All Blog Entries by Dan Boyle

Wow! It's been quite a year for vacant lots on Marco Island.  The market, in general, has been strong all summer long.  Median prices are up for homes, condos, and lots but the stand-out statistic is the volume of lots sold.  So far this year, we've sold 196 lots.  Last year by this time, we had sold 107.  That's an 83% increase!  It's incredible.

To what can we attribute this incredible demand?  Well, construction died in Florida a few years ago.  If you live in Florida, you're probably aware of a couple of neighborhoods that are still ghost towns to this day.  New home construction came to such an abrupt halt in 2007 that some homes were even left half-built.  Builders were going bankrupt under heavy debt loads that could no longer be supported by

December 7, 2012 is a day that will live in imfamy. No,not really.  It's just another beautiful day here in paradise - blue skies and about 80 degrees.  Today, though, I wanted to talk about a listing that is getting a lot of attention on our website, BuyMarco.com. Our "Hot Listing of the Week" is this condo in San Marco Villas II.  It's a two bedroom, one-and-a-half bath unit with some luxurious upgrades and it's priced at only $149,900.

San Marco Villas is located just off San Marco Road right in the middle of the island.  It was built in 1985 and makes for a great first or second home or investment property.  The monthly maintenance fee is very reasonable at only $365 and taxes last year on this unit were only $1342.  The property is convenient to

BREAKING NEWS!  The Remax franchise on Marco Island has been purchased!  We are now Remax Affinity Plus.  This change is not only exciting for all of the agents but it means great things for all of our customers. We are now part of a large group of Remax offices from Port Charlotte south through Naples and now Marco.

Our new owners are absolute rock stars of Florida real estate.  Remax Anchor of Charlotte County and Remax Affinity of Naples and Bonita Springs have combined forces and purchased the Marco Island franchise.  Remax Anchor won top honors in the Remax system worldwide in 2009.  Success like this relies a philosophy of customer service that is top-knotch.

For current sellers that were listed with the old Remax, your listings will

This week's most popular listing on BuyMarco.com is in one of the original beach condos on Marco Island - Sunset House North.  Sunset House and its sister to its north were built 1969.  The Mackle brothers built Emerald Beach and then moved onto these.  In fact, they designated a penthouse in Sunset House for none other than President Richard Nixon.  Ultimately, he took one they had built on Key Biscayne instead.

Even though Sunset House is now beyond its 40th birthday, you would never know it by looking at its condition.  Like most Marco Island beach condos, these are meticulously maintained from top to bottom.  The mature landscaping is stunning and the views are second to none.

The unit that has topped the list this week is a one bedroom / one

The most popular listing this week on BuyMarco.com is also the least expensive condo available on the island right now. Can you imagine owning a condo on Marco Island for less than $40,000. Well, now you can. This one bedroom / one bath condo located in Marco Manor is a steal! It is a short sale that was just listed a few days ago and it won't last long.

Marco Manor is located on Hartley Avenue in the heart of Marco Island, Florida.  It is within walking distance to fine shops and restaurants.  There is a big, oval swimming pool out back.  It really is a fantastic bargain at $39,900.  The monthly mainteance fee is $220 and covers insurance, pest control, lawn and landscaping maintenance and trash removal.

Only one other 1 bedroom unit has sold in

A skydiving friend of ours was paralyzed in an accident almost ten years ago.  His name is Chris Colwell.  He is paralyzed from the chest down and has very little arm function. Well, his power wheelchair has just about reached the end of its life.  The tilt functions have failed and are no longer repairable.  Electric tilt allows a quadriplegic to regulate blood pressure which fluctuates wildly all day long.  It also helps prevent pressure sores which heal very slowly.

The main reason I'm writing this post is to help Google find and "index" Chris' donation site with a couple of links.  If, however, you've happened upon this while searching for Marco Island Real Estate, feel free to visit Chris' page and donate.  You'll be helping out one of the good

Admiralty House on Marco Beach got a facelift a few months ago and looks fantastic!  This condo is one of the classic favorites on Marco Island.  Its familiar vertical blue stripes can be seen for miles. With the recent improvements, it's a great time to buy or sell.  Buyers can enjoy the upgrades and sellers can compete better in the market.

Built in 1972 by the Mackle brothers, the Admiralty House looks brand new now thanks to a complete remodelling of the lobby and all of the hallways.  The lobby received a new stone tile floor that is stunning.  The color scheme was changed to what I would describe as "sophisticated tropical."  The sliding entry door was replaced.  The walls were repainted throughout and the hallways received new carpet.

The luxury condo market on Marco Island is warming up.  Sales were brisk all summer and now we're seeing prices climb, too.  For buyers, this means that the bottom of the market is likely behind us but prices are still cheap historically.  For sellers, it means they aren't facing so many low-ball offers these days. 

Occaisionally, it seems like some condominiums enjoy a temporary spike in popularity.  Lately, condos in Cape Marco like Cozumel and Belize have been getting a lot of attention from buyers.  Sales have been zipping along despite prices starting at a million bucks and going up substantially from there.  There are other properties that haven't gotten the same attention but whose time to shine has come.  Summit House, located right in the

With the easy access to statistics that the internet provides, buyers and sellers are more informed than ever before.  Everybody is familiar with Zillow, Trulia, and KW.com.  While these are all good sources of information, their statistics aren't that reliable or timely.  For the real information, contact The Boyle Team and we'll give you the true stats, straight from the Marco Island MLS.

Case in point - Have you seen what happened to Marco Island condo prices in the third quarter anywhere on the internet?  There was a spike in the price graph that is very interesting.  The median selling price for condos shot up over 18% when compared to the same period in 2011.  The mean price climbed over 14%.

What caused this and what does this mean going

The most viewed listing this week on BuyMarco.com is one in Smokehouse Bay Club priced at $170,000.  Smokehouse Bay is one of the most picturesque bays on Marco Island.  It is surrounded by luxury, waterfront homes and condos and marinas.  Smokehouse Bay Club is a low-rise condominium that is comprised of both waterfront and inland condos.  It is located within a short walking distance to shopping and dining on Collier yet it's quiet and peaceful.

This particular unit is has two bedrooms and two baths.  Its floorplan is efficient and roomy.  The amenities at Smokehouse Bay are great including two swimming pools, one of which overlooks the bay.

This weeks most popular listing is actually not the least expensive in the community.  There is one unit