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Volume
3, Issue 4 - November/December 2004
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  Welcome!
Welcome to our Nov-Dec newsletter of 2004, which has a number of pertinent articles, such as real estate news, technical content, as well as local events and information. We hope you find this issue helpful and informative. You can always explore past issues by visiting the newsletter archive. All of us at Carla Bonten Realty wish you a happy and safe holiday season! 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! ------ Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. News: Where Have We Been? Sometimes it’s hard to gauge what people desire or look forward to until that something is no longer there. We are feeling that from you, our devoted readers, our dedicated customers, clients, friends, and acquaintances. Many of you have asked, “Why haven’t we received your newsletter recently?” The answer is quite simple…we’ve been working hard on new endeavors to bring you the utmost in quality service, and new possibilities for adventures in Real Estate that other Brokerages could only dream of doing. We bring you the best in service and products with a team of excellent associates who know our area in Southwest Florida and places abroad. We’ve also been working hard to bring you convenience. The convenience of two new offices is part of what we have in store for you. We have a fully operational branch location at the Spanish Wells-Euro-American Building in Bonita Springs, Florida…just East of US41 and Bonita Beach Road on Bonita Beach Road. We will be holding the Grand Opening soon, so look forward to local and internet announcements regarding that Special Day. Our second branch office should be ready January 1, 2005, and it’s located on Hickory Blvd. in Bonita Springs next to the Big Hickory Fishing Nook-Seafood Grille & Marina, the Island Delicatessen, and across the street from the beach!! You will be able to look for your permanent or vacation home and enjoy great food and drink at the same time. We’ll keep you posted on the Grand Opening for that location as well. So, as you can see, these are just a couple of the major projects we’ve undertaken to help bring you the best that Southwest Florida and Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. have to offer you. Give us a call, drop us an e-mail, or send us a letter. Any way you wish to contact us, we’ll be here to say “Welcome.” with open arms and a friendly smile. ------ May - October 2004 Top Producers Peter Meili ,
RealtorŪ 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 The Galli Team Teresa Flack , Realtor® Carla Bonten ,
BrokerŪ
Carla is the Broker who can market your home to this new group of investors because she has first hand knowledge of their needs and requirements. If you are purchasing a home, you will find her international background very helpful. With our growing worldwide trade, you will be enlightened by Brokers who specialize in the international real estate trade.
Here
in Southwest Florida, Carla dedicates her time and effort not only
to the American citizens she has come to know, but to foreign investors
who need the knowledge she has acquired.
Email Carla at sales@carlabontenrealty.com
Vida Neufeld ,
Realtor®
The Meeks Team
The Meeks Team is composed of Mr. Cary Meeks, Mr. Gerry Meeks and Mrs. Sandra McCarthy-Meeks (wife to Gerry). They are some of the newest members of our Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. Team, joining us in July/August of this year. They come to us from business backgrounds, specializing in high-caliber service to their clients and they bring the utmost in professionalism, courtesy, and knowledge that you would expect from an International office such as Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. They make their clients their business. ------------- Area Real Estate News New Communities in Collier County Collier County is home to several new
communities like Aria, Aviano
at Naples, Avion Woods at Coconut
Creek Preserve, Banyan Woods, Bella Baia,
Blue Heron, Briarwood, Bridgewater Bay, Charestom Squaire,
Chatham Place, The Colonnade on 5th Avenue, Cove Towers, Cypress
Woods, Delasol, The Dunes, Fiddler's Creek, Forest Park, Laurel
Lakes and Mediterra to
name a few. If you need more information on those developments
give me or my associates a call. -------------- Parade of Homes Tours Nov. 6-21, 2004: The Collier Building Industry Association opens the doors to dozens of homes during its Annual Homefest, featuring models from Marco Island North to Alico Road in Lee County. Call (239) 436-6100 for more information. Feb
4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 2005, Gulfshore Life's
Luxury Home Tour debuts, showcasing a dozen models priced at one
million
and more, with an admission fee that benefits charity. Information
(239) 594-9980. March 4-13, 2005, the Lee Building Industry Association will offer a parade of homes at locations throughout Southwest Florida - Surviving The Odds This summer and fall has brought new waves of challenges not only to Southwest Florida, but our entire state as a whole. The hurricanes that came in from different directions created nothing more than destructive disasters with an uncanny natural fury. Southwest Florida, in general, has remained un-scathed. Businesses are gearing up for what can be considered a very pleasant, yet very busy 2004-2005 season. We have been very blessed to not have been affected to a near point-of-no-return level of destruction for this coming season as other areas have. Although some of our neighbors to the North or to the East of us have unfortunately suffered unnecessarily, we have faith that they will bounce right back with all our support and be ready to serve the needs of all our traditional visitors, namely yourselves, next season. While recovery
from the hurricanes is in full swing, most of Lee and Collier counties
( Naples, Bonita Springs, Ft. Myers, etc.) are currently ready to serve
your needs. Come visit Southwest Florida. Let Southwest Florida give
you what you’ve been looking for…a great
vacation, a superb getaway from the coming cold, and a paradise where
you can enjoy life. -------------- Preparing NOW
with
The first is a penalty refund offer from the IRS for payroll taxes if you enroll in the electronic filing and payment of payroll taxes even though you are not required to do so. If you have been assessed a penalty for a 941 (quarterly payroll tax return) payment and enroll in the last quarter of the year, you will receive a refund. Florida individuals and businesses that have records in the Presidential declared disaster areas have an extension to pay and file taxes until December 30, 2004. This does not apply to information returns or payroll and excise returns. If you use this extension, write in red ink the disaster designation. We also have for 2004, the Family Tax Relief Provision that allows an individual to claim $1,000 tax credit for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Originally it was to revert to $700 in 2004, then over several years increase to $1,000. Under the act, the credit will remain for 2005-2009. You still have time in 2004 to get the first year luxury auto depreciation if you act before the end of this year. This is a bonus of 50% depreciation for the business use of a luxury auto. For vehicles having a weight of more than 6,000 pounds are also eligible for the increased section 179 deduction of up to $100,000. I recommend looking into a retirement plan before the year end if you do not currently have one. There are plans available for sole proprietors and small businesses. Some plans can be funded after year end, but must be set up prior. Call a qualified financial advisor and find one that is right for you. For more information: *CPA designation is regulated by the State of Florida ------ Mortgage Refinancing
Advantages By: Contributing Writer to the NN Journal – Today’s lending market offers low-cost and no-cost mortgage refinance options that contradict traditional rules about why or when to refinance. We have all heard or read, at one time or another, that refinancing is only a good financial decision when the interest rates drop 1 ½ % to 2% below your current mortgage rate. These old rules simply just don’t apply in today’s lending market. Today, even a slight reduction in your interest rate coupled with one or more other advantages of mortgage refinancing could save you thousands of dollars over the life of your new loan if you know what to look for and how it can benefit your overall financial well being. Most people refinance only to get a lower interest rate and reduce their monthly payment. But these advantages are not the only reasons to trade in your current mortgage for a new loan. See how the PIGGYBACK transaction described in the next paragraph can provide you with the knowledge to obtain the very best refinance transaction to fit your specific needs. How about a Piggyback? Large loans above $350,000 are called “non- conforming” or “jumbo” loans . If you opted for this type loan a few years ago, you know you paid a rate higher than the rates available for the standard, “conforming” loan amounts. A “conforming” loan has a loan amount of less than $350,000.00, which will be the maximum loan amount for “conforming” loans beginning January 2005. When you obtained your “jumbo” loan, the maximum conforming loan amount was lower. Over the past several years “conforming” loan amount maximums have increased considerably. You may be able to refinance your existing “jumbo” loan into a lower rate “conforming” loan coupled with a second mortgage . Refinancing this way will permit you to keep your first mortgage loan amount within the “conforming” loan guidelines and result in a lower interest rate. This is called a “piggyback” loan and can considerably reduce your interest rate, increase your cash flow and lower the cost of interest paid over the life of your loan. Some other refinancing advantages available in today’s market that no one else will tell you about are, as I like to call them, Double drop payments, Broken A.R.M.’s. and Paying against yourself. It doesn’t matter if you have already refinanced your mortgage or you are considering a refinance currently, it would be in your best interest to read a complete report of all these refinance advantages. Refinancing for a lower rate is okay. Refinancing correctly after weighing your options is the key! Be sure to work with an experienced professional lender who has knowledge of all the advantages of mortgage refinancing to ensure your own peace of mind. For more information or to request a free report about the refinance advantages mentioned in this article, call 239-298-3090.
Visit InvesterWords.com for the most comprehensive financial glossary on the web. Visit the Yahoo Tax Center for financial and tax information as well as a glossary. |
My sales team and I are frequently asked questions about real estate transactions. We have decided that including a few commonly asked questions in our newsletter would be helpful to our clients. Dear Carla, Dear Marie, Sometimes a large down payment is impossible. There are some options for those who have not been able to save the down payment. For example, it may be possible for you to borrow from a 401K, if you have one. Plans differ but essentially you would be borrowing from yourself and, in some cases, paying interest to yourself. Plan administrators can provide details about this option. There are zero-down mortgages available. The advantage is that you will be in your new home sooner than if you wait to save. This is especially beneficial if you are purchasing in an area where houses are appreciating nicely. The disadvantage is that interest rates are higher for low down payment loans. This means that they will pay more interest if they keep the same loan for the full term. It also means that you will be required to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) until they have 80% equity in their home. One way they could avoid PMI is to take two mortgages. Typically the first loan is for 80% of the home’s value and the second is for 15%. The advantage is that the monthly payment would be lower because you don’t have to pay PMI. The disadvantage is that second mortgages usually have higher interest rates and pre-payment penalties. A third option is an interest only loan. These loans usually permit the borrower to pay only the interest for a period of time, typically five years. This can be wise if the monthly “savings” is in fact “saved” to create a down payment for a new loan. If they need to stay with the interest only loan after five years, your monthly payment will be significantly higher and you will not have even put a dent in paying back the principal. ------ Dear Carla, Dear Bob, A recent case in Massachusetts , Shattuck v. Klotzback, raised exactly the question you have asked. The case involved a plaintiff, Jonathan Shattuck, who alleged breach of contract because he thought he had a deal to buy a house from David Koltzback. Using e-mail, they had settled on a price and Koltzback’s e-mail referred to the purchase and the sales agreement (P & S) that would be prepared. The exact words of the e-mail in question were, “Once we sign the P&S we’d like to close ASAP. You may have your attorney send the P&S and deposit check for 10% of the purchase price to my attorney.” All the e-mails ended with the “typewritten” names of the senders. Before the P & S was signed, a new buyer offered Klotzback significantly more money for his house. When Shattuck tried to enforce the contract, Klotzback’s lawyers argued that the e-mails were not signed documents and therefore not a binding contract. The judge who settled the case indicated that the typewritten names were the crucial issue and refused to throw out the case. Klotzback then argued that even if the e-mails bound him, they did not bind the other owner of the house, his wife, because her name was not on the e-mails. The judge decided that “the correspondences suggest that the defendant’s wife was aware of the ongoing negotiations concerning the sale of the property. Thus…..the husband’s signature on the memorandum acted as a signature of both defendants…” The e-mail was considered a binding contract. People may think of e-mail as an informal way of communication and not legally binding. This judge in this case ruled that e-mails might represent a binding “document”. The advice and assistance of a real estate team, your real estate agent and an attorney, is the best safeguard against entering into unwanted contracts or breaching contracts inadvertently. ------ Amatique Bay
Resort & Marina
Carla Bonten Realty, Inc. has been working in conjunction with the developers of Amatique Bay to market and bring to you…or rather, we’d like to bring you to this new destination. We are providing you with an opportunity to own a home in a “new residential frontier” that is overlooked and underestimated by much of the world.
We will be sending you an informational e-mail soon
regarding a special offer so that you can visit and see for yourselves
why we are there and why we are promoting such a place. Once you’re We’re sure you’ll enjoy this opportunity to visit Amatique Bay Resort & Marina and to have to see if this is where you may want your new home away from home. Just a little FYI, all the pricing is currently at pre-construction levels and financing is available through ABC Financial Group, Inc. a Bonita Springs, Florida (USA) based company. ------
Off The Walls Fundraiser Cocktail Reception “Off The Walls!” is the major source of income for the Art League’s scholarships awarded to qualifying high school seniors interested in continuing their education in the arts, as well as their community outreach programming and scholarships for younger children. As much as 90% of the ticket sales goes towards these outreach programs, providing needed scholarships, materials and curriculum. Tickets cost $100 per person and go on sale in October. For more information, please call 495-8989. The Art League of Bonita Springs is located at 26100 Old 41 Road, approximately 1.5 miles north of Terry Street. AREA ACTIVITIES & EVENTS: The following events were taken from the Naples Daily News: Annual Holiday Boat Parade, sponsored by the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, kicks off at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, sailing from The Fish House at 4685 Bonita Beach Road, heading east up the Imperial River and back via the same route. This year's event salutes parade founder Capt. Carl Johnson. Best viewing areas: Imperial River Boat Ramp, Little Hickory Bridge on Bonita Beach Road along the Imperial River and The Fish House. 992-2943. Holiday in the Park takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6, at Riverside Park on Old 41 Road in Bonita Springs. The free event will feature Santa arriving by horse and buggy, a tree lighting ceremony, entertainment by children's groups and more. 992-2943. Youth Haven and the Greater Naples YMCA will kick off National Family Week with a fun-filled celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Y at 5450 YMCA Road off Pine Ridge Road. Activities include bounce houses, puppet shows, face painting, a water safety exhibition and lunch. Free admission. 598-3148. Third Street South Festival of Lights, Naples' 27th annual tree lighting ceremony, takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, on Third Street South. Live entertainment is planned plus a visit from Santa. Admission is free. 649-6707. Christmas at Palm Cottage, a historic house museum operated by the Naples Historical Society, takes place from 2 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, through Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005. The house is lavishly decorated for the holiday season. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children. The cottage, which was built in 1895, is at 137 12th Ave. S., one block east of the Naples Pier. 261-8164. Third Street South Celebration of Lights takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Nov. 23, 24, 26 and 27 (except Thanksgiving), up and down Third Street South. Attractions include live entertainment and Naples-style snow flurries. Admission is free. 649-6707. Festival of Trees at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday, Nov. 27 through Dec. 1. The annual celebration features dozens of decorated trees, wreaths and other holiday treasures. This year the event takes place outside under cover in the Norris Garden and inside the Figge Conservatory at the Phil. Admission is $8 for adults and $2 for children. 597-1900. Naples Main Street Christmas Walk and Avenue of Lights takes place Thursday, Dec. 2, up and down Fifth Avenue South. Santa and Mayor Bill Barnett will light the official tree at 6 p.m. and live entertainment is planned from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. 435-3742. Fifteenth Annual Naples Holiday Festival of Lights Boat Parade begins its voyage at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. The flotilla of decorated boats will rendezvous in the upper part of Naples Bay, south of Tin City, at 6:30 p.m. and led by the Naples Princess will pass in review before judges at the City Dock. From the City Dock, boats will proceed down Naples Bay, passing Bay View Park and then turning and retracing the course. Parade entry forms are available at the Marine Industries Association of Collier County. 261-0882 or www.miacc.org. Naples "Happy Holidays" Christmas Parade takes place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14. The parade kicks off at the corner of Third Street South and Broad Avenue South, turning on to Fifth Avenue South and ending near City Hall on Eighth Street South. All floats will be illuminated. 213-7120. "A Tuba Christmas" takes place at Sugden Plaza on Fifth Avenue South from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 16. A tuba band will play Christmas carols while competing for the "Best Dressed Tuba" award. 435-3742. Third Street South Merchants Association hosts Thursday on Third from 6 to 9 p.m. on the following Thursdays: Dec. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 31. In addition to live entertainment up and down the street, guests will be treated to Naples-style snow flurries. Admission is free. 649-6707. "Mendelssohn's
Strad" featuring
the Philadelphia Piano Quartet with guest artist Elizabeth Pitcairn
on the violin, takes place Sunday through Tuesday, Dec. 5, 6 and
7, as follows: 2 p.m. Sunday at Edison Community College Naples campus,
7007 Lely Cultural Parkway; and 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Sugden
Community Theatre, 701 Fifth Ave. S. Music by Ravel and Schumann
will be included. Sunday tickets are $25; Monday and Tuesday tickets
are $35. Subscriptions are available. Information: 434-8505. AT THE PHIL IN NOVEMBER - DECEMBER: "Classical I: Classical Debut," performed by the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra with music director/conductor Jorge Mester and pianist Howard Shelley, takes place at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 18-20. Tickets are $52 ($21 for students). Stanislavsky Opera Company presents "Tosca" at 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21. Tickets are $52. "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker," with the Miami City Ballet and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, takes place at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27 and at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28. Tickets are $46 ($20 for students). Dave Koz & Friends with Chris Botti, Brian Culbertson, Norman Brown and Brenda Russell, present "A Smooth Jazz Christmas" at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 29. Tickets are $50 ($30 for students). Naples Philharmonic Orchestra with the Women's Chorale present Classical 2: Musical Mysteries at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 2-4. Tickets are $52 ($21 for students). Dick Hyman presents "Sunday Jazz 1: Mid-Century Pianists: Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Bill Evans" at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5 in the Daniels Pavilion. Tickets are $29. The Smothers Brothers perform at 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. Tickets are $45. "Bernstein to Sondheim: The Major Musical Works of Bernstein," with Joe Leonardo, takes place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, in the Toni Stabile Building. Tickets are $30. Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" will be staged at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, Dec. 7-10; at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11; and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12. Tickets are $60 ($36 for students). -------------- AT GERMAIN ARENA Rascal Flatts performs at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Tickets are $27.75 and $34.75. For tickets or more information, contact Ticketmaster at 334-3309 or go online to www.ticketmaster.com; for information on Germain Arena, 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero, call 948-7825. -------------- Here's what's happening at the BBMPAC - be sure to visit www.bbmannpah.com for more information! "Blue's Clues Live! Blue's Birthday Party," for children, runs 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23 and 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24. Tickets are $37, $23 and $17. "Riverdance" plays Tuesday through Sunday, Dec. 7-12, with performance at 8 p.m. Dec. 7, 10 and 11, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9, 2 p.m. Dec. 11 and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets are $58, $48 and $38. The Irish Rovers present their Christmas show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15. Tickets are $30 and $24. "Fiddler on the Roof" plays at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19. Tickets are $50 and $40. Linda Eder performs her holiday show at 7:30 p.m Tuesday, Dec. 21. Tickets are $47 and $37. "The King and I," starring Sandy Duncan, plays at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, Dec. 28-30; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, 2005; 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005 and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005. Tickets are $60 and $50. For information about Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall events, call (239) 481-4849; toll-free (800) 440-7469 or log onto www.bbmannpah.com. The hall is located at 8099 College Parkway S.W. in south Fort Myers. ------ Need an idea of what dining experiences are in our area? Click here for a list of some of the best! You can also visit www.bonitamenus.com for select restaurant menus online! |
| Next
issue: Real estate news, area information, and more wonderful web
sites
to visit! |
|
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". 
John
is a native of Hartford, Connecticut and Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has
been involved with rental and commercial property since 1973. He came
down to the Bonita area for 15 years seasonally before moving here in
1992. Jeanine Galli is originally from Rock Island, IL, where she attained
her Real Estate license in 1972 and later earned her designation GRI
(Graduate of the Realtors Institute). She has been active in Bonita Springs
real estate since 1986. John & Jeanine have been consistent multi-million
dollar producers and have earned the Bonita Springs Real Estate Board's "Sales
Excellence Award" every year since 1994. They are both members of the
Florida Association of Realtors, The National Association of Realtors
and the Bonita Springs Board of Realtors. Both John and Jeanine love
to work with properties such as beachfront condominiums, golf course
communities residences and general real estate in the Naples/Bonita Springs
area. Call 239-596-1574 or 
Teresa
was born and educated in Poland, close to the magnificent old city of
Cracow. In the 1990's, she moved to Florida with her English husband
and their three children and they settled happily in Fort Myers. She
soon embarked on further studies, which gave her the required qualifications
to become a Realtor. She is a member of the Bonita Springs Association
of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. She keeps herself
current with all the latest marketing trends by attending up-to-date
training sessions and seminars. Teresa's background ensures her expertise
in a wide range of customs, languages and formalities, which has been
highly beneficial to both buyers and sellers in real estate transactions.
Prior to joining Carla Bonten Realty, Inc., Teresa worked for ERA Beaver
Real Estate where she became the 1999 Regional-Semiannual 1st In Customer
Satisfaction® Jim Jackson Memorial Award, presented by ERA Franchise
Systems, Inc. Click to 
Ask
Carla!
Amatique
Bay…Where are you? What are you? For those of you who are unfamiliar
with Amatique Bay – Resort & Marina, it is just that; a Resort
/ Marina, but with a unique twist; it will have an 18-hole championship
golf-course designed by Glasse Golf, Inc. here in Bonita Springs, Florida.
As we’ve mentioned before in a previous newsletter…remember
Costa Rica? Well, this development is not in Costa Rica, but it is
on the Caribbean side of Guatemala, about 1.5 hours away by boat to
the Belizean Keys. It is protected by a large natural peninsula called
Punta Manabique making this place a mecca for both motorsport boaters
and sailors alike.
in Guatemala,
we won’t have to sell you a thing. You’ll have the opportunity
to see it, experience it, and fall in-love with the beauty with which
this development will embrace you.