All Blog Entries by Dan Boyle

Happy New Year everybody! 2013 is here and 2012 is now in the record books.  Today, I'm going to open the Marco Island MLS record book and share some stats with you on what can only be described as an incredible year.  Prices are up. Volume is up. Spirits are up.  The market has turned around solidly.

Over the last few years, we all have been attempting to read the tea leaves to determine when the bottom of the market had been finally reached.  From early 2006 until 2009,  we watched the Florida real estate market free-fall.  Prices plummeted.  Foreclosures skyrocketed.  There seemed to be no bottom. Finally in mid-2009, the free-fall subsided and prices have started to stabilize slightly but still were creeping lower.  Any tiny spike was proclaimed

There is a new top dog on Buymarco.com.  This time it's a beach condo, but not just any beach condo.  There is a great unit for sale in Tradewinds at a great price.  This two bedroom / two bath is priced at only $245,900.  That's a steal for a beachfront condo on Marco Island and it won't last long.

Tradewinds is one of the most picturesque condos on Marco Beach.  It was built in 1972 so it's one of the originals.  The red roof is somewhat of a land mark and makes Tradewinds stand out from the other highrises.  Many people think the building was constructed at an angle to the beach to be perfectly aimed at the sunset but this is not the case.  It was actually a blunder that was corrected on the fly. 

You see, the Mackle Brothers who developed Marco

Where in the world can you buy a two bedroom / two bath condo with a boat dock ($400 per year) and immediate Gulf access for less than $200,000?  Marco Island - that's where. But Marco Island is expensive, right? Not any more.  The real estate market in Florida appears to have started to inch up from the bottom but the bargains are still all over the island.  This is one of them.  This very condo sold for $510,000 in 2005.

Sounds pretty good, doesnt it?  But it gets better.  This condo has great water views and a screened lanai.  There is a swimming pool, a fishing pier, and is close to some of Marco Island's most popular restaurants.

Located on the north side of the Island in the Old Marco section, Marco Inn Villas is located right where you want

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.