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Volume
1, Issue 7 - November/December 2002
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  Welcome! Welcome! This issue is packed with local events
and information, with a focus on things to do in our surrounding
areas. We hope you find this issue helpful and informative. You can
always explore past issues by visiting the newsletter
archive. If you would like to be notified of new communiqués monthly, just send your email address to newsletter@carlabontenrealty.com. Don't forget to include your email address! Enjoy! Real Estate Market News Fortune Magazine (8/12/2002) reports that The Sunshine State has the most second homes in the country (482,944). ------ Over the past five years, not hing beat residential real estate, which trounced everything fr om stocks to pork bellies. Your second best bet? A stash of fine Burgundy wine, provided you didn't drink any of your investment, that is. ------ Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. Announces: Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. is proud to announce that it will be opening a Central-American satellite office in Guatemala. It will open new possibilities for its European and American clientele, expanding “The European Connection’s” portfolio of high-end luxury residential and commercial real-estate. It is currently providing real estate services for the Amatique Bay Resort found on the Caribbean side of Guatemala, the famous Antigua (one of the oldest cities in Guatemala,) and commercial properties including hotels and coffee farms in the Guatemala City area. This new office will be unveiling a new website soon featuring area information, attractions, real estate, and rental properties in Guatemala. Carla Bonten is also proud to announce that Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. will be the exclusive U.S. Broker to the U.S. and European markets for these properties. Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. has your key to “Your Unknown Destination holding a World with Promise.” Art Exhibition
To Benefit On Saturday, February 8, 2003, Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. will kick off a benefit art exhibition featuring 8 Artists. The profits will help fund the construction of new guest rooms at the Ronald McDonald House here in S.W. Florida. The artists include Steven Yunck (Madison, WI), Sandi Paniccia (Bonita Springs, FL), Jeanne K. Bradley (Bonita Springs, FL), Edith Hiller (Rutland, VT), Margo Vigorito (Bonita Springs, FL), Barbara Raber (Bonita Springs, FL), Eileen Walden Johnson (Bonita Springs, FL), and Jackie Moore (Bonita Springs, FL). We are proud to profile three of the artists who are included in the February exhibit in this issue. The remaining artists will be profiled in the next issue of this newsletter.
She served on the ALBS Campaign Committee as Chair of the Community Campaign, The Gala Committee, and created the “Tee Off For Kids” fundraising campaign benefiting the children programs of the Center for the Art. Her work has hung in a number of juried shows in both Bonita Springs and Naples. Mrs. Bradley paints in both oil and watercolor featuring
color bright floral, land and seascapes.
Her early paintings were mostly landscape. She took classes and showed her work for many years before discovering the fun and challenge of abstract art. For the past fifteen years, her painting have shows the use of bold colors and freedom of movement. Some are reminiscent of the unusual shapes and colors of the landscape. Her works are on display in Minnesota, Indiana,
Arizona, Maryland and Massachusetts as well as here in Florida. I
have won awards in exhibitions and juried art shows. She is am now
a full time resident of Florida and an active member of Art League
of Bonita Springs.
Now that her children are grown, she has participated in many workshops with outstanding art teachers. Her work has been exposed in many places, churches, Hospice Center in Columbus, OH, Catholic Museum and she also has had a one women show in Bonita Spring, Florida. ------ September & October
2002
Klaus, our newest addition to the Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. team, is a native of Frankfurt, Germany. He has extensive experience with high-end management and has managed several companies in Europe. He has developed unique strategies that allow him to be successful and fulfill one of the most important goals to him: that is to provide a service that makes a positive difference in the quality of people's lives. Attracted to the beautiful sunshine lifestyle and paradise that South West Florida has to offer, he moved with his family to the United States in 1998. He has since pursued a career with real estate in which his Customer Relationship and Satisfaction policies are designed to provide his clients with the Real Estate they need and want and with prices they are able to afford. He believes that everyone should receive the best and efficient service possible in the convenient manner they desire and deserve. He lives by his motto "Delivering on the Promise" day in and day out. He is a powerhouse with the right attitude for his clients and we are proud to have him as part of our team here at Carla Bonten Realty, Inc." So,
for expert service with a smile, you can contact Klaus at his office
number (239) 949-9122, Ext. 111, his cell-phone number (239) 822-
5248, or via email at klaus@carlabontenrealty.com September
2002 Sales Agent Leader
------ October 2002
Sales Agent Leader
Peter Meili was born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland. He was educated in Switzerland, Germany and the US. Among others, he attended the world-renowned hotel school, Ecole Hoteliere in Lausanne, Switzerland. The hotel business took him around the world, specializing in opening new hotel properties. That is what originally brought him and his lovely family to Naples, Florida, known as "America's Best Kept Secret". He brings this professionalism to his five year real estate career working with rentals, new home construction and general real estate. His fluency in Swiss German, English, German, French, Spanish and some Portuguese allows him to also dedicate his experience to the international clientele in the area. You will receive the royal treatment! Email Peter at peter@carlabontenrealty.com Carla Bonten Rentals News Carla Bonten Rentals is offering a 50% discount on each vacation rental from May 1 to November 30! Don't miss this excellent opportunity to sample a taste of Paradise! Call 239-949-4960 or 877-949-4960 toll free for more information and available properties. Bonita Springs News
The Art League will officially celebrate the Grand Opening of Phase II of the Center for the Arts on November 10, 2002. Completion of this phase has been made possible through the generosity of members, businesses, benefactors and the State of Florida. Join the Art League for their first bus trip of the season on Thursday, November 21. The bus will travel to Sarasota to see Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession at the John and Mabel Ringling Museum. Check in is at 7:45 am and the bus leaves at 8 am sharp. Return time is approximately 6:30 pm. Cost is $60 per person. Be sure to call to reserve your place now! The 2nd Annual TEE OFF FOR KIDS golf tournament is being held from November 1 to November 17. This tournament's proceeds will help benefit children's programs at the Art League of Bonita Springs. Call for more information. You can also mark your calendars for this year's
spectacular "Off The Walls" Fundraiser on December 6, 2002.
For those who have not yet experienced this "phenomenon",
this event is a fabulous catered cocktail party with wonderful food
a For further information about activities of the Art League or the above events you may call the center at 239-495-8989 or visit the Art League's web page. ------ Need an idea of what dining experiences are in our area? Click here for a list of some of the best! |
Community Profile: The Barefoot-Lely development boasts some of the most lovely and prestigious homes and condominiums in the area. Bordered by the white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and the pristine shores of Barefoot Beach State Preserve, and Hickory Bay to the east, it is a community with no equal.
Click HERE to enjoy a panoramic tours of the beach at Lely Barefoot. ------ Enjoy Our Area! Florida is an incredibly diverse state, which is a real gift for our visitors! Within just a short driving time, there is a world of culture, entertainment and nature, etc., ready to be experienced. Here are just a few of the activities and attractions that await you when you visit the Bonita Springs/Naples/Sanibel/Fort Myers area. In this issue, we are proud to profile a wonderful local attraction, Caribbean Gardens in Naples.
The zoo features a variety of wildlife presentations. Safari Canyon offers live animals exhibiting natural behaviors while narrators show custom graphics and wildlife videos from conservation groups such as World Wildlife Fund. The zoo also includes the Primate Expedition Cruise,
a boat ride around 10 islands where monkeys, lemurs and apes live in
natural habitats, along with the audience-participation Scales & Tails
Show, solar-powered audio tours, the Meet the Keeper series, alligator
bay feedings and more.
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, with last ticket sold at 4:30 p.m. Location: 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road. Admission: adults 16 and up, $14.95; children 4 to 15, $9.95; under 4, free. Information: 262-5409 ------
November 1 - December 9, 2002 ~ Evita is the popular Andrew Lloyd Weber musical. Naples Dinner Theatre. 239-514-7827. November 10, 2002 ~
Taste of Bonita November 10, 2002 ~ Gregg Allman & Friends at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 8:00 pm. November 16, 2002 ~
2nd Annual Great Outdoor Adventure Day November 14 - 16, 2002 ~ The Classical Genius is a concert by the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra featuring pianist Jon Nakamatsu. 8 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. November 19, 2002 ~ The Manhattan Transfer present an evening of jazz. 8 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. November 20, 2002 ~ The Orquestra de Sao Paulo presents an evening of classical music. 8 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. November 21, 2002 ~ The Stanislavsky Opera Company presents La Boheme. 8 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. November 21, 2002 ~ An Evening With Kenny Rogers at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 8:00 pm. November 24, 2002 ~ Kenny Loggins, Grammy Award-winner, performs in concert. 8 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. November 22-28, 2002 ~ The Festival of the Trees Gala features an array of Christmas trees decorated by local artisans and community groups. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. November 26, 2002 ~ Irish Tenors Christmas Spectacular at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 7:30 pm. November 27 - December 1, 2002 ~ The Nutcracker is the annual presentation of Balanchine’s ballet, danced by the Miami City Ballet and accompanied by the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra. 2, 7 &/or 8 p.m. Philharmonic Center. 239-597-1900. December 3, 2002 ~
Holiday in the Park December 6-8, 2002 ~
6th Annual Lions Club Bluegrass Festival December 6-8, 2002 ~ Lord of the Dance, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.
December 30, 2002 ~
Champions On Ice ------
Technology Notes Project Inception: Next task, planning! Let’s look at the nuts and bolts. Goals and feasibility: a. What is the purpose of my web site? Do you hope to provide an online brochure for prospective clients, provide interaction with your clients with web feedback, client portals or e-commerce, offer non-profit/educational services, etc? This is an enormously important first decision to map out for yourself. Additionally, you need to ask yourself how you hope your web site will evolve over the next several years. Making large structural changes a year down the road can be very costly. A sample goals and assessment plan would look like this: Goal: Priority Rank: #1 Time Frame: 1 year 6 Month Goal Assessment: b. Who is my audience? The answer to this question will help you drive the design of your site. Do I need to incorporate accessibility elements for visitors with impairments? Will I need to be concerned with the connection speed of my visitors because I have large graphic elements? Will my target audience be more interested in design or content or both? It is often very helpful to develop a simple audience-rank matrix during this phase of planning. Identifying and ranking your audience in writing will often prevent haphazard design or redesigns a month after launch. A brief example of such a matrix is noted below: Audience: Senior Citizens Priority Rank: 1 Content Needs: Estate Planning Function Needs: Large,
easy to read type, fonts and graphics. c. What are the requirements for the project? If you are a novice to web site development, you will have terminology and concepts to learn. Areas of requirement might be:
d. Who is my competition? Knowing the competition is important in all businesses. In addition to investigating how the other guy does it and because the web is a relatively small global village, you need to know if your site infringes on any other existing web business, and this is especially true for graphical elements, phraseology and content. e. How will I advertise? This may seem like an obvious query, but there are special considerations for advertising web sites. The primary way web sites are found is via search engines/indexes, such as Google or Yahoo. Will resources be allocated for and aggressive promotional campaign? Who will handle advertising and promotion and what time frame will be set in place? Again, a simple ranking matrix is very helpful: Advertiser/Engine: Yahoo Priority Rank: 1 Time Frame: 1 month Cost: $299/year Efficacy: Large user base, popular index. I’ve found it very helpful to develop documents that track project phases, requirements, structure and content. This becomes critical when you have a team working on a project. Who will develop those documents and who will maintain them? In the next installment of this article, I will discuss the design and development end of a project, including such things as Flash animation, navigation and graphics. |
| Next
issue: Real estate news, area information, and more wonderful web
sites to visit! |
|
One
of the featured properties will be the fabulous Amatique Bay Resort.
Approximately 1 ½ hours east from the famous Belizean Keys
by boat, this lovely resort has plans for approximately 300 pool
homes with breathtaking views starting at around $150,000. Currently,
it is home to the 5-Star Amatique Bay Hotel & Resort which houses
a beautiful marina that has boat slips for sale or lease. This marina
can accommodate vessels up to 100 feet in length and are available
to the home-owners and guests of Amatique Bay.
Jeanne
K. Bradley
Eileen
Walden Johnson
Sandi
Paniccia 
Klaus
Bermel-Schanz,
RealtorŪ
Pamela
McCall has been in residential and commercial real estate since 1979.
After traveling the world with the Department of State/Foreign Service,
Pam and her husband Chris returned to the Bonita Springs/Naples area
where she has continued her real estate career. She is very active
in the city of Bonita Springs and her fluency in Spanish, German,
and Portuguese coupled with her specialization in 1031 exchanges
makes her, "your favorite realtor in the world," a strong
force here at Carla Bonten Realty, Inc.
Peter
Meili, RealtorŪ
The
Art League of Bonita Springs (ALBS) has great
for all ages! Click 
nd
wines. Artists, artist co-ops, museum gift stores and collectors
from all over the world donate artworks and collectibles for this
event. They are displayed in the Art League Gallery one week prior
to the event. Each attendee purchases a ticket which carries a unique
number. One half hour into the party, numbers are randomly called.
When your number is called, you may select any item on display in
this room and take it home, provided someone else has not taken it "off
the walls" previously! This unique fundraiser is not only fun,
but it helps give the gift of art education to the children and teens
of our communities. 
Caribbean
Gardens
ys
living in natural island habitats. Zoo memberships are available so you can
visit the zoo anytime – a popular activity for walkers and moms. The
zoo offers three play areas and a full-service SUBWAY restaurant. 
AREA
HAPPENINGS:
December
14, 2002 ~ 17th Annual Holiday boat Parade
I’m
a big believer in business planning. Careful, futuristic planning will
save your company a good deal of money, time and hair-pulling when
you decide to launch a web site. The intent of this article is to introduce
some of the primary factors that you need to consider when developing
a comprehensive web development plan.
uch
as I had a tough time getting used to the idea of planning in this way, it
was a valuable business skill to learn. All web sites need such goals. Questions
to ask are: