Some people can visit a cemetery and feel a special bond with loved ones who have passed. Others are terrified at the thought and equate it with the ghoulish night of Halloween, where evil spirits lurk. Then there are others who have turned the page and don’t see any point in visiting loved ones or friends who are no longer with them.
While visiting cemeteries is not something I frequently make a point of doing, when paying my respects to friends or family members I feel I have stepped into a history book of stories and intrigue most books can seldom capture. I feel that certain intimacy in one such cemetery, “Our Lady of the Isle Cemetery,” located on Shelter Island, N.Y. Few places have given me an inner peace than this small cemetery has to offer. Driving up the narrow tree-lined road, you come to an opening in the woods where stories of inventors, political figures, family members, friends, and veterans abound. Many I have known, primarily through my mom and dad, who lie there and are part of that unique history. I have stayed there for hours and relived childhood memories second to none and the people that made it so special. However, when visiting a cemetery of this size, you feel an intimacy or bond with those you have loved, particularly with those who have served.
One of the most memorable walks I’ve taken there has been on Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day, where small flags adorn the entire cemetery like a carpet of spring flowers, commemorating the service of our fallen or deceased veterans. It is inspiring to see just how many people who have had some connection to this quaint island have sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. There are World War I and II veterans, those who fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and even a dear friend of ours whose son was disarming bombs in Afghanistan ahead of his platoon when he stepped on an IED and sacrificed his life to save the 20 members of his team. We all have stories like this of people we know who “gave all” for their country, and then we have others who “gave all” differently.
One of my first interviewees was Punta Gorda’s first female mayor, Marilyn Smith-Mooney. Formally from Long Island, New York, Marilyn lived a life of accomplishments that would have spanned at least two lifetimes. The first half of her life was in the private sector, focused primarily on architecture, interior design, and ownership and management of a commercial construction corporation. The latter half of her life centered around executive management team positions in human resources and corporate development. She was a pilot and an Amelia Earhart award recipient. She was a graduate of the Advanced Institute for Elected Municipal Officials, Leadership Charlotte, and Local Government Leadership Florida. For eight years, Marilyn served as executive director and vice-chair of the Tetrault Family Foundation. This private non-profit provided $30 million in funding and development of the 27-acre Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens, where breathtaking sculptures from artists worldwide are displayed among specimen floral fauna from the area.
She also obtained her Florida Supreme Court certification as a county mediator, which only scratches the surface of this talented woman’s accomplishments and awards. In 2017 Marilyn was honored with the award from the Punta Gorda Rotary for “Service Above Self,” acknowledging her work for so many non-profits and individuals “needing a caring heart.” However, one award Marilyn was most proud of was being the first recipient of the “Distinguished Civilian Award” from the Military Heritage Museum, which she received in August 2021.
As long as I knew Marilyn, she always had a special place in her heart for the military and those who served our country, and she wanted that history preserved for generations to come. She joined the Military Heritage Museum Board and became its president in 2007, holding the position for more than five years. She stayed on as a board member feeling “new blood, energy and ideas” were needed from leadership, but once again was recruited to serve as its president. Today the Military Heritage Museum is one of the most unique and awe-inspiring tributes to those who played such an essential role in preserving our country’s rich history.
Like many small towns throughout our country, there is a special bond and gratitude you feel when seeing someone who has served their country. Punta Gorda has that bond through the Military Heritage Museum, and the Veteran’s Memorial Wall found in Veteran’s Park within the city. With Memorial Day upon us, most associate it with the start of summer and the activities we’ve waited to enjoy all winter; however, as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate the service those have made to give us the freedom we have today. There is a military saying I came across, “All gave some, some gave all,” and while that may imply those that haven’t fought in wars “gave some,” Marilyn Smith-Mooney is a perfect example of someone who may not have marched off to war, but to me, she “gave all.” Thankfully, I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to thank her for her “service” before she passed shortly after receiving her Distinguished Civilian Award from the Military Heritage Museum.
We send our best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, and memorable Memorial Day. To our Veterans, we thank you for your service.
By NANCY J. SEMON STAFF WRITER “Charlotte Sun Newspaper”
Homes sales strong despite holidays
January traditionally is a slower month for real estate sales, and although closed sales were down from December, the market shows no sign of slowing.
“There is a 30-day lag and due to the holidays in December, Realtors were not writing as many contracts; January is even lower than the summer months,” said Sharon Neuhofer, president of Realtors of Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port-DeSoto, Inc.
She said in some parts of the nation, rising interest rates might be attributed to slowing home sales, but not in our area.
Many buyers in Southwest Florida are paying cash, so the mortgage interest rates do not affect them, she pointed out.
In January, when there were 323 closed sales of single-family homes in Charlotte County, 46.4%, or 150 buyers, paid cash.
Neuhofer said beside January’s traditional slowdown in sales, Realtors “have buyers we don’t have houses for.”
She said current low inventory levels means would-be buyers do not have a lot to choose from, and when they do find a house, often there are multiple parties interested.
“You can’t sell what we don’t have,” she said.
The same scenario held true for townhomes and condominiums. Of the 66 closed sales, 47 buyers paid cash, or 71.2% in January.
But while the median and average sale prices of single- family homes in January was lower than in December, the median and average price of townhomes and condos was higher.
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
The median sale price in January was $346,500, compared to $350,000 in December. The average sale price of $407,678 was also lower than December’s $450,671.
For 11 consecutive months, sellers were getting 100% of the original listed price.
The median time to sale was 57 days, and time to contract was 12 days. There were 370 homes in inventory in January, which represented a 0.9 month supply.
The inventory level from a year ago was down 30.8%.
TOWNHOMES AND CONDOS
The median sale price in January stood at $287,000, up from $269,950 in December.
The average sale price was $312,069 versus $296,717 in December.
The median percentage of the original listed price was 100% in January, continuing a nine-month trend.
Inventory stood at a 0.6 month supply, the same as it was in December. The inventory level was down 77.8% from a year ago.
Those wanting to sell should “know what you’re going to buy, or you could wind up homeless,” Neuhofer said.
QUICK SALES
She said with cash buyers coming to buy in Southwest Florida, homes are being bought up quickly.
The median time to contract for single family homes in Charlotte County was 12 days, and the median time to sale was 57 days — under two months.
But in some cases buyers will offer incentives — such as a higher price — if sellers agree to move in 30 days.
The median time to contract for townhomes and condos was similar — 10 days, and 53 days for the median time to sale.
January saw 671 single family homes about to come onto the market in February, and 119 townhomes and condos.
The new FEMA flood changes are on everyone’s mind these day, as the increases went into effect on October 1, 2021. Instead of relying on “flood zones” as a determination of your flood exposure, the new system is referred to as “Rating 2.0,” which is a single risk modeling system that takes into consideration area and proximity to harbor, replacement coverage, frame vs. block construction along with slab vs. pilings. Also considered is prior flood loss. Banks may use flood zones, but insurance companies are going by the new rating system. So what does all of this mean you ask? Well, if you have an existing flood policy your flood insurance will increase approximately 18% per year until you reach the figure FEMA has established as the target figure for your property. If you don’t have flood insurance then you will be subject to the new valuations FEMA has established. When buying a home it is important to find out in the beginning of your negotiations if the current seller is carrying flood insurance, as this will impact your investment in the home significantly. To give you a better understanding of the difference in buying a home where the seller is carrying flood insurance verses one where they aren’t, recently we had a buyer purchasing a home on a gulf access canal. They were quoted $6,700.00 to obtain flood insurance for the home. Thankfully, the seller’s insurance carrier said their policy could be assumed, which saved our buyer a significant amount of money as the seller was paying $1,080.00 for flood insurance. It is important to find out up front when negotiating the purchase of a home if the current homeowner is carrying flood insurance and if the policy can be assumed.
Unfortunately, FEMA appears to be taking it out on Florida as Floridians have paid in 4 times the amount of claims that have been made. Where most of the country will see decreases in flood insurance rates, Florida will continue to see increases. Hopefully our state legislators will come up with a solution that will provide a more fair and balanced metric for calculating flood insurance rates.
The second major consideration for buyer and seller is the age of the roof. Many insurance brokers will share with you that in the years after Hurricane Irma struck Florida, there have been a bevy of insurance adjusters advertising and knocking on doors claiming they can get you a new roof. One such insurance broker shared with us that a home qualified for a new roof due to excessive hail damage. Not sure where in our area we had that kind of hail, but this is just one of the many questionable reasons how new roofs have been obtained. In order to protect themselves insurance companies are now putting limits on how long they will cover the roof before requiring a new one to be installed. Shingle roofs will have to be 15 years or newer as there are only 3 companies that will insure up to 20 years. Tile roofs, which most inspectors will tell you can last for 30 years or more, are now going to be required to be replaced after 20 years or perhaps slightly longer. Metal roofs will only be covered for 25-30 years and for older homes with more gradual pitch roofs that require a membrane type covering will now only be covered 10 years or less.
Whether you are the seller or buyer, flood insurance coverage and the age of roof are two major factors that you’ll have to consider when selling or buying a home.
Also, here is a link to find what Flood zone you lay in for Charlotte County: Find My Flood Zone
If you’re looking to sell your home, you’ll want to hire an amazing listing real estate agent to help—and there are certain questions to ask so that you can pinpoint the right professional for you.
It’s smart to be picky! A great real estate agent can help find buyers to sell your home fast, and for more money. Make the wrong choice, and your listing might languish. Then, the lowballing bargain hunters come circling—it’s not pretty. Here are some questions I recommend you ask:
1. What are your credentials?
2. Do you specialize in this neighborhood?
3. How do you arrive at the listing price?
4. How much will selling my home cost?
5. How will we communicate?
6. How long will the process take?
As always I am here for you and will answer any question you may have to help make the transaction as smooth as possible.
Over the past few years, the term “Staycation” has been used more frequently by people who most often didn’t have the time to get away for the traditional vacation. The thought was, “If we can’t get away, what things can we do within our community or at least within relatively close proximity that will give us the feeling we were on vacation?” After all, we do take what we have locally many times for granted. With our son and daughter in law having recently moved to Colorado to pursue furthering their medical careers, we thought we’d visit them for a few weeks after they were settled, then enjoy some time back home on eastern Long Island, NY where we could enjoy the last few weeks of summer visiting those charming farm stands, vineyards and historic waterfront towns. However, with more and more people coming to Florida this summer looking to relocate permanently, our mini-vacations seem to be in a holding pattern, and those opportunities to make lasting memories seem to be slipping away, or are they?
Like many, we were becoming creatures of habit in our community. We were always going to the same places to eat or getting in the car for an impromptu drive yet always finding ourselves winding up in the same place. I thought, “Why are we always hearing about the fun adventures everyone else is going on, yet we find ourselves tied to the computer or phone and only giving ourselves permission to steal just a few brief moments for ourselves?” Last month I mentioned how my wife Gail signed us up for a golf membership to force me to take a break and it has been a gift that keeps on giving. Unfortunately, while I’ve always heard practice makes perfect, I seem to be defying that logic. Those who bought homes along the golf course thinking they were going to enjoy those beautiful vistas are now running for their lives as I seemed to have purchased a box of golf balls that have a magnetic pull toward single-family homes. I’m even seeing less wildlife along the golf course as the word must have gotten out that I am out on the course! As frustrating as my game has been, I am constantly reminded of the words long-time friend, and nationally recognized golf professional Bob DeStefano, shared with us when we were in Junior Golf. He said, “The difference between adults and children, when asked how they played, an adult will complain about all the poor shots they made while a child may have had the same number of poor shots, but they will tell you about the good one they had.” So it is in pursuit of my one good shot that keeps me coming back for more. I don’t think that makes me a glutton for punishment, does it? The club has also been great to meet old friends and new ones. One of our friends we met asked us to join them for dinner at the Elk’s Lodge. If you don’t know the Elks, like many similar organizations, they self-fund many scholarships through the fun events they hold at the club. While we joined several years ago, we never seem to find time to go. Our friends mentioned they were invited to a prime rib special and asked us to join them. We were greeted with not only some of the friendliest people we ever met, but the food was outstanding. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise was the entertainment by a duo known as “Hot Mix,” and that is exactly what they did. I don’t know what I enjoyed more, watching people dance as couples the way they did years ago, spinning each other around the dance floor to the tunes of the ’50s and ’60s, or my wife showing off her dance moves from the disco era! Maybe it was low expectations after seeing the number of Elk heads on the wall when we first walked in, but as I said to my wife, “We could have been back home in Little Italy where I’m sure the Elk Heads would have been replaced by the heads of members from the opposing crime family.” Of course, she just rolled her eyes in reply.
While we reminisced with our friends on the complete surprise we just experienced, 24 hours later we found ourselves listening to the music of a Led Zeppelin tribute band whose lead singer was a personal friend of one of our friends. I don’t know about you but, tunes from Dion and the Belmonts the night before are about the polar opposite of Led Zeppelin, yet wouldn’t you know somehow one of the couples from the Elks must have gotten the wrong invitation and wound up on this dance floor ballroom dancing to Stairway to Heaven. While they were mesmerizing to watch, on the other side of the dance floor was a group of guys and gals who danced as if they were still under the influence from the party favors being handed out at Woodstock. I leaned over and said to Gail, “I feel like Lawrence Welk is being danced to on one side and from the body language of those on the other Star Wars must have some kind of lasting influence.” Again the roll of her eyes said it all. While the band, known as In The Light of Led Zeppelin was amazing, what I was watching on the dance floor was equally entertaining, and who would have ever thought right across the street was Port Charlotte’s guitar virtuoso Mike Imbasciani and his Bluez Rockerz.
As if this wasn’t enough of a musical extravaganza, another great entertainment venue you have to visit is the Visani Italian Steakhouse and Comedy Theater. We’ve seen some of the best comedians, hypnotists, and tribute bands who have performed on some of the largest stages in the country as well as on T.V. Recently, we saw an Eagles tribute band with a group of friends that go by the name The Alter Eagles. If you closed your eyes you would swear this talented group of musicians was the original band as they have recreated the music note for note. To think you would have to drive to a major city to get this kind of entertainment is amazing in itself, but to experience it just minutes from home makes me appreciate our area even more.
So you don’t feel that our summer experiences have been all music-related, another great surprise was a trip to the Babcock Ranch Eco Tour. With so many people moving to Florida, finding a native Floridian is as challenging to me as finding a good New York bagel, but if you want an intimate experience with Florida’s rich history and wildlife in 90 minutes, this is a tour you don’t want to miss. Surprisingly we still have cowboys and Florida Cracker cattle, with some of the animals coming right up to our safari bus. To see the diversity of wildlife in its natural habitat is an experience second to none. In fact, the original telegraph lines connecting our area to the rest of the state still weave in and out of the woods, and I bet you didn’t know Punta Gorda was originally known for being one of the largest producers of Pineapples!
I often tell those looking to move to our area with high aspirations of boating, golfing, going to the beach, and experiencing all the outdoor activities Florida has to offer daily, “You never will, because you always can. We fall into complacency where the weather we experience daily somehow creates a mindset of what we don’t do today we can always do tomorrow, and before you know it you didn’t do the things you thought you were going to do.” Despite our goal in coming to Florida to live a more fulfilling lifestyle, we find we are busier than what we anticipated, and all the things we moved here for we somehow put on the back burner and took for granted. After living in the state for over 22 years I still find it amazing to think within a 2-3 hour drive we can attend professional sporting events in Tampa or Miami, the arts in a host of cities closer to home, and world-class beaches and golf within an hour’s drive. We can take overnight trips to a variety of different towns and cities where you can enjoy the fast pace and glitzy lifestyle of our state’s larger cities, or the downhome cooking and history found in many small towns that dot our state’s less traveled country roads. These are those surprises we overlook that are so close to homemaking our staycations so enjoyable. Now that I think about it, it may be time to revisit the charming ambiance of North Captiva’s Tween Waters Inn where we sailed to for a weekend stay so many years ago and where so many memories were made.