If you will be coming here on a Real Estate hunting expedition, here's some things you should know:

1. Let me know in detail what you are looking for, and the dates you will be here!  Note that E-mail often doesn't convey all your preferences very well so you are encouraged to call 239-603-6100.
2. Browse this website in depth if you are not familiar with the area already.  You may also want to review the sections about taxes, insurance and assessments to know what to expect.
3. Up getting a good idea of what you are targeting, I will be making suggestions and emailing them over to you prior to your arrival, based on your input.  Feel free to provide feedback on the ones you like! It's also a good idea for you to do some research on closed sales so that you get a feel for prices, areas, and what to look for.
4. Financing needs to be arranged for in advance unless you are a cash buyer. Get a pre-qualification certificate from a bank or a Mortgage Broker.  Feel free to be in touch with me for more advice/suggestions. (Note: most sellers will require this proof, so best to have it ready to go upon arrival)
5. Prior to you leaving your hometown, we'll go over those you've marked as favorites (detailing out the pros and cons of each), narrow it down to the top picks.
6. Arrive here. If you will be going into Cape Coral be sure to rent a car with GPS! The canal system makes the roads a maze. 
7. [Skip this step if you already know the area] If you aren't already familiar with SW Florida, drive around and get a feel for the area and make sure it's right for you!  There’s not much sense in arranging a bunch of showings inside of homes in certain locations if that particular area simply isn’t right for you.  Drive by some of the particular properties that caught your attention online-- see if they (and the surrounding area) look acceptable to you. If yes, let me know-- we'll schedule getting you in there the following day to see them. I also have a free mobile phone application that can come in handy.  With it, you can view all the available properties in the region, from the convenience of your mobile device.  More details further down this page.
8. Meeting at my office: We will have scheduled appointments to go and see those properties of interest.
9. If anything looked promising, an offer can be drafted.

Additional considerations for your visit

We have an international airport in Ft Myers (Southwest Florida International Airport).  Tampa International is about 2 hours away, so is Ft Lauderdale. Miami and Orlando are just a little further, respectively. Rental cars are available at all of them (remember to get that GPS system)

If you will be heading into Cape Coral for the first time I suggest entering via the lower of the two bridges- (Cape Coral Parkway on the Cape side, College Pkwy on Ft Myers side).  It will give you a better feel for the city vs. the other one, the Mid-Point Bridge (Veterans Pkwy in the Cape, Colonial Blvd in Ft Myers) which is similar in nature to an interstate cutting through the town.\

You are strongly advised to try and plan your visit for weekdays, not weekends!  It has been my findings time and time again that setting appointments will be much more successful on weekdays. Homeowners vacate the homes typically on the weekdays while they are at work, but want the home to themselves on weekends (tenants even more so). Also, Real Estate offices have limited hours on Saturdays and are almost all closed on Sundays here unlike up North, so scheduling can be notably harder and listing agents are often unavailable to answer any specific questions that may arise.  Consider your airfare and hotels expenses as well- they may be cheaper if you can make it on weekdays too.  When you are spending 6 figures, it just might be worth taking a day or two off work midweek to use your time down here most effectively!

If you are a cash buyer you will want to bring proof of funds to close with you for submitting with any offers.  This can be via a bank statement or perhaps a letter from the bank stating the amount of funds available.

If you will be placing an offer, an escrow deposit will be required shortly following the acceptance.  Having a check on hand is a good idea.

Ask me for maps as to what areas I recommend.  Based on your preferences I can save you a lot of wasted time driving around areas I know won't match up to your needs.  I've lived here since 1984. It's safe to say I know the area pretty well by now! Free maps are always available to be mailed to you in advance of your trip too.  Just ask.

Questions asked by visitors:

Where is a good place to have dinner while in Cape Coral: Rumrunners at Cape Harbour.  5848 Cape Harbor Drive. Also, Marker 92 at Marina Village (part of Tarpon Point Marina). 5951 Silver King Blvd.

What basic hotels in Cape Coral are conveniently located for my house hunting trip: Hampton Inn at 619 SE 47th Terrace. Holiday Inn Express at 1538 Cape Coral Pkwy.

Superior Cape Coral accommodations:

The Westin (Part of Tarpon Point’s Marina Village).  1-239-541-5000. 5951 Silver King Blvd. https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/rswwi-the-westin-cape-coral-resort-at-marina-village/

Cape Harbour.  1-888-540-1851. 5793 Cape Harbour Dr. www.CapeHarbourVacations.com

Private rental homes.  This lets you experience a taste of what you might just be looking to buy.  Check out www.vrbo.com

I want to stay at a nice beachfront place while I'm down, even if it's a further drive for my search.  Try the DiamondHead Beach Resort at 2000 Estero Blvd or the Pink Shell Resort (White Sands building) at 275 Estero Blvd.  The low priced beachfront hotel of choice is The Outrigger 6200 Estero Blvd.

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