Hello from Naples!
It seems like “Season” in Naples has already begun. Many of our friends from the North are back for a fall visit and the traffic is noticeably busier. The restaurants are more crowded…although you still can go to most places any night without a reservation. I talked to a friend yesterday who owns two hotels in the area and he said things are better this year than last. He’s looking forward to a busier “Season” this year than last. I hope he’s right.
One thing for sure, the weather is cooperating. We’ve had a long spell of dry, warm weather in October. Some days if felt like summer never left.
We’re glad to see so many of you back here in beautiful Naples!
Here’s the official Climate Data at Naples Airport for October:
October 09 YTD 09 October 10 YTD 10 Normal YTD
Rainfall in inches .45 28.85 .52
43.02
48.38
Record High Oct. Rainfall 17.52 (1962)
Record Low Oct. Rainfall .05 (1977)
High Oct. Temperature 93 90
Low Oct. Temperature 53 59
Record High Oct. Temp 95 (2007)
Record Low Oct. Temp 46 (2000)
October rains were several inches below normal. We had all our measurable rain on one day…the 24th. We’ve fallen behind normal for the year. The lakes and ponds look to me as though we’re behind more than the stats tell us.
Temperatures for the month were just about normal. The average daily temperature was 77.7 degrees compared with a norm of 77.2.
Book Review: “Fall of Giants” by Ken Follett Please note, I did not personally read this book. A friend of mine did but I did want to share this info with you.
This is book #1 of the “Century Trilogy”. I can’t wait for book #2.
I know it’s over 1,000 pages. But what a read it is. It’s a historical novel to end all historical novels. War and Peace look out! I am so glad to say that I found the book to be very entertaining and educational.
Fall of Giants depicts five families from 1910 to 1923, during which not only the First World War exploded, but the Russian Revolution erupted. The time period is a rich one to examine, not only because of those events, but also because the lines between the classes, the haves and the have nots were rapidly dissolving. As the title implies, “Fall of Giants” chronicles the decline of power of royalty, aristocrats, and the Old World as commoners, peasants, and the New World gain ascendance.
The Earl of Fitzherbert's family consists of his spoiled and cruel but beautiful wife, a Russian princess and his
sister, Lady Maud, a rebel suffragette.
Within the earl's household is Ethel Williams, an ambitious Welsh housemaid trying to better herself. Her brother, Billy, is a coal miner drafted for the war.
Lady Maud is romantically involved with Walter von Ullrich, a German diplomat also of nobility. Their relationship becomes dangerous once their two countries enter the war on opposite sides.
Grigori is a Russian factory worker whose family has been mistreated by Russian nobility. He is torn between his allegiance to his country during the war and fighting for the revolution to overthrow the tsar.
Gus Dewar, as part of President Woodrow Wilson's staff, is doing everything he can to keep America from entering the war.
Of course, their stories are all inter-related. Follett is a master of weaving the stories so that the action never stops.
Political upheaval, technological advancement, women's rights make for exciting times as seen through the eyes of the ordinary folk. “Fall of Giants” thoroughly immersed me in the attitudes and perspectives of the era: the dangerous life of a coalminer, how it felt to be a Russian peasant at the mercy of the aristocrats' whims and what it was like to be a soldier on both sides of a battle.
Fitness:
Fight Fatigue
Having a tough time dragging yourself out of bed in the morning? Yawning by 3 pm? Nodding off after dinner? If you want to fight fatigue, try a few simple lifestyle modifications.
Move more
Keep your body moving, so your brain gets the blood and oxygen it needs to stay awake.
Stretch throughout the day. Ever notice how a dog or cat will stretch when it gets up? A good stretch helps stimulate circulation and loosen muscles after sitting or lying down. Add at least three minutes of stretching each morning, noon and evening, and whenever you feel snoozy.
Up your exercise plan. Most of us want to spend more time on the couch in winter. Instead, we should actually increase our daily exercise. Being active fights fatigue and elevates mood, which also tends to dip in the darker months. If you work out regularly, increase the intensity or challenge your muscles with a different activity.
Don’t sit so much. Sedentary behavior makes you feel tired. Try switching after-dinner television for board games, an evening walk, or odd jobs around the house. If your job involves sitting, get up for a stretch or a walk every half hour or so.
Get some air. If you work in an office building, pop outside a couple of times a day. A few deep breaths of fresh air will help clear your head and get the blood circulating.
Sleep Well
How can you hope to stay energized all day if you don’t refresh your body with a good night’s sleep?
Get enough rest. The average adult needs 7 ½ to 8 ½ hours a day, yet many are sleep-deprived. Try going to bed a little earlier in the winter months.
Leave your worries in the living room. Create a relaxing bedroom setting (no television, no cell phone). Distract your mind from worries by reading or doing a crossword puzzle before sleep.
Watch what you eat
Food provides the energy that moves your body. Take a look at what and when you’re eating, and make adjustments to help keep you fuelled and energetic.
Start off well. Breakfast helps rev your system, so be sure to enjoy it each day. Include some carbohydrate-rich foods, like whole grain cereals or breads and fruit, for energy.
Eat moderately throughout the day. Skipping meals is an invitation for the “blahs” to set in. On the other hand, overeating at dinner won’t make up for the lunch you skipped, but it can make you feel sleepy.
Cut down on “comfort” food. Try to reduce or eliminate foods that are high in fat, sugar, and/or salt, as these can leave you feeling sluggish and tired.
Challenge your mind
Boredom breeds fatigue, so stimulate your mind – your body may follow!
Learn something new. Take a night class, an online course, or DVD a program in a subject that intrigues you.
Engage your mind. Keep puzzles on hand for quick mental pick-me-ups when you’re getting drowsy;
Relieve the tedium. Alleviate repetitive or monotonous tasks by stimulating other parts of your brain. Play new music that you’ve never heard, or listen to recorded books.
A Few Interesting Questions:
How can there be self-help “groups”?
Did you ever notice that if you blow in a dogs face it goes mad, yet when you take him on a car ride he sticks his head straight out the window ?
When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
Why isn’t the number 11 pronounced onety one?
If it’s true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn’t zigzag
Do people who spend $2 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water know that spelling it backwards is Naive?
Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations?
If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?
How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?
What was the best thing before sliced bread?
Do you realize how many holes there could be if people would just take the time to take the dirt out of them?
Why is there an expiration date on sour cream?
How did a fool and his money get together?
Tip of the Month - December 2010
November Golf Tip: "I am not as flexible as I would like. How can I get more body turn?"
Golfers may experience less flexibility over time. This is usually not something that is desired, but sometimes inevitable. Lack of hip and shoulder turn can lead to "less powerful" shots and higher scores.
Fixer Pro Tip - Aside from stretching each morning before swinging a golf club, there are two other ways to increase flexibility. First, we can narrow our stance slightly less than shoulder width. Second, we can drop our back foot two inches back so our hips begin closed to the target at setup. Both suggestions will encourage greater body turn and CAN lead to more distance. Be careful not to change the swing too much by altering the setup as this can cause new swing faults.
Ryan Taraskiewicz
PGA Teaching Professional
The Club at Olde Cypress
7165 Treeline Drive
Naples, Florida 34119
239-776-9536
ryant@pga.com
www.fixergolfschool.com
Restaurant Recommendation: Naples Tomato
14700 Tamiami Trail N
Phone 239.598.9800
One of the best Italian restaurants in Naples, or anywhere for that matter. This place will make you happy you came to drink and dine.
Virtually every year Naples Tomato wins the Daily News competition for best Italian restaurant. It’s also Zagat rated and has received a Wine Spectator two glass award for the past two years. You can’t go wrong here. Also, The New York Times writers chose Naples Tomato for dinner when they did their article “36 Hours in Naples” a couple of years ago.
Naples Tomato proves that excellence does not have to be fancy. The smart, casual atmosphere ensures a great, but comfortable dining experience. There is an open pasta kitchen where pasta is made, an open kitchen, a small grocery with prepared foods to-go and hard-to-find culinary delights and a reserve wine cellar. Wine lovers love Naples Tomato. Over 500 selections are available. Come see why Naples Tomato is one of the most popular restaurants in town and also where the locals go!
Try the lasagna!
A Few Interesting Facts:
1. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second.
2. It takes 8 minutes 17 seconds for light to travel from the Sun’s surface to the Earth.
3. In October 1999 the 6 billionth person was born.
4. 10 percent of all human beings ever born are alive at this very moment.
5. The Earth spins at 1,000 mph but it travels through space at an incredible 67,000 mph.
6. Every year over one million earthquakes shake the Earth.
7. The largest ever hailstone weighed over 1 kg and fell in Bangladesh in 1986.
8. Every second around 100 lightning bolts strike the Earth.
9. Every year lightning kills 1000 people.
10. In October 1999 an Iceberg the size of London broke free from the Antarctic ice shelf.
11. If you could drive your car straight up you would arrive in space in just over an hour.
12. All the hydrogen atoms in our bodies were created 12 billion years ago in the Big Bang.
13. The dinosaurs became extinct before the Rockies or the Alps were formed.
14. Female black widow spiders eat their males after mating.
15. When a flea jumps, the rate of acceleration is 20 times that of the space shuttle during launch.
16. The earliest wine makers lived in Egypt around 2300 BC.
17. The Australian billy goat plum contains 100 times more vitamin C than an orange.
18. Astronauts cannot belch - there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.
19. The air at the summit of Mount Everest, 29,029 feet is only a third as thick as the air at sea level.
20. One million, million, million, million, millionth of a second after the Big Bang the Universe was the size of a …pea.
21. DNA was first discovered in 1869 by Swiss Friedrich Mieschler.
Recipe of the Month
Here’s a recipe I found in the Cardiology Associates website.
Sautéed Shrimp Parmesan
1 lb. Fresh or frozen shrimp
2 tsp. Smart Balance or other heart healthy margarine
1 ½ cloves garlic 2 tbsp. grated Fat-Free Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Shell shrimp. Melt margarine in skillet. Add garlic and shrimp. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese. Serve over brown or wild rice.
Serves
Per Serving:
Calories: 204
Fat: 2g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Sodium: 276 mg
COMPUTER TIP: MANY PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE OF the main difference between HTTPS:// and HTTP:///
HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transport Protocol.
The S (big surprise) stands for "Secure".
If you visit a website or webpage, and look at the address in the web browser, it will likely begin with the
following: http:///.
This means that the website is talking to your browser using the regular 'unsecure' language. In other words, it is possible for someone to "eavesdrop" on your computer's conversation with the website. If you fill out a form on the website, someone might see the information you send to that site.
This is why you NEVER ever enter your credit card number in an http website!
BUT if the web address begins with https://, that basically means your computer is talking to the website in a secure code that no one can eavesdrop on.
If a website ever asks you to enter your credit card information, you should automatically look to see if the web address begins with https://.
If it doesn't, there's no way you're going to enter sensitive information like a credit card number.
PASS IT ON (You may save someone a lot of grief).
Naples Real Estate:
Some of my buyers have been interested in foreclosures and I have closed a few in the past year. Generally, buyers who work with a professional and are willing to go through the process, which can be difficult and time consuming, have gotten some great deals.
With the advent of the foreclosure freeze by some of the major banks and the problems that are occurring, NABOR (Naples Area Board of Realtors) has suggested that anyone interested in making on offer on a foreclosure first consult a real estate attorney. They have even produced a form that requires the signature of the buyer, so that they know what they are getting into when making an offer on a foreclosed property.
The main issue is that in a lot of cases, the foreclosures were not executed properly. Although closed, these homes could potentially have major problems with clouded titles down the road when people go to sell them and the legal process to get them untangled could be extremely costly.
In Collier County, foreclosures have steadily declined since October of 2008. There were 946 filings that month.
The question arises – Is the trend of foreclosures here to stay or is it a temporary decline? Some pundits have stated we can expect to see another flood of foreclosures hit the market. They are in part basing their thoughts on the fact in 2010, during the months of March, May, and July adjustable rate mortgages (ARM’s) will be resetting. This year is the only calendar year in which 3 different ARM’s are scheduled to reset. Through the current period, however, the influx has not occurred in Collier County. In the first 10 months of 2010, there were 8.415 closed sales in all of Naples and Bonita. This compares with 7,399 closed sales for the same period last year. This represents an increase of 12%. The numbers of real estate closings continue to be stronger this year than last.
Here’s an interesting chart for the first ten months of the year for the Naples and Bonita market combined:
January 1st thru Oct 31st
Number of Closed Sales Total $300,000 and under $300,001 to $700,000 $700,001 to $1,000,000 $1,000,001 to $3,000,000 Over $3,000,000
2003 8,162 5,434 1,929 342 377 80
2004 9.568 5,318 2,854 604 679 113
2005 10,058 2,876 4.946 986 1,093 157
2006 5,041 1,182 2.614 492 628 125
2007 4.513 1,585 1,825 411 589 103
2008 5,340 2,722 1,732 319 479 88
2009 7,399 5,296 1,450 248 325 80
2010 8,415 5,883 1,668 332 449 83
Difference
2009 vs. 2010
+587
+218
+84
+124
+3
% Change +12% +15% +34% +38% +4%
The chart above demonstrates the continuing strength of the market this year as compared with last year. Sales are up in every price point. Percentage gains over last year are declining, however.
Inventory of available property is down from last year. As the following table shows, however, the level of inventory varies dramatically by price point.
As of Oct 31st, 2010
Total $300,000 and under $300,001 to $700,000 $700,001 to $1,000,000 $1,000,001 to $3,000,000 Over $3,000,000
Number Sold YTD 8,415 5,883 1,668 332 449 83
Average Number Sold per Month 842 588 167 33 45 8
Total Available for Sale 10,189 5,105 2,843 759 1,176 306
Months of Supply 12 9 17 23 26 38
There is still a buyer’s market for homes priced above $700,000. In the over $3 million market, for example, there are 306 properties available. Thru the month of October, 83 properties in this price
range have sold…which means an average of about 8 per month. At that rate, the 306 homes available represent about 38 months of supply.
The good news for sellers is that the months of supply have come down substantially from a year ago. Total inventory of available homes is still the lowest in several years.
The number of homes available for sale increased last month for the first time in over a year.
What this chart doesn’t show is the number of current Actives. Compared to last year at this time we had over 11,000 listings. Currently we now have just over 7800. This year has produced many more sales than the year previous and we consider this a trend.
Island Walk Real Estate:
Here’s a look at Island Walk as of November 3rd:
Property Number for Sale Lowest Price Highest Price Avg. Asking Price Per Sq. Ft. Avg. Days on Market
Island Walk 50 $176,000 $640,000 $182 127
Here’s a breakdown of what’s currently on the market:
Under $200,000 $200,000 to $249,999 $250,000 to $349,999 $350,000 to $449,999 Over $450,000
Number for Sale 0
12 10 20 8
Average Price per Sq. Ft. NA
$142 $174 $204 $215
Average Number of Days on Market NA 132 126 99 66
As of November 3rd there were 50 active listings in Island Walk.
There were 6 pending sales.
There were 12 Active listings with a contract
There were 66 closed sales thru November 3st of 2010.
The average price per square foot actually paid for the properties sold YTD was $164. This is 89% of the average asking price per square foot ($185) for all homes currently on the market.
Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Lynn Bower, Realtor
What a great day for Women's Council of Realtors, Naples on the Gulf Chapter and the Community Involvement Committee of Naples Area Board of Realtors. We collected donations and were able to fill and wrap 14 boxes to send to a Platoon in Afghanistan.
Call Lynn Bower 239-438-6784 for more info.
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