The Future of SW FL Real Estate As An Investment

[John Thedford]

I just attended a program for the agents with NextHome Advisors on Friday. We had several speakers including speakers from other parts of FL. One is a well known expert who expressed their view that our market, in their opinion, will continue to shine for the next few years. Another speak optimistically stated they expect SW FL population to double within less than ten years. We are seeing huge growth. Most of this is coming from the northeast where people want to escape the harsh winters and high property taxes. Looking around in SW FL there are lots of HUGE apartment complexes going up, new strip centers, and other housing. Of note are the senior care facilities as well. Looking at the numbers, I find some quite surprising. One of the highest rated new apartment complexes in Naples charges about $1550 for a one bedroom unit and they are getting it. I recall seeing them being built, Now their parking lots are full and I suspect vacancy is minimal. Yup--$1550 a MONTH for a one bedroom. Rents in Ft Myers and Cape Coral are not quite that strong but approaching higher end numbers. With the anticipated growth, etc I believe we are going to be in a great market for investors for several years. I personally will continue to buy when I find what I consider a great deal. It is not too late to come to the party, but you cannot pay FMV with hopes of appreciation, etc. I believe we will have some sustained appreciation, but the good old days are long gone where you could buy and your property would quadruple in 3-5 years. Regardless, you may well see 6% or so per year. Couple that with buying under market, strong job growth, strong influx of new residents, and a strong rental market and I believe the future looks pretty bright for the area. Remember, markets WILL cycle, but having that in mind, buying right, and taking smart calculated moves will help investors weather any storms that will come..and then go.

BTW----average sales prices are about 95% of listing price and about 1/2 of local sales are all cash.