Author: newadmin

Cape Coral Residential Permits

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Cape Coral City Permitting

Looking to build a home in Cape Coral? Or maybe renovate your existing house? Did you know that Cape Coral requires a permit for even a fence installation? And windows and doors? But the city of Cape Coral has made it easy to obtain these permits. There are rules and guidelines spelled out right on their website.

http://www.capecoral.net/en-us/government/projectandbuildinginformation.aspx

Cape Coral New ConstructionMore times than not, the contractor you hire will pull the appropriate permits needed to begin the work. But not always. So make sure you are familiar with what documents and fees are required to get your home project in Cape Coral started.

Need help? Call the City’s permitting department at (239) 574-0546
Or visit in person:
Cape Coral City Hall
1015 Cultural Park Boulevard
Cape Coral, FL 33990

Good luck & happy improvements from your friends at Florida Future Realty, Inc. (239) 542-8521

Cape Coral Trick or Treating

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Halloween in Cape CoralCape Coral Trick or Treating

October 31, 2012
Well tonight’s the night! Happy Halloween!

In Cape Coral we have trick or treating starting just before dark on Halloween night. We see everyone cleared out by 8:00-8:30pm usually.

Where are good places to trick or treat in Cape Coral on Halloween? Well, first and foremost probably your own neighborhood. While some Cape Coral neighborhoods are sparse with home and kids others are jammed packed.

Some years our area is busy and other years it is dead. When it is dead we usually drive over to a more ‘kid-friendly’ neighborhood. The ones that come to mind are near baseball, soccer and football fields. Also, if you have friends in gated communities like Sandoval or Heatherwood Lakes you might see if you can take your kids trick or treating over there. Remember that gated communities are for residents and guests and most will not allow car traffic and some will not allow pedestrian traffic without a pass.

There are also many local businesses and malls that hold trick or treating. Often times local schools, churches, malls, etc have events the weekend before or days heading up to Halloween so be sure to check for local listings.

This year (2012) I found the following for October 31, 2012 happenings:

Haunted Houses/Walks:

Mike Greenwell’s (By the way they had their safe trick or treating on the 30th), 35 N.E. Pine Island Road. For more information, call 574-4386.

Individual Houses (Haunted House):
Terror on 20th, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM. 2812 SW 20th Ave Cape Coral, FL 33914. For more info visit terroron20th.com.

Churches:
First United Methodist Church, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. 4118 Coronado Pkwy Cape Coral, FL 33904 (Trunk or Treat)

There are also many more events going on around Lee & Collier Counties as well including Ft Myers & Estero.

If you know of any great places to go trick or treating in Cape Coral please leave the information in the comments section for others!

Remember, have fun but be safe out there Cape Coral residents!

 

(please confirm all dates/times/locations prior to heading out) ~ Thanks! Florida Future Realty, Inc. (239) 542-8521

Homes for sale in SW Cape Coral

Just listed in the 33914 zip code of Cape Coral

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Homes for sale in SW Cape CoralLooking to purchase a home in the 33914 zip code in Cape Coral? Or thinking about selling your SW Cape Coral home and wondering what is fresh on the market? Home values in SW Cape Coral are on the rise.

The list below shows the single family homes that were listed this week in the 33914 zip code of Cape Coral.

 

Veterans Investment Zone

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Cape Coral Veterans Hospital and the Impact on the Cape Coral area Community

In 2010 construction crews broke ground and the much anticipated project had begun. Cape Coral’s very own Veterans Hospital with over 200,000 square feet of space. Before this hospital was built, the closest VA hospital was a 2 and ½ hour car ride away yet SW Florida has one of the largest condensed population of Veterans in the country. Come the end of 2012 our county will have a state of the art facility available right here for our veterans.

So what does this have to do with real estate? A little something labeled the Veterans Investment Zone (VIZ). The Veterans Investment Zone is the surrounding area around the hospital of undeveloped land with massive amount of potential. The city has approved certain incentives for development of commercial and industrial industry. You can search some of the properties here. With prime location just between Cape Coral and Fort Myers we are expected to have hotel chains, restaurants, medical office suites, and much more all within a short time period. If you can find anything available in the area then you should seriously consider investing.

 

The City of Cape Coral has offered incentives and is encouraging businesses to take advantage of the opportunity for growth in South West Florida. Visit the City of Cape Coral website for incentive plans.

Interest rates are at an all time low according to CNNMONEY:

“Rates on the 15-year fixed mortgage, which is popular among those looking to refinance, fell to 2.97% — the first time it has dropped below 3% since Freddie Mac began tracking the weekly data.”

Contact an agent at Florida Future Realty today for more information today on real estate and Cape Coral information.

239-542-8521

inquiry@floridafutureagents.com

www.FloridaFutureAgents.comCape Coral Veterans Hospital

 

Looking to reach the VA Hospital in Cape Coral? Their phone number is (239) 997-0626 and are located at 2489 Diplomat Pkwy E, Cape Coral, FL 33909.

Cape Coral house

Cape Coral Featured Listings

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Cape Coral houseCape Coral real estate brokerage, Florida Future Realty Inc, welcomes you to our site. We have a wide variety of homes and land available from waterfront pool homes to vacant land in Cape Coral. Check back often to see what we have added to our home inventory or just sign up for email updates and receive any new Cape Coral real estate listings that meet your criteria via email.

 

Our real estate listings are easily viewed all over the internet for maximum exposure. We use unique marketing techniques as well to draw attention to the listings we represent so they’ll stand out against the competition. Your house could be featured here as well. To add your home to this page please call 239-542-8521 for your no obligation listing presentation and Comparable Market Analysis. Click Here to fill out our contact us form. See a sneak peek at  Florida Future Realty’s  Marketing Plan. For full details pick up the phone and make your appointment today. We look forward to hearing from you about selling your Cape Coral property.

Florida Future Realty Inc
1222 SE 47th Street
Cape Coral Fl 33904

239-542-8521
inquiry@floridafutureagents.com

 

Unless otherwise noted all content is copyright Florida Future Realty, Inc. and my not be used without express written permission.

Cape Coral Brokerage Florida Future Realty is on the move in Cape Coral

Cape Coral Brokerage Florida Future Realty is on the move in Cape Coral

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Florida Future Realty, Inc. has recently relocated to Twelve Twenty Two in South Cape Coral in the CRA district. This building offers great amenities for both our agents and customers. The official opening day for the building is August 16, 2012. There will be an event through the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce from 5:30PM-7:30PM. We hope to see you there!

 

(link to Chamber of Commerce event: http://www.capecoralchamber.com/commerce/events/default.aspx)

 

1222 SE 47th Street

Cape Coral, FL 33904

 

As always, should you need to reach us anytime please give us a call at 239-542-8521 or email inquiry@floridafutureagents.com.

Cape Coral lease options

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Lease options are becoming a very popular again. We receive many calls each day, customers interested in purchasing homes in Cape Coral via lease options or some type of seller financing. It has become more challenging due to the lack of inventory being offered at this type of arrangement. Many home buyers are unable to buy because of a recent foreclosure, deed in lieu or short sale. Instead of shuffling their family from home to home they long for a place to call their own.

What is a lease option?
• The Lease

The lease agreement is set up from anywhere to 1 to 3 years. First and last month’s rent included to get started. Rental rates are higher than standard rates because the tenant/buyer will be receiving part of their monthly rent towards the purchase price.

• Contract for sale and purchase

This price will be based upon the projected market value at the time the lease ends and the sale is to take place. The tenant/buyer will also put a non-refundable deposit down as well. We have found that in our area the norm is between 10-20%, but can always be negotiated. The amount will also be credited towards the buyer’s closing cost and/or the actual sale of the property. This is a NON-REFUNDABLE deposit; if the tenant/buyer defaults for any reason it goes directly to the property owner.

• Option agreement

An attorney will draft this portion of the agreement.

The guidelines are as follows for property owners in and around Cape Coral, FL:
You must own more that 50% LTV(loan to value) and be free of any liens.
We will collect a non-refundable deposit for you. 50% to you and the other half will go towards the full commission, to be paid at the closing of the property.

Here is an example of how a lease option would work:

You lease the property to a buyer/tenant for $1,200/month with an end purchase price of $100,000.
The buyer puts down a $5,000 non-refundable deposit that will be used towards the purchase at the end of the term (usually 1-3 years). In that time frame the tenant/buyer will be actively working on some type of financing at the end of the term.

Paid up front: $5,000 non-refundable deposit

First Month’s Rent: $1,200

Last Month’s Rent: $1,200

Total to move in: $7,400

Minus $2,500 to real estate brokerage

You will credit $100-200/month towards the end purchase price also. So say at the end of the 2 year term the buyer qualifies for a loan and purchases the house.

You will credit $200 per month for 24 months towards the purchase price ($4,800) and also credit the $5,000 deposit as well.

The house sells for the agreed upon $100,000 and the buyer has $9,800 to use for closing costs/prepaids/down payment.
You pay the real estate commission ($6,000-$2,500 already paid=$3,500) and sell the house for a net near $83,000 (after closing costs/other fees)

More benefits for of a lease option compared to a straight rental:
• Large non-refundable down payment
• Tenant who wants to buy – care more for property (less maintenance)
• No monthly management fee
• Monthly income for 1-3 years or longer
• Larger monthly income vs. rental
• Sales contract in writing

More benefits of a lease option compared with a straight sale:
• Higher sales price compared to current market/buyer
• Large buyer pool
• Defer capital gains taxes while renting

And finally benefits of a lease option compared with seller financing:
• Close in 1-3 years vs up to 30 years of holding a note
• Evict a tenant who defaults vs foreclosing on them
• Pay only part of the sales commission until property closes

As we mentioned, we have many requests each day for this type of transaction. We have many people each day dreaming of owning their own home again. If you are interested in offering your property or finding a property with a lease option, give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you

Rents on the Rise?

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Are you thinking of investing in real estate in Cape Coral FL? In my opinion a pretty secure investment. We handle many calls each day; individuals and families looking for rental property and lease options.

The Florida Realtors reports that they are forecasting a large jump in what renters will be paying this year. They have attributed the hike to factors like improving job market, lack of new construction, and declining vacancy rates.

Many investors were able to this year; raise their rate anywhere between 3 and 5 percent. Most rental rates have not wavered much from the large decline in 2007.
In our Cape Coral market; we are especially experiencing the rental hike and declining rental inventory. It is quite a bit harder to secure rentals then in past years.

If you are investing in real estate Cape Coral will certainly be a great place to do so. Many families in an around our area are unable to purchase due to a short sale or foreclosure; leaving a long term rental the only other option. If you are interested in investing in Cape Coral, give us a call we can help you find many great options.

Pine Island Florida

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Tourist season is about to begin again this year, soon the streets will be buzzing with out-of- towners looking for places to go and different activities to occupy their time.  Many visitors are not aware of the relatively untouched beauty less than a 20 minute car ride
from Cape Coral; Pine Island.  Pine Island is the largest island on the west coast of Florida and measures 17 mile long and 2 miles wide.  Pine Island consists of 5 communities Matlacha, Pine Island Center, Bokeelia, Pineland, and St. James City.  Each of the 5
communities unique and distinct from the other.  The island is truly unspoiled; it boasts abundant wildlife and untouched nature.  Current legislation prohibits high density, high-rise development, preserving its current state for generations to come.

Pine Island has a charm that is indescribable; it is reminiscent of a century old fishing village complete with quaint cottages and small hotels.   Some visitors describe Pine Island as reminiscent of Mayberry.  In addition to outdoor activities like camping exploring, canoeing, and fishing.  There are many things to see indoors as well. Pine Island is known for their many upcoming artists that showcase their creations in the galleries lining the waterfront, as
well as the large number of eateries that specialize in fresh seafood dishes provided from the mornings catch.  Pine Island is a full of rich history and beautiful scenery, just waiting to be discovered.

If we can help you with your buying and selling needs, please don’t hesitate to call we look forward to hearing from you,

Yours in Success,

The Florida Future Realty Team

239-542-8521

Inquiry@floridafutureagents.com

502 SW 28th St, Cape Coral, Florida 33914

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Cape Coral Waterfront Pool Home in SW Cape Coral

THIS PROPERTY IS PENDING SALE BUT WE HAVE MORE EXCELLENT WATERFRONT DEALS FOR YOU! HOW ABOUT UNDER $200,000?:

WATERFRONT HOMES IN CAPE CORAL UNDER $200,000[idx-platinum-widget id =”826-31914″] 
Ready to live on the water in SW Cape Coral? Check out this large home ready for a new owners fix up. Located in desirable SW Cape Coral near all the newest growth in Cape Coral. Situated on an oversized, fenced in lot on intersecting canals! Fish or boat from your backyard. Large inground pool in back overlooks the dock and canal. 4 bedrooms plus 2 separate living areas too. Kitchen comes with all appliances but since this is a short sale everything is being sold as-is. The 2 car garage is separate but you stay under roof to get in the main house. This house is truly unique and doesn’t look like every other house in town. Private area at the end of the street. Plenty of mature landscaping and yard. The master bedroom has a huge walk in closet and both shower and jetted tub. Nearly every room has a ceiling fan too. Hurry up and schedule your private showing today by calling us at (239) 542-8521.
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Search Cape Coral Waterfront Homes

Selling your Cape Coral home

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Are you thinking of selling your Cape Coral home, just waiting for the “right time”? Now may be your perfect time.

We are all seeing a trend in the current Cape Coral housing market; prices up, inventory down. That includes foreclosed properties. We continue to receive many calls a day from consumers looking to “steal” their next home or investment property for pennies on the dollar. Just like all other types of sales; regular or short, the inventory of foreclosures is down significantly. We currently have in Cape Coral FL only 92 foreclosure listings that are active in the multiple listing service (MLS); a considerable difference from what we experienced in 2008-2009.

What about that “shadow inventory” that we are all hearing about? First, shadow inventory refers to properties that are either in foreclosure that have not “hit” the market or sellers that are delaying putting their property on the market; waiting for the market to recover.
We have been told that many banks are holding properties. They are waiting for the right time to start slowly releasing them; as to not negatively affect the current state. We have been hearing this rumor for quite some time, all waiting patiently. Is this fact or fiction? No one knows for sure, but what we do know is that we have many more buyers than sellers. We need something to sell, so would a shadow inventory released properly and strategically be such a bad thing?

The average buyer is really getting a bum deal, they now have to compete with big time investors; we recently had a listing receive 6 offers in the first 4 hours. So do we think this shadow inventory will negatively affect the current state of the market? We feel like our area is in a great position to absorb these properties and hold steady with the current prices. We may not continue to climb as quickly as we have been, but that just fine. We need to give the regular buyers time to find that perfect property all the while taking advantage of the super low interest rates.

Sellers, if you are trying to wait it out, think about this. Less homes on the market equal more buyers competing. If you home is priced correctly, multiple offers can be a reality. If we can help you sell your home, please don’t hesitate to call. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

For a no obligation market analysis, fill out this short seller form and we’ll send over the data to help you make an informed decision. You can also call us anytime at 239-542-8521 to connect with an agent directly.

Most Desired Zip code in Cape Coral 33914

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33914 has been the most desired zip code for years now and for good reason. The overall home value is higher, the neighborhoods are clean and Cape Harbour Homesthe houses are mostly new. Waterfront property in the 33914 Zip Code generally sell for a bit more than say the 33904 zip code. The area has some of the best restaurants and the only resort in the city. The traffic is minimal compared to the rest of the city and there is very little major commercial property.

Local 33914 attractions

Rum Runners Waterfront Dining, Marker 92 restaurant, The Joint, The Lobster Lady Seafood Market and Bistro, Duke of Germany, are all great choices for an evening out with the family. Tarpon Point resort is a high rise luxury resort with shops, Marina, hotel, and condos for luxury living.

Tarpon Point

 

Cape Harbour

 

What Can I get for under 75,000

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I hear the same question every day at least once “What can I get for under 75 grand in Cape Coral?”. My first natural response is “nothing”. That is not entirely true though, right now in Cape Coral we have multiple properties under that price range. Yes, they will take a little elbow grease, paint, and a few extra bucks for repair but where else in the world can you buy homes in a good neighborhood with great schools for that price? Below I have posted a few featured properties that are all under $75,000 and ready for purchase in Cape Coral. Six months ago I would have been able to show you pages and pages of these homes but now there are just a select few on the market due to the investors and savvy Cape Coral home buyers.



 

Short Sale and Foreclosures in Cape Coral

Short sales and Foreclosures are going to be abundant in this category. Be prepared to have patience and do your due diligence before purchasing one of these properties. Our knowledgeable agents are standing by to assist you through the process and educate you on the unknown.

You can Search all homes under 75,000 here
Call us at 239-542-8521 with any questions!
Or contact us at one of the below options

Florida Future Realty Inc,
2816 Del Prado Blvd S #1
Cape Coral Florida 33904

239-542-8521

Contact Us via email

Cape Coral riverfront condo

Cape Coral gated community HOA fees

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Cape Coral gated community HOA fees explained

Living inside a Cape Coral community or development often appeals to many Cape Coral home buyers. The thought of having great amenities tucked inside a secure gate in Cape Coral is appealing. Living with others who have the same interests and perhaps a similar lifestyle can certainly be enticing. Cape Coral has many gated communities that offer diversity in lifestyle from the highly exclusive private to the amenity rich Cape Coral communities with a mix of condos, villas and single-family homes.

Living in a gated community in Cape Coral does come at a price, all communities will have some type of (HOA) home owners association fee. Often if it is a condo they may have a master fee and a condo fee, you need to pay special attention to that. The amount is usually dependent upon the amenities offered, how many residents in the community, and what services are provided.

There may even be special assessments in a community so make sure to have your agent help you research the financials of any Cape Coral community you may be interested in.

River Towers
Monthly condo fee $364.00
Included amenities: Billiards, Clubhouse, Community Boat Dock, Community Boat Lift, Community Boat Slip, Community Pool, Extra Storage, Library, Shuffleboard, Sidewalk, Streetlight, Trash Chute

Cape Harbor
• Harbor Preserve HOA fee of $110.00 per month
• Harbour Point HOA fee of $110.00 per month
• Marina South I & II, Monthly HOA/condo fee $310.00 per month
Included amenities: Basketball, Clubhouse, Community Pool, Exercise Room, Marina, Play Area, Private Membership, Restaurant, Shopping, and Tennis

Cape Royal
Annual Fee/Master HOA $665.00
Included amenities: Golf Course, Putting Green, Restaurant, Tennis, Clubhouse,proshop

Parkside at the Rivers
Monthly Condo fee of $570.00
Included amenities: BBQ – Picnic, Bike Storage, Billiards, Clubhouse, Community Boat Dock, Community Park, Community Pool, Exercise Room, Extra Storage, Vehicle Wash Area

Coral Lakes
Monthly HOA fee of $270.00
Included amenities: Basketball, Bike and Jog Path, Billiards, Business Center, Clubhouse, Community Park, Community Pool, Community Room, Community Spa, Exercise Room, Play Area,

Emerald Cove
Monthly HOA fee of $150.00
Included amenities: Beach – Private, Beach Access, Community Park, Fishing Pier, Play Area, Private Beach Pavilion

Isle of Porta Vista
Quarterly HOA/Condo fee of $1366.00
Included amenities: Clubhouse, Community Pool, Community Spa, Exercise Room

Paradise Point
Included amenities: Pool, spa, underground parking and deeded boat dock

Bella Vida
Monthly HOA fee of $193.00
Included amenities: Clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, soccer field, basketball courts, volleyball courts, playground and a picnic area with BBQ

Heatherwood Lakes
Monthly HOA fee of $139.00
Included amenities: swimming pool, cabana, and playground

Sandoval
Quarterly fee of $508.00
Included amenities: Basketball, BBQ – Picnic, Cabana, Clubhouse, Community Park, Community Pool, Community Spa, Dog Park, Fishing Pier, Play Area, Tennis, Volleyball

*****All fees and amenities are subject to change, all information should be verified*****

 

If we can help you with your search for a home in a Cape Coral community feel free to call us at (239) 542-8521 or click on one of the community links above to search through homes that are currently listed for sale.

Lee County Florida School Choice

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Lee County School Choice

Lee County Florida School Choice Options

Are you considering a move into Lee County Florida with your family? Many families make the move to Lee County each and every week. The sun and beaches are great but what about our schools?

One of the great things about Lee County schools is your ability to pick what school your child(ren) go to. Lee County School District offers parents what is known as school choice. School Choice in Lee County is great for parents to have control over their child’s education. With school choice you can choose schools within your zone(s) to send your kids. It seems sort of funny if you are used to school districts being separate and thinking about students going to school close to home; but, with school choice you could actually drive past several different schools on your way to your school.

From the LeeSchools.net website:

(for the most up to date school choice info and to get help making your choices you can call Lee County School choice at 239-242-2059 in Cape Coral or at 239-337-8347 for Fort Myers or Lehigh Acres). Florida Future Realty can help you with purchasing or selling a home. Thanks)

Zones and School Selection- The District has created three sub-zones within each zone.

  • Families living in sub-zone 1 will select schools physically located within sub zone 1 and sub zone 2, and Zone Magnet schools if any
  • Families living within sub-zone 2 will be able to select among all schools within the entire zone.
  • Families living in sub-zone 3 will select among schools physically located in sub-zone 3 and sub-zone 2, and Zone Magnet schools if any.
  • Parents and students are expected to list all the schools in their sub-zone, in rank order. Every attempt will be made to assign students to the highest preference school possible.

Access the school zones map below:

Full-size 11-12 Zone Map

Full-size 12-13 Zone Map

Another great thing about our Lee County schools are the grading scales. Schools are graded each year on performance so you can see how they compare to one another.

Lee County Florida School Performance Grades

We also offer many excellent charter schools (semi-public) and private schools as well. There is also a fairly large home schooling population as well.

Summer is a great time to pick out your new house before the school year begins. If we can assist you with your Lee County housing needs, please let us know. We look forward to working with you.

 Search homes throughout Lee County now. Or Call us, Florida Future Realty, Inc. at (239) 542-8521 with any questions.