dick dohack

Mediterra Naples – Community of the Month

This month we turn our attention to Mediterra as our community of the month. Mediterra stands tall among the most elite communities in Naples. The lush, manicured landscape and more than one thousand acres dedicated to golf and preserve make it a truly special place. Bonita Bay Group, with their reputation for first class developments, pulled out all the stops when they established this amazing place.

At the center of any world class community is the golf course and Mediterra boasts not one but two 18 hole Tom Fazio designed courses. Not only are these courses challenging to the golfer, but they are trophies to the environmental community as well. The Club at Mediterra has been certified as the world’s first 36 hole Audubon International Silver Signature Sanctuary.

Not to be outdone, the tennis crowd has their own facilities to boast about. Six and soon to be eight Har-Tru courts and a top rated tennis program round out the mix. In addition there is a state of the art fitness center featuring every type of equipment you need to get into shape. In the event you overdo it, a trip to the spa and their professional therapists will soothe those overworked muscles. Rounding out the fitness center are the outdoor heated pool, the sauna, and the Enrichment center offering classes in health and nutrition.

Last and certainly not least is the Beach Club. Located just 20 minutes away on the glistening Gulf of Mexico, it is a first class escape from the day to day stresses we all run into. This private beach club features valet parking, a restaurant, bar, locker rooms, a swimming pool, and private cabanas for your beachside relaxation.

Join our growing list of clients who have come to find out that Mediterra is not only beautiful but relaxed and friendly as well. Call us today for a personal tour of this unique and wonderful community.  Homes in Mediterra fall into three classifications, coach homes, detached villas, and single family homes. Coach homes currently start at $439k+, villas at $700k+ and single family homes at $750k+. Call us today at 239-963-4811 for a personal tour of this unique and wonderful community.

OR, you can visit the community website at http://LiveInMediterra.com.

 

dick dohack

Clearly This Would Not Have Happened Without Your Involvement.

“Hi Dick,

Thanks again for your help in purchasing our home in Gateway, Fort Myers.  You made the “home buying” experience an efficient and pleasant one.

From the beginning you impressed us with your knowledge of the market, organizational ability, interpersonal skills and overall professionalism. Initially we covered a lot of territory and saw many homes; because you’re observant and a good listener it became clear to us that you had knew exactly what we were looking for.  After our initial inability to reach a deal on our first offer, we remained confident even after we left Fort Myers for Massachusetts that we would still make something happen this year.  And, of course, we did!

As a result of your professionalism, we felt comfortable with you and trusted your instincts about the property that we finally purchased (for us, sight unseen.)  We believe that says a great deal about your skills as a realtor and also about your ability to work hard and effectively with others.  You sent photos via email and did the homework necessary to close the deal in a timely fashion. Clearly, this would not have happened and been such a smooth transaction without your involvement.

So thanks again for taking the time to work with us, and for being a positive and skilled real estate advocate in the purchase of our new home.

dick dohack

Looking Ahead to 2012

Now is the time that we all look back on the year that has passed and forward to the year ahead.  The perspective is different for each of us but one thing is for sure, we all hope to make the upcoming year better than the last.  I am always entertained and refreshed by the optimism professional sports teams have at the beginning of each season.  Why is it, on the other hand, that every news source is obsessed with negativity?  They tell us it is what sells and I suppose that is true. I for one, in my final newsletter of the year, intend to note the negative but dwell on the positive in looking ahead.

The past 7 or 8 years have been marked by extremism in the real estate world.  First, we had the extreme optimism that homes had turned into money machines.  Banks and buyers alike had the attitude that it did not matter who bought or how much they paid.  Everything was predicated on the assumption that values would rise and rise at a rate that would turn even the worst deals into viable transactions.

Along came the bursting of the bubble and we entered the phase of extreme pessimism.  Real estate transactions came to a screeching halt as everyone stepped back and waited for the world to come to an end.  Unfortunately, it did just that for many.  Prices were unrealistically depressed to a point that they were a mere 40% of replacement value and even so, nobody was buying.  Ever so slowly people re-entered the market and homes began to sell, albeit at ridiculously low prices.

I am calling for 2012 to be the year of “Regained Sanity”.    Of course, the news continues to tell us that there is a recovery but that it is lame at best.  We are inundated with news that new housing starts are up but that they are still only a fraction of what they were in 2005.  We are told that housing prices are recovering but ever so slowly.  We will never see the end of negativity but if you take a closer look some of this news is actually encouraging.  I, for one am happy to see a measured recovery as opposed to a dramatic uptick.

Here in Florida, I will tell you as one of the troops on the ground that sanity is returning. According to the December issue of Money Magazine, Fort Myers has seen the highest increase in home values in the country in 2011 at 5.1%.  Fort Myers Florida Weekly recently published an article revealing that the median price for homes sold this year has risen a whopping 28.27%.  This indicates that the bottom feeding has subsided and a normalcy has returned.  The homes that were built for investors who were over extended and went into default were sucked up by new investors positioned to cash in on the opportunity.  Now that this activity has subsided we see more traditional transactions taking place in the vacation and retirement home category. Finally, it is important to note the distinction from the 2 different numbers provided by Money Magazine & Fort Myers Florida Weekly.  One is reporting home values & the other is reporting MEDIAN sales price.

Indeed November numbers appear to indicate that this trend will accelerate now that we are in season.  All of this having been said, values are still extraordinary.  This area was hit hard and fast in the beginning and struggled for a long time but it appears that the low point was about this time one year ago.  I for one am happy to see slow and measured increases in values.  I believe that it is a sign that people have learned a hard lesson and are now being careful in their decision making.  I look forward to this election year when we as Americans have the opportunity to give direction to our country and send signals to Washington about where we want to go.

Brad and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have enriched our lives.  We truly value the relationships we have established in the course of our business and look forward to the New Year with eager anticipation and hope that you do as well.  Above all else we hope that it brings peace, joy, and happiness to you and your family.

Happy New Year,

Dick Dohack

dick dohack

“Professional”… “Dedicated”… “Knowledgeable”… “Integrity”

““Professional”… “Dedicated”… “Knowledgeable”… “Integrity”… A few words Faith and I would use to describe Dick. Successfully purchasing a home in the Naples area required that we were educated in the “new era” real estate market, and Dick was the perfect teacher.

Thanks again.”

-Phil and Faith Sturman

Berkeley Springs, West Virginia

dick dohack

Meeting Dick Dohack was one of the best things that ever happened to me and my wife!!!!

dick dohack

Should I Buy in Fort Myers?

That’s a question I hear all of the time.

As you know I have been studying the real estate market in southwest Florida since arriving here 4 years ago.  I have seen it in its heyday with prices going up daily and devastated from the banking melt down as well.  For the past 1 ½ years I have seen values depreciate by as much as 80% in some cases due to a foreclosure rate approaching 60%.  Like most people, I have been waiting for indications that the market has hit bottom and is starting to return to more realistic levels.  Most experts agree that it is more than 3 months into a rebound.

For the following reasons I believe it is time to take action: Foreclosure inventory has been dramatically reduced

The average sale price has bottomed out and begun to rise

Sales of houses have gone from approximately 250 a month to more than 1400 for  each of the past 3 months

Purchase prices represent about 30 to 40% of the cost of new construction

The rental market is brisk due to property turnover

Investors from around the world are focused on this market.  In July nearly 60% of the sales were cash transactions.

The pace of foreclosures continues to create opportunities for acquisition

It is my belief that this market is creating a once in a lifetime opportunity.  To that end I am creating a Real Estate LLC for the purpose of acquiring, managing, and profitably selling residential properties.  The purpose of this entity is to create an opportunity for individual investors to enter this market without the the exposure of seeking out and managing individual properties yet still capitalize on a unique anomaly in the market and realize profits from 3 to 5 year appreciation.  I am excited about this endeavor and hope that you too will agree and choose to participate.  I have a solid reputation for integrity and for tirelessly working in the best interest of a partnership.  So you asked, “Should I buy in Fort Myers?”  LET’S TAKE ACTION !

Sincerely,

Dick Dohack