Cape Coral Florida's Real Estate Guide

Cape Coral residents have many opportunities to experience all the city has to offer. Every Saturday, there is always something fun to see or do. You can head out for a picnic at one of the city's many parks or you can get a tan on its beautiful beaches. The City of Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Department also knows how to entertain the city of Cape Coral. Various events, such as the Cape Coral Festival of the Arts, bring the city's residents together and are fun for the whole family. This Saturday, October 11^th is no exception. Here are some great events to enjoy this weekend in Cape Coral.

The Guardian Angels for Special Populations is holding their 2^nd Annual Golf Fundraiser at Palmetto Pine Country Club. Teams of four will play to raise money to increase awareness of developmental disabilities and special populations. There is a $90 entry fee per golfer. The event begins at 8:30am and goes until 3:30pm. For more information, contact Al or Sara at Special Populations-(239) 574-0574.

The Tony Rotino Senior Center is having its monthly indoor flea market from 8:00am to 12:00pm on Saturday. This is a great place to unload all of your unwanted items or pick up some nice stuff for a bargain, all in the comfort of the air-conditioning. If you are looking to sell items, there is a $20 fee per 8 ft. table. Otherwise, it is free to come and explore. Call (239) 574-0807 for more information.

In celebration of Columbus Day, The local branch of The Sons of Italy and the Downtown Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency have partnered up to hold the Columbus Day Parade and an Italian Food Feast.  The parade begins at 5:00pm at SE 9^th Place, traveling east on SE 47^th Terrace, and ending at Vincennes Blvd. The Italian Food Feast begins at 4:00pm and goes until 10:00pm, featuring food, games, and entertainment. Call Linda Biondi for parade information at (239) 542-2254.

When selling your Cape Coral home, you will have many decisions to make. The most important decision you will face is choosing the right Cape Coral realtor to sell your home for you. The next biggest decision will lie in choosing the appropriate price for your home. In today's real estate market, you cannot afford to choose the wrong price for your home. Price your home too high and it will sit on the market forever. Price it too low and you will lose money in the transaction. This is what makes home pricing a true art form. 

Employing the right realtor in the sale of your Cape Coral home will make a huge difference when pricing your home. A knowledgeable realtor will perform a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) on your property. A CMA contains information on active, pending, sold and cancelled listings in your area.

• Active listings let you know what properties you will be competing with when your home officially goes on the market.
• Pending listings aren't really good for property price comparison but they do indicate the direction of the market.
• Sold listings are really where the comparison comes into play. Look for sold listings that have comparable features to your home and you can see what price they sold for.
• Cancelled listings can give you an indication of what not to do when pricing your home. Most of the time listings are cancelled because they were priced too high, but there are other reasons like seller's remorse and unfulfilled repair requests.

Using this information, you can compare your home to homes that are like yours. Take into consideration the age, square footage and location of your Cape Coral home and find recently sold listings that are similar to it. This will indicate a good price point for your home.

Be realistic when choosing a price for your home. A CMA is an important tool and it is wise to use this information to your advantage, even if you think you could get more money for your home. Like I mentioned before, if you price your property too high, your home will sit on the market. Instead of eventually taking your home off the market because it didn't sell or selling your home for much less than it is worth, heed the CMA and price your home competitively to other homes in the area. You will be glad you did!

Home Pricing Resources:

Pricing Houses to Sell by Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com

FREE Online Property Value Wizard

Yahoo! Real Estate Pricing Checklist

In today's market, it is necessary for sellers to make their home stand out from the rest. Buyers have so many options available that sellers need to do everything they can to make their home look and feel the very best it can. Here are 5 helpful tips to get you started in preparing your Cape Coral home for sale:

Thoroughly Clean Your Home

Take the time to clean every square inch of your home, inside and out. Making sure your home is spotless is a surefire way to increase your home's overall appeal. Scrub the tubs, wash every window, and make your kitchen appliances sparkle. While cleaning, take the time to organize closets and kitchen cabinets. They will be opened by potential buyers and you want to make sure they don't find any skeletons in your closet. Straighten up clothes and shoes in bedroom closets. Neatly arrange food items in kitchen cabinets. Taking this step will not only enhance the appearance of your home but help you to appear thoughtful in the care of your home. Both are highly desired by Cape Coral home buyers!

Make All Minor Repairs

Have a leaky faucet? Is your bedroom door knob broken? Got an unpatched hole in the wall? These and any other repairs that you may have been putting off must be addressed prior to the sale of your home. Leaving this type of repair undone can severely detract from the desirable aspects of your home. If you are worried about the cost of these repairs, learn how to do it yourself. This will save you money and your efforts will be rewarded when you sell your Cape Coral home!

Paint!

To instantly transform the interior of your home, paint the walls using neutral colors. This is especially important if you have used an unusual or unpopular color in the past. The goal is to have your home appeal to as many people as possible and this is an important way to do just that. By having all of your home's walls painted in a neutral color, it gives buyers a blank canvas to allow them to imagine what they might do if they owned the home. Visit your local Home Depot or Lowe's store to consult with a specialist to find the perfect paint to attract potential buyers.

Clear Away the Clutter

Pack away unnecessary items in your home to give it a clean and open effect. If you have lived in your home a number of years or if you are highly attached to your knick knacks, you may find this hard to do. Try thinking of this as pre-packing for when your home is sold, since that is the goal, right? You want potential buyers to envision their belongings in the home, not be focused on yours. Leave the rooms in your home with minimal furnishings and personal items. Consider renting a storage unit for the items you have packed or bring the storage unit to you with a company like PODS. This will get you and your home ready for the final sale!

Enhance Your Home's Curb Appeal

The outside of your home is just as important as the inside. Make your potential buyer's first impression of your home a good one and straighten up the exterior of your home. Make sure the lawn is mowed and that any bushes or trees in your yard are properly pruned. Take a moment to sweep your front step and the sidewalk. Greet your buyers with a new doormat and some strategically placed shrubs near the door. You can get some additional landscaping ideas from About.com. This will make your Cape Coral home likeable from the outside and give buyers more interest in seeing the inside.

If you enjoy the finer things in life, look no further than Cape Coral for your next real estate purchase. With its warm, tropical climate, Cape Coral is truly paradise all year round. Cape Coral is located in Southwest Florida, right on the Gulf Coast nestled between Sarasota and Naples. It is convenient to major highways and the Southwest Florida International Airport for all of your travel needs. It is also within 20 minutes of the world-renowned beaches of Sanibel and Captiva Islands, making it the perfect location for your next home.

For your exquisite dining and entertainment tastes, Cape Coral and its surrounding cities of Fort Myers, Bonita Springs and Estero are home to classy, upscale establishments that are sure to please. One example is Cape Harbour, a yachting community located in Cape Coral. Located on the waterfront are four fantastic yet different dining experiences. Check out the offerings at Cape Harbour here. Also nearby is the Golf Harbour Golf & Country Club. Featuring a first class golf course, pool/tennis facilities, and a fabulous restaurant, it is a great all-in-one destination for the family. For more information about Golf Harbour, click here.

To learn more about the area, use the links below to view the community websites for Cape Coral and its surrounding cities:

Cape Coral Online

Bonita Springs Online

Fort Myers Online

Fort Myers Beach Online

Sanibel & Captiva Online

Like what you see? Want to view luxury properties in Cape Coral? Use the links below to view some of the many luxury homes available in Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Estero, and Fort Myers.

Cape Coral Luxury Homes

Bonita Springs Luxury Homes

Estero Luxury Homes

Fort Myers Luxury Homes

Didn't find exactly what you are looking for? Use the property search here to find properties that fit all of your wants and needs. If you would like to view one of the properties you have seen here or would like assistance to find your perfect Cape Coral luxury home, contact me today! I look forward to assisting with all of your luxury real estate needs!

If you are considering the purchase of a new Cape Coral home, it is important to know and research all of your financing options. The majority of people do not have the resources available to purchase a property outright, so obtaining a home loan is necessary. There are a variety of mortgages to choose from and you should weigh carefully the pros and cons of each. Find the mortgage that fits your budget and future financial plans so that you can avoid trouble down the road. Let's take a look at two of the most well-known mortgage types out there today.

Fixed Rate Mortgages

A fixed rate mortgage is a home loan where the interest rate remains the same for the life of the loan. This type of loan is also known as a conventional mortgage. Loan terms vary, however 15 and 30 year terms are the most common. Fixed rate mortgages often require large down payments, usually equal to 20% of the loan amount. They also require good credit, especially now during the current credit crisis.

Although the qualifications for this type of mortgage may seem strict, fixed rate mortgages are a safe, smart way to make a Cape Coral home purchase. Click here for more information on fixed rate mortgages.

Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM)

As the name implies, an adjustable rate mortgage is a loan where the interest rate may fluctuate during the life of the loan. This type of loan is responsible for many of the foreclosures we see in the real estate market today. Why? People took out this type of loan when rates were low, expecting to sell or refinance before rates increased. When their plans did not come to fruition, their mortgage payments inflated to an amount that they could not afford, forcing them to foreclose. This type of loan was popular with the buyers who had subprime credit as they were only able to qualify for an adjustable rate mortgage. An adjustable rate mortgage requires a significantly lower down payment than a fixed rate mortgage, but you have to be prepared for rate changes that can impact your monthly payment. Read more about adjustable rate mortgages here.

There are other ways to fund the purchase of Cape Coral real estate. For those people who want the perks of a fixed rate mortgage but cannot qualify directly through banks or other financial institutions, you might want to consider looking into a FHA-insured mortgage. Additionally, if you are currently serving or have served in the United States military, you may qualify for a VA home loan. These two types of mortgages are designed to make the American dream of owning a home a reality and they can make the dream of a beautiful Cape Coral home come true for you too.