Jill Kushner - Specializing in The Colony Golf & Bay Club, Bonita Springs, Florida FL - Downing-Frye Realty Inc.

A little drive from The Colony south on US 41, right on Bonita Beach Rd. (west) and left or south on Vanderbilt Drive you'll will find one our local gems and home to Royal Scoop. This some awesome homemade ice cream by a local Bonita Springs family, the Zimmermans. I love their peppermint stick flavor, but several in my Colony posse think the Butter Pecan to be a real contender for the crown. Some of our Colony tennis players throw caloric caution to the wind and order up the 3-scoop Royal Sundae, calculating that they've earned it! Where are they? Good ideas travel fast!

If you haven't experienced Tremendous Tuesday Buffet at The Golf Club, Gracies Famous Bread Pudding should be reason enough. Frankly, when thinking decadent desert, I must confess that bread pudding wouldn't have come into my mind until I met Gracie's bread pudding, made from real challah bread, cream and the most delicious creme anglaise. Delish!

Almost 100% of the time, our Colony neighbors can be relied upon to do the right thing. But that very small percentage of time we can't rely, it seems from which the whole legal industry was built. Recently I took a listing on a high rise in The Colony. After reviewing the property, I could confirm that the party signing the agreement owned the property. Secondly, I could confirm what was owed on the property.
But what hadn't been revealed to me during the listing process and only occurs during the ordering of estoppels, is what was owed to the Association(s)-The Bay Club, etc. The seller suggested that it would have "been burdensome to have shared that information with me".
What ended up happening was upon my delivering a buyer for the residence and via my attorney did I learn what had to paid before a closing was to take place. Naturally the buyer had to be told, as the items had to appear on the closing statement.   We then learned that there had been a stop order on the lender's intention to foreclose on the property. Again, none of this revealed until we entered into a sales contract.
Lesson learned.   The minority sometimes dictates the rules for the majority and while I would have always relied on the seller to fully disclose their financial situation, it now becomes necessary to ask a full line of questions in addition to the already somewhat arduous disclosure process required of them.
The decision not to disclose the financial condition of the residence nearly resulted in the loss of a buyer, something I could have easily explained in a forthright fashion had been perceived by the buyer as my attempt to hide pertinent information about the residence.   The seller was very lucky the buyer was that resolved to make The Colony their new home.

Just one of the wonderful benefits to living at The Colony are the people who work so hard to keep residents happy.
Over at Navona, building manager Jennifer and her team enjoy the privilege of working for people who really appreciate what their collective and constant attention to the details.

They stop enjoy a little appreciation luncheon. Thank you Jennifer, Scott, DeDe, Nicole & Mikheil!

A delightful Illinois couple purchased #2004 Navona ...

As soon as I opened the door, Bob & Betty were mesmerized by the million dollar view of the Gulf of Mexico and the Estero Bay. I was so excited for them to find such a 20th floor gem and under $500k!

Navona is a beautiful contemporary high rise where pets are welcome. This was without a doubt the deciding factor for Betty & Bob.

Within a few short weeks, Bob & Betty purchased their new Navona home. As soon as their offer was accepted, we were off to purchase furniture and investigate different design options.

A whole new chapter is about to unfold for Bob, Betty and their dog Molly. New friends and a wealth of Colony amenities to enjoy. A stunning view and a real showplace to bring their family and friends.

Welcome!

Labels: Lifestyle

Rentals are hot! Presumably because new Bonita home buyers are skittish about the exact right time to purchase. Enter the opportunists. Our leaders.
As it happens, rental property purchase could prove to be the next line of real estate business in our area. Those possessing good credit scores can qualify for mortgages with very low interest rates. Hypothetically, why not invest your earnest money deposit and have it work for you in the less dicey real estate market?
So many of our Colony residents purchased their homes a couple of years before they retired. Renting their new homes for a couple of years is a practical approach to locking in a great interest rate AND fetching a home priced at lower than what it'd cost to build.
The rent monies proffered often cover the residences carrying charges and taxes.
Home buyers who place a tenant in their new Colony residence can even themselves enjoy the home in the off-peak months.
I have listings in new high rises, for example, that just a few years ago absolutely could not be purchased under a million dollars that today are selling for 70% of that...furnished!
These are not dated homes but built to the highest and newest storm code construction with high quality finishes and high ceilings. Why delay any longer?

The Colony Golf and Bay Club Main Gate

Below please find sales and rental information on the individual neighborhoods with The Colony Golf and Bay Club with rental opportunities:
Castella at The Colony

http://rentals.rentnaples.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=7446
Florencia at The Colony:
http://rentals.rentnaples.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=7373
http://rentals.rentnaples.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=7616
LaScala at The Colony
http://rentals.rentnaples.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=6521
Merano at The Colony
http://rentals.rentnaples.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=6748
Navona at The Colony
http://rentals.rentnaples.com/rns/search/propertydetail.aspx?ID=7512

I suppose many resident's visits to their Colony homes are chock full of fun events. For most, just the convenience and pleasure of sitting poolside enjoying the Florida sun is likely the most desired event. With such fabulous restaurants to choose from at Coconut Point, one of our areas best tennis programs and all kinds of golf options at our fingertips, often visiting our Colony homes doesn't even factor in our unbelievable amenity offering open to all.

We truly have a unique and varied selection of activities. For example, did you know we have a great sailing club? You're welcome to join in as a seasoned sailor or you are invited to take lessons. Our Pelican Landing/Colony sailors gather for socials and have sailing races every couple of weeks. Have you signed up for one of our Yoga Classes or Tai Chi classes offered at the P.L.C.A.? Did you know our bocce teams are a force to reckoned with...and always looking to expand? Available at our fingertips are all kinds of activities, either a nominal fee or free of charge. Have you reached out and made new friends yet at the complimentary Bay Club's daily Coffee & Danish gathering between 7-10?
I hope to hear back from you that before your next Colony visit you sign up to join the gang for a Sunset Cruise or show up at Trivia Night. Please check our Colony website for so many clubs and activities at http://pelicanlanding.org/calendar.asp Soon you'll realize that there's just so much available to us and so many fun opportunities in which to involve ourselves and our families. What do you think? Email me. JillbKushner@aol.com See you on the playground!

Most people considering a high rise have never lived in one. The whole concept is new to them but the inspiration has everything to with their longstanding fantasy to own a home with a view. Views of the Gulf. Views of the pool, golf course, or of the Estero Bay. Views, views, views! Hands down that’s what drives the purchase of a high rise home.

The newer the high rise, it would seem, the more amenities are included. While each of our Colony High Rises has their own personality, each is tailored specifically to the individual looking for a self-contained, resort style environment with low or no maintenance to attend to. Next to views, it’s all about the fun factor. The high rise is usually the secondary or vacation home, so on-site management plays a vital role in making all this possible.

A Realtor professional is specifically skilled in understanding how the whole high rise operation is of great value when you are looking for this kind of home. Realtor, such as myself, are adept at understanding what services may be included in your high rise home, what fees are associated with the services rendered. Then there's the experiences to share of many other residents and how they adapted to their new lifestyle. Introducing you to your new neighbors and assisting you in understanding the moving in process, among other important issues alleviates a lot of the stress when you joining in.

Labels: Lifestyle

A pocket listing is given to me by a would-be seller who is somewhat overwhelmed at the idea of putting his home up for sale in the customary fashion of listing it on Multiple Listing and prefers that I only show it those who have legitimate potential to purchase it. When a home goes up for sale, nowadays you can practically see the whole inside space from your computer. Everyone knows Realtor.com and looks at homes...some are buyers and some are well, just lookers.
In The Colony, privacy is important. One of the real advantages to working with me is that I am well connected in The Colony Golf & Bay Club and I can match you with homes for sale that may not be listed. Often residents would prefer not to make their home available for the traditional Open House and/or make public their interest in selling because while they are occupying their Colony home, they’d prefer their time to be uninterrupted.

Naturally it takes a pretty committed person to step forward and say, “Yes, I am a potential buyer, in that I know The Colony is where I want to live. I am not sure what high rise or floor plan but I know I don’t want to spend more than $X .” It may just be worth your while.

The idea is to reveal the residences to those who are ready to buy and to give them the advantage of seeing the highest number of available homes. Conversely the intention is not to look at these particular homes during the fact-finding stages of the purchasing process. We have many beautiful homes listed in the customary way ready to be previewed and would happy to help you with that too.