Accord Real Estate Group

Sanibel Harbour Sunsets

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All sunset photos in the video link below were captured from a condo unit overlooking San Carlos Bay from a private lanai at the Bay View Tower - Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa in Fort Myers, Florida.

For information on reserving your own private sunset viewing from the best seat in the house, please go to www.accord-realestate.com or call 800-538-4721.

Southwest Florida
Easy to Find ... Impossible to Forget

Advantages of Vacation Rental Units

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Consider the following advantages of the vacation rental units provided by Accord Real Estate Group before you book you next getaway:

Room for Everyone. - You don’t live in a 12’ x 12’ box, so why would you want to vacation in one? Book an expansive two-bedroom condo instead of a cramped hotel room. When traveling with family members or friends you can share time in the accommodations’ common areas while having your own bedroom for privacy.

The Comforts of Home. - In-room amenities like major appliances and fully equipped kitchens are a welcome advantage! Grab the blender and whip-up frozen drinks with friends…toss the swimsuits in the washing machine after a day at the beach…quickly heat the baby’s formula in your microwave – It’s travel made easy for an overall better vacation experience. All of our condos come complete with everything you’d expect for a relaxing, extended stay such as:

• Fully equipped kitchen with stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher and full size refrigerator

• Washer/dryer

• Separate bathrooms

• Lanai overlooking the water and viewing spectacular sunsets

• Living room

• Dining room

Value. - For the cost of a long weekend at a hotel, Accord Real Estate Group offers travelers accommodations for a whole week in a vacation rental. Plus, there is no extra charge for additional guests up to the selected accommodations’ maximum occupancy (usually six) – representing a significant per person cost savings.

Easy Booking. - Our online reservations process (www.accord-realestate.com) makes planning and booking your next getaway extremely simple. Or, if you prefer, you may call us at: 1-800-538-4721, where we have experienced vacation personnel available to answer any questions you may have and book by phone.

So book your next vacation with Accord Real Estate Group, and see for yourself why our condominiums offer a better way to get away.

The Benefits of Vacation Rental Homes

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The selection of place to stay is one of the most important decisions a family makes while planning a vacation.

Though vacation rental homes are gaining more popularity these days, there are still people who opt for regular hotels. Hotels are good options to stay while on vacation, but vacation homes/condos provide many benefits to that a perfect vacation.

Here are a few:

1. Privacy - One of the most important benefits of vacation rental homes is that they offer more privacy than regular hotels. Most (but not all) vacation rentals provide protection against noise from rowdy vacationers or of slamming hotel doors.

2. Private Amenities - If you are planning to make your vacation more relaxing, rental properties are generally second to none. It is also possible to get vacation rental houses with hot tubs and private pools, maybe not completely your own but certainly more private than the common hotel amenity.

3. Larger Accommodations - If you are going on a vacation with and extended family or in a large group, you can also consider the option of choosing larger units which offer multiple bedrooms and larger living areas. The entire family can utilize this larger space (most with full kitchens).

4. Multiple Bedrooms/Bathrooms - Parents and children can get separate bedrooms when they opt for rental houses rather than regular hotels. Houses or condos with multiple bedrooms will have more than two bathrooms, in general. So, it will be easy for the vacationers to get ready to go out after a long day at the beach. It will not only save the time in the morning but will also enable the vacationers to enjoy more of their vacation time.

Owing to all these reasons, many are booking vacation rental accommodations whenever they are planning to go for a vacation. If you are also planning a vacation, make sure to enquire about vacation rental houses in that place.

When planning your vacation to Southwest Florida, check out our luxury waterfront two bedroom/two bath condominiums at the Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort.

You won’t be disappointed.

Easy to Find – Impossible to Forget

Naples, FL Named In Top 20 Small Towns in America

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Smithsonian Magazine recently announced their list of the top 20 best small towns in America.

To help create the list, the magazine asked the geographic information systems company Esri to search its data bases for high concentrations of museums, historic sites, botanic gardens, resident orchestras, art galleries and other cultural assets common to big cities.

The focus was on towns with populations less than 25,000, so travelers could experience what might be called enlightened good times in an unhurried, charming setting.

The two Florida cities were listed in the magazine's rankings.

Naples was ranked No. 9 on the strength of its beauty, philharmonic orchestra and an abundance of art galleries. Key West, which the magazine calls a "haven for creativity," came in at No. 16.

The full list
1. Great Barrington, Mass.
2. Taos, N.M.
3. Red Bank, N.J.
4. Mill Valley, Calif.
5. Gig Harbor, Wash.
6. Durango, Colo.
7. Butler, Penn.
8. Marfa, Texas
9. Naples, Fla.
10. Staunton, Va.
11. Brattleboro, Vt.
12. Princeton, N.J.
13. Brunswick, Maine
14. Siloam Springs, Ark.
15. Menomonie, Wisc.
16. Key West, Fla.
17. Laguna Beach, Calif.
18. Ashland, Ore.
19. Tamarack, W.Va.
20. Oxford, Miss.

Both cities are easy to get with downtown Naples a 45 minute drive from South Fort Myers and Key West a 3.5 boat ride aboard the Key West Express leaving from Fort Myers Beach.

Investment, Vacation Home Sales up in 2011

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According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), sales of investment and vacation homes jumped in 2011, with the combined market share rising to the highest level since 2005.

NAR’s 2012 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering existing- and new-home transactions in 2011, shows investment-home sales surged 64.5 percent to 1.23 million last year from 749,000 in 2010.

Vacation-home sales rose 7.0 percent to 502,000 in 2011 from 469,000 in 2010. Owner-occupied purchases fell 15.5 percent to 2.78 million.

Vacation-home sales accounted for 11 percent of all transactions last year, up from 10 percent in 2010, while the portion of investment sales jumped to 27 percent in 2011 from 17 percent in 2010.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said the shift in investment buyer patterns in 2011 shows the market, for the large part, is able to absorb foreclosures hitting the market.

All-cash purchases have become fairly common in the investment- and vacation-home market during recent years: 49 percent of investment buyers paid cash in 2011, as did 42 percent of vacation-home buyers. Half of all investment home purchases in 2011 were distressed homes, as were 39 percent of vacation homes.

The median investment-home price was $100,000 in 2011, up 6.4 percent from $94,000 in 2010, while the median vacation-home price was $121,300, down 19.1 percent from $150,000 in 2010.

Investment-home buyers in 2011 had a median age of 50, earned $86,100 and bought a home that was relatively close to their primary residence – a median distance of 25 miles, although 30 percent were more than 100 miles away.

The typical investment buyer plans to hold the property for a median of 5 years, down from 10 years for buyers in 2010.

The typical vacation-home buyer was 50 years old, had a median household income of $88,600 and purchased a property that was a median distance of 305 miles from the primary residence; 35 percent of vacation homes were within 100 miles and 37 percent were more than 500 miles. Buyers plan to own their recreational property for a median of 10 years.

Lifestyle factors have consistently been the primary motivation for vacation-home buyers, while the desire for rental income drives investment purchases. Vacation homes purchased last year were more likely to be in suburban or rural areas; investment homes were concentrated in suburban locations.

Eighty-two percent of vacation-home buyers said the primary reason for buying was to use the property themselves for vacations, or as a family retreat. Thirty percent plan to use the property as a primary residence in the future, and only 22 percent plan to rent to others.
Half of investment buyers said they purchased primarily to generate rental income, and 34 percent wanted to diversify their investments or saw a good investment opportunity.

Forty-two percent of vacation homes purchased last year were in the South, 30 percent in the West, 15 percent in the Northeast and 12 percent in the Midwest; 1 percent were located outside of the U.S.

Forty-four percent of investment properties were in the South, 23 percent in the West, 17 percent in the Midwest and 15 percent in the Northeast.

Eight out of 10 second-home buyers said it was a good time to buy. Nearly half of investment buyers said they were likely to purchase another property within two years, as did one-third of vacation-home buyers.

Currently, 42.1 million people in the U.S. are ages 50-59 – a group that has dominated second-home sales since the middle part of the past decade and established records. An additional 43.5 million people are 40-49 years old, while another 40.2 million are 30-39.
NAR believes that given that the number of people who are in their 40s is somewhat larger than the 50-somethings, the long-term demographic demand for purchasing vacation homes is favorable because these younger households are likely to enter the market as their desire for these kinds of properties grows, and individual circumstances allow.

NAR’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data shows there are 8.0 million vacation homes and 42.8 million investment units in the U.S., compared with 75.3 million owner-occupied homes.

NAR’s 2012 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, conducted in March 2012, includes answers from 2,241 usable responses about home purchases during 2011. The survey controlled for age and income, based on information from the larger 2011 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, to limit any biases in the characteristics of respondents

Fort Myers in Top10 U.S. Real Estate Markets Drawing International Buyers

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In a recent report Inman reported that affluent international buyers, attracted by fire-sale prices, are snapping up real estate in some U.S. markets. Inman identifies 10 markets where public records indicate foreign buyers make up the biggest share of overall buyers.

Most of the markets are located in Florida, though areas in Nevada, Arizona, New York and Hawaii are also on the list.

The report highlights the economic and personal factors that drive foreign buyers to buy; their preferred property types; top countries of origin; how they find the real estate professionals they work with; why the selected markets appeal to them; and relevant demographic and housing-related characteristics for the markets, including share of foreign-born population, distressed property footprint, home-price trends, and vacancy rates.

Among the findings in this report:

Population levels in the markets range from about 600,000 in Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla., to nearly 5.6 million in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla.
Seven out of 10 markets had foreign-born populations above the national rate of 13.1 percent in 2010. The Miami metro had the highest share born abroad, at 39.2 percent.
In six of the 10 markets, area inhabitants who were foreign-born and moved from abroad accounted for a higher-than-average share of overall inhabitants who reported moving in the previous year in 2010. New York County (Manhattan) had the highest share: 7.7 percent of the people who moved in that county were both foreign-born and hailing from abroad.
In seven out of 10 markets, the median sales price for an existing, single-family home was lower than the national median of $163,500 in fourth-quarter 2011. In eight out of 10 markets, the median sales price for a condo was lower than the national median of $160,800 for that same quarter.
Condo prices fell on an annual basis in the fourth quarter in seven out of 10 markets. All seven saw their prices decline by more than the national rate of -1.7 percent.
Seven of the 10 markets had a higher share of distressed sales in fourth-quarter 2011 than the national rate of 23.7 percent. Eight of the 10 markets had higher foreclosure activity rates in fourth-quarter 2011 compared to the national rate.
Nine of the 10 markets, except for Honolulu, had higher vacancy rates in 2010 than the national rate of 13.1 percent. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., had the highest rate, at 37 percent.

The 10 markets, ranked by highest share of foreign buyers, according to public records data, are:

1. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
2. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.
3. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla.
4. North Point-Bradenton-Sarasota, Fla.
5. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Fla.
6. Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz.
7. New York County, N.Y. (Manhattan)
8. Honolulu, Hawaii.
9. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
10. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev

Southwest Florida Attractions

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The State of Florida has the longest coastline in the U.S. measuring approximately 1,350 miles or 2,170 kilometers. Owing to its long and varied coastline, Florida is home to several attractive beaches which are great tourist destinations. The beaches are very well-known for their soft sands, and with more than 100 barrier islands, the sea shores home over 400 species of the most exotic and multi-colored sea-shells (scallops, tulips, clams, olives, fragile paper fig shells, brown speckled Junonia, etc), including the best sea-shelling related activities in the United States. The beaches are also great for relaxation and enjoying some serious fun during the spring break - the sand, sea, and the beach promise some exciting party time.

Florida, also known as the "Sunshine State" is visited by 75 million visitors every year and is one of the top ten travel destinations of the world. The state includes over 1,250 golf courses, more than 20 theme parks, 17 zoos, and many water parks. The warm weather and good sunshine with palm trees adorning the sea shores and ocean fronts make it an enchanting paradise on earth.

Southwest Florida (defined as Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties) offers some of the most popular tourist destinations in the State and our luxury condo units adjacent to the Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa make a perfect location from which to stage your tour of what the area has to offer including:

Sanibel and Captiva Islands

These two sister islands are famous for their beautiful collections of seashells. The official website for Sanibel and Captiva captures the appeal of the island well; with their "15 miles of unspoiled beaches, 22 miles of bike paths, 50 types of fish, 230 types of birds, 250 types of shells and zero stop lights," Sanibel and Captiva make an ideal romantic getaway or relaxing family vacation. Shelling, snorkeling, hiking, biking and fishing are just a few of the activities that visitors can enjoy on Sanibel and Captiva.

Fort Myers/Fort Myers Beach

The city of Fort Myers is within two hours of most Southwest Florida attractions. Fort Myers Beach contains several nature attractions, such as the Ostego Bay Marine Science Center and the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Dolphin and manatee sightings are common, and there are miles of beautiful beaches and beach shops.

Fort Myers is home to the Edison & Ford Winter Estates which includes 20 acres of historical buildings, historic gardens, the Edison Botanic Research Lab and the Estates Museum. The newly restored buildings include the Edison Main House, Guest House, and Caretaker’s House and the Ford House. The 1929 historic landscape is throughout the property including the award winning Moonlight Garden. The Estates Museum has hundreds of inventions, artifacts and special exhibits.

Naples

For those beach lovers who also enjoy upscale shopping and dining, Naples is ideal. The Naples Pier is a relaxing and beautiful stop for a sunset stroll, and the city is lined with beaches, from trendy resort spots to more secluded areas, such as Delnor-Wiggins Pass Recreation Area or Clam Pass Park. Shopaholics will love the shops on 5th Avenue or Tin City.

The Everglades

The Everglades covers 4,500 square miles of land in southern Florida. This giant marsh is home to thousands of plants, mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. In addition to wildlife viewing, there are many companies that offer tours of the Everglades. Eco-tours are led by a naturalist and can be done on bicycle, power boat, kayak or on foot. For those who enjoy fishing, there are also several fishing tours available in the Everglades waters.

Vacation rentals: Pay Less for Your Getaway

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Why pay more for a hotel room when you can get a luxury condominium at a world class resort for half the price?

Vacation rentals are expanding worldwide as an alternative to the standard, cramped hotel room. However, you must find a reputable rental management company like Accord Real Estate.

In the video below, Nilou Motamed of Travel + Leisure magazine is interviewed by Savannah Guthrie on the Today Show. She talks about the rising popularity of vacation rentals and how to get the best options without getting scammed.

Florida on Dwellable

Top 10 Spring Break vacation destinations for 2010

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According to the Orbitz Insider Index, Americans are still craving the sun and warm weather for spring break. They just released their top 10 destinations for spring.
Florida locations are once again on top of the list of spring destinations.

The data uncovers the 10 most popular spring break travel destinations based on air bookings made on Orbitz.com for travel between March 1 and April 22, 2012.

Florida Fever - For the second year in a row, not only does Orlando rank as this year's number-one destination, but four of 2012's most popular locales are in the Sunshine State: Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Tampa.

The company also lists its Five ‘Out-of-the-box’ Family Spring Break Ideas.

Prominently on the list is Spring Training baseball where the “Grapefruit League” of Florida has just kicked off the 2012 spring training season. And the Fort Myers area is home to three major league teams; the Boston Red Sox, the Minnesota Twins and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Orbitz.com Top 10 Spring Break Destinations for 2012

1. Orlando, FL
2. Las Vegas, NV
3. New York, NY
4. Fort Lauderdale, FL
5. Cancun, Mexico
6. Los Angeles, CA
7. Phoenix, AZ
8. Fort Myers, FL
9. Tampa, FL
10. Denver, CO

Florida on Dwellable

Fort Myers, FL | Top-performing Real Estate Market in 2012

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A recent survey study of 1,800 real estate agents by Seattle-based ActiveRain revealed that real estate agents expect that in 2012 the housing market will reach bottom and begin to rebound.

While most of the real estate agents surveyed said they expect real estate values, transactions and the local economy to stay flat or rise from 2011 levels, sixty percent anticipate the volume of real estate transactions will climb slightly.

The survey also shows that the real estate agents polled expect the Fort Myers, FF., area; Austin, Texas; Boise, Idaho; and San Antonio to be among the top-performing 2012 real estate markets.

10 top-performing real estate markets in 2012

1. Fort Myers-Naples, FL
2. Austin, TX
3. Boise, ID
4. San Antonio, TX
5. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL
6. Denver, CO
7. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
8. Nashville, TN
9. Houston, TX
10. Salt Lake City, UT

Source: ActiveRain survey of 1,800 real estate professionals.

Buyers are looking to Purchase House No. 2

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According to a 2011 survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 19 percent of recent homebuyers own more than one home, up 5 percent from the previous year. And second homes aren’t just for the extremely affluent and tropically inclined, as the latest numbers show.

Vacation properties made up 27 percent of all home sales last year. And according to real estate professionals in these second-home regions, there isn’t just one type of buyer investing in these properties.

Many buyers are rushing in now because the prices have dropped so low – 40 to 50 percent less than the high times/

Data from the NAR shows that the typical vacation homebuyer in 2010 was 49 years old with a median household income of $99,500. The median price for a vacation home was around $150,000.

According the experts, many of these second-home markets fall outside of extreme metropolitan jurisdictions and into just-off-the-grid suburban areas with lush art scenes and other tourist draws.

Another facet in second-home consideration is finding a place that may eventually turn into the home proper. In fact, the NAR reports that 34 percent of vacation homebuyers said that they plan to use their property as a primary home in the future. For the prospective retirees, this is particularly common.

Full Article

The Perils and Pitfalls of Renting from a Distance

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A recent post on CottageBlogger.com discussed the logistics of managing a vacation rental from afar.

After recalling some rather disturbing personal experiences about how managing from a distance can quickly turn into a nightmare the author was able to find a local management company to take care of the changeovers, maintenance and emergency management; an arrangement that worked very well until they were able to move into their ‘vacation home’ following retirement.

The moral of their story? Vacation rental success can only be as good as the property management you provide – or hire. No matter how wonderful, idyllic or outfitted the property is, unless it is well maintained, and your guests have someone to call on in an emergency, there will always be a risk of complaint or at worst, negative reviews.

So, if and when you consider buying a property and renting from a distance consider the following key attributes of a property manager. They should:

Be familiar with the rental business and have a strong customer service ethic

Have good local knowledge of customs, trades people and services (and language as appropriate)
Be able to deliver concierge services if required
Have the ability to react promptly in an emergency
Be reliable, competent, consistent and trustworthy

If you are considering buying a vacation home or condo in Southwest Florida, Accord Real Estate has all the right attributes to fill the role as your rental management company.

Give us a call

Second Home Market May See Increase

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According to the S&P/Case-Shiller index, property values in 20 cities declined 3.7 percent from November 2010.

Rather than relocate, many homeowners are improving their existing residences, with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry expecting $113.6 billion to be spent on remodeling through the third quarter.

The article points out that despite the fact that 30-year mortgage rates are under 4 percent and home prices have remained low, many people still can’t to take advantage of increased housing affordability since their personal balance sheets are a mess.

But according to a recent article in Realty Times, the second-home market may be a shining star in the real estate market.

Experts predict a growing number of baby boomers will snap up vacation and rental properties in the coming years, with many planning to retire in these homes.

Second-home buyers tend to purchase distressed properties at a discount, but experts say the dwellings are vacant for 90 percent of the year and that buyers could be earning rental income.

Second-home buyers should work with a professional to learn the opportunities available to them with regard to renting, as those who use the property for no more than 14 days per year can deduct as much as $25,000 for maintenance and other expenses.

Full Article

JetBlue Park Welcomes Red Sox in Fort Myers

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The new spring training home of the Boston Red Sox is now open in Southwest Florida.

JetBlue Park is the largest sports facility in the Southwest Florida, holding up to 11,000 spectators.

The stadium is located at 11581 Daniels Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33913. It is located just north of the original entrance to the Southwest Florida International Airport.

The new stadium evolved as a vision of the Boston Red Sox by transplanting the venerable Fenway Park in Boston to paradise.

In order to replicate the feel of Fenway, the JetBlue Park at Fenway South architects had to recreate the original Fenway Park’s focal point; the iconic green wall, better known as the Green Monsterr.

The obvious similarities between Fenway Park and JetBlue Park are the presence of the 211-foot long green wall that extends from the left-field foul pole. Hitting a ball over it for a home run will be tougher in Fort Myers than in Boston. The wall stands 37-feet tall in Boston compared to 43 feet in Fort Myers.

The manual scoreboard in Fort Myers was used in Boston for about 30 years. It has been modified to be operated from the front of it, as offices are located behind the JetBlue Park’s green wall.

Tickets prices for spring training games will range from $5.00 (lawn seating behind right field bullpen) to $46.00. The stadium will also have three luxury suites ($3,000 not including food and drink).

Most of the 18 games for the 2012 spring traning session are sold out but to check you can call 888-REDSOX6 (617-226-6000 or 239-334-4700)

The 'Sanibel Stoop'

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Sanibel Island is unique in that it lies east and west, different than most islands which allows Sanibel to catch abundant sea shells. It is world renowned for its shells and people from all over the world come to collect and admire these “treasures from the sea”. You will find young and old with buckets, bags and nets collecting shells. This stance has come to be known as the “Sanibel Stoop”.

Lee County ranked high in list of top 15 tourist destinations

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TripAdvisor, Inc., the world’s largest travel site, has ranked The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel as No. 3 on its list of top 15 U.S. destinations on the rise for 2012 based on feedback fromTripAdvisor travelers and editors.

Lee County follows No. 1 Nashville, Tenn. and No. 2 Austin, Texas on the diverse list of top destinations that according to TripAdvisor have shown a “remarkable increase in traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.com over the last year.”

Lee County outranked Pensacola (No. 5) and St. Augustine (No. 9) as the only other Florida destinations on the list.

In summarizing the Lee County destination, TripAdvisor said, “Most visitors go to Fort Myers for the deep-sea fishing, the golf courses and the famous white sand beaches that line the Gulf Coast. Attractions include the winter estates of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, as well as nearby Naples and the islands of Sanibel and Captiva.”

Last year, TripAdvisor also ranked Sanibel and Captiva islands high in its inaugural 2011 Travelers’ Choice Beach awards.

In the “Top 25 Beaches in the World” category, Sanibel Island ranked No. 16, while on the “Top 25 Beaches in the United States” list, Sanibel Island was rated No. 6 and Captiva Island came in at No. 8.

Bowman’s Beach Lauded as Nation’s Top Secluded Beach

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In December 2011, www.shermanstravel.com named Sanibel Island’s Bowman’s Beach No. 1 in its top 10 list of secluded U.S beaches.

“The secret’s out about the beauty of Sanibel Island’s linen-white sand beaches,” reported the site.

“So you won’t be alone in searching for a stretch of a secluded U.S. beach to call your own. But that’s just what you’ll get when you leave your car and make the quarter-mile walk to Bowman’s Beach, Sanibel’s most peaceful place.

The island is well-known as one of the best shelling spots in the country, but you’ll find little competition here.”

Frommer Selects Sanibel Island as No. 1 Favorite Travel Destination

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Island is the number one travel destination in the world, according to travel guru Arthur Frommer, the mastermind behind Frommer's guidebooks and budget travel magazine.

Frommer recently ranked his ten favorite places to visit and listed Sanibel first above destinations like Bali and Paris.

Sanibel Island residents are celebrating the top honors from such a respected travel writer.

The island has won many travel awards and high rankings, but this carries special weight because it is Frommer's personal favorite.

View Larger Map

On the web site Frommer noted, "Off the west coast of the Sunshine State, a few miles from Fort Myers, is this idyllic haven of white-sand beaches, condos whose seafront apartments are available for weekly rentals, excellent restaurants, good shopping and most important, the Ding Darling Nature Preserve, visited by thousands of birds of every species, who bask in the sun after diving for fish, and are one of the great natural sights of wildlife in America."

The other destinations in the top 10 list include:

2) The Island of Bali, in Indonesia
3) Paris, France
4) St. John in the U. S. Virgin Islands
5) Cairo, Egypt
6) Bonaire, one of the "ABC" islands of the southern Caribbean
7) Yachats, the Oregon Coast
8) Chiang Rai, Thailand
9) New York City's Greenwich Village (and its Off-Broadway theaters)
10) Kenya

Click HERE to see link to video.

Click HERE to see the full article and list.

A World of Fine Art Festivals

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Southwest Florida weather is a perfect fit to be the host of some of the best art shows in the country. The winter season in Florida is a great hangout for artists, some of whom are snowbirds, and a great place for visitors to see a wide variety of art. These events are the perfect place to find a unique piece you’ve needed for your home, your collection or for the perfect gift. Take home something special from this spectacular part of Florida!

January 14 &15
Cape Coral
Cape Coral Festival of Arts
10am to 5pm
280 Exhibitors

January 14 &15
Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs National Art Festival
10am to 5pm
211 Exhibitors

January 28 & 29
Naples
Naples Invitational Art Festival
10am to 5pm
230 Exhibitors

February 4 &5
Fort Myers
Artfest of Fort Myers
9am to 5pm
215 Exhibitors

February 11 &12
Estero
6th Annual Coconut Point Art Festival
10am to 5pm
150 Exhibitors

February 18 &19
Sanibel
29th Annual Arts & Crafts Fair
10am to 5pm
100 Juried Artists

February 25 & 26
Naples
Naples National Art Festival
10am to 5pm
260 Exhibitors

March 3 & 4
Naples
Naples Bay Front
80 Artists

March 10 & 11
Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs National Art Festival
10am to 5pm
199 Exhibitors

Holiday Season on the Islands of Southwest Florida

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Captiva and Sanibel Islands are magical places during the holiday season. Captiva Island island transforms into a Holiday Village with events every weekend from November 25 to December 17.

During the holiday season, Captiva Island was aglow with fire dancing, bonfires and fireworks on the beach. The “village center”, with its one-of-a kind colorful restaurants and whimsical shops was festively lighted and decorated.

On Sanibel Island, hundreds gathered at Lighthouse Beach for a night of celebration on Christmas Eve.

Red Sox Spring Training Park

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On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, the Boston Red Sox played their final game at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers. For the 2012 Florida Grapefruit League season, the Red Sox will debut Jet Blue Park, an 11,000 seat stadium, just off Interstate 75 in Fort Myers.

Features of the new park will include a Green Monster wall in left field to include a fan area in the wall halfway up. Essentially, it will be a hold carved into the wall for fans.

The new facility, scheduled to open for the 2012 Spring Training season, has been informally referred to as Fenway South because it will resemble the team's fabled Boston home, which will turn 100 next year.

The new Red Sox spring training home boasts six lighted practice fields that will also be available for use by Lee County's youth sports programs. A new hotel, shopping center and restaurants are also planned as part of the 80-acre development.

Individual Game Tickets for Spring Training went on sale, Saturday, December 17 and will be available at www.redsox.com and also by calling (888) 733-7696.

Click HERE for 2012 Red Sox Spring Training Schedule