If you have never experienced fire ants be glad. They will craw part way up your foot & leg & all bite at the same time. They hurt a lot. They are like tiny little stings. Some people experience swelling skin, others get red dots & some get red bumps with 'stuff' in them. YUCK.

Ok so today I had to meet a well/septic guy at one of my (now pending) properties. The buyer's agent advised that there was a small leaky pipe to be repaired. Ok, no biggie right? WRONG. The entire aerator is FILLED with clumps of ants! The switches have been shorted out because of ANTS. The pump has blown because of, you guessed it, ANTS! He shows me these ants & my skin is CRAWLING. Then we go look at the well & they are all over that too! GROSS. So he empties the aerator & allows it to fill back up with clean water. Nope, there are still ANTS in there - YUCK.

We get the pest control guy out there - this is the WORST CASE OF ANTS HE'S EVER SEEN. GREAT! He treats them with granules on the spot & is coming back later to treat the entire yard all the way down.

Ok, so now I have ant bites on my feet (yes I was wearing sandals - good job, right?)

But now the water is working fine & the ants will be gone soon enough. The new owner will be in & be ant free.

By the way, the house is vacant & BRAND NEW.

Ok, so I got a new listing today too :) Yeah HAPPY FRIDAY everyone!

If you have been waiting on the sidelines to see what the local Cape Coral real estate market may do & you are not in a position to start making offers to buy, a lease option may fit your needs well. If you are not familiar with a lease option, it is fairly easy to understand. I'm going to take you into the lease option now.

First of all, there is a considerable down payment required. Many sellers are requesting 3-5% down (of the purchase price) but we have seen many negotiate lower amounts. This deposit will go towards the purchase price or down payment and/or closing costs when the home is purchased at the end of the lease option term. If you do not follow through & purchase the home, the seller keeps this deposit. It is NON-REFUNDABLE.

The purchase price is locked in at the time of signing the lease option. No one can predict for sure what the house will appraise at in the next year but this is the price regardless of whether the market goes down or up considerably.

Monthly payment. The monthly payment is going to be more than average rents but less than a normal mortgage payment in most cases. Let's just assume the house is $149,900. A mortgage payment with PI (principal & interest) would be around  $1250/month. Renting the same house would be around $900/month. The lease option price is $1100/month with $100 of that being credited each month to the purchase price. Again, if you do not purchase the home at the end of the term all monies paid are non-refundable.

What do you have to do to qualify for a lease option? Well, it is based upon the seller's criteria. Most of my sellers like to see a credit history, rental history &  verified employment. Some do not ask for these things though. Most sellers in this current market also understand that many have lost their own homes due to foreclosure or short sale and will still work with them.

How else does this plan differ from a rental lease? Well, you would be acting as the home owner. You'd be responsible for repairs & upkeep on the home. The seller is NOT your landlord. They are not responsible for thse items. Since you will be buying the house at the end of the term it would behoove you to take excellent care of it regardless.

If you'd like to see properties that are available on a lease with option to buy contact us below and we'll be glad to provide you with more information.

Wondering how much vacant land in Cape Coral is going for?

Off water lots are down to just under $50,000 in some areas. Last year most of our lots were starting just under $90,000! Yes, that hurts if you purchased on the high end last year & wanted to sell this year but if you are holding on for longer term it will be fine.

You see, Cape Coral is growing. We have somewhere around 10,000 people moving here each year. I first moved here in 1994 & watched the city grow so much just in that timeframe. We still have a lot of vacant land here that will provide even more room for growth.

There are many opportunities for freshwater & gulf access building lots as well. Freshwater now starts just under $70,000 (was over $120,000 last year) while some gulf access lots start under $200,000 (were into the $300,000 range last year for most starting).

Some of my favorite vacant Cape Coral land listings are as follows:

3 lot site in NE Cape Coral!

120 x 125 approximate dimensions!

Only $88,000! just reduced to $53,999!

80' x 125'

.23 acres

Standard, buildable lot

NW Cape Coral only $44,800

Slightly oversized 1/4 acre lot next to new shopping center, restaurants & Veterans Memorial Pkwy.

SW 22nd St, Cape Coral, FL

Asking $124,900 - wow - now just $84,800!!!

When did you realize? 

When did you...

Realize that parents do not know everything? What about realize that they may be wrong about a lot of things?

Realize that teachers aren't always right either?

Realize that practically everything that you were raised to know could be wrong?

Realize that we really do learn something new every day?

Realize that life is all about growing & enjoyment?

Realize that children are precious?

Realize that pets are our best friends because no matter what they are always excited to see us & we can never dissapoint them?

Realize that age doesnt matter; its more about who you are & how you feel

Realize that money is a tool

Realize that status is all in your head

Realize that what you thought was your happiness was nothing more than what you thought others thought should be your happiness?

Realize that your mind is a powerful tool

Realize that attitude is a highly important controllable factor

Realize that time is best spent doing what you enjoy with those you enjoy

Realize that tomorrow may never come

Realize that yesterday is gone

Realize that you are loved

Realize that there is more to life than what you can know or can see

Realize that everyone is here for a reason

Realize that everything happens for a reason

Realize that perception is what it is

Realize that some of the smallest moments in life become some of the most important

Realize that you are dieing every day & stop adding to it

Realize that you are someones role model

Realize that we all need someone to look up to

Realize that time is of the essence?

Realize that when we change the way we view the world, the world changes

Realize that people arent here for you to change

Realize that you deserve what makes you happy

Realize that what you put out will come back to you

Realize that its better to love & lost than to have never loved at all

Realize that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile?

Realize that not everyone thinks like you but thats ok?

Realize that nothing is yours

Realize that you cannot control anything but you

Realize that you can be/do anything you can think of

Realize that goals are nothing unless written & put into action

Realize that you will miss every shot you fail to take

Realize that failure is a must to success

Realize that luck is preparation meeting opportunity

Realize that you have just read 40 REALIZATIONS. HA, IF YOU ENJOYED THIS SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE ELSE!

This was in my in-box today - actually sent from my mother. Thought I'd share it with you. Whether you believe in God, something else or nothing, the message is quite clear.

This is a secret we need to wrap our arms around and hold on tight to at the same time that we share it with others.

So I'm at my desk working on a few files getting them ready to close and I'm just noticing what I'm surrounded by.

To my right, actually taped to my cpu is the following:

"People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents." - quote from Andrew Carnegie

That quote reminds me that whether I am educated, skilled, etc. until I actually DO something it doesn't matter. When I have my 'blah' days it makes me get going again.

In front of me on my top shelf it says:

"Your Thoughts & Desires Manifest into Reality"

 Which do you think about?

This reminds me of the always true thought of the "law of attraction". What I think, believe will lead me to actions will lead me to the ultimate outcome I want.

Reminders like these should be placed where you work. Or in your car, or on your refrigerator, whatever.

Do you have any quotes or sayings posted anywhere you'd like to share?