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Courtesy of Waterstone Resorts
A Bonita Springs vacation offers plenty of opportunities for relaxation and adventure. The gorgeous soft white sands and sparkling gulf waters provide the perfect backdrop for a calm day of lounging on the beach, soaking up the sun and splashing around in the warm gulf waters.
Waterstone Resorts offers numerous Bonita Springs vacation rentals from condominiums to vacation homes. When you’re ready to get out and play, the area’s championship golf courses, tennis courts and water sports are ready to accommodate you. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, and kayaking in the maritime wilderness of the area’s state parks and nature centers.
Now through March 31st, get 20% off rentals with Waterstone Resorts. Check out all available specials including “Book 1 Week, Get the 2nd Week ½ Off”, “A Month at Bonita Beach and Tennis for only $2,999”, and more.
Bonita Beach is the ideal location for a mini-vacation. These beach and tennis units are perfect for staycations or weekend trips.
Visit WaterstoneResorts.com for vacation rentals in Bonita Springs, Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach, Naples and Sanibel Island this spring and summer.
NAPLES, FL, July 28 – REALTOR Magazine, in its annual report of the nation’s top 100 companies, today announced that John R. Wood Realtors ranked 14th in closed sales per agent. Compiled for the year 2009, the report gave the company an overall ranking of 89th in the nation with $942 million in sales, regardless of company size, number of agents, or geographic location.
“And that number is only for closed sales,” noted Phil Wood, president. “When we include those sales not yet closed at year end, our 2009 total was $1.1 billion, just shy of a three percent increase over last year.” (see Fact Sheet)
Wood cited their award-winning sales and administrative staff for the firm’s “excellent performance in a tough market,” but also credited the company’s ongoing enhancements to its numerous websites and its presence on social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube.
“Buyers need to be able to search all properties, see all open houses, and set up automatic notifications when a hot property comes on the market.”
Founded in 1957, John R. Wood Realtors is Southwest Florida’s oldest real estate firm. The company represents over 2,000 clients annually through its 250 agents and its 100 staff in eight offices, which allow them to serve the areas from Marco Island to Sanibel/Captiva. In addition, the company’s Research Department delivers current market statistics, analysis and projections through its monthly statistical reports to interested parties throughout the nation. Reports are public and are available on request by Emailing customer service at jrw@JohnRWood.com.
JOHN R. WOOD REALTORS FACT SHEET
FOUNDED: 1958 in Naples, FL by John R. Wood
SALES: $1.103 billion (2009)
$1.074 billion (2008)
$1.25 billion (2007)
$1.2 billion (2006)
$ 2.67 billion (2005)
$ 1.8 billion (2004)
$ 1.035 billion (2003)
EMPLOYEES: Total: 250 Sales Associates; 100 Administrative Staff
PERFORMANCE: $2.67 billion (2005) or nearly $9.9 million per agent (270 agents in 2005), almost nine times the national average of $1.12 million. This ranked John R. Wood agents as #1 in North America in sales per agent for 2005.
For 2009, the company achieved its seventh of $1+ billion in sales, ranking 14th in sales per agent in the nation while achieving an overall ranking of 89th with $942 million in closed sales.
OFFICES: John R. Wood Realtors has six offices in southwest Florida serving over __ clients per year from Sanibel/Captiva to Marco Island. Its Administrative Center is located at the corner of Goodlette Road and Immokalee Road in Naples.
SERVICES/
AFFILIATIONS: Comprehensive Residential and Commercial Real Estate Services, marketing through closing.
Affiliation with Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate – a worldwide group of luxury brokers, allowing JRW to attract luxury buyers worldwide.
Exclusive southwest Florida member of Leading Estates, an international network of brokers specializing in luxury properties throughout the U.S.
Realty Alliance – 61 of the largest brokers in the nation. Almost all of the Realty Alliance companies, including JRW, have annual sales in excess of $1 billion.
Member, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (formerly RELO) – world’s largest independent referral network with 5,000 offices, 145,000 agents, and annual sales over $400 billion.
Affiliated with Element Funding, a regional mortgage company with access to hundreds of lenders throughout the nation.
Apprenticeship Program: A John R. Wood exclusive designed to assist new sales agents with ongoing training and mentoring by one of the company’s veteran agents.
Publisher, Estate Lifestyles of SW Florida, a quarterly magazine aimed at the million dollar plus market, with appropriate feature stories and properties.
Publisher, HomeLook - a monthly tabloid , featuring news and trends in the Southwest Florida real estate market.
SALES AGENT
REQUIREMENTS: To become a realtor with John R. Wood, an person must demonstrate a track record of success in residential sales or score well in aptitude tests. This helps maintain a veteran sales force that is particularly experienced in the legal, valuation, and negotiation aspects of the real estate business. On occasion, an experienced person moving to southwest Florida from another state, or even a novice who appears to have outstanding potential, may be offered a sales position. John R. Wood Realtors has a two person training department that works extensively with candidates to help them achieve the same level of knowledge as their veteran colleagues.
COMMITMENT: Realtors from the Wood firm are actively involved in their communities, working for and financially supporting over 75 charities, youth programs, and community organizations throughout the southwest Florida area.
DISTINCTION: Service: One of the oldest residential real estate firms in southwest Florida, John R. Wood Realtors consistently earns a customer satisfaction index of 99 percent, among the highest in the industry nationwide.
Marketing Innovation: John R. Wood Realtors is responsible for numerous innovations in the marketing and sale of southwest Florida properties, including its ownership of dozens of websites, e.g., PortRoyal.net, to promote upscale Naples area properties over the Internet – in addition to its primary company website. They also have specialized web sites, such as one designed to help purchasers locate the ten best values in a given neighborhood on in the entire market, based on price per square foot, www.10MostWanted.com .
In 1982, the company was among the first brokerages in the nation to recognize the strategic value of market specialization, as they focused on the luxury market, using the famous marketing book Positioning, The Battle for your Mind as a guide and role model.
While some companies have property catalogs, the Wood firm took the concept to a whole new level, publishing a full scale magazine devoted to the luxury market. Estate Lifestyles of SW Florida is the only publication of its type in the area and perhaps in the entire U.S.
Technology Innovation: The Wood firm remains on the cutting edge of real estate technology with its IT team focused on training and support as it also explores numerous efficiency methods to make the purchase and sale processes most efficient and effective.
An example is the company telephone system which allows a seamless call transfer environment. For instance, a receptionist at any John R. Wood office can transfer a call to another office, a home, or a cell phone, as if they were using the intercom to send the call to someone sitting 50 feet away in the same building.
The company is in the process of implementing new on-line community software, internal and accessible only for John R. Wood personnel. The new software (from Telligent) will allow agents and staff to share a variety of information, have on-line forum discussions, and help increase professionalism via education and resource consolidation on the system.
The company is already one of the few in the area to offer on-line training for the agents, accessible for them to view at any hour of the night or day.
Leadership: John R. Wood Realtors urges its management and staff to become involved in their community as well as in Realtor leadership organizations with its personnel serving in key leadership positions such as President of the National Association of Realtors, President of the Florida Association of Realtors, President of the local Boards of Realtors, and President of the Women’s Council of Realtors.
SOURCES: National Association of Realtors: www.nar.realtor.com\research
United States Census Bureau: www.census.gov/acsd/www/sub_h.htm
WEBSITE: www.JohnRWood.com
By Alysia Shivers of John R. Wood Realtors
NAPLES, FL (July 7, 2010) - In real estate, existing resale home inventory is a leading indicator in determining the health of a market. Typically, a balanced real estate market is approximately twelve months of inventory. Yet, when the economy took a dive a few years ago, inventory skyrocketed as homes sat on the market for long periods of time, leaving many Naples’ and Bonita Springs’ neighborhoods with several years worth of resales.
Today, however, as sales increase, inventories in many neighborhoods are teetering on the edge of being healthy.
Take for instance Bay Colony whose single-family homes and condominiums have experienced a considerable drop in inventory. This time last year, Bay Colony was reporting 2.5 years worth of single-family homes and 2.6 years of condos. Today, the market is close to being balanced, with inventory that is down to just under one year and 1.4 years, respectively.
While significant, other communities like The Colony at Pelican Landing, with 14 current listings and 10 closed sales in the past 12 months, have seen astounding changes in inventory, from 11 years worth of single-family homes a year ago to 1.4 years today and 3.1 years of condos in 2009 compared to 1.1 years in 2010.
The Vineyards has also experienced an amazing recovery from 3.1 years of single-family homes in 2009 to 1.1 years in 2010. Similarly, Pelican Bay condos have seen a huge drop down to 1.2 years compared with 5.7 years worth in 2009.
Savvy buyers taking advantage of the low interest rates and competitive prices continue to absorb Southwest Florida’s existing inventory. For example, 267 waterfront properties have sold in the last 12 months in Park Shore, The Moorings and Seagate versus 161 sales the 12 months prior.
Not every community is as fortunate, but throughout Naples and Bonita Springs the majority of neighborhoods are showing a substantial drop in inventory in 2010, which bodes well for Southwest Florida.
John R. Wood Realtors is the oldest real estate company in Southwest Florida with 53 years of experience in the market. They have eight offices stretching from Naples thru Sanibel, and employ 350 agents and staff. The John R. Wood Research Department produces monthly statistical reports that provide market knowledge for agents and customers in the Naples, Bonita, and Estero areas.
Courtesy of: Gulf Coast International Properties
By Laura Layden of The Naples News
"....In January, a Gulf-front estate at 4200 Gordon Drive in Port Royal sold for $16.7 million. It was originally listed at $23 million in July 2009.
The Mediterranean-style house, built in 2002, spans more than 12,000 square feet. It has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The buyer’s agent on that sale was Gulf Coast International Properties in Naples. Since Jan. 1, the boutique firm in downtown Naples – with nine agents – has handled nearly $70 million in sales, mostly in Port Royal, making it one of the most active in the elite neighborhood...."
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Courtesy of Tim Savage of Gulf Coast International Properties
NAPLES, FL – Gulf Coast International Properties is proud to announce the sale of 700 Kings Town Drive in Port Royal for $13 million, signifying its second transaction closing for more than 10 million in less than a month. Standing at more than 9400 square feet with breathtaking views on Morgan’s Cove, this Mediterranean-style estate was built to the most exacting of standards with a limitless budget. Too numerous to elaborate here, the countless amenities, captivating sunsets and glorious finishes make 700 Kings Town Drive the finest example of Southwest FL living.
For more information about this property or the Naples luxury market, feel free to contact Tim Savage of Gulf Coast International Properties at 239.434.2558. Visit us online anytime at www.gcipnaples.com.
More about Gulf Coast International Properties
Live Exceptionally. Naples, FL.
This simple phrase is the guiding principal of Gulf Coast International Properties, one of the premiere luxury real estate firms in Southwest Florida. While we continue to set sales records, our focus remains solely on our discerning clientele and connecting them with the exceptional. With over 70 years of combined full time real estate experience in Naples, the professionals of GCIP can offer our clients an unparalleled level of knowledge and insight into the Naples luxury marketplace. Our firm also matches unrivaled client services with an uncompromising integrity that provides clients with invaluable peace of mind. Finally, our innovative local, national and international marketing strategy successfully unites exceptional properties with the exceptional people around the world. In the end, that is why our clients live exceptionally.
Located in the heart of Olde Naples at 1144 3rd Street South. Visit us online anytime at www.gcipnaples.com.
By Brad Johnson of Gulf Coast International Properties
The Captain’s Quarters – Port Royal - Naples, Florida - $14,135,000
The brokerage of Gulf Coast International Properties is proud to announce one of the largest new construction single lot home sales in Southwest Florida at $14,135,000 million. Tim and Pete Savage brokered the record-setting deal in Naples, Florida for this stunning home located at 3900 Rum Row in Port Royal. This sale represents what has been an outstanding summer season for GCIP, a boutique real estate brokerage focused on Naples’ super luxury market. For more information on GCIP or our properties, please visit us online anytime at www.gcipnaples.com.
More on The Captain’s Quarters/ 3900 Rum Row/ Port Royal / Naples, Florida:
Absolutely STUNNING views from this incredible new home. Infused with the architectural flare of the British West Indies, Jeff Harrell has brought the romance of the islands to the shores of Port Royal. Designed with an understated elegance in mind, and decorated to enhance the home's open floor plan. Highlights include, gated entry to motor court, 4 car garage, all block construction, fully furnished, concrete floating dock, gracious loggias with retractable screens and shutters, cabana and an incredible pool/spa. The Captain's Quarters. Penned by Harrell & Co. Architects, built by BCB Homes, decorated and furnished by Godfrey Design Consultants, Inc. and masterfully harmonized by Alan Fraser Homes Corp.
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