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What the Tourist Season Means for the southwest Florida Housing Market

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When traffic increases and hotels reach their full capacity, you know tourist season has hit southwest Florida. “Season” as the locals call it runs from the beginning of November to the end of April. However, part-time residents have been trickling in even earlier as Lee and Collier county gains popularity in the rest of the United States and around the world. So, it is no surprise that Northeasterners have been digging southwest Florida as Naples becomes a hotspot for new homeowners and vacationers alike.

tourist-season

According to this article from the Naples Daily News, in December of 2011, 122,000 visitors stayed in hotels and other vacation rentals in Collier County—up more than 15 percent from the same month in 2010. At the same time, visitor spending rose nearly 20 percent to $117.9 million in December, according to a report by Research Data Services Inc., a county consultant.

And the numbers keep climbing.

December and January is considered one of the busiest times of the year, but March is the peak of tourist season.

“There’s no doubt that March is the busiest time of the year, with spring break on top of a busy spring training season,” said Elliott Falcione, executive director for the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, in this article by the Sarasota Herald Tribune. “We’ve seen a strong increase in the sports tourism segment and growth still coming from the amount of international travelers, too.”

But one question remains.

What Does This Mean for Florida Real Estate?

As season approaches, it doesn’t affect the flow of sales in Lee and Collier counties. It affects the population and increases chances to create sales, but it does not negatively impact the flow of sales.

“Season is definitely not a bad thing,” said Marc Comisar, an agent with Downing Frye Realty. “It boosts the population for a few months and gives us the opportunity to show more houses to potential buyers.”

Clayton Reid, CEO of MMGY Global, shared survey-based numbers from 2013 that suggest more upscale Americans have regained their appetite for leisure travel, according to this article from the Fort Myers News-Press. From the Travel Horizons national report in July that looked six months ahead:

60 percent of respondents said they planned to take a leisure trip in the next six months. That’s up from 53 percent of respondents in July 2012.

Will This Tourist Season be a Landmark Year for Real Estate in Lee and Collier Counties?

It is far too early to predict the landscape of this year’s tourist season and housing market, but the part-time resident and tourist population is steadily increasing and two new developments are set to open in 2014, which means the housing market is off to a great start.

“The tourist season has been increasing in recent years, bringing in more people,” Comisar said. “All we can do is hope each year is better than the last.”

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