The following stats compare January 2025 to January 2026

Gerry Rosenblum

Total number of properties sold:

Homes in 2025 - 24

Homes in 2026 - 22 DOWN 8%

Condos in 2025 - 35

Condos in 2026 - 25 DOWN 29%

Lots in 2025 - 1

Lots in 2026 - 3 UP 200%

Total Sales Volume:

Homes in 2025 $45M

Homes in 2026 $36M DOWN 20%

Condos in 2025 $32M

Condos in 2026 $20M DOWN 37.5%

Lots in 2025 $829K

Lots in 2026 $2.1M UP 153%

Average Sale Price:

Homes in 2025 $1.9M

Homes in 2026 $1.6M DOWN 16%

Condos in 2025 $810K

Condos in 2026 $909K UP 12%

Lots in 2025 $829K

Lots in 2026 $691K DOWN 17%

Inventory:
201 Single-Family homes
317 Condominiums
66 Single Family Vacant Lots
584 Total Homes, Condos, and Vacant Lots for sale. 

Years ago, I told everyone to buy up the vacant lots. I was right, and those who listened to me owe me dinner.  G-d stopped making waterfront lots years ago, but he's still building golf courses up in Naples. 

Summary:

Although the numbers above show significant losses, things are not as bad as they seem. Plain and simple: inventory is dwindling, and with that comes fewer opportunities to purchase properties. While beggars can’t be choosers, they can be finicky like a cat, passing on options until the right property comes along.

The average combined days on market for all property types is now about 160 days, roughly six months. A year ago, that number was closer to 105 days. I believe that as the “busy season” progresses, sales will pick up, especially if more properties come onto the market.

Think of it like going to a car dealership and not finding the model in the color you want with the options you prefer. What do you do, compromise? Usually not. You leave and drive old Bessie home, waiting for the supply to improve. I drive a car with a manual transmission, and I assure you, I had to wait for that baby to come along.

Two of my favorite customers, Mr. and Mrs. Corridor, owned a Chevy dealership out in the woods of Michigan. They could sell the bejusus out of pickup trucks all day long, but they couldn’t give away the Corvettes. So what did they do? They traded with another dealer who was “left on the highway, but right on the price.” That dealer had the opposite problem and was happy to swap two pickups for one Corvette. Now, they all still had problems, but pickups and Corvettes just ain't one of them anymore. 

Now, in real estate, unfortunalely we can't do that, so you're just going to have to be patient and wait for what you want to come along, or you can go move to Cape Coral or Bonita, where they have tons of pickups.   

Gerry's Fable:

I had lots of questions from readers of the Big Year End Review regarding my tattoos, and here is the backstory.  For those that don't know, like all good Realtors, I drink every night of the year (and most days too) except New Year's Eve, that way, if anybody ever asks me about drinking, I can always say, "Ah, I quit last year".  Well, on one particular New Year's Day, I was in Miami with my boys.  After the traditional breakfast of corned beef hash and poached eggs, dry wheat toast with strawberry jam, home fries, and a cup, not a mug, of coffee at the 11th Street Diner, the boys and I went for a walk (having returned the scooter from the day before).  As we meandered down Washington Ave. in South Beach, we looked in the window of a tattoo shop and saw 3 "artists" sitting around holding their heads.  We went in to see what's up and found out the 3 were totally hungover, but they had to staff the shop because Jan 1st is apparently a busy and bad day in the tattoo world. (Note to self: never go to a tattoo shop on Jan 1st again). I imagine the artists must have looked at my Adonis-like body and thought, "What a great canvas he would make."  Anyway, the one artist said, "Are you interested in getting a tattoo, or are you just here to look sexy?"  I said, "Just sexy today, sir, but now that you mention it, I want to get my boys' whole names tattooed on my pinky toes".  The artist said,  "And what are their names?" I said, "This here redheaded boy is named Andrew John Jacob Wisenheimer Rosenblum.  The other boy here's name is William Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff Redivider Racecar (foreshadowing) Rosenblum." I then kicked off my Nikes and socks, the artist looked at the size of my toes and said, "You've got room there for Bo and Jo..... maybe".  I said, "How about just Andy and Willy?"  The artist pondered this for a moment and said, "I'll tell you what, normally I'd charge $200 for Bo and Jo, but today we are doing a hangover special.  You can have your boys  Andy and Willy tattoo their own names on those stubs you call toes for $27.44."  I said, "deal".  They got the gun ready, and the boys really went to town, unfortunately the dyslexic kid got a bit overconfident and now my one toe says "Ylliw". (If you look at it in a mirror, it's not bad). The other kid is a literal Wisenheimer, and after 10 minutes of me screaming, feeling burning, itching, and pain, I came out of the bathroom to have my second pinky done. I then endured buzzing, more burning, smoke, blood, terror and was begging Andy to stop. After 17 agonizing minutes he proudly looked up with his evil grin and said, "Wallah!", proud as a peacock. I looked down and there plain as could be in 20-point, double-bold Sans Serif font, for all the world to see was my new tattoo....... "Barb".  Over the years, the tattoos have faded and are now practically worn off, but the memories and hepatitis C from the dirty needle remain.  And that, my 7.6 faithful readers, is the story of the Pinky Inky.

Now, what does Pinky Inky have to do with real estate?  Permanency, or the lack thereof, that's what it has to do with.  Now, like tattoos, marriage and home ownership, some folks get one tattoo, one spouse, or one home, and they hang on to that thing forever. Heck, they even die with that tattoo, spouse, or in that house that had a mouse and a grouse. As time goes by, some get that old tattoo enhanced, or that middle-aged spouse gets plastic surgery work, and the house gets an addition, but underneath all these things are the originals (OG), and you love them no matter what.  THEN, there are those that have their tattoos removed with lasers, those who get divorced, and there are those who sell that home and get a new one. The choice is yours; you can either stick with what you have or you make a change and try something new.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, has to be permanent. That is where I come in; I have experience with tattoos, spouses, and houses. Call me, text me, email me, or better yet, take me to dinner, and let me share my advice on these subjects, keeping in mind that only the advice I give on Real Estate is worth taking.  And if you have no tattoos, have never been married, and rent, for you, I got nuffin, but you can still feed me.  And lastly, when it comes to tattooing, matchmaking, or buying or selling real estate, use a professional, don't do it yourself. 

The Highs and Lows for the month:

For homes, the highest sale was 130 Hollyhock Court, which sold for $ 4.1M by one of my favorite Realtors, Brittany Stoller. Just because her initials are BS, don't believe she is full of it.  This was a home built and lived in by legendary local home builder John Slocum, and it has everything.  It sold for $803 per sq.ft. The bargain home sold was 356 3rd Ave, which was a 4-bedroom home that went for $470,000 at $212 per sq.ft. It was a fixer-upper. 

The high condo sale goes to Tampico 506 at $2.4 million. On the beach and totally remodeled at $888 per sq.ft. The condo deal was Marco Inn Villas unit C-22 for $248K or $526 per sq.ft.  

Lots only had 3 sales, but the high was 1540 Kingston at $815,000 for indirect water access. 748 Seagrape was an inland lot that went for $625,000. I kinda like the water lot deal here. 

As always, I won't be out-thought or out-fought. 

Gerry Rosenblum

Broker Associate

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty

2024  #1 Berkshire Hathaway agent in the State of Florida

2013, 2012 & 2007 President Marco Island Area Association of 

Realtors

2008 Realtor of The Year - Marco Island 

239-450-4770 (cell)
1-800-237-8817 (toll-free)
To View the Entire Marco MLS go to: www.viewmarco.com

Marco Island Real Estate Stats and Commentary BIG 2025 Year End Review

 

Total Value of All Property Sold on Marco Island UP 1.1% 2025 $1.128 Billion 2024 $1.116 Billion  Total Number of Sales on Marco Island (All Property Types) DOWN .4% 2025 - 769 2024 - 772 Number of Sold Single Family Homes UP 5%  2025 - 431 2024 - 411 Number of Sold Condominiums DOWN 5.8%  2025 - 355 2024 - 377 Number of Sold Single Family Vacant Lots DOWN 5% 2025 - 40 2024 - 42 Average Sale Price of a Single Family Homes Sold UP 2.5% 2025 - $2,004,000  2024 - $1,952,000 Average Sale Price of a Condominium Sold was DOWN 5.4%  2025 - $946,000 2024 -  $1,000,000 Average Sale Price of a Single Family Vacant Lot was UP 37% 2025 - $1,287,000 2024 - $941,000 The overall List to sell Ratio was 91%. This means that on average properties sold within 9% of their asking price. Put another way, the average sale price was negotiated down 9% from the asking price.   Current Inventory of Single-Family Homes is 204 Current Inventory of Condominiums is 321 Current Inventory of Vacant Single-Family Lots is 62 State Of The Real Estate Market Address: 2025 was once again an excellent year for Marco Island real estate, with over $1 billion in total sales. As I predicted last year in this highly accurate newsletter, the condo market experienced a temporary downswing. This was largely driven by rising condo fees across the board due to increased insurance costs and new Florida laws enacted this past July. These laws require condominiums to fully fund their reserves and to complete structural integrity studies for all buildings three habitable stories or taller. As a result, some associations were forced to levy special assessments to meet their financial obligations. In most cases, those assessments have now been paid by existing owners. Looking ahead to 2026, I expect the condo market to regain momentum, as these major financial hurdles are largely behind us. The single-family home market, particularly at the high end, is experiencing unprecedented growth. Vacant land remains a highly sought-after commodity, and as I have stated many times in the past, if you’re looking for a place to park some money, buying a vacant lot and land-banking it continues to be a smart long-term strategy. Overall, interest rates are slowly trending downward, and the stock market is hitting record highs as I write this, both of which are absolutely fantastic for real estate. I remain very bullish, optimistic, and excited about the Marco Island market. I truly believe this is a great time to buy, as we may soon see another rush of buyers eager to secure their own piece of paradise. Now, for the fun part: So, I spent New Year's Eve in South Beach, Miami, as usual.  The next morning I had my traditional meal of scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, home fries, and dry rye with strawberry jam at the 11th Street Diner. As my faithful 7.6 readers know, I don't, or should I say can't drink coffee because I'm naturally wired and it has a bad effect on me, making me nastier than my normal nasty self. But, on this fateful morning, I downed two cups for fun. After breakfast I rented a little electric scooter and went for a ride to see the sites. Around noon I passed by Club Deuce on 14th street, which is a little dive bar that I have been to once or thrice. On this New Years day,  there were about 50 Harley Davidson motorcycles out front and I figured I'd go in and see what's up.  I elbowed up to the bar, ordered up a Crown Royal Manhattan, and thought I'd make friends with my fellow Bikers.  It turns out that Mongo, the guy next to me, was the recruitment officer for this nice group of fellows.  I forget the name of the club, but it was Devil's Angels, Charlie's Angels, or something with Angels in it. Anyways, I tell Mongo I could be interested in joining, he laughs and tells me there are a few requirements to join their club.  I said "What's the first one"?  He said "You have to have at least two tattoos.  I replied, "Done".  I then kicked off my flip flops, put my feet in the air and showed him the two huge tattoos I have on my pinky toes with my boys’ names, (a story for another newsletter), and he said "Hmm, interesting, why your pinky toes?"  I told him "The most painful place to get a tattoo is on the side of your pinky toe and only people tough as nails get them there, that's why".  Mongo then called out to the other club members and said "Anybody got a pinky toe tattoo in here?".  Not one person said yes and I'm guesstimating there were 17,844 total tattoos in that room. Mongo said "Fine, you pass that test, now you have to pass the scar test".  I said "which is?".  Mongo said you have to have at least two scars 2' long at a minimum.  Again, I said "Done". So, I pulled down my shorts and pulled up my shirt and showed him my scar from my hernia operation and my right colectomy.  Mongo looked them over and said, "They don't count, it's got to be from a fight or something".  I felt the air going out of me, then Mongo said "Hey, what's that other scar on your stomach? I said "Oh, that's from the time a bullet ricocheted and hit me there, but it's not 2" per the club requirements".  He said "Hold on" and yelled out, "Anybody got a gunshot scar on their stomach?".  A few of the members stepped up and showed the ones on their arms, legs, faces, backs, butts, but no stomachs.  Those members and I then kidded about the mistake of bringing a knife to a gunfight, but that too, is a story for another day.  Mongo then huddled up with a few of the other members named Dog, Ace, Killer, Porky, Tiny, and Doug. After a brief conference Mongo said "Ok, the boys and I agree that we will make an exception and say your scar passes the test, now if you can meet the third and most important requirement you're in".  I said, "And that is?", he said " You need to ride a bike". I said, "Can you be a bit more specific?".  Mongo said, "Most of us ride Harleys, a few ride Indians, but no matter what, it has to be a bike with two wheels, no trikes either". I said "May I invite you gentlemen outside then"?  With that, the entire club walked outside and I proceeded to fire up my electric scooter.  I first did a few bunny hops on the road to loosen up, then I tried to pull off a 360, but only nailed a 180; math isn't their strong suit, so nobody even calculated the mistake.  I then popped a wheelie and rode it about 22' and then came zooming back topping out at 18 MPH and did a cool skid in front of everyone, Napoleon Dynamite style.  Mongo and the rest of the guys were standing there, some were laughing, some had their mouths agape with drool, (which I later learned was normal for them), and some were just turning around and going back to the bar (highly impressed I imagined).  Mongo put his arm around me and said "Kid, we all like your tenacity and ignorance, if you can come in and hold your own drinking with us, you're in the club". I said, "This way to the bar gentlemen". At that moment Mongo said "I see you like Manhattans, you know the old saying Manhattans are like boobs, one's not enough, two is just right and three is too many"? I said, "Why yes Mr. Mongo sir, I have heard that old wives tale". Mongo then said, "If we were to let you join, you will need a nickname. We all have one, well except for Doug, what do your friends call you". I replied, "Well, I don't have any friends, I'm a lone wolf, but when I was younger, people called me Rosie". Mongo said, "That doesn't sound tough enough". I said, "My nickname came from Rosie Grier, one of the toughest football players that ever lived (I think his real name was Phil and he had a side piece Lisa as I recall), and besides, nobody messes with a guy named Rosie, because, after all, who would want to lose a fight to guy named Rosie?" Doug then chimed in and said "Rosie sounds pretty tough to me", and Mongo capitulated. Moving on, after Mongo and the boys started passing out after their third Manhattan, I just kept drinking until the sun started to rise over the Atlantic Ocean. At 5:00 AM, I turned to the barkeep and said, "Where I grew up, we used to say "Manhattans are like eggs, 11 isn't enough, 12 is just right, and you get 13 if the bartender moonlights as a Baker". The Bartender smiled, made my 13th Manhattan of the marathon and said, "It's on me, and by the way, my name is Roosevelt Baker".  All my years of training paid off, and I casually fired back number 13.  Sadly, I had to return my scooter by 7 AM while Mongo and the boys were all still passed out, so I never found out if I was in the gang or not.  Regardless, I'm typing this at the 11th street diner, and today I'm going with the soft poached eggs, because that's what us tough tatted up lone wolves eat... Now the faithful 7.6 readers know this has something to do with Real Estate, what with all the drinking, gangs, scars, tattoos and such.  And here is the puzzle put together.  When you move to a new town, neighborhood, and most definitely a condominium, you are joining a new group of people that most certainly have things that bind them together. Marco as a community has bikers, (both motorcycles and bicycles), drinkers, golfers, tennis and pickleball players, tanners, boaters (motor, sail, pedal, and paddle), shoppers, diners, swimmers, swingers (so I’ve heard), readers, puzzlers (at the library). Did I mention drinkers?  Pretty much anything you can think of, there is a group doing it on Marco and you can join their "gang" and be a part of the action.  Heck, there are people that do any and all combinations of the above and you just have to watch out for the ones that combine the drinking with a few of the others or join them for that matter. If you are more of a stay-at-home passive aggressive type, you can even be a keyboard warrior and join one of the Marco Island Facebook pages and express your opinions on a myriad of important topics, such as what restaurant has the best pizza. Then you can argue with whoever doesn't agree with your choice for best pizza, as you are an expert being that you are from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Chicago. However, if the topic turns to wings, nobody argues with the Buffalo Bills mafia.  Now, regarding the condos here, they are the toughest bunch of roughians Marco has to offer, and many of the condos have "Condo Commandos" who make sure rules are followed. Nobody pees in the pool (I do sneak one in once in a while and the water never turns blue), nobody skinny dips, nobody plays loud music, dogs are measured and weighed, cars are ticketed, but ultimately, no matter what, you get in line, or you pay the fine.  Why, I myself live in a condo, we have an owner whose name is "Rocky". Do you think anybody is going to argue with him, or his wife Adrian? No way, they have carte blanche. I spent a little time on a state paid vacation way back when, and towards the end of my stay I went before a "board" and told them what a good person I have become, and those board members had ice in their hearts and coal for eyes.  Turns out, those are two prerequisites to serve on a condo board as well.  Now, I may be exaggerating just a weeeeee bit here, but, as a Realtor, I say condo life doesn't work for everyone. You need to ponder some things about your behavior, drinking capabilities/constitution, and ability to play nicely in the sandbox with everyone before you put on the denim or leather jacket with the patches and condo name on the back. Here is the #1 rule to survive living in a condo, remember that the rules apply to everyone BUT you. Remember that, and you will have no problem adjusting to condo living.  The Highs and Lows of 2025: The most expensive home sale was 1451 Salvadore Court at $13,301,4140, and that is a real number folks which came out to a whopping $2,051 per sq. ft. of home.  The least expensive home was 458 Quail Drive at $5000,000, which was $274 per sq. ft, now that's a smart buyer.  Condos 1000 Royal Marco Way Cottage #5 led the way at $8,000,000 as the top dog, and Southwinds A2 was the bargain at $155,00, a nice 1 bedroom.  For vacant lots we have 992 ROYAL MARCO WAY at $6,550,000, and yes, this is a BEACH FRONT lot.  And for the least expensive lot we have 2011 Sheffield Ave closing at $185,000.  Listen to me and you'll get rich. Old nasty newsletters can be read at: https://viewmarco.blogspot.com/ Gerry Rosenblum Broker Associate Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 2024  #1 Berkshire Hathaway agent in the State of Florida 2013, 2012 & 2007 President Marco Island Area Association of  Realtors 2008 Realtor of The Year - Marco Island  239-450-4770 (cell) 1-800-237-8817 (toll-free) To View the Entire Marco MLS go to: www.viewmarco.com

The following stats compare November 2024 to November 2025 Gerry Rosenblum Sold Single Family Homes UP 90% (10 vs 19) Sold Condominiums UP 109% (11 vs 23) Sold Single Family Vacant Lots Who cares (2 vs 1) Inventory: 185 Single-Family homes 283 Condominiums 70 Single Family Vacant Lots 538 Total Homes, Condos, and Vacant Lots for sale. Here is a little nugget, the average price negotiated off the asking price on single family homes in November was 7%, for condos it was 7%, and for the one lot it was 15%. Summary: A total of $56 Million dollars worth of real estate closed on Marco Island in November of 2025. Last November the number was $37 Million. I have been a prognosticator of Real Estate for decades, and folks, I am here to tell you that if you want in on Marco Island, now is the time to do it. The stars are aligning; the stock market is very strong and people are pulling millions of short term gains out of Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, to put into hard assets like Marco Island Real Estate. The Federal Reserve is looking at more interest rate cuts which helps real estate. Those that know me well, know I was only wrong once in my life, and that had nothing to do with Real Estate, and I'm not wrong now.  Get in while the getting is good as we are heading into the busy season. And if you're selling, and want to wait thinking you will get more money, then don't listen to any of this and get out now while the getting is good. Pigs get fat, hogs go to slaughter. Real Estate is like a Ferrari, it can turn on a dime. If you want to talk or ask questions, go into greater detail or whatever, call me, text me, or email me. My email is MarcoIslandFlorida@gmail.com, my email address alone should tell you sumptin. There is a bit of a side story with the new laws that went into effect July 1st for condos regarding Reserve and Milestone studies, and I am happy to discuss those if you email, call, or text. In short, they are hurting some condos, but will be a positive going forward in the long run as you will know the buildings are being properly maintained. .6 of my faithful 7.6 readers have been emailing me asking why I've not been sending this trash email out each month like I used to.  Well, 3.2 of the 7.6 know I've had some medical things and I'm not as witty lately, (Ok, I never was) and even though I know you actually read this for the statistical and market advice, I do this rant because it usually makes me laugh; self gratification I guess.  So, I will give you a bit of a medical update.  As you know, it started about 5 years ago when they found some C in my appendix.  So, they took that out with most of my colon.  Then a piece of my kidney went a couple years later.  Then this past May a bit of my stomach went. The secret behind all of this is Dr. Porc, my French Gastroenterologist/Urologist/Nephrologist. Now, Dr. Porc started out as a truffle hunter in France, but his sense of smell was so acute, he found so many truffles he drove the prices down.  The other local truffle hunters/sniffers decided to pool their money and send Porc to America to become a doctor, to preserve their livelihood and drive prices back up. While working in the hospital, Porc discovered his sense of smell offered an uncanny ability to sniff out cancer in patients. The first time I met Dr. Porc I was scheduled for a colonoscopy, right before the anethistia hit, I felt them pull up my gown, Porc bent down, took a big sniff and said "something is amiss here" or he said "nice ass", but that doesn't matter. He sniffed out the problem and surgery followed.  A few years later I went back  in for a visit and Porc said "go pee in that cup", I did, he sniffs the pee and says "yup, it's back, and it smells like a kidney". Tests confirm his nose, and surgery happens.  On another visit, he offered to do a testicular test, but I declined, and suggested his cute nurse give a sniff, but, sadly she had a prior nose and boob job by Porcs buddy, Dr. Suess, and could only smell bad green eggs and ham. Oh, the places she will go. Anyway, Dr. Porc said "hey, if you have testicular cancer and we have to remove the boys, what do you care?, you don't need them anymore". I replied "True, but they look so sporty in the locker room". Moving forward again, this past May, Porc said "open up wide", stuck his nose in my mouth and said "I'm getting a distinct smell of cancer, mixed with a hint of a Crown Royal Manhattan". Let's just say Porc is a savant.  Fast forward again, and I'm sitting in my favorite chair #8 at OPIS getting an infusion with the rest of the lottery losers. At OPIS there is a girl that pushes a "snack cart" from chair to chair. I kid you not. Now, between the people puking, having diarrhea, or both, this girl has a hard time giving this stuff away, but she is undaunted, and has a smile that lights up the room.  She has these little cans of Shasta soda which I haven't seen in 55 years.  I ask, "why the small cans", she replies, "less puke to clean up".  I nod as you can't argue with perfect logic and I appreciate her more than ever. Now, one day the OPIS nurse comes to my chair and tells me that from now I don't have to come there for infusions, and I can do shots at home instead. I smile and tell her "I don't do shots, I drink Manhattans at home". Nurse Ratchet doesn't smile, but explains further that I can go home and inject myself 3 times a day in the stomach instead of being stuck in the bullpen with everyone else.  The highlight of that day was when the nurses were teaching me to give myself shots. I stood in the middle of the room with my shirt off, flexing hard for the ladies, and got a big cheer when I finally stuck the needle in myself, on the 87th attempt, without passing out. Fast forward to Thanksgiving, my boys Andy and Willy come home so they can make reservations for dinner at Kretch's for "Kretchgiving".  They see the needles and stuff laying around and ask if they can give me shots.  "Sure" I say, and I give them a 17 second tutorial on how to do it safely and humanely. To their utter delight, they realize that this stuff takes 31 seconds (literally) to inject from the syringe. During the 31 seconds it feels like lit gasoline is being pushed in and the pias de resistance (Dr. Porc taught me that French term), is when the needle is pulled out, it's like someone now stuck a little firecracker in the hole and blows it up.  The boys think this is the greatest thing ever and for the 4 days they were here they would fight over who got to inject me. After each shot they would ask if the shot they gave me hurt, and when I lied and said "no", I could see the disappointment on their faces. Luckily, all those years of drinking Manhattans paid off, as drinking gasoline toughened me up. Now, the 7.6 faithful know there is some connection here to Real Estate, and here it is.  A good Realtor can sniff out a great deal in any market.  Conversely, that same Realtor can sniff out a bad deal.  It's all about instinct and trust. I could think Porc is a Quack, or you could think I'm a hack, but I've sold hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate in good and bad markets and Porc has saved hundreds of patients, (we will ignore the ones he lost when he had a cold with a stuffy nose), regardless,  I'm here to sniff for you.  Hey, when Porc sniffed my butt and thought he smelled cancer, I could have scoffed at him and told him, that's a rose-in-bloom you're smelling, but I didn't and I trusted him. Also, that Candy Striper pushing that cart of free snacks knows that nobody wants anything, but once in a while she gets that devil may care patient that chugs that Shasta with a Biscoff cookie, and they keep it down.  Same thing in real estate, sometimes when the market seems bleak, and you think you will wait for it to hit bottom, you need to realize maybe this is the bottom, it's time to jump in, before all the good snacks are gone. The inquiring 7.6 faithful readers demand to know The high and low Sales for November, and they are as follows: Single-family home, 61 Nautilus Court closed for $6,100,000. Condo, Belize Penthouse 2202 closed for $5,650,000.  I showed this condo to Mr. and Mrs. Corridor one time and it was so beautiful.  One of the few times I wish I had the money to buy something that extravagant myself. For the bargain hunters, a 3-bedroom home at 1746 Dogwood Drive closed for $600,000,  A 1bed /1bath condo in Coquina Gardens closed for $170,000 and it was cute as a button.  YES, NOT EVERYONE ON MARCO ISLAND NEEDS TO SPEND A FORTUNE TO LIVE HERE.   Only one dang lot sold in all of November, so it wins as both the high and low sale for the month.  1668 Mcilvane Court for $1,925,000.  This is like being in a 1 person race where you both are the winner and runner up. If you are thinking of using me as your Realtor, keep in mind that I will never be out thought or out fought.   Lastly, and most importantly, have those colonoscopies, mammograms, dermatological exams, annual physicals, or whatever your doctor suggests. Don't wait, just do it. Old nasty newsletters can be read at: viewmarco.blogspot.com/ Gerry Rosenblum Broker Associate Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 2024  #1 Berkshire Hathaway agent in the State of Florida 2013, 2012 & 2007 President Marco Island Area Association of  Realtors 2008 Realtor of The Year - Marco Island  239-450-4770 (cell) 1-800-237-8817 (toll-free) To View the Entire Marco MLS go to: www.viewmarco.com

Marco Island Real Estate Stats and Commentary October 2023

The following stats compare October 2023 to October 2022 

Sold Single Family Homes UP 24% (21 vs 17) 

Sold Condominiums DOWN 4% (23 vs 24) 

Sold Single Family Vacant Lots UP 200% (6 vs 2) 

Inventory: 

187 Single-family homes 

252 Condominiums  

88 Single Family Vacant Lots 

527 Total Homes, Condos, and Vacant Lots for sale. THIS NUMBER IS STARTING TO CLIMB! 

Summary: A total of $73 Million dollars worth of real estate closed on Marco Island in October 2023. Last October the number was $63 Million. The market is moving smoothly, nothing shooting up, no Chicken Little the sky is falling either. Interest rates broke the 8% mark, but with close to 70% of the deals on Marco being cash this does not impact our market much. However, those who need to sell their properties elsewhere and use tht money to buy on Marco, might be dealing with Buyers who are interest-sensitive and things could drag out for them. Remember, cash is King when it comes to Real Estate, and the Golden Rule is he who has the gold makes the rules. The stock market has had a nice run-up lately and when that happens all the cardiac patients start selling their stock to buy good old solid real estate. As a fringe benefit they can also then taper off on their Beta-Blockers and save money on prescriptions. Now, I'm not saying the stock market will make you die sooner, but why risk it? The average age of a Marco Island Resident is now approximately 109 years old, just saying it's some good living down here. We have some of the best doctors, dermatologists, dentists, podiatrists, bartenders, and plastic surgeons money can buy. Why just recently I had a nip and tuck done on my kidney and I swear it looks 20 years younger. 

As 7.6 of you have heard, I listed my own condo for sale, and not one of you stepped up to buy it, that's the thanks I get for years of writing this blog and making all of you rich by taking my advice. And for all you Wisenheimers who told me to get a new Realtor to sell my unit, I'll tell you this story.  I actually had someone call in who saw the listing online.  They asked me 1,547 questions about the unit, Association, and building, the only lie I told them was when they asked if the unit was haunted and I said "no", but that's a story for another day.  Anywho, their 1,548th question was to ask if I would represent them in the purchase of the unit. I said listen, the guy that listed that unit is a world-renowned realtor, his reputation is that he is a ruthless and shrewd negotiator and has been known to make other Realtors cry. They said, "That is exactly what we are looking for in a Realtor to represent us!"  I said "Then I'm your man, but I'm warning you, this guy is borderline crazy" -  "I know his shrink, and the shrink lays on the couch when this guy comes in for a session".  Well, we put together a solid offer, they signed it, and I told them I would do my best.  I then went to my kitchen and made a Manhatten knowing this was going to be a tough negotiation and I needed to calm my nerves. I then went into the living room looked at the signed offer on my condo and said out loud for me to hear "What is this agent nuts? Coming in at 10% off the asking price, the Seller is now insulted". The Seller and his agent were so upset by the offer that I went into the kitchen and made a Manhatten to calm myself down.  I then called the Buyers and said "Listen, the other agent said the Seller was offended by the offer, it is so low he wouldn't even counter it, you'll need to come up".  The potential Buyer's husband said, "First, I need to go take a Metoprolol because I feel a bit of angina coming on and I don't want my stent to blow out".  30 minutes later they called back and said "We can come up to 95% of the asking price".  I said, "That sounds great, I'm pretty sure I can get the Seller to take that, he's nuts if he doesn't".  In reality, I wasn't so sure what the Seller would do, so I figured I better go to the kitchen and make a Manhattan to put me on my game.  I returned to the living room and looked at the new numbers on the contract. I said out loud to myself " Are you nuts?, there is no way I'd accept that" "you keep pissing me off and I'm going to have to punch you or something". I slapped myself in the face and retreated to the kitchen for another Manhattan to ease the pain and embarrassment.  I called the Buyer back and said "No go on the offer, this agent is living up to his reputation and is like a brick wall I can't break down, I don't know what it will take to get him to cave". The Buyers asked me what I thought and I said "There are some other units for sale, let's take a run at one of them, I know we will have an easier time with another agent'.  They agreed and thanked me profusely for the wise guidance. I then went to the kitchen and made a Manhattan to celebrate making these future customers happy by showing them my prowess as a negotiator. After that Manhattan, I had to have one last one to celebrate the fact that I stuck to my guns and wasn't going to let some agent bully me into taking an offer I didn't like. The next day I was bragging to my lawyer buddy Christopher Palmetto about how I showed myself who the boss was, and Attorney Chris said "A Realtor that represents himself has a fool for a client". I said, "I agree, and my shrink is going to have to sort this one out."

So, after visiting with Dr. J, here is what he came up with and I think it's an excellent lesson for life and Real Estate. Doc says "Sometimes you need to remove emotions from the situation and just be practical." Buying or selling a property can cause you to become emotional and that can sometimes lead you to make a bad decision.  Sometimes as a Buyer, you are offended that a Seller doesn't accept your offer and you walk away, and vice versa, sometimes as a Seller you are offended by the offer and refuse to counter. To get a deal put together you have to have a "meeting of the minds" and if they are both "sound minds" the deal will come together. And as I've said before "a great deal is one in which both sides think they won."  And, if we don't have sound minds, we always have Manhattans. Doc also said, "Let me freshen up your prescription for Pristiq, as a matter of fact, let's increase the dosage a bit while I'm at it".  

My record of having only been wrong once in my life stands intact, and let me remind you that one time I said I was wrong, I was actually right, so it turns out I was really only wrong for saying I was wrong when I was right.  Think about that.... 

On the personal side, My boy Andy will be cooking up the Thanksgiving poultry again this year. The kid went to Publix and got the biggest 3-pounder you've ever seen. Mmmmm Good, I like mine rare. Willy is still in Columbia and still can't speak a word of Spanish. However, the nearby sushi restaurants have written me and said they will chip in and pay for the tuition and rent for him to stay and get a Ph.D. if I simply agree to continue to pay for the daily sushi deliveries. Now, that's an example of a win-win. 

The inquiring 7.6 faithful readers demand to know The high and low Sales for October, and they are as follows: Single-family home, 999 Spruce Court $6,000,000 which may be a record for an indirect water access home. Condo, Tampico 505 closed for $2,700,000. The vacant lot at 812 Milan Court closed for $1,025,000.   For the bargain hunters, a 2-bedroom home at 201 Marco Lake Drive closed for $450,000,  A 2/1 condo in Seabreeze Soutn, unit N1 closed for $285,000, and a vacant lot at 1385 Merrimac closed for $340,000. I'm telling you there are still value deals to be had. 

If you are thinking of using me as your Realtor, keep in mind that I will never be out thought or out fought. 

Past boring newsletters can be viewed here: https://viewmarco.blogspot.com/ 

Gerry Rosenblum 

Broker Associate Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 2013, 2012 & 2007 President Marco Island Area Association of Realtors 2008 Realtor of The Year - Marco Island

239-450-4770 (cell) 

1-800-237-8817 (toll-free) 

To View the Entire Marco MLS go to: www.viewmarco.com

June 2022 Real Estate Stats and Commentary

The following stats compare June 2022 to June 2021 Sold Single Family Homes Down 62% (37 vs 97)  Sold Condominiums Down 38% (76 vs 123) Sold Single Family Vacant Lots DOWN 72% (9 vs 32) Inventory: 122 Single Family Homes  127 Condominiums   80 Single Family Vacant Lots  329 Total Homes, Condos, and Vacant Lots for sale. THIS NUMBER IS STARTING TO CLIMB! Summary: A total of $130 Million dollars worth of real estate closed on Marco Island in June 2022. Last month we sold $196 Million and last June the number was $232 Million.  Ok, Ok, it has been a while since I last wrote to my 7.6 faithful readers. Again, I will blame it on the meds they have me hooked on which have turned me into Rip Van RosenWinkle.  Luckily, for those that like to read this smut, (unluckily for those that don't) I have awoken and am here to report about the Marco real estate market. Speaking of pills, on the back of the huge vial of little blue pills I have, it states "what goes up, must come down". (Now that's a double entendre if I ever heard one).  The hot market sure was fun while it lasted, but we are getting back to a more flaccid state.  (I know what you're thinking...my mastery of the English vocabulary even amazes me sometimes). Speaking of states. Recently, my younger one Willy called me up all excited to say he got accepted to Graduate School at Columbia. I said "that is fantastic" as I scratched my head and thought to myself "Willy can barely speak Spanish, why is he going to attend school in Columbia down in South America?".  After I expressed my dismay, Willy said "no you idiot, Columbia as in Manhattan".  I googled Manhattan and see that it's a town in Kansas as well as a very refreshing cocktail.  I said, "are you going to get a dog, name it Toto, wear Louboutin sneakers, and move to Kansas?".  Willy said "you really are an idiot, Manhattan as in New York City, you know the Big Apple!"  Ahhhhh, now when I got divorced I lost half of my money and most of my sanity. Willy and  Andy are now working on whatever I had left. I should never have let them all attend that magician camp where they learned how to make things disappear.   In other news, I recently spent months in training to become a Guardian ad Litem (Google it if you don't know what it is). I got my first case and recently went to court to represent my child. In the courtroom they have you sit in a specific seat.  There is a point where the judge introduces all of the parties, and when he got to me he said "And your name is sir, and why are you here?".  I said, "Gerald Rosenblum as Guardian ad Litem your honor".  He repeated it and thanked me. Later on due to a technicality it was agreed that the case would be continued and everyone was dismissed.  There was a little chit-chat between the attorneys and the judge, and the case was called back to order.  Due to protocol the judge reintroduced everyone and when he got to me he said "Mr. Rosen......Berg?" I said, "It's Rosenblum, you had a 50/50 chance and blew it Judge Macafee" (his real name is Mcfee). He didn't laugh, said I embarrassed him and the court. I got out in 30 days and now know what Contempt of Court actually means. Luckily my cellmate was in for being a litter bug. Now, as excited as my 7.6 faithful readers are to have me back and have something to read while on the toilet, they are even more excited to figure out what Columbia, Manhattan, and Judge McFee have to do with real estate, and I'm just the person to tell you.  It's all about the name. There are multiple Columbias and a few Manhattans. (Fun Fact: the cocktails are like eyes and boobs, 1 is not enough, 2 is just right, and 3 is too many) and Luckily there is one mean old Judge Mcfee, and ONLY 1 Marco Island. There is no confusion that Marco Island is the greatest place to live, work, play, and drink Manhattans.  And when you are singularly, the one and only best place in the world, then people will always want to buy real estate there.  And when people buy and sell (I almost typed "cell" as a flashback to my jail days) you will always have a market.  Sure, the prices go up and down a bit, but you can't put a price or value on living in Paradise.  Right now rising interest rates and a declining stock market are causing the market to slow, but I can assure you there is only one Marco Island and there is no confusing this is where you want and need to be. (Fun Fact #2: Years ago Blood, Sweat and Tears had a song with the lyrics - "What goes up must come down".  I bet you never knew it was a song about Real Estate prognostication?)  In short, come get some.  The inquiring 7.6 faithful readers demand to know The high and low Sales for June, and they are as follows: Single-family home, 970 Partdrige Court $3,950,000. Condo, Hideaway Villa #6 closed for $6,500,000. The vacant lot at 921 Giralda Court closed for $1,350,000.    For the bargain hunters, a 2 bedroom home at 368 Castaways closed for $599,000,  A condo in Southwinds, unit B4 closed for $275,000, and a vacant lot at 2011 Sheffield closed for $250,000. I'm telling you there are still value deals to be had. If you are thinking of using me as your Realtor, keep in mind that I will never be out thought or out fought.    Past boring newsletters can be viewed here: https://viewmarco.blogspot.com/ Gerry Rosenblum Broker Associate Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 2013, 2012 & 2007 President Marco Island Area Association of  Realtors 2008 Realtor of The Year - Marco Island  239-450-4770 (cell) 1-888-239-5131 (toll-free e-fax) 1-800-237-8817 (toll-free) To View the Entire Marco MLS go to: www.viewmarco.com

Copyright © 2022 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty, All rights reserved. A fun way to follow the Real Estate Market on Marco Island. Our mailing address is: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty 928 North Collier Boulevard, Marco Island, FL Marco Island, FL 34145 Add us to your address book

Marco Island Real Estate Stats and Commentary - February 2021

 

The following stats compare February 2021 to February 2020

Sold Single Family Homes UP 41% (45 vs 32) 
Sold Condominiums UP 73% (76 vs 44)
Sold Single Family Vacant Lots UP 127% (39 vs 13)

Pending Single Family Homes UP 41% (116 vs 82)
Pending Condominiums UP 122% (153 vs 69)
Pending Single Family Vacant Lots UP 113% (66 vs 31)
(Pending means it went under contract but has not closed yet)

Inventory:
86 Single Family Homes (DOWN 72% from 2020)
139 Condominiums (DOWN 63% from 2019)
81 Single Family Vacant Lots (DOWN 69% from 2019)
306 Total Homes, Condos, and Vacant Lots for sale. THIS NUMBER IS VERY LOW!

Summary:

A total of $142 Million dollars worth of real estate closed on Marco Island in February 2021. Last month we sold $139 Million and last February (A Leap Year February) the number was a measly $72 Million.  Unless you live under a rock, under the Jolley Bridge, or in a yurt, you have all been hearing about how hot the market is, but I'm telling you there are no words to describe the unbridled enthusiasm that is taking place. And, unlike runs in the past, I predict there won't be a pullback. I truly believe that once and for all the world has discovered Marco Island and people are seeing the value of living here. The Marco way of life comes at a price that thousands of people are willing to pay for and can afford. Here is an example, an agent listed a rundown waterfront home on Marco this week for $595,000 and within 6 hours she had 31 offers on the property, with the winner offering more than $200,000 over the asking price. Ultimately the Seller is happy, the Buyer is happy, and I'll bet you a roll of toilet paper both Realtors are happy too. If you are thinking of selling your property now is the time to list it. I don't see the market pulling back, but I do believe you will start to see resistance from Buyer's willing to keep pushing things much higher. The inventory is at an epic low and properties are selling within days of coming on the market, in spite of the flurry, I truly believe Marco Island still represents a great value when compared to other high-end waterfront communities in the U.S.

Speaking of toilet paper, my faithful 7.6 readers know I now live alone and I am happy to report that I finally figured out who the a$$hole is that wasn't replacing the toilet paper roll when it was empty all these years. I also now know who the a$$hole is that leaves empty milk cartons and half-open flat cans of soda (or pop for you midwesterners, or soder for us Jersey folks). I believe they are the same person and I feel sorry for him once I get my hands on him. However, I haven't figured out why the bed does not make itself, but I now realize, much to my sadness, there apparently is no bedmaking fairy. Because there is no bed fairy, I came to the conclusion there is no sense in making the bed since I'm just going to get it in it (when I'm not sleeping on the couch or floor) and mess it up. This made my mind take a quantum leap and I decided to only sleep on the couch or floor thereby never having to make the bed. (see what a deep thinker I am).  Now, sleeping in odd places causes me to have a bad back, forcing me to see a chiropractor which costs a lot of money, so I don't bother to go. Again, I hope you can keep up with how rapidly I problem-solve. With the money I saved on not going to the chiropractor, I started going to a psychiatrist. He tells me I am a "constant stream of consciousness and it's hard for him to figure out what I'm thinking about for more than 10 seconds" followed by "here, take this pill, it'll calm us both down". As a matter of fact, at my last visit, he told me he doesn't want to see me anymore as a patient because I'm driving him crazy, which seems to be what I do to everyone, hence, why I live alone. Back to living alone, I have to ask a question: Do you need to use air freshener in the bathroom when you live alone? This brings me back to the toilet paper subject. I have had a few surgeries now that have gone awry and I would like to personally thank the Charmin company for their concern for my bum during these trying times. Just like in Real Estate, the job isn't finished until the paperwork is all done, and you want that to go as smoothly as possible. That makes me think that toilet paper is made from trees, which are rough and barky; how do they end up getting is so smooth and absorbent?  Recently I went to my internist, Dr. BoBo, and told him "I pee every morning at 5:00 and poop at 6:00". He said "what's the problem?", I said, "I don't wake up until 7:00". I know that's an old one, but very apropos for my new lifestyle. Do you know you can buy a Banquet T.V. dinner at Walmart for $1.00? Stay away from the one titled "Backyard Barbecue", I'm not sure who's backyard they are talking about, but our dog used to poop in the backyard, just saying. Now, this paragraph is just a snippet of what goes on in my brain 24/7 so the 7.6 faithful can get a glimpse of what a constant stream of consciousness feels like. lt ain't easy being me and I now understand, as do you, why I live alone. This leads me to the next paragraph where I will explain how The Gerry's Fable (like Aesop's, only more disjointed) I just wrote about relates to Real Estate.


This one is a bit trickier than explanations of the past, but here is how the above applies to Real Estate. Sometimes, not all the time, you yourself are the problem. I have clients that overthink things, underthink things, don't think about things, could care less about things, and the worst are those that wonder about things. Such as, " I wonder how much they will take" ... "I wonder what you think they will take"... "I wonder if they are highly motivated and are looking to dump this property and I am about to get the greatest deal in the history of Real Estate".  Now, the faithful 7.6 know I am a master grammartist and word inventor extraordinaire, and you will notice none of those 3 previous statements ends with a question mark. While they seem like questions, they are just thoughts that travel through the customer's brain, they go nowhere, mean nothing, and end up in the random consciousness of their brain. My job is to let those thoughts rattle around in their head for a while, then use my magical powers to read their mind, then subliminally get the deal worked out in their head without the use of any Charmin. Folks, I can certainly attest to the fact that life is difficult sometimes, Real Estate does not have to be difficult, and if you put your trust in my brain I can almost guarantee a successful result. After all, I was only wrong once and that had nothing to do with Real Estate. 

The inquiring 7.6 faithful readers demand to know The high and low Sales for February, and they are as follows:

Single-family home, 985 Caxambas drive for $3,875,000. Condo, Veracruz 2401 closed for $3,700,000. The vacant lot at 1411 Caxambas  Drive closed for $3,500,000. 3 is a magical number.
 
For the bargain hunters and those that are certainly in the money, a 3 bedroom home at 1495 Bermuda closed for $390,000,  A condo in Seabreeze F8 closed for $99,900, and a vacant lot at 1872 Dogwood Drive closed for 85,000. YES, you can still get a great deal on Marco Island, but these will start to vanish.

Yes, I am growing my hair because the last thing the Shrink told me to do was to get a hobby. I tried taking up shooting guns, but that ended up in a bloody mess. I tried becoming a Vodka taste tester at the Tito's factory, but they fired me for taking my work home with me. I almost applied to be a quality control inspector at the Charmin plant, but I heard the working conditions there were crappy.  My boys Andie and Willy suggested I grow my hair as it would take all day every day, and I could do it while I take my daily walk. They know I like to multitask so it turned out to be the perfect hobby for me. Sometimes I even chew gum and triple task. If it looks like I'm losing weight it's because of all the Banquet T.V. dinners I now eat because nobody invites me out, I hope that's due to covid and not my personality.  Lastly, to all my faithful 7.6 readers, please tell all your family members you love them...because you can. 

If you are thinking of using me as your Realtor, keep in mind that I will never be out thought or out fought.   


Past boring newsletters can be viewed here: https://viewmarco.blogspot.com/



Gerry Rosenblum

Broker Associate
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty

2013, 2012 & 2007 President Marco Island Area Association of 
Realtors
2008 Realtor of The Year - Marco Island 

239-450-4770 (cell)
1-888-239-5131 (toll-free e-fax)
1-800-237-8817 (toll-free)
To View the Entire Marco MLS go to: www.viewmarco.com