Blog
Straight, practical advice on buying and selling in Southwest Florida. New posts every couple of weeks.
About 6% to 8% of the sale price with a full commission, and roughly 1% without it. Why Collier County's buyer-pays title custom puts Naples sellers under the Florida average, the FIRPTA withholding that catches foreign owners, and a line-by-line breakdown on a $750,000 sale.
Read post Market update622 closed sales at a $575,000 median, inventory down 16.3% and 5.4 months of supply. Houses and condos split, why lower inventory has not pushed prices up, and what that means for buyers and sellers this fall.
Read post Buyer guideNot the exemption itself, but you can port up to $500,000 of your Save Our Homes savings to the next house. The three-year clock that is not three years from closing, the ratio that applies when you downsize, and the two forms due March 1.
Read post Buyer guideAbout $34,052 on a single family home under 4,000 square feet, before fire district fees, and the rates went up again on May 1. The 4,000 square foot cliff, the teardown credit most buyers never hear about, and why the City of Naples number is different.
Read post Buyer guideZones A through E decide who leaves first, and they are not the same thing as your FEMA flood zone even though both use the letter A. Where to look up any Collier or Lee County address, and the questions to ask about a Zone A home before you write the offer.
Read post Buyer guideThe answer changes at the city line. The 30-day rule inside Naples city limits, Collier County's $50 registration, what happened to Marco Island's ordinance, Bonita's rental permit, and why the HOA documents usually decide it first.
Read post Buyer guideAlmost every home east of Collier Boulevard runs on a private well and septic. The two inspections a normal home inspector does not perform, the water tests to run, the FHA and VA well rules that kill deals in week three, and what replacement really costs.
Read post Buyer guideBuyers here pay about 2% to 3.5% of the price at closing. Why Collier County's buyer-pays title custom costs you thousands more than Fort Myers, with a line-by-line breakdown on a $650,000 purchase.
Read post Buyer guideFlorida's milestone inspections and reserve rules decide whether a building faces a special assessment. What changed in 2025, why fees jumped, and the document stack to demand before you write an offer.
Read post Buyer guideCDD fees show up on your property tax bill and can add $1,500 to $5,000 a year to what you actually pay. Here is how they work, what they cover, and what to verify before you write an offer.
Read post Buyer guideMost Naples HOA dues run $200 to $1,200 a month, but the range hides everything. A community-by-community breakdown of what you pay, what it covers, and the special assessment trap to watch for.
Read post Buyer guideMost inground pools here run $60,000 to $150,000 or more installed. What drives the price, why the screen cage is not optional, and whether it is smarter to build or buy a home that already has one.
Read post Buyer guideMost Naples homeowners pay $3,500 to $9,500 a year. The real reasons rates run high, the wind mitigation credits that cut the bill, and what to ask the seller before you write the offer.
Read post Buyer guideWhether you need it comes down to your flood zone and your mortgage. How AE, VE, and X zones work, what coverage really costs, and why I tell Zone X buyers to carry it anyway after Ian.
Read post Buyer guideAn honest local-agent breakdown of Valencia Bonita, Valencia Trails, Pelican Preserve, Cascades at Estero, and Del Webb Naples, with real HOA fees, prices, and who each one fits.
Read post Buyer guideThe real Collier County numbers, why the seller's tax bill is rarely what you will pay, and how the homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap change the math.
Read post RelocationMost buyers I work with are moving here from out of state. The first real question is not which house, it is which area. Here is how Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, and Fort Myers actually differ.
Read post Seller guideThe price you list at is the most important decision in a sale. Here is why overpricing backfires, and what a real price is actually based on.
Read post Buyer guideBuying your first home has more moving parts than most people expect. A full roadmap, with the Florida-specific details that catch buyers off guard.
Read postIf something here raised a question about your own move, the fastest answer is a phone call.