Take a look at our newsletter this month.
JULY 2020
KIMBERLY VINCENT LUXURY REAL ESTATE
WWW.OURNAPLESFLORIDA.COM // 239-398-6336
Take Your Summer to the Next Level! GET MY EXCLUSIVE TIPS ON THE BEST RESTAURANTS, BARS, BEACHES, AND MORE
and playing cornhole on the beach. Concession boats drift from yacht to yacht selling burgers and ice cream, and you can even grab a pool noodle and a beer and ride the tide the length of the island, waving at your friends along the way. People often think of Naples as catering exclusively to retirees, but I’ve found a younger crowd at Keewaydin! In years past, the island was also a real hot spot after the Great Dock Canoe Race, which was sadly postponed this year. I’m already looking forward to the floating DJs and dancing we’ll enjoy in 2021. Looking back, it’s funny to compare the way I spend my summers now to what I did when I first moved here. A lot has changed about me, but even more has changed about Naples! When I first arrived, there weren’t as many people here, and all of the sidewalks on Fifth Avenue would roll up at 8 p.m. Now, Naples is a thriving city with great nightlife, and I’ve learned all of its best- kept secrets. If you want to take your summer to the next level, I’m willing to share my insider knowledge with you! Whether you want to impress your spouse with the perfect date night to a restaurant they’ve never heard of, hunt down the best dry martini in the city, or find a beautiful new park to explore with your dog, I’m your girl! Just shoot me a text at 239-919-2742 asking for my recommendations, and I’ll send you a list of exclusive spots.
Summer has fully arrived in Naples! Yes, that means it’s a bit on the hot side, but there’s so much to enjoy in the city that you won’t catch me spending too much time indoors — unless, of course, I’m busy working. For the last few months, we’ve seen a real rise in new movers to Naples. It seems that the coronavirus pandemic has motivated people living up north to pull the trigger and move to our beautiful city, either full time or just for the season. We’re also seeing some new trends emerging in the types of luxury homes people are buying. For one thing, big dining rooms are in! Because of social distancing, more people have embraced cooking and hosting dinners at home rather than going out to restaurants. Can you relate? I know I, for one, did more cooking this spring than I ever have before. In the past, my husband John and I would usually go out to eat six days a week. We became real restaurant connoisseurs, and I’ve always joked that if I ever designed my own home, then I’d create one without a stove because we’d never use it!
out to restaurants is still one of my favorite summer pastimes. I’m loving it even more now because I missed it so much this spring! I’ve also noticed a lot of local restaurants dropping their prices in the summer because we have fewer tourists, so summer really is the best time to dine out for great deals on dinners and appetizers. Eating at my favorite spots (some popular, others little-known gems John and I have discovered over the years) is at the top of my list this month, alongside boat trips to Keewaydin Island and visits to the farmers market. Usually, a trip to Europe would also be on the agenda — Italy, Hungary, Portugal, and Spain have been some of my favorite destinations in the past — but of course, this year is a different story. Instead of traveling, I plan to make the most of my time at home! As I mentioned, one of my favorite things to do is take our boat down to Keewaydin Island. If you’ve never been, then you absolutely need to visit this summer! In years past, it’s always been like a big party — everyone pulls their boats up the island for a day of swimming, rafting, listening to music,
Though I’m more appreciative of a good home-cooked meal these days, going
–Kimberly Alvord
IF YOU'RE THINKING OF LISTING AND SELLING YOUR HOME, CALL US RIGHT AWAY FOR A NO-OBLIGATION INTERVIEW!
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Thinking About Listing Your Home? It’s Not Too Late! WHY THIS PARTICULAR SUMMER IS A GREAT TIME TO SELL
before going back to school. Retirees also frequently move in the summer because many of them want to pack up as soon as they retire, which can happen any time of year, making summer an equal-opportunity option. To put it simply, the best time to list your gorgeous luxury home is right now! If you put it off, then you may miss the wave of post-pandemic movers and young families and the profit their interest could bring. When you’re ready to list — or if you just want some expert advice — call or text Kimberly at 239-919-2742 to talk through your options. We can get your home on the market ASAP, and the more quickly you act, the faster we’ll put money in your pocket.
If you’re considering putting your home on the market, then odds are you’ve been doing quite a bit of research on the smartest time to sell. Here in Naples, we’re often told to sell in the fall or the winter to catch snowbirds looking to move to a warmer climate. However, over our years in the business, we’ve discovered there really is no “bad” time to list your home in Naples — and that’s doubly true this year! As Kimberly mentioned on the cover of this newsletter, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the game when it comes to buying and selling luxury property here in Naples.
Following dangerous outbreaks in their cities, many northerners are planning to move south to smaller, safer locales as quickly as possible, regardless of the season. Better yet, they’re in the market for high-end homes because these last few months of social distancing have made us all prioritize beautiful, luxurious surroundings while we’re indoors. Even in a normal year, summer is still an excellent time to list your home. Families with school-aged children often look to move in the summer so they can avoid disrupting their education and give the kids an opportunity to put down roots
CELEBRATE NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY By Making Your Own Sweet Treat!
Whether you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip or just plain vanilla, nothing cools you down on a hot summer day quite like ice cream. It’s only fitting then that National Ice Cream Day lands on July 19 — right in the middle of the hottest month in the U.S. Ice cream’s history stretches as far back as 500 B.C. when Middle Eastern royalty combined sweet flavors with ice for a cool treat. Ice cream made its way to North America in the 1700s, and it remained a dessert for the wealthy and famous for years. George Washington even spent $200 on ice cream throughout the summer of 1790. (That would be $5,611.20 in today’s dollars!) Thankfully, these days you don’t have to be rich to enjoy ice cream. In fact, you can even save money by making it yourself! Celebrate National Ice Cream Day by creating this everyday treat using these tips. MAKE IT HOW YOU WANT IT. You can flavor your ice cream however you’d like, but there are a few basic ingredients that are necessary for most batches: milk, sugar, gelatin, and eggs.
Dairy-based products like milk are the most common foundation for ice cream. Sugar adds the sweet, scrumptious flavor we all love, and gelatin aids in thickening the mixture. The eggs happen to be one of the most important ingredients because they give ice cream its classic texture while reducing the rate at which it melts. This ensures your ice cream remains in near “mint” condition as you enjoy it. Healthy Alternatives: Use bananas or almond milk for dairy-free ice cream. For vegan ice cream, use agar powder instead of gelatin and eggs. For those looking to avoid sugar, honey is a naturally sweet substitute. GET TO WORK! You’ll need to heat your ingredients on the stove prior to churning and cooling your ice cream. An ice-cream churner is the easiest way to create a perfectly smooth texture, but if you’re looking for an activity to wear out the kids, then have them shake their own ice cream! Simply place all your ingredients in a small baggie, close it up, and place that baggie in a larger one with ice cubes. Shake firmly for at least 15 minutes for homemade creamy goodness.
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3 COMMON HOMEBUYER MISTAKES TO AVOID And the Secret to a Stress-Free Experience
The process of buying a home can feel overwhelming, particularly in the time of the coronavirus when typical home tours and owner meet-and-greets are out of fashion. There are dozens of things to consider, and it’s easy to let one or more slip through the cracks if you’re not familiar with the ins and outs of luxury real estate — particularly if you’re shopping virtually. Luckily, that’s where we come in. We have years of experience spotting the potential pitfalls and hidden highlights of beautiful homes, and we have helped hundreds of buyers navigate the minefield of the purchasing process with our stress-free, white-glove concierge service. However, when buyers shop without expert guidance, they often make the same mistakes. Here are three we see regularly: MISTAKE NO. 1: FORGETTING TO CHECK THE SUN If the home you’re looking at has the perfect pool, master bedroom, and gulf view, then it can be hard to remember to check the direction it faces. However, choosing a house that gets too little sunlight or too much can be a critical mistake! That could mean your pool is in the shade most of the day, or you need to invest in blackout blinds to stay cool. To make the right choice, consider what you want
(e.g., breathtaking sunsets from the back porch, morning sun for your garden, etc.) and go from there.
MISTAKE NO. 2: NOT CONSIDERING NOISE SOURCES Many homebuyers come to Naples in search of properties on the golf course or beach but forget that both of those locations come with their own soundtrack. Depending on where you are on a golf course, you may hear golfers talking or wake up to the sound of a lawnmower. On the gulf, you’ll need to check for boat noise. A busy waterway can compromise a great view! MISTAKE NO. 3: PRIORITIZING STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE Without an experienced realtor to point out a house’s good bones or help you imagine what it would look like with your decor, you might miss out on a great deal. When shopping, try to see past small features that can be easily changed like paint colors and cabinet finishes. Instead, look at the big picture of the home’s layout, location, and architecture. An experienced real estate agent can help you avoid all of those pitfalls and more, so why not make the leap? You deserve a fun, exciting, and stress-free homebuying experience.
The Best Grilled Summer Vegetables
TAKE A Break
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning • 1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced • 2 lbs assorted vegetables, trimmed and halved (asparagus, mushrooms, red onion, red bell peppers, baby carrots, and yellow squash are great on the grill) • 5 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. 2. Brush vegetables with olive oil and place in a large bowl. Top with lemon juice and seasoning mixture. Toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. 3. Prepare the grill at medium-high heat. 4. Grill vegetables in batches, cooking 3–5 minutes on each side until browned
and tender. (Carrots will cook longer, 6–9 minutes per side.) 5. Remove from the grill, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com
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601 17TH AVE. SOUTH NAPLES, FL 34102
KIMBERLY VINCENT LUXURY REAL ESTATE
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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Take Your Summer to the Next Level! Inside This Issue 1 2 2 3 3 4 Reasons to Sell Your Home This Summer National Ice Cream Day Prompts Homemade Creations 3 Common Homebuyer Mistakes to Avoid The Secret to Delicious Grilled Veggies 3 Travel Destinations Where Photos Are a No-Go
No Photos Allowed 3 TRAVEL HOT SPOTS WHERE PHOTOGRAPHY IS FORBIDDEN
What is traveling without taking photos? With the excellent cameras on our smartphones and endless platforms to share our snapshots on, we’re taking more pictures than ever. But did you know there are certain destinations where visitors are not allowed to take photos? Here are three places
is also a place of worship, and the Vatican considers it disrespectful to photograph such a holy place. However, there’s more to the story. In 1980, Japan’s Nippon Television Network Corporation bought exclusive rights to all photos and videos of the interior of the chapel because they funded the renovation of the chapel. While the Japanese corporation no longer holds these rights, the Vatican maintains the “no photos” rule. ULURU Also known as Ayers Rock, Uluru is one of the largest sandstone rock formations in the world. Located in the middle of Australia, Uluru is highly regarded by the Anangu Aboriginal people who call the region home. Photography around parts of the rock is forbidden out of respect for the Anangu people’s beliefs, specifically Tjukurpa , or the time when the world was created. Certain areas around Uluru are used for gender-specific rituals, and as a result, members of the opposite sex must never see these locales, including in photos. The Anangu say the restriction of photography ensures they adhere to their beliefs and never lay eyes on these sacred spots, even accidentally through a photograph.
where you must put the camera away.
THE EIFFEL TOWER Right now, you’re probably thinking about all the pictures of the Eiffel Tower you’ve seen or even taken yourself. After all, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular tourist spots in the world, but under French law, taking a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night — and then distributing that photo — is illegal. That includes posting the picture to social media. French officials can send you a cease-and-desist order if they find your night photo because the tower’s nighttime light display is copyrighted. It was installed by French artist Pierre Bideau who owns the rights to the display. Do French officials search the web for your vacation photos? No, but they can take action if it’s brought to their attention. THE SISTINE CHAPEL While the Sistine Chapel may be home to incredible works of art originally painted by Michelangelo, it
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