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The 2007 Estero real estate sales statistics for both homes and condominiums are listed below. Estero is ideally located between Ft. Myers and Bonita Springs and is currently in the process of building and developing wherever you travel in the area. Developers are offering every type of community you can imagine, from large gated and planned communities, to smaller town centre type projects where the amenities are built around a self-contained lifestyle.

Estero is one of the last areas to be developed in south Lee County and purchasing property here may be very fortuitous for future owners. Estero offers excellent schools, health care, and of course, year round sunshine. Development in Estero is controlled by Lee County with special amendments for area.…

What Are The Typical characteristics of a Florida Homebuyer?

Based on a review of NAR’s “2007 Profile of Florida Homebuyers", the answers to this question are intriguing and provide real estate professionals many valuable insights into who their potential clients are and what motivates them to buy a home. Having this information is more important than ever in order to understand the changing demands of consumers in today's dynamic marketplace.

Florida Homebuyer Characteristics

• The median age of homebuyers was 43 years old.
• The median income of homebuyers was $67,500.
• 64% of homebuyers reported they had no children under age 18 living in the home.
• 59% of homebuyers were married couples, 21% single females, 12% single males, and 6%…

The 2007 year end Lely Resort real estate market statistics report for both homes and condominiums are listed below. Lely Resort is an upscale gated golf community that includes an amenity rich, sophisticated and luxurious style of living and is considered one of Naples' premier communities.

Lely Resort offers 54 holes of truly championship golf designed by Robert Trent Jones, Lee Trevino and Gary Player with two traditional and expansive country clubs. And, the new 20,000 square foot Player's Club & Spa includes amenities that range from luxurious massage therapy, steam saunas and spa, to state of the art fitness and tennis centers with a resort style pool and artificial beach. For residents convenience and enjoyment, there is also a movie theater and…

The 2007 year end Pelican Landing real estate market statistics report for both homes and condominiums are listed below. Pelican Landing is an upscale gated golf community with excellent amenities and is considered one of Bonita Springs' premier communities.

Pelican Landing distinguishes itself by being the only community in the area to own a private barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico. The island includes a 32 acre beach park that residents have daily access to via a community run boat shuttle service. Residents can also opt for membership in the Pelican's Nest Golf Club. Its two 18 hole Tom Fazio designed golf courses are considered by many as some of the best available here in Southwest Florida.

Pelican Landing Sales Data

Pelican Landing Home…

Two things are for sure in 2008 for the mortgage lending industry; higher borrowing costs and more government regulations. While many say these are the necessary reforms needed to deal with the mortgage debacle of 2007, we see them as the consequences of an industry unwilling to regulate itself. The problem is, the only ones who will truly pay for an industry that ran amok, are the people looking to borrow money to buy a home.

So, in order to right the ship, here are some of the things that will happen, or, are proposed to happen to the industry in 2008. Some are sound changes and should be welcomed. Others are onerous or shortsighted as are most new regulations when the government has to intervene to correct abuses in the marketplace.

Higher Mortgage…

Congress quietly amended the IRS rules governing capital gains taxes on real estate in its final session of the year. The news will come as welcome relief to those who have lost a spouse and face the dilemma of having to sell their home quickly in order to keep their $500,000 exemption.

Under the old guidelines, a surviving spouse had to sell their home by the end of the year in order to keep their entire $500,000 tax exemption intact. While in most cases, they still would not owe any capital gains taxes because they inherit the property under what is known as a "stepped up" basis, many widowers still felt pressured to have to deal with selling their homes during their time of grief.

Under the new rules, surviving spouses will have two full years to sell…

President Bush signed into law today a new measure to provide tax relief for homeowners facing foreclosure or bankruptcy. The bill eliminates federal taxes due from homeowners who have had mortgage debt forgiven as part of a foreclosure or the renegotiation of a loan on their primary residence. Currently such debt forgiveness has been treated as taxable income.

The bill arose in response to the current mortgage crisis and is anticipated to reduce taxes on strapped homeowners by $650 million. "When you're worried about making your payments, higher taxes are the last thing you need to worry about," Bush said at the bill-signing ceremony. With some 2+ million adjustable-rate mortgages scheduled to reset through 2008, the new law will be a nice holiday gift…

As we predicted, lawyers representing a group of Florida homeowners filed a lawsuit against Palm Beach County officials challenging both existing and proposed state property tax laws. Even though they have been blocked before by the lower courts, attorney's from Alabama and Florida are at it again, alleging Florida's real estate tax laws including Save Our Homes and the proposed "portability" portion of the New Tax Relief Amendment discriminate against recent homeowners.

The new lawsuit is seeking class action status and argues that these tax benefits are “tilted unfairly” to the financial gain of long-term property owners “to the adverse economic disadvantage” of those who have recently purchased a home in Florida. The 37-page complaint specifically…