Upcoming at the “Phil”

Snowbirds continue to arrive, restaurants are packed, traffic is busy and Naples real estate is starting to move.  It is February and “Season” is in full swing, and in no place is this truer than the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts (the “Phil”).

Starting on Thursday, February 9 and continuing the next evening, the beautiful and talented Lynda Carter will perform in the Cabaret in Daniels Pavilion.  Best known as television’s Wonder Woman, Carter has won wide acclaim for having albums that have reached the Billboard Top 10.  A captivating storyteller, she possesses a sweet, expressive voice that covers a wide range of musical territory, from standards to jazz to country to rock.  And speaking of rock, for two nights starting Saturday, February 11, The Hit Men will be entertaining their fans with the music of the ‘60s, ‘70s & ‘80s.  These 5 rock veterans were members of such groups as the Four Seasons, Tommy James and the Shondells and band members with Elton John, Cat Stevens and Jim Croce, and will re-create their many hits in the Cabaret.

On the main stage on Sunday, February 12, the incomparable Diana Krall will perform.  This Grammy Award-winning jazz singer and pianist has mesmerized audiences around the world with her seductive voice, distinctive phrasing and captivating stage presence.  Cool, poised and beguiling, Krall is one of the most original and engaging figures in jazz music today...http://ChrisAndDick.com

Golf Community of the Week, Olde Cypress, Naples, Florida

Golf and Naples Florida real estate have been the topic of many conversations throughout the years.  Many of these discussions center on the differing developments and communities located around the area.  One of the more interesting is Olde Cypress.

Olde Cypress is a luxury gated golfing community consisting of single family homes, attached and detached villas surrounding one of Naples’ most popular golf courses. Designed by P.B. Dye, the 18-hole, 6711 yard golf course was designed to showcase the 200+acres of preserves and sparkling lakes that wind in and out of this exquisite community.  The 38,000 square foot clubhouse is magnificent in its interior design and architecture. Each resident automatically receives a social membership with the purchase of a home, where they can enjoy dining, tennis, and fitness facilities along with a resort-style pool and spa. Resident and associate golf memberships are also available for homeowners who wish to take advantage of this prestigious course.

There are a number of different style homes in Olde Cypress and presently there are 47 on the market.  The highest listing price is $1,495,000 for a 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home with over 5,200 square feet of living area in the Da Vinci Estates portion of the community.  On the other end of the spectrum is an attached villa with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths that is listed for $339,900…http://ChrisAndDick.com

Bright Outlook for Naples Real Estate From October Statistics

Naples Florida real estate is always a fascinating topic and the latest report from the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR) shows why.  The statistics presented with the report express very positive signs with regard to the future of homes for sale Naples Florida.  NABOR covers all of Collier County except Marco Island, and breaks their numbers out in a useful fashion.

Closed sales grew by nearly 7% during the month of October compared to the same month one year ago, but it is the pricing ranges that make for the interesting story.  Homes that sold from $500,000 to $1 million and those from $1 million or more showed increases of28.6%.  The closings of under $300,000 grew a little over 7%, while those priced between $300,000 and $500,000 decreased 18%.  Another number that expressed the great improvement in Naples Florida real estate is the median closed price (the median is where half of the sales were below that number and half above) for those properties over $300,000 jumped nearly 18% and posted a mark of $605,000.

Inventory, the number of homes for sale in Naples, Florida also expressed good news.  When compared to last year, the number of homes on the market at the end of October dropped 19%, from over 9,000 to just over 7,300.  All price points experienced this decline, with the leaders being homes listed for less than $300,000 and those priced above $1 million, showing declines of over 22%…http://ChrisAndDick.com

Community of the Week, Aqualane Shores, Naples Florida

Aqualane Shores is one of the most popular boating, fishing and beach neighborhoods in Naples.  It consists of over 300 acres encircled by Naples Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, Olde Naples and Port Royal.  The community is primarily made up of nearly 500 single family homes, with some condos also in the area.

Almost all the homesites have private docks on deep-water canals that lead to Naples Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico.  New homes and docks have replaced many of the original properties, while luxurious estates line the beach.  The boutiques, restaurants and art galleries that have given Naples it’s prized mix of sophistication and tropical charm are all within walking distance.  At the northern edge of Aqualane Shores is the Naples Yacht Club.

No discussion of Naples real estate would be complete without commenting on homes for sale Naples Florida.  There are presently 33 single family homes on the market in Aqualane Shores with prices ranging from $6.5 million to $1.395 million, as well as 1 condominium listed for $595,000.  The highest price for a closed sale this year was $3.75 million for a brand new home with over 5,500 square feet of living space…http://ChrisAndDick.com

Barefoot Beach Preserve, Naples, Florida

Collier County’s desirable coast reaches its zenith at Barefoot Beach Preserve, where numerous animal species reside and visitors are able to enjoy the ambience of the park’s natural surroundings. Barefoot Beach Preserve is 342 acres of natural land, one of the last undeveloped barrier islands on Florida’s southwest coast.

The park supports the growth of sea oats, providing nesting sites for sea turtles during the summer months. The park also maintains a tropical coastal hammock of sabal palm, gumbo-limbo and sea grape trees among many others. The site is also home to the protected gopher tortoise.

Parks Rangers offer a number of programs at the Barefoot Beach Preserve Park including lectures and interpretive programs. Park Rangers educate the public about the importance of the environment and wildlife in Southwest Florida.

The park is located off Bonita Beach Road and south of the community of Barefoot Beach, which you will need to drive through to get to the park.  Be sure to enjoy the beautiful drive and look at some amazing examples of Naples real estate.

Barefoot Beach Preserve Park has a 356 space parking lot, one-mile nature trail, showers, picnic area and a concession are where equipment may be rented and food and drink is available for purchase. The preserve also offers handicapped beach wheelchair access…http://ChrisAndDick.com

 

New Listing in Castillo at Tiburon Naples, Florida

Naples real estate is always an interesting topic, and even more so when discussing homes for sale Naples, Florida.  A new listing just came on the market in Tiburon and it is a great one for discussion.

It is a magnificent 1st floor condo located in Castillo at Tiburon and adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, Florida. Hard wood floors, granite countertops, jetted tub, special lighting fixtures and fans are just a few of the fabulous features offered in this 2 bedroom plus an office condo that lives like a single family home.  It is directly across the street from the resort like pool and spa and has views of the Greg Norman designed golf course. This property has a 2 car attached garage and Castillo is guard gated for your personal privacy and protection. The perfect getaway for those who demand the best Naples has to offer.

Signature membership to Tiburon is included. This membership includes, use of the Tiburon member only health club, member only beach transportation (to the Ritz-Carlton on Vanderbilt Beach) and lunch service, use of the Tiburon members only concierge program, tennis, heated outdoor pool with sundeck located at the Ritz-Carlton and golf privileges off season…http://ChrisAndDick.com

Meal Deals in Naples, Florida

While it is early November and “Season” has begun here in Naples, Florida there are still terrific bargains to be had at some wonderful local restaurants.  You have the opportunity to explore some of the finest eateries in the world at very favorable rates.  To get an appreciation of just what is available here is just what was found being advertised in the Naples Daily News today in the Neapolitan Section.  (It pays to get this newspaper because many of these offers require this coupon.)

One popular enticement for those of us that are lucky to be in Naples this time of year is the buy one and get one free deal.  Cloyde’s Steak & Lobster House in the Venetian Village is a great place to start for dinner for this type of deal without a time constraint.  If you prefer Italian Cuisine, Amore Ristorante in the Neapolitan Way Shopping Center also has this offer, but only from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  Other venues that have this special for “Early Birds” are Ridgeway Bar & Grill on 3^rd Street South and Panevino Ristorante in the Market Place at Pelican Bay in North Naples.

 

There are a great number of choices for a fixed price dinner as well.   One pick could be Pate’s Pub (next to the Ramada Inn on Tamiami Trail North) where a bottle of wine plus salad, potato and the entrée (filet mignon, prime rib, salmon, etc.) is available for $17.95/person every night.  For “A Veally Good Deal” you could try Café Luna on Fifth Avenue South which is offering 2 dinners plus a bottle of wine for only $29.99 every day, from noon to close.  For a real casual meal there’s Clock Family Restaurant on Ninth Street North, where you can get dinner for 2 for $20, including entrée, 2 sides, soup or salad, roll or biscuit, beverage and dessert.  Veal Parmigiana, Country Fried Steak, Roast Turkey with Dressing and Grilled Tilapia are just a few of the entrée selections…http://ChrisAndDick.com  

 

The Naples International Film Festival, Naples Florida

The Naples International Film Festival is causing quite a stir and not just in Naples, Florida.  Now in its fourth year, the reputation of this event grows exponentially on a world-wide scale.  This year the festival will run from Thursday, November 3 through November 6, Sunday.

Starting the whole thing off will be a gala event at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts with VIP ticketholders having a chance to walk the red carpet, attend a private, exclusive, pre-screening cocktail party (with a full bar and hors d’oeuvres) with VIPs and visiting filmmakers, watch the film, have a discussion with the film’s director and go to an afterparty.  If you don’t want all the glitz and glamour, you can get tickets for just watching the film.

The film for this opening night ceremony is “East Fifth Bliss” and was directed by Michael Knowles, who also produced and co-wrote the screenplay.  Described as a comedy/drama, it stars Michael C. Hall, Lucy Liu and Peter Fonda, and has been showing at a number of film festivals across the country. 

The festival concludes with encore showings of the events most popular films at the Silverspot Cinema in Mercato followed by the Awards Ceremony in the Daniels Pavilion at the Phil…http://ChrisAndDick.com

This Week’s Featured Community, The Strand, Naples, Florida

Naples Florida is a wonderful place to live.  It has everything a person could want with beautiful beaches, great weather, outstanding restaurants, suburb shopping and all the sporting activities you can imagine.  One of the unique things about Naples Florida real estate is the number and types of different separate communities there are.

One such community is Pelican Strand, located off Immokalee Road, just west of I75.  The Strand is an award-winning, 575 acre planned community with a variety of condominiums and single-family homes with its own nearby shopping center.  The drawing card for the community is a golf program that features three, nine-hole championship courses designed by Gordon Lewis.

Amenities also include a fitness complex, eight Har-Tru tennis courts, swimming pool, basketball court and social club.  Within its country club is a unique botanical garden.  All residents of The Strandare social members in the club, with the option to upgrade to golf or sports membership.  The social membership includes use of the 55,000 square foot clubhouse featuring 2 dining rooms, boardroom, multi-media center and meeting/party rooms.  It also includes use of the Junior Olympic size swimming pool, Botanical Gardens  and The Spa at the Strand…http://ChrisAndDick.com