Home Sales Gaining....

WASHINGTON (December 1, 2009)—Pending home sales have risen for nine months in a row, a first for the series of the index since its inception in 2001, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), based on contracts signed in October, increased 3.7 percent, up 31.8 percent above October 2008. That’s the largest year-over-year rise ever recorded for the index.
The PHSI measures pending sales of existing homes, meaning sales for which a contract is signed, but the deal hasn’t closed. Home sales typically take one to two months to reach closing.

The housing market is experiencing a pendulum swing, said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Keep in mind that housing had been underperforming over most of the past year,” he explained. “Based on the demographics of our growing population, existing-home sales should be in the range of 5.5 million to 6.0 million annually, but we were well below the 5-million mark before the home buyer tax credit stimulus.”
The surge shows the tax credit is helping unleash a pent-up demand from a large pool of financially qualified renters, rather than borrowing sales from the future, he added.
Regionally, the Northeast posted the strongest numbers, surging 19.9 percent in October and 44.2 percent above a year ago.

In the Midwest, the index rose 11.6 percent in October, which was 36.6 percent higher than October 2008.
Pending home sales in the South increased 5.4 percent in October and 31.6 percent above a year ago.
In the West, pending home sales fell 11.2 percent, but were still 21.9 percent above the pace of October 2008.

Yun cautioned that home sales could dip in the months ahead.  “The expanded tax credit has only been available for the past three weeks, but the time between when buyers start looking at homes until they close on a sale can take anywhere from three to five months. Given the lag time, we could see a temporary decline in closed existing-home sales from December until early spring when we get another surge, but the weak job market remains a major concern and could slow the recovery process.

“Still, as inventories continue to decline and balance is gradually restored between buyers and sellers, we should reach self-sustaining housing conditions and firming home prices in most areas around the middle of 2010. That would mean broad wealth stabilization for the vast number of middle-class families,” Yun said.

Do you agree 20101 will see continued improvement?

Source: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ®

Can I Offer You $8000?

Bringing the Dream of Homeownership Within Reach

As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that:

• Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.
• Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

Here is more information about how the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit can help prospective home buyers become part of the American dream. 

Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?

• First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
  
• Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.

To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

If you or your client purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see: 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

Which Properties Are Eligible?

The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.

How Much Is Available?

The maximum allowable credit for first-time home buyers is $8,000.
The maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500.

How is a Buyer's Credit Amount Determined?

Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by tow additional factors:

1. The price of the home.
2. The buyer's income.

Price

Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, credit may only be awarded on homes purchased for $800,000 or less.

Buyer Income

Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which is effective on November 7, 2009,  single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.

These income limits have changed from the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit limits. If you or your client purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She Still Get a Credit?

Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.

The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000 for single buyers and between $225,000 and $245,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $145,000 for singles and over $245,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit.

Can a Buyer Still Qualify If He/She Closes After April 30, 2010?

Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, as long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close.

Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?

No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during this three-year period, the full amount credit will be recouped on the sale.

Ready to buy and take advantage of $8000? Call Hollie at 941-916-2251....

Punta Gorda Airport Update

On November 20, why did 35 local commercial real estate practitioners meet at 7:15 in the morning at the Sky View Café at the Charlotte County Airport? 
We were there to hear Gary Quill’s excellent update on the exciting progress at and near the airport.   
   
Although the airport had its beginnings in the era of World War II, those humble origins have morphed into a thriving gem of economic activity. Here’s some of the information shared during the fast-paced, 30-minute presentation:    
Airlines: Most of us are familiar with the fact that there are two airlines now servicing the airport, and connecting our area to 12 destinations. The traffic count continues to be healthy and this past year boasted 96,000 travelers for the year through the end of October. As we know, “visitation leads to migration,” and having those visitors definitely helps our local economy and real estate market.    Additionally, Direct Air has two jets stationed here. This contributes $120,000 per month into our local economy in the lodging sector.     

And let’s not forget an iconic local business, Air Trek. This air ambulance was established here in 1978, and is a longtime tenant at the airport.     

Airport Terminal: The 2-year-old Bailey Airport Terminal is an impressive gateway to our area for visitors.    Tower: By Jan. 1, 2011, Charlotte County can boast its own air traffic control tower. This will have a positive impact on safety and economic growth.     

Piper Road: While the Publix distribution center is on the back burner until demographic growth warrants its construction, Publix recently completed $1 million worth of improvements on Piper Road. These improvements provide positive momentum toward the completion of the Piper Road extension, which will link to two Interstate 75 exits — Jones Loop Road and U.S. 17.    
 
Industrial Parks: In addition to the airport authority industrial areas, the airport is flanked by two major industrial parks, on its north and south sides. At the meeting, we learned that a major tenant, a solar manufacturer, recently inked a lease for 40,000 square feet of space at the Park of Commerce, located north of the airport.     

Stimulus money: We’ve heard the news that another nearby community airport is suffering from deferred maintenance resulting in blown tires of various aircraft. That is not the case at the Charlotte County Airport. Using $2.5 million in stimulus money and about $2.5 million in grants, WWII-era runways were torn up, enhanced and replaced.     

Financial condition: While neighboring airports may be several hundred million dollars in debt, Charlotte County’s airport has approximately $280,000 in debt. This results in an airport on solid financial footings, including a balanced budget.    
 
In conclusion, as we take time this season to count our blessings, our area certainly can count the Charlotte County Airport, and its Executive Director Gary Quill, among them.    

For further information on our airport or to book a flight, visit http://www.flypgd.com/


 
Maryann Mize, CCIM, is senior vice president/senior credit officer at Charlotte State Bank. She can be reached at 941-624-5400 or mmize@  charlottestatebank.com  .

The Lights of Downtown Punta Gorda

The revival and growth of downtown Punta Gorda is truly exciting. Especially at this time of the year!
My daughter in law is a talented photographer, and during a recent visit we took a trip to Gilchrist Park for a personal photography session.
On the way back through town, I couldn't resist asking her to snap some shots of the life and lights of downtown Punta Gorda...alive with the spirit of the holidays! Enjoy~

Let the Holiday Season Begin!

Southwest Florida’s tropical holiday season is punctuated by something only a tropical zone affords: holiday boat parades, with bejeweled sea vessels taking to the waters around the community, decked out in illuminated holiday cheer.

And Punta Gorda is blessed by not one, but two such spectacles each season.

The Lighted Boat Parade on Charlotte Harbor is now in its 20th year. A product of the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, the annual happening features prominently in the holiday season’s kick-off. (The technical kick-off comes a day before, with the lighting of two Christmas trees in Downtown Punta on Dec. 4.)

On Dec. 5, the Lighted Boat Parade is preceded by the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Parade, traversing Taylor Street in Punta Gorda from downtown to Charlotte High School. The afternoon segues into a holiday bazaar at Laishley Park from noon to dusk, featuring tables of trinkets and tidbits, food and fun, orchestrated by the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce. Fishermen’s Village provides ample opportunities to keep folks busy between the parade’s end and the boat parade’s beginning. Regional favorite Jim Morris starts playing there at 5 p.m.

Then comes the pièce de resistance at about 6 p.m. — the Lighted Boat Parade, which draws an estimated 10,000-12,000 people.

A year of planning

John Wright, president of the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, told us it takes a full year to put the parade together.

“Our first and primary goal is to make sure the parade is safe. It’s not easy to go out on a darkened harbor at night and find your way around. Not only are there the parade participants, there are at least 250 boats anchored in the harbor. It’s a daunting task, but it’s our job to make it as easy and safe,” Mr. Wright said.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Punta Gorda Police Department figure prominently in making the event a safety non-event. The coordinated effort of so many enforcement and civic entities calls for serious advance planning. Two month prior to the parade, the proposal must be approved by city council.

“We have a parade chair, Doug Buuck, who owns All Marine Canvas in Punta Gorda. He’s on hand to give not just safety recommendations, but he’ll give advice on how to decorate your boat,” Mr. Wright said.

“This is my seventh year,” Mr. Buuck said. “We’re shooting for 40 boats to be in the parade. We usually run between 35 and 45.”

COURTESY PHOTOS Regardless of whether a design is glorious or humorous, each lighted boat requires hours of planning and rigging. He explained that another boat parade — one in Punta Gorda Isles set for Dec. 19 — technically has the greatest number of decked-out boats, but the Lighted Boat Parade on Dec. 5 is the largest spectacle on open waters on Florida’s west coast.

“We also have the distinction of being the only (Southwest Florida community) to have two boat parades,” he added.

“Doug has it down to a fine art,” Mr. Wright said. “The route is secure and safe to navigate. What’s new this year is that (the event will be) sponsored by Clear Channel Radio, broadcast live from Fishermen’s Village,” he said. And “For the first time, we’re collaborating with the Sarasota boat parade (on Dec. 12). If you’re decorating your boat, you’ll want it in the harbor,” he said, to have it seen by as many spectators as possible.

Beauty and the barge

Punta Gorda Isles resident Noel Hyde has been participating in the parade for 11 years. His decorations have included a 25-foot trumpeting angel and a 45-foot-tall Christmas tree. A favorite is a 16-foot lighted poinsettia being “watered” with a colossal watering can, complete with lighted streams of symbolic water.

Planning starts months before a parade. “We draw the design on our driveway with chalk,” Mr. Hyde said. Next, a netting material is laid over the design and stretched onto a PVC pipe frame. Then the structure is installed on his 38-foot sailboat.

Family, friends and neighbors readily help in every phase of the project. When the parades are over, the design is taken down and fostered in a neighbor’s backyard — on a pool cage, secured to a tree — anything sturdy enough to support it. When a design is renovated, strings of light figuring prominently into the reconstruction.

As Maya Angelou put it, “I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she handles a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights.”

Capt. Ralph Allen has been involved with the parade since its inception. Three boats from his King Fisher Fleet at Fishermen’s Village will be in the parade. An affiliate boat, the new Harbor Lady dinner cruise, will be docked in the harbor, offering supreme scenery and dinner for $50 per person.

Capt. Allen’s boats will be outfitted for the occasion. “Good Times Too” will be decked in red. The “Island Star” will be covered in candy canes. And the “Coconut Woman” is demurely flanked with a succession of light strings. “We’re not the most sophisticated,” Capt. Allen allowed, “but everybody has a good time.”

Maximizing the experience

Mr. Wright said that locals create occasions around the Lighted Boat Parade. “Some homeowners host nonprofit events in their homes,” he said.

One Dec. 5 private home gathering will serve as a benefit for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, with horse-drawn carriage rides, a visit from St. Nick, food and drink and a ringside seat to the boat parade — all for a $50 donation to the nonprofit orchestra.

Mr. Wright urges participants and bystanders to visit the chamber’s Web site (www.puntagorda-chamber.com) for full details about what to expect. The site contains information about registering a boat for the parade, including a captain’s registration form. “The only thing we require (of boaters) is that they a mandatory captains’ meeting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 in the Laishley Marina’s community room,” Mr. Wright said.

Fishermen’s Village, the Isles Yacht Club and Laishley Park are favorite viewing areas. Some parking restrictions apply, and can be found on the chamber’s site.

And the party plays on

Immediately following the boat parade, the Punta Gorda Chamber will host a free party at Laishley Park celebrating its fifth year in business.

A few days later, parade boaters are thanked for their hard work and contributions at a first mate’s cocktail reception at the Captain’s Table Restaurant.

“Money can’t buy what these guys offer up for free. They don’t have to do this. They do it because they want to, and everybody has such a good time,” Mr. Buuck said.

As for why he serves as the captains’ captain year after year, Mr. Buuck said, “I meet the neatest, coolest people. They’re absolutely fun.”

Despite the hours of planning and hard work amid the frustration of failed and tangled lights, the show goes on as it has for 20 years, out of sheer joy, dedication and love of community. ¦

events


Holiday kick-off events
Friday, Dec. 4
Lighting of Christmas trees in downtown Punta
Gorda
• 6 to 6:30 p.m. — city tree at Marion and Taylor
• 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. — Downtown Merchants’ Association
tree at Olympia and Taylor
Saturday, Dec. 5
Charlotte County Chamber Christmas Parade
• Noon
Parade begins at the intersection of Marion and
Taylor in Punta Gorda and proceeds along Taylor
to Punta Gorda High School
Holiday bazaar presented by the Punta Gorda
Chamber of Commerce
• Noon to dusk at Laishley Park
The 20th annual Lighted Boat Parade
• Starts at approximately 6 p.m.
(inclement weather date: Dec. 12)
After-Party
• Starts immediately following the boat parade.
Punta Gorda Chamber celebrates its fifth anniversary
at Laishley Park
Saturday, Dec. 19
Punta Gorda Isles boat parade on the canals.
Boaters who wish to participate can contact Tom
Little at Kalani@comcast.net or 639-9442
Information
• Lighted Boat Parade: www.puntagorda-chamber.
com
• Fishermen’s Village: www.fishville.com

Ghosts and Goblins of Halloween Night, Downtown Punta Gorda

Luxury Homes of Punta Gorda Launched!

The luxury home market is strong in Punta Gorda...and for good reason! Where else can discriminating buyers purchase a luxury home situated on the water with in a thriving SW Florida town for these prices?
Those looking to live the high end lifestyle for low end prices should check out the newly launched "Luxury Homes of Punta Gorda" site at www.LuxuryHomesofPuntaGorda.com.

Update on Area Foreclosures

September home sales soared 42 percent in the Sarasota-Bradenton market and 56 percent in Charlotte County-North Port, spurred again by bargain-priced foreclosures and the $8,000 first-time homebuyers tax credit.

Even with distressed property so prevalent in the mix, prices held flat to the north and rose 7 percent month over month to the south.

Lower-priced homes remain in strong demand.

"We are red-hot below the $200,000 mark and if you have something nice below $100,000 you can expect multiple offers," said Charryl Youman, vice president of the Venice Chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors. "This is an opportunistic market for buyers like I've never seen."

The strong regional performance came against the backdrop of statewide sales that rose 34 percent. Sales across the nation rose 9.4 percent last month -- the highest level in two years -- as buyers scrambled to complete their deals before the tax credit expires.

But the strong performance in Southwest Florida continued the debate about whether pricing has bottomed.

"Have we reached the bottom in Venice in the lower price range? Yes, we have," said Youman, an agent with Prudential Florida Realty. "Where we haven't seen people line up for is anything above $400,000."

She cited the Gran Paradiso development in Venice as an example of pricing pressures. Originally listed at $626,000, the furnished and decorated three-bedroom, two-bath homes with a pool and lake view have been reduced to $389,000.

Youman has sold 41 homes in Sarasota County this year -- nearly half within the last 90 days.

But others remain unconvinced that such positive signs signal that housing has exited the doldrums, especially with rapidly rising unemployment.

"I don't know if we've seen anything dramatically different with these new numbers," said Sean Snaith, director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida. "Activity is up, but prices are not clearly finding the bottom yet."

A true turnaround in Florida's housing market could be some time away, he said.

"Until we get that stabilization of prices and start heading north instead of south, it's hard to say that we're talking about a housing market that's back in balance," Snaith said.

'A mini-boom'

Though sales rose 34 percent statewide, pricing slipped month-over-month, down about 4 percent from $142,000 in August, data released Friday by the Florida Association of Realtors showed.

The median sales price nationally was $174,900, slightly lower than August's $177,300.

Closer to home, foreclosures in Sarasota are beginning to feature more homes at the upper end, said Adam Robinson, with Siesta Key-based Key Realty.

"We're seeing more of the higher-end properties coming on the market, though that's not what's selling right now," Robinson said of his territory. "Anything under $450,000 is where the buyers are, and under $250,000 you are usually seeing multiple offers."

One reason it is proving difficult to move high-end properties is financing. Jumbo loans are not easy to come by, so even a home discounted from $1 million to $700,000 is a tough sell because buyers still need 20 percent down and face a high interest rate if they can even get the loan.

"Even if you have excellent credit, it remains difficult," Robinson said. "If they don't have cash, they could have a challenge."

Is the worst over?

While home sales and housing construction have risen steadily after hitting bottom earlier this year, most economists believe that the worst is not over for home values.

The rising jobless rate, currently at 9.8 percent nationally and 12.5 percent in Southwest Florida, is likely to put more people behind on their mortgages and push more into foreclosure.

"There's more supply that's going to come into the marketplace," said Stan Humphries, chief economist at real estate Web site Zillow.com. "That additional supply will outpace demand."

Whatever the future may hold, Betty Grambell is enjoying the moment. The manager with Bradenton's Wagner Realty said out-of-state buyers are flooding her with phone calls and e-mails.

"They're hearing that it is a good time to buy and they have taken care of their financial situations up north and they are in a buy mode," she said.

Sales activity for Wagner is on track to double this month when compared with September as people not only rush on the tax credit, but to be in their homes by the end of the year so they can claim a homestead exemption.

"I'm pleasantly surprised," she said. "I'm really looking forward to a good month."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.
Courtesy of HeraldTribune.com

Early Morning Walk in Laishley Park, Punta Gorda

Parkapoolza!!

Charlotte County, FL - Charlotte County Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources will host PARKapalooza at the CharlotteSportsPark. This all-day music festival will feature Little River Band along with merchandise vendors, food and beverages, a kid’s game zone, and plenty of live entertainment. See the poster here!

Tickets for this event are now available for $10 per person in advance of the event or $15 per person on the day of the event (admission for ages 3 and under is free).

Vendors wishing to obtain space to sell their products or services will be given the opportunity to do so on a pre-registration basis; however, space is limited to the first fifty (50) paid applicants.

Please contact the CharlotteSportsPark at 941.235.5010 or visit our website at www.CharlotteCountyFL.com and follow the PARKapalooza link for ticket sales, event information, and vendor applications.

The public can also call 941.625.PLAY to learn more about this and other Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources events and programs.

Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009

Time: 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Location: Charlotte Sports Park

ANNOUNCING! 25 Best Places to Retire-PORT CHARLOTTE!!

Port Charlotte, Fla.

Port Charlotte is tops for sailors.
Population: 48,000
% over 50: 44%
Typical 3-bedroom home: $170,000
Housing prices down: 63%
State income tax: None

Lots of places in Florida have been battered by the housing bust. But this laid-back Gulf Coast town, just across Charlotte Harbor from pricier Punta Gorda, arguably best hits the sweet spot of great prices and great amenities.

Homes here cost less than half what they did in late 2005, and about 40% of them sit on canals and waterways leading to the harbor - which has 270 square miles of cruising waters and 219 miles of protected shoreline.

But H20 is far from the only reason to move here. The area boasts top-notch medical facilities. The town's Cultural Center houses a 500-seat theater and offers year-round classes in everything from Japanese embroidery to belly dancing. And there's great bird watching in 42,000-acre Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, which has hundreds of avian species and is crisscrossed with hiking trails and kayaking blueways.

The lack of a Florida tax on income -- including interest and dividend income -- only sweetens the deal. --S.M.
See complete data, including tax rates, for Port Charlotte

Contact Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate to grab your dream home here! 941-916-2251, anytime!

StormPulse Hurricane Tracker

It's that time again, folks.....
With the pleasures of living in paradise comes the dreaded anticipation of Hurricane Season...now in full swing. Stay on top of the latest hurricane activity to affect southwest Florida by visiting StormPulse...

Punta Gorda's five-year revitalization began on August 13, 2004 and has been going strong ever since. Join the citizens, businesses, and local government who have been working together in partnership to achieve dramatic results. We welcome those who helped Punta Gorda begin this process, especially those from surrounding counties without whom the revitalization would have had a slower start. Save the date of August 15, 2009 for Punta Gorda's Five-Year Xtreme Makeover Celebration. Festivities will begin at 1 p.m. in Laishley Park. Don't miss the fireworks that will cap off a day of fun for people of all ages. Come together as a community... Visit the website here.

Remember August 13th, 2004?

Hurricane Charley made landfall in southwest Florida on Aug. 13, 2004. Not since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 had the Florida peninsula seen such devastation. Five years after Hurricane Charley, Punta Gorda has emerged better than before. Read the story and actually click on the photos to see the same scene immediately following Hurricane Charley...by Emily Nipps:

http://blogs.tampabay.com/photo/2009/08/hurricane-charley-punta-gorda-anniversary.html

Laishley Crab Shack Prepares to OPEN

Charlotte County Prescription Savings

Your entire family will truly enjoy the savings of up to 65% for each prescription filled and overall savings of up to 40% annually. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with all of the benefits of the discount prescription card.

Charlotte County is now offering its residents a free discount prescription card to help lower their cost of obtaining prescription drugs. While the card is generally for people without health insurance, the card in many cases has better pricing than what people with health insurance are paying for their prescriptions. So it's good for everyone to compare pricing even if they have insurance.

With the Charlotte County free discount prescription card you will save up to 65% on individual brand-name and generic drugs.Pet prescriptions are included too! Click here to print your own savings card

Rooftop View at the Wyvern Hotel

We love the view from the Rooftop Lounge at the upscale Wyvern Hotel in downtown Punta Gorda. Grab a refreshing cocktail and enjoy the harbor breezes in the best seat in town! Sunday's is pool party day with music, karaoke, and pool time fun!

In the downtown lobby area you will find Lulu, a unique Latin infused restaurant offering an upscale environment.

The Wyvern is a wonderful addition to the downtown area, and offers elegance and ambiance for visitors and locals alike. Make a reservation here!

Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!

Discover the Beauty of the Peace River...

If you are visiting the area or are lucky enough to have the beauty of the Peace River winding through your community, you will enjoy this trip through native Florida.

"It’s morning on the Peace River. This is when the river earns its name. Wrapped in a blanket of mist, it’s a study in serenity and stillness. In many places its flow is barely perceptible, averaging a mile per hour or less. Few ripples mar its glassy surface. Only the leisurely drifting of a leaf points the way downstream." Discover the Peace River....


Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!

Got Mud?

Welcome to Florida's largest Off Road Park for Swamp Buggys, ATVs, Trucks and Jeeps...the Redneck Yacht Club!

With over 800 acres of trail riding, 4 mud holes, 500’ oval mud track and drive thru buggy wash, everyone is sure to have a "dirty" time at the Redneck Yacht Club.

Located on Bermont Road in Punta Gorda, the Redneck Yacht Club is the area's newest attraction, and folks are flocking to the Mudding Events from all over! The rules are pretty easy to follow...just BYOB and bring your own buggies and beer, and they'll supply the mud!
Grab the dirt on the Redneck Yacht Club here.


Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!

Must Sell...Short Sale Deal! $749,000..One Acre of PGI Waterfront!

One acre of exceptional waterfront living with all of the amenities to ensure the Florida lifestyle you have always dreamed of! This home is situated on three waterfront tip lots with over 400 feet of seawall!Watch the sailboats drift by the untouched mangroves, and grab a front row seat for the annual Christmas parade. In an area of elegant upscale homes.

An outstanding gourmet kitchen...you ll love to cook in! Features upgraded chefs appliances, warming and cooling drawers, center working island, custom cabinets, granite, and don t forget the awesome waterfront view! Open living room and dining area features gleaming wood floors and floor to ceiling fireplace. Formal dining room offers a private outdoor screened room for more dining options. The family room features a seperate lounging area with built in wet bar, icemaker, granite counters and built ins. Grab a bottle of wine from the humidity/climate controlled 1300 bottle wine cellar.

Entertaining? Head on out to the outdoor kitchen with built in grill, or take a dip in the heated pool with oversized lanai. Elegant master suite offers private screened patio overlooking water and french style master bath. Third bedroom is being used as office. A beautiful home, with amenities too numerous to mention...make an appointment to view right away! Offered at 1,600,000...NOW REDUCED! NOW OFFERED AS A SHORT SALE $749,000...Call Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate 941-916-2251 for a private tour.


Courtesy of Hollie Dustin, HomeChoice Real Estate...Your Absolute Best Choice!