December 15, 2009

• Members To Purchase Bonita Bay Club for $12 Million

  A momentous day for Members of the Bonita Bay Club as they moved another step closer to buying the Club when the Bonita Bay Club Turnover Committee and Bonita Bay Group reached an agreement in principle for the sale of the Club valued at $12 million.
  The accord includes contributions of $11.5 million from the members [...]

December 14, 2009

• This is One of The Most High-Dollar Listings in Our Nation

  Patricia Kluge, a well-known altruist and founder of the esteemed Virginia winery that contains her name, has put up her 300-acre estate in Charlottesville, Va., for $100 million, making it as one of the most high-dollar listings in the nation.
  Albemarle House, a 300-acre estate snuggled close to Thomas Jeffersons Monticello and James Monroes Ash-Lawn Highland, [...]

December 2, 2009

• Home staging: Are you ready for an open house?

  So you have decided to offer your home for sale but now what do you do? Prudence dictates that you make your home and property as immaculate as possible as you prepare for the sale. This procedure is known by several names, such as house staging, house fluffing and home staging. When you “stage” your [...]

April 29, 2009

• Fiddler on the Roof National Tour In Fort Myers

  I attended the final performance at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Center as the Broadway classic,”Fiddler on the Roof” ended its Southwest Florida appearance last night. I was amazed by Topol, the renowned Tevya, who at 74 years young seemed to be as sharp and witty and compelling as he was thirty years ago. [...]

April 20, 2009

• Turtles Season Starting

  Did you know? Sea Turtle Season is from May 1- October 31.
  Any lights seen from the beach can disorient sea turtles, especially the hatchlings after they emerge from the nest. With sea turtle nesting season approaching, it’s important to eliminate light sources near the beach. You will also see the staked areas indicating where their [...]

February 16, 2009

• The Fallout of America's Buying Binge

  For many consumers, the jig is up. After years of supersizing our houses, cars, meals and closets, Americans’ buying binge seems to be over. Hung-over and remorseful consumers’ overindulgent days may be behind them. Personal consumption this year might fall to levels not seen since 1942, some economists predict. Personal savings are on the rise, [...]

January 7, 2009

• 2009 Prayer For Our Troops and Safe Return

  We spent part of the Christmas holiday in NYC and took our children to see “ground zero”. It was a profound experience for them, as was seeing the Statue of Liberty and studying the history of Ellis Island and the immigrants that poured into our country by the thousands. We have so much to be [...]

November 19, 2008

• A New President May Not Solve Our Problems

  Today is Tuesday, Nov. 4, Election Day, and I am writing this from Wasilla , Alaska , just a few miles from Sarah Palin’s home.
  I’m here because a good friend of mine, who happens to be a very good friend of Sarah Palin, invited my wife and I and several other couples from around the [...]

November 18, 2008

• Merrill Lynch Shootout in Naples – Pairings Set!

  Pairings set for the 2008 Merrill Lynch Shootout!
  Tournament Host Greg Norman recently announced 12 dynamic
  partnerships that will compete in Naples ’ only PGA TOUR stop!
   Greg Norman & CamiloVillegas
   Scott Hoch & Kenny Perry
    
   Woody Austin & Mark Calcavecchia
   J.B. Holmes & Boo Weekley
   Paul Azinger & Rocco Mediate
   Zack Johnson & Scott Verplank
    
   Stewart Cink & Fred Couples
   Jerry Kelly & Steve [...]

November 16, 2008

• Naples, Italy Art and Reality

  “See Naples and die.” The old adage has taken on a sinister meaning: Instead of the glories of what once was Europe’s third-largest city, it now evokes unhealthy sanitation and organized crime.
  Mimmo Jodice, one of the grand old men of Italian photography, who was born in Naples and taught at the academy there, has often [...]

November 8, 2008

• How to Generate Property Buyer Leads on Internet

  The biggest difference between this recession and the last is the importance of natural search rankings.  Agents that rank highly for phrases that have intent to purchase have a much better chance of survival than those that do not.   Here are some tips:
  Unless you have an old, established site that already ranks well, don’t try [...]

October 30, 2008

• Naples Resident Sets World Fishing Record

  Joanna Forszpaniak of Naples is now a world record holder in fishing.
  She set a world record in the 2-pound tippet category by catching a 2-pound, 6-ounce bonefish while fly fishing July 27 off Andros Island in the Bahamas.
  Her husband, Dr. Jan Forszpaniak, and a guide witnessed the catch, which the International Game Fish Association approved [...]

October 28, 2008

• Naples Equestrian Captures Five Titles

  Naples equestrian Jennifer Bate and her horse Mytoi Bask W +// traveled over 2,500 miles to Regina, Saskatchewan, to compete in the 51st Annual Canadian National Arabian and Half-Arabian Championships “The Royal Red.” Each year the Royal Red attracts more than riders from across the United States and Canada who have qualified for the premier [...]

October 25, 2008

• New Home Design Trends

  Katherine Salant, nationally syndicated columnist and author of The Brand-New House Book, says houses designed with both a master and second bedroom on the first floor have become the most popular because they appeal to all age groups. Young couples use the second bedroom as a nursery. Middle-age couples use it to keep aging parents [...]

September 22, 2008

• America Goes Green

  There has been a major rise in the number of American homes having green roofs put onto their homes.
  Green roofs are vegetated layers that sit on top of the conventional roof surfaces of a building. Intensive green roofs are composed of relatively deep substrates and can support a wide range of plant types, from trees [...]

September 7, 2008

• Your Real Estate Website Optimization Tips

  Write down all the objections to a sale you have ever come across. Look at your website. Do you address these objections? Your website is effectively another sales person. The more objections you overcome, the more leads you will generate. Waiting for your Cat to Bark is great book on this subject.
  The biggest objection to [...]

July 21, 2008

• Calling All Fisherman-The Back County Classic Returns

  The second half of the Colusa Catch and Release Tournament, which will end up at the the Caloosa Grand Championship. Teams compete to be among the top three for a pot of up to $15,000 plus great prizes like tournament gear, cash, open bar during the tournament, dinners, and more.

  Location: Port of the Islands Resort [...]

May 19, 2008

• A Green Tip

  Did you know? Swapping 16 incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) saves emissions equivalent to taking a car off the road for a year.

April 9, 2008

• Accelerated Networking Luncheon- Arrowhead Golf Club

  Use your lunch hour as effectively as possible.  This luncheon provides you with the opportunity to meet other local professionals and let them meet YOU! You make business contacts, add to your referral business, and build stronger relationships in the community. You must be pre-registered to attend this event.  Pre-registration ends April 25th. Where:Arrowhead Club2205 Heritage [...]

January 15, 2008

• Want to Go Green? Try these Simple Steps

  We all want to do our part to help the environment. Authors Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen have made it simple in “The Green Book.” With tips from celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Will Ferrell, and TODAY’s own Tiki Barber. Here they offer some more simple tips for going green:
  Home
  The big picture
  There are about 1.6 [...]