77 percent from 69 in the third quarter last year. In Charlotte County, there were 40 zombie foreclosures, a decline of 52 percent from 83 during the third quarter 2014. Nationwide, zombie foreclosures were down 43 percent from a year ago.

In looking at all foreclosures including zombie foreclosures, according to RealtyTrac’s Q3 and September 2015 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, foreclosures in Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro totaled 438 units in September, up 10 percent from 298 in August but down 23.29 percent from 571 in September 2014. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island metro foreclosure activity totaled 170 units in September, up 11.84 percent from 152 in August but down 19.05 percent from 210 in September 2014. Fort Myers-Cape Coral foreclosure activity in the third quarter of 2015 totaled 1,407 units, compared with 2,012 units in the same period last year. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island third-quarter foreclosure activity totaled 497 units, compared with 472 in the third quarter of 2014. Florida posted the nation’s second-highest foreclosure rate, the report shows.

Are you considering buying a home in Naples or Bonita Springs and want to be sure you are getting the best value for your money?  Let me be your guide.

Matt Klinowski – Golf Community Real Estate Expert – 239-370-0892

October 15, 2015 Posted by Matt

October 15, 2015 Posted by Matt

A good way to help you remain still and make solid contact when you are playing chip and pitch shots is to lean to your front side.  Play the ball just back of your front foot with 90 percent of your weight on your front foot.  Lean a little forward so that your shaft leans backward and your hands are near your front thigh.  Keep this position while you swing the club back and through, with no movement back or forward or up and down.  This will help eliminate fat shots, where the club hits the ground behind the ball.

Bottom Line:

To make solid contact, you want the feeling the club is going to brush the ground instead of chopping down on the ball.

If you are interested in improving your golf game, there are several Golf Communities in Naples FL with excellent PGA Teaching professionals.  I’d be happy to provide some suggestions.  If you are considering buying a home in Naples or Bonita Springs in a golf community, let me be your guide.  There are more than 100 golf communities to chose from.

Matt Klinowski – Golf Community Real Estate Expert – 239-370-0892

October 14, 2015 Posted by Matt

Grain is the direction in which the blades of grass flow on the green.  It can cause your ball to turn in the direction of the flow.  Stand just off the green and behind your ball.  If the grass is dark, the grain is flowing against you.  If it is shiny, it is flowing with the direction of the putt.  Move to the side, and see if there is any cross or mixed grain (where part of our putt is against the grain and part is with the grain).  Also, look at the hole.  If one side of the rim of the cup is brown and rough, that indicates the direction the grain is flowing near the hole.  It may flow in any direction depending on many factors that cause the blades to point in a certain direction including the sun, water and slope.

October 13, 2015 Posted by Matt

In today’s market, where demand is outpacing supply in many regions of the country, pricing a house is one of the biggest challenges real estate professionals face. It is important to price it right from the get go!  Sellers often want to price their home higher than recommended, and many agents go along with the idea to keep their clients happy. However, the best agents realize that telling the homeowner the truth is more important than getting the seller to like them. There is no “later.” Sellers sometimes think, “If the home doesn’t sell for this price, I can always lower it later.” However, research proves that homes that experience a listing price reduction sit on the market longer, ultimately selling for less than similar homes. John Knight, recipient of the University Distinguished Faculty Award from the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific, actually did research on the cost (in both time and money) to a seller who priced high at the beginning and then lowered the their price. In his article, Listing Price, Time on Market and Ultimate Selling Price published in Real Estate Economics revealed:

“Homes that underwent a price revision sold for less, and the greater the revision, the lower the selling price. Also, the longer the home remains on the market, the lower its ultimate selling price.”

Additionally, the “I’ll lower the price later” approach can paint a negative image in buyers’ minds. Each time a price reduction occurs, buyers can naturally think, “Something must be wrong with that house.” Then when a buyer does make an offer, they low-ball the price because they see the seller as “highly motivated.” Pricing it right from the start eliminates these challenges. Don’t build “negotiation room” into the price. Many sellers say that they want to price their home high in order to have “negotiation room.” But, what this actually does is lower the number of potential buyers that see the house. And we know that limiting demand like this will negatively impact the sales price of the house. Not sure about this? Think of it this way: when a buyer is looking for a home online (as they are doing more and more often), they put in their desired price range. If your seller is looking to sell their house for $400,000, but lists it at $425,000 to build in “negotiation room,” any potential buyers that search in the $350k-$400k range won’t even know your listing is available, let alone come see it! One great way to see this is with the chart below. The higher you price your home over its market value, the less potential buyers will actually see your home when searching.

A better strategy would be to price it properly from the beginning and bring in multiple offers. This forces these buyers to compete against each other for the “right” to purchase your house. Look at it this way: if you only receive one offer, you are set up in an adversarial position against the prospective buyer. If, however, you have multiple offers, you have two or more buyers fighting to please you. Which will result in a better selling situation? The Price is Right Great pricing comes down to truly understanding the real estate dynamics in your neighborhood. Look for an agent that will take the time to simply and effectively explain what is happening in the housing market and how it applies to your home. You need an agent that will tell you what you need to know rather than what you want to hear. This will put you in the best possible position.

Are you considering selling your home?  I help homeowners professionally market and sell their homes.  Together we will be sure we price it right so you maximize the value of your home and sell it in a timely manner.

For a free market analysis, contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

October 13, 2015 Posted by Matt

Sliding is a common problem for higher handicappers.  The average PGA Tour pro will only move his head about an inch from side to side during a golf swing.  Higher handicappers, on the other hand, will move their heads back and forward quite dramatically, because they feel it generates power.  Actually, just the opposite is true.  A slide back on the backswing and then forward on the through swing creates the effect of hitting a moving target as your club approaches the ball.  This is often the cause of poorly hit golf sots.  Get in the habit of swinging around your spine as if it were the hub of a wheel.  This will keep you centered over the ball, and you will make solid contact more often.

To stop sliding, try this drill.  Put a ball under the outside of your back foot and hit balls on the range.  You will find you will not be able to keep your balance and complete a swing if you slide.

October 12, 2015 Posted by Matt

It’s that time of year; the seasons are changing and with them bring thoughts of the upcoming holidays, family get-togethers, and planning for a new year. Those who are on the fence about whether now is the right time to buy don’t have to look much farther to find 4 reasons to buy before season starts, instead of waiting.

1. Prices Will Continue to Rise

The Home Price Expectation Survey polls a distinguished panel of over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts. Their most recent report released recently projects appreciation in home values over the next five years to be between 10.5% (most pessimistic) and 25.5% (most optimistic). The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes sense.

2. Mortgage Interest Rates Are Projected to Increase

Although Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have softened recently, most experts predict that they will begin to rise later this year. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are in unison projecting that rates will be up almost a full percentage point by the end of next year. An increase in rates will impact YOUR monthly mortgage payment. Your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home.

3. Either Way You are Paying a Mortgage

As a recent paper from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University explains:

“Households must consume housing whether they own or rent. Not even accounting for more favorable tax treatment of owning, homeowners pay debt service to pay down their own principal while households that rent pay down the principal of a landlord plus a rate of return. That’s yet another reason owning often does—as Americans intuit—end up making more financial sense than renting.”

4. It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

The ‘cost’ of a home is determined by two major components: the price of the home and the current mortgage rate. It appears that both are on the rise. But, what if they weren’t? Would you wait? Look at the actual reason you are buying and decide whether it is worth waiting. Whether you want to have a great place for your children to grow up, you want your family to be safer or you just want to have control over renovations, maybe it is time to buy.

Bottom Line

If the right thing for you and your family is to purchase a home this year, buying sooner rather than later could lead to substantial savings.

If you are considering buying a home in Naples FL, let me be your guide.  I’ve been helping home buyers invest in homes in the Naples and Bonita Springs area for more than 10 years.  Contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892 for more information.

October 12, 2015 Posted by Matt

How you grip the club plays a major role in how the clubface approaches the ball.  A strong grip is one that has the hands rolled toward the right or under the handle and will shut the face and cause a hook.  A weak grip is one that has the hands turned to the left and will cause a slice or a fade.  To simplify your grip, try to have the Vs created by your hands and thumbs pointing toward your right cheek.  Starting with this neutral grip will allow the club to return to square at impact rather than having you make some swing adjustment to compensate for a strong or weak hand position.  It may take a little time to get used to the neutral grip, but your shots will soon fly straighter than ever before.

October 11, 2015 Posted by Matt

What do you do when a shanked shot appears?  I’m sure Ian Poulter was asking himself the same question when he shanked a shot in the President’s Cup this weekend.  All players at some time or other have hit the dreaded shank.  A shank is when the hosel or inside of the clubface strikes the ball, sending it directly to the right and usually into trouble.  A common cause of a shanked shot is when your body moves forward as you start your downswing.  When your upper body moves forward, your hands and arms get stuck behind you and well to the inside.  As you come into impact from the inside, your hosel will strike the ball first.  To prevent the shank, keep a good posture, and swing by turning your shoulders around your head so there is no lateral movement.