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Buying a Home? 4 Signs It’s Time to Call An Agent

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While house hunting TV shows tour the neighborhood, close the deal and throw a housewarming party in 30 minutes, real life is not as streamlined. If you’re in the process of buying a home, here are signs it’s time to call a Realtor®.

1. You believe everything on the internet
While you can view tons of listings online, not all of the information is accurate or up-to-date. You’ll see outdated comps, conflicting forecasts and different ratings. With access to the MLS and insight on properties about to hit the market, a Realtor will make sure you’re considering all of the homes in your marketplace that fit your criteria.

2. You’re juggling a hectic schedule
You don’t need to spend time sorting through listings and contacting sellers. An agent will do the browsing so you only visit the homes that best fit your needs and price range.

3. The biggest thing you’ve negotiated lately was your kids’ bedtime (and you lost)
As professional negotiators with years of experience, Realtors know how to create, present and negotiate the best offer. Remember, you’ll be going up against another professional negotiator: the seller’s agent.

4. You don’t know if a neighborhood is on the way up or down
An agent who knows the neighborhood can give you the scoop about local developments and changes that don’t always pop up in a Google search. He or she will also put them in context of larger market forces that could impact the future value of a home.

If you’re looking for an experienced professional to guide you through the home buying process, contact me today. I’d be happy to help you find your next home!

Gary Cardillo
​Re/Max Harbor Realty​​​

941-916-0939
info@flwaterfrontliving.com

Source: Bb.remax.com

Safely Returning Our Children Back to School

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It seems like yesterday when I was in elementary school and how I look back to those years with a special fondness. The class projects we worked on together, the field trips we took to places like the Wonder Bread factory where we saw how bread was made and to the Coney Island Aquarium with its vast display of marine life that featured an impressive electric eel demonstration. I think of the excitement we had acting in our school plays and who can forget those countless games of dodge ball during recess!  Those were indeed great times. It was a time when riding your bike to school gave you a sense of new found freedom and when your teachers felt a bit more like extended members of the family. It was also a time when moms and dads were able to participate more in your school activities, and who can’t say how excited you were when you looked from the stage during your school play to see the loving support from your parents in the audience cheering you on? Did we have our occasional schoolyard fight or little clicks, sure we did, but overall there was a comradery that carried us through our high school years, creating some very special memories and friendships that are with me to this day.
With the fast paced world in which we live, and so many families relying on two incomes to support their households, it seems like the tenderness of those years I experienced have been compromised. The world of social media, video gaming and the vast offerings we can download from our cell phones, which by the way I’ve been told are more sophisticated than the first space craft that landed on the moon, have changed the way we interact with each other. Rather than calling, today’s generation prefers to skype, text, facetime, Instagram and tweet. Combine this with a family dynamic that is seeing more “quality of time” being compromised, any teacher you speak with today will tell you they are experiencing an educational setting far different than the one in which we grew up.
As a young child, it was pretty cool to say you knew a fireman or a policeman, and with this newsletter being focused around a back to school theme, I wanted to reach out to two good friends of mine, Officer Joe Angelini and Officer Terry Chow, who proudly serve our community as Officers with the Punta Gorda Police Department, to gain their insight on some of the challenges they face today in protecting our children.
Officer Terry Chow on left and Officer Joe Angelini on right

Officer Angelini serves as School Resource Officer for Sallie Jones Elementary School and in addition to protecting the children of this fine elementary school, also teaches a course in “Bullying Awareness.”As early as kindergarten, Joe makes this one session class mandatory for all grades from kindergarten through 5th. He has the children sign a contract entitled “Grit Pledge,”where they promise to be good role models, be forgivingand compassionate of others and to  “speak up instead of being a bystander. “

For the very young children, Joe reads “The Juice Box Bully,” a very interactive book that teaches the children how to stand up for others. For the older children, Joe has developed a very effective power point presentation that includes the effects of “Cyber bullying,” something as children my generation would never have understood. Joe said, “While bullying can manifest itself in many ways, simply stated a bully is someone who continues to act after being told to stop.” He continued by saying,
“in a bullying scenario, you have the victim, the bully and the bystander, and you don’t want to be a bystander and do nothing.”
 
The Juice Box Bully
Perhaps one of the most effective analogies Joe uses in showing compassion towards others is his use of two apples. During his presentation Joe takes one of the apples and drops it several times on the desk, the other is untouched. Visually they appear the same, but once the skin of the apple that has been dropped is peeled back you the bruising that came as a result of the abuse. Joe’s message to the students is, “You don’t know what someone has gone through in their lives they are keeping inside, so try to be more understanding if their ways are different than yours.”
Terry Chow, Resource Officer at Charlotte High School and now Punta Gorda Middle School, has seen how change in the family dynamic and social media have resulted in some children not only becoming more aggressive with their classmates, but challenging their teachers and school administrators as well. Terry said it starts with the home and if kids are being allowed to challenge their parents, give in to their children’s demands, combined with various social media sites that are more tolerant of confrontational behaviors, that is going to be carried into the school setting.
A question everyone has on their minds is school shootings. When I was growing up we had our school yard fights, but no one ever thought about bringing a gun to school and shooting up his classmates and teachers. Both Joe and Terry responded by saying, when you look into each case, there has been some psychological history or perhaps a copycat behavior that has been either ignored or not acted upon. Terry said a parent should look at changes in eating habits,  sleeping patterns, the activities their children are participating in, the friends they keep and what they are watching, as the media hype today has been very polarizing.Both Officers said they are seeing more children today being raised by single parents or grandparents, which in many of these cases results in the absence of a “father figure.” Joe said, he fostered the “Watch D.O.G.S.” program which stands for “Dads Of Great Students, and is an innovative father involvement educational initiative of the National Center For Fathering.”
Joe said they look for “dads” to come to the school to spend some time with children with no father figure, who will become role models for these children. He continued by saying,
“Moms were always involved, but now we are trying to get Dad’s more involved in the children’s school activities.”
Both Officer’s Angelini and Chow have told me for years how the Punta Gorda Police Department prides itself in being able to answer any call in under 5 minutes. They said while the schools have taken great steps in securing the entry into the buildings, they have created a security presence they feel will deter an “active shooter” situation.  While these officers have been trained to go aggressively “right to the threat,” they also stress the importance in training the student body and staff in how to respond in an “active shooter” scenario and on  August 9th, Officer Chow conducted an “Active Shooter” presentation held at C.P.A.C located on the Charlotte High Campus.
In closing, the back story that always seems to be missing is the passion and love for the children these Police School Resource Officers have that never seems to be reported. Both of these officers not only protect and defend the residents and children in our county, but they have coached some of our children and have given tirelessly of themselves to many non-profit organizations apart from their police duties. Their story is not just about making our children safer, it is about their love for community and a desire to give these children every unobstructed chance to pursue their dreams to the fullest; and they will never end a conversation with you without saying, “Please let me know if I can ever do anything for you or your family,” something we don’t hear enough of these days.
 –Gary Cardillo

July 2018: Housing Recap

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As we closed out the first half of the year, the number of single family home sales in Charlotte County was slightly lower than for the same time period last year however, home prices rose 8.6% to an average of $270,500. During the same time period condominium sales increased 10% with the average sale price of $224,700, or an 8.7% increase over the previous year.

Waterfront properties compared to last year in Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles, had a 17% increase in single family home sales averaging a 9.2% increase over last year with the average home selling for $505,300. Waterfront condominium sales were even for this time period last year with the average selling price of $256,280 showed 3.7% increase. Selling price to list price ratios average 96%, indicating sellers were pricing their homes aggressively.
In Sarasota County, single-family home sales were slightly lower, however, the average selling price of a home increased 8.9% to $395,880. Conversely, condominium sales increased by almost 10% resulting in an average purchase price of $460,150 for a 15.7% increase.
The Sarasota waterfront, particularly the downtown Sarasota and Longboat Key areas, have the greatest bearing on sales averages throughout the county. Single family waterfront home sales increased 12.5% averaging almost $1,530,200which was a 7.8% increase over the previous year. Condominiums sales also increased by 12% however, while the average sale price was approximately .5% lower, the average sale price of $748,800 is still very impressive. Even in this price range; the selling price to list price ratios averaged 93% for single family homes and 95% for condominiums, clearly indicating buyers were receptive to the list pricing.
And as always, please feel free to reach out with any questions your may have! –Gary

Americana is very much alive in small town America

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I don’t know about you, but while I have never taken things for granted, as I’ve grown older I have developed a greater sense of appreciation for the simple things, the quality of life and the sacrifice made by so many that I enjoy today.
Growing up as a small child we spent summers out on eastern Long Island, New York on a place called “Shelter Island,” where life seemed more carefree and innocent. Just by the resonance of the name alone implied there was a special kind of security and peacefulness this island offered that is uncommon today.
Ferry View of Shelter Island, NY
We fished, clammed and waterskied all day long. We played flashlight tag until late at night. We sat on the tailgate of our parents Ford Country Squire station wagon on our way to the beach and rode our bikes all over the island enjoying the country sounds, floral fragrances and wildlife along the way. While the island has experienced many changes over the years, 60 years later it remains a very special place that keeps me grounded.
Back then no one judged you by your ethnic background or political views. In fact, there was a non-judgmental inquisitiveness we had as we were eager to hear where our friends lived when not summering on the island, where they went to school and the subjects they took. We talked about what kinds of jobs or businesses our parents had and the dreams we all had for the life we wanted to live. We saw the love for community exhibited by our parents and how they pitched in to help, whether it was for a charitable event or a country club function, and we were taught to take pride in the odd jobs we took on the island as we grew older. It was a time when people seemed to care a lot more about each other and celebrated their time together, sharing common interests and not focusing on their differences. Unfortunately, with all the hype and hysteria in the media today, I feel we are not only losing respect for each other, but overlooking the efforts of those who came before us that sacrificed so much that allow us to enjoy the communities in which we live today.

Years ago, I was told by a boss I had in Texas the mistake most people make is they don’t turn off the major highways and drive through the small towns. He said, “There they will find all the wonderful qualities of life you enjoyed as a young child. The pace may be slower, but the people will be friendlier and there will be a community spirit you will experience that is lost in the fast pace of a major city and society in which we live today.” To this day, I do “turn off that major highway,” and have been fortunate enough to find such a place in Florida I call “home.”
Downtown Punta Gorda
Florida is filled with many small cities like Punta Gorda, Venice and St. Augustine to name a few. They are full of people who celebrate and preserve their community’s history while carefully integrating new thoughts and ideas with that rich history that make those communities special. Where else can you find people from all walks of life and backgrounds who volunteer their time, talents and treasures by giving back to their communities as you find in the small towns in which we live? Or where you can enjoy farmer’s markets, craft fairs, block parties, wine and jazz festivals and even the occasional dragon boat race?
We are fortunate to live in an area where you can speak with community leaders and business owners and where your physicians are usually some of your closest friends. Like many small towns, we have an exceptionally active Chamber of Commerce, a vibrant Civic Association, and in our area an organization known as TEAM Punta Gorda, that fosters the input from business owners and citizens alike in how to best plan and augment our natural resources for all to enjoy.
As we approach this 4th of July, I think back to the sacrifices made by those founding fathers that came to this country seeking a better life and how they crafted the “Declaration of Independence.” As I read the words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” I can’t help but think how many small towns such as the one in which we live, still embody that same belief.
The 4th of July is that reminder to me of those special times when we experienced life through the eyes of a child, awed by nature’s simple things and our community’s spirit. It is my hope as we watch with excitement the majestic firework displays we did as children, we’ll reflect on the declaration written by our forefathers with that same love for each other and our community, never forgetting the sacrifices they made.
–Gary Cardillo

Local Spotlight: 4th of July Traditions

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Fourth of July means many things to many people, but if you are looking for some new family traditions or ready to take on a new adventure. Here are some of our local favorite pastimes.

Photo Courtesy Dixie Buick
A past Freedom Swim. Photo Courtesy of Sun Herald.
A past Freedom Swim. Photo Courtesy of Sun Herald.

Freedom Swim– Where else can you jump in and swim, boat, paddle or float across the Peace River on a 1.5 mile trek to celebrate your freedom on the 4th? It started 25+ years ago with no rules (except common courtesy) This annual Punta Gorda tradition is a must to participate in or even just view.

 

 

 

Baseball: The perfect American recipe-baseball game, hotdogs, Coco Cola, and fireworks. Catch one of the local baseball team games such as the Ft. Myer’s Miracle , enjoy a Hotdog or some Apple Pie, and join in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame!”

 

 

 

Photo Courtesy of Visit Englewood

 

Beach: Gathering family and friends and heading to the Beach to take in the Florida sunshine. Staying all day, relaxing, getting sunburnt, and watching the fireworks with your toes dug in the sand.

 

 

 

Photo Courtesy of Arcadia,FL Gov

Go To A Parade: Local parades haven’t changed much over the years. However, the the sense of community when standing next to neighbors and cheering on the local highschool band carrying flags or watching a local children’s dance class demonstrate their skills along the parade route is like no other. Eat some ice cream, while listening to the float for a local bank blast “I’m Proud to Be an American” from their speakers.

 

Photo Courtesy of Art of Manliness

Hang the Flag: Put it up and reflect on the true reason for the celebration of this spectacular holiday.

About The Gary Cardillo Group

While most people would like to talk about themselves, Gary and Gail have always put their clients first, and their diverse backgrounds have provided their clients an unparalleled level of service and knowledge throughout the past years. » More

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