Trends CChamberhamber - Cape Coral, FL - Home€¦ · HOLIDAY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS ... Fifth Third Bank 2402 Surfside Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33991 ... Dena Sawyer The Heights Foundation

SURFSIDE SUNSET MARKETSURFSIDE SUNSET MARKETEVERY TUESDAY AT THE SHOPS OF SURFSIDEEVERY TUESDAY AT THE SHOPS OF SURFSIDEYEAR ROUNDYEAR ROUND 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

CAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET AT CLUB SQUARECAPE CORAL FARMERS’ MARKET AT CLUB SQUAREEVERY SATURDAY DOWNTOWNEVERY SATURDAY DOWNTOWN8:00 AM - 1:00 PM8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

TrendsThe Offi cial Publication of The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral December 2016The Offi cial Publication of The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral December 2016

ChamberChamber

To Promote and Serve Business and CommunityTo Promote and Serve Business and Community

Publisher & EditorStephanie RobersonTechnology Director

[email protected]

Contributing EditorsDonna S. Germain

President/[email protected]

Claudia St. OngeBusiness Manager

[email protected]

Annette SinerSpecial Events Director

[email protected]

Shawna PikeMembership Sales Director

[email protected]

Melanie LempkeMembership Services Director

[email protected]

Lori MarloweWelcome Center Specialist

[email protected]

Chamber of Commerce of Cape CoralP.O. Box 100747, Cape Coral, FL 33910

2051 Cape Coral Parkway, Cape Coral, FL 33904Phone (239) 549-6900 Fax (239) 549-9609

DECEMBER 2016DECEMBER 2016DECEMBER 1 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

FOOD FOR THOUGHT LUNCHEONCAPE CORAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE

360 SANTA BARBARA BLVD N, CAPE CORAL, FL

DECEMBER 3 | 4:00 PM - 10:00 PMHOLIDAY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

CAPE CORAL PARKWAY, CAPE CORAL, FL

DECEMBER 6 | 7:30 AM - 8:30 AMBUSINESS CARD EXCHANGE

AROUND THE CLOCK FITNESS1140 CEITUS TERR, UNIT 8, CAPE CORAL, FL

DECEMBER 8 | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PMBUSINESS AFTER HOURS

BRAND 1 INK925 SE 15TH AVE, CAPE CORAL, FL

DECEMBER 14 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PMGENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

DUFFY’S OF CAPE CORAL627 CAPE CORAL PKWY W, CAPE CORAL, FL

SURFSIDE SUNSET MARKET THE SHOPS AT SURFSIDE

TUESDAYS YEAR ROUND FROM 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

CAPE CORAL FARMERS MARKETCLUB SQUARE

EVERY SATURDAY FROM 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

TO REGISTER FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE EVENTS ONLINE VISIT WWW.CAPECORALCHAMBER.COM/EVENTS

www.lcec.net239-656-2300

We deliver reliable electricity at the lowest price possible. We aren’t in business to make a profit. We work to wow you! Bringing you WOW since 1940.

ExecutiveMember

DiamondMember

Lee Memorial Health System

P.O. Box 2218Fort Myers, FL 33902

Lee County Electric Cooperative

4980 Bayline DrNorth Fort Myers, FL 33917

B2 Technology Solutions

1406 SE 46th LaneCape Coral, FL 33904

CenturyLink

2710 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral

Gulf Coast Village Retirement Community

1333 Santa Barbara Blvd. Cape Coral

The News-Press - Fort Myers Offi ce

2442 Dr. MLK Blvd. Ft. Myers

Fifth Third Bank

2402 Surfside Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 339912724 Del Prado Blvd, Cape Coral, FL 33904

114 Hancock Bridge Pkwy, Cape Coral, FL 339911801 NE Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, FL 33909

1600 Cape Coral Pkwy. E, Cape Coral, FL 33904

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Donna S. GermainPresident

2016 has been quite a year for the Chamber of Commerce of

Cape Coral!

We started the year out with our annual Chairman’s Gala sponsored by Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, where we welcomed our new group of board members and trustees as well as our 2016 Chamber Chairman Brett Bisbe with B2 Technology Solutions.

In January we kicked off a brand new educational lunch called Food For Thought. Through our partnership with SCORE, the FGCU-SBDC and the Cape Coral Technical College, this new series came to life and showcased some very interesting topics for our members such as international importing and exporting, marketing, obtaining government contracts and many more.

In February, the Chamber’s Education Committee hosted their 3rd Annual Taste of the Cape in partnership with the Gulf Coast Symphony. The event was our most successful yet and through the proceeds, we were able to award more than $7,000 in scholarships to local high school

graduates.

In March, we hosted our annual Junior Leadership General Membership Lunch with the Class of 2016. Junior Leadership is a 14-year tradition for the Chamber where the future leaders of Cape Coral learn about the inner workings of our city and county.

April brought out Annual Chamber Golf Tournament as well as our fi rst ever Speed Politics General Membership Meeting presented by our Government Aff airs Committee. Members had the opportunity to networking with the Mayor and City Council as well as their County Commissioners at this lunch. Your GAC works hard for you throughout the year attending every City Council meeting and reporting back to the membership through our Chamber Trends Weekly E-newsletter as well as meeting quarterly with all of our city and county elected offi cials.

In May, the Chamber added its third Farmers’ Market to our list of community events with the Cape Harbour Farmers’ Market. We received a great response to this new addition from the community and are looking forward to many more years to come with this event. The Market will return in May 2017 and run through September 2017.

In June, we welcomed a Shawna Pike, a new member to our staff and Membership

CHAMBER TRENDS2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairman Brett Bisbe, B2 Technology Solutions, IncChair-Elect Trish Lassiter, Lee County Electric Coop.

Treasurer Ed Bolter, Lamar Advertising Past Chair Ed Ramos, Ramos Builders, Inc

Barb Adams, LeeSarKeith Banasiak, Waste Pro of Florida

Beverly Black, Black Business Solutions, LLCDana Brunett, City of Cape CoralMatthew Connar, Boost Creative

Tony Constantino, Kevin M. Burns & Assoc. P.A.Angela Davis, Merrill Lynch

Nancy Dunning, Cape Coral Association of RealtorsDiane Everhart, Blue Chip Financial

Joseph Francioni, The Smart CompaniesCynthia Gallagher, The Breeze Newspapers

Tom Hansen, Boat House of Cape CoralTim Hauck, Fuller Metz Cremation and Funeral Services

Jay Johnson, Bubba’s Roadhouse and SaloonLaura Koehn, CapeCoral.com

Mike Quaintance, Keiser UniversityChristopher Spiro, Spiro & Associates

Michelle Whitlock, Siesta Pebble Pool InteriorsZachary Zeis, Storm Smart

CHAIRMAN EMERITUSCHAIRMAN EMERITUSAnnette Carrasquillo, LAI Design Associates, LLC

Wayne Kirkwood, Kirkwood Electric, Inc.Thomas Giles, Avalon Engineering

Michelle Lewis, B-2 SolutionsHeather Mazurkiewicz, BJM Consulting, Inc.Joseph Mazurkiewicz, BJM Consulting, Inc.

Donna Meola, Priority Payments of South FloridaDon Schnell, Regions BankThomas Shipp Jr, Attorney

Elmer Tabor, Wonderland Realty/Cape Coral Town Center

TRUSTEESTRUSTEESKevin Ahmadi, Gulf Coast Village

Brandon Deaver, B-2 Technoloy SolutionsRana Erbrick, City of Cape Coral

Julie Ferguson, Cape Coral Caring CenterSteve Hook, Oasis Elementary School

Bill Jacob, CenturyLinkMike Noone, Goldberg, Racilla, D’Alessandro &

Noone, LLCDavid Owen, BB & T - Oswald, Trippe & Co.Larry Wier, Premier Insurance Corporation

CHAMBER STAFFCHAMBER STAFFDonna S. Germain, President

Claudia St. Onge, Business Manager & Farmers’ Market Director

Stephanie Roberson, Technology DirectorAnnette Siner, Special Events Director

Shawna Pike, Membership Sales DirectorMelanie Lempke, Membership Services Director

Lori Marlow, Welcome Center Specialist

Sales Team. As of today, our membership team has welcomed 145 new members this year. More than 2.6 million referrals were generated from our online directory for an average of 2,162 referrals per member. To date, more than 22,000 people have come into the welcome centers and we have distributed 15,000 chamber guides which include our membership directory.

July brought us our largest Freedom 5K to date. Sponsored by Priority Business Solutions, this event brought 800 runners over the Cape Coral Bridge to kick off Cape Coral’s 4th of July festivities. We welcomed our friends from the Special Operations Communicators Association, one of our selected military charities, who traveled from Fort Bragg to participate in what they called the most challenging 5K they have ever participated in. Through donations and proceeds from the 5K, your Chamber was able to donate a combined total of more than $5000 to Invest in America’s Veteran’s (SWFL Military Museum) and the Special Operations Communicators Association to help both of these volunteer run organizations continue their mission of assisting our nation’s Veterans.

August brought the start of our Leadership Cape Coral program. This 23-year tradition for the Chamber has turned out some of our best and brightest community leaders and the Class of 2016 was no exception. Keep an eye on this great group, they will be doing some big things for our community in the future. We also held our annual Women’s Leadership Conference at The Westin Cape Coral with more than 150 in attendance. Each year this conference has grown and is becoming one of the premier conferences for women in business. The government Aff airs Committee also hosted its Candidates’ Hobnob to a record number of attendees. This annual event sponsored by Gulf Coast Village is a great way to speak one on one with your local, state and federal candidates.

In September, the GAC presented its “Are You Smarter Than A Politician” Candidates Forum. We also concluded our fi rst

season of the Cape Harbour Farmers’ Market.

October brought us the 24th season of the Cape Coral Farmers’ Market. A staple of the SouthCape area from October through May, this event, presented by the Chamber, brings more than 8,000 shoppers to downtown Cape Coral every Saturday. October also brought our fi rst ever Brewtober Craft Beer Festival. This inaugural event was held at Sunsplash Festival Grounds in an eff ort to bring community events to the central part of the city. Your Board of Directors held their annual retreat at The Westin and have created a new Strategic Plan for the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral to take us into 2020. Be on the lookout as we fi nalize all of the details and present them to the membership in January.

In November, the Leadership Cape Coral Class of 2016 graduated from their 13 week course. This class of 19 new leaders celebrated their accomplishment with several alumni in attendance at Cape Harbour. We also welcomed our Welcome Center Specialist Lori Marlowe.

December is here and The CenturyLink Holiday Festival of Lights kicked off our holiday season last Saturday. The annual tree lighting is the Chamber’s largest community event and brought 15,000 residents out to celebrate this more than 25-year tradition. Please be sure to mark your calendar for the January 27th Chairman’s Gala and Board Installation at the Cape Coral Yacht Club.

On behalf of the Chamber staff , I would like to thank you all for your continued commitment to the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral. To the countless volunteers and sponsors who make these programs and events happen, we truly appreciate you. We cannot do any of this without the support of our members. Here’s to a great 2016 and an even better 2017!

CHAMBER TRENDS CONTINUED

Arbonne InternationalCathy Bleakly

Betsy’s About FaceBetsy Jameson

Big Ten TavernJason Bhimji

Cape Coral Lions ClubWill Grignon

Embracing One Soul at a Time, LLC

Adrienne Provent

Findaway CoachingRichard Greer

Integrity First Financial Group

Greg Alkema

McDonald’sElizabeth Nunez

Military Support Foundation, Inc.

Angie Antilia

ML DePasquale IncMike Depasquale

Mr. Brews TaphouseMason Moyle

RMEC, LLCDan Scippo

Sakura Japanese SteakhouseTeet Davis

Sentext SolutionsDena Sawyer

The Heights FoundationKathryn Kelly

Walmart Neighborhood Market #5453Adrienne Pope

Wash n’ WagPenny Puls

WELCOME TO THE WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER!CHAMBER!

OCTOBER NEW MEMBERS NEW MEMBERS

Blind GalleryMember Since: 10/05/2011

Davis Surveying, Inc.Member Since: 11/12/2014

DJC Insurance & Financial Services/New York Life Ins.Member Since: 05/06/2003

Edison & Ford Winter Estates

Member Since: 11/24/2015

FGCU-Small Business Development Center

Member Since: 10/27/1999

Park 720 Vehicle StorageMember Since: 11/20/2002

SC Custom Homes, LLCMember Since: 11/18/2014

Trafalgar Middle SchoolMember Since: 09/28/2007

THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR

MEMBERSHIP!MEMBERSHIP!

OCTOBER RENEWALS RENEWALS

PASS ON CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW! CALL A MEMBER OF OUR MEMBERSHIP TEAM TODAY (239) 549-6900

SHAWNA PIKE x103 | MELANIE LEMPKE x109

BUSINESS &TECHNOLOGY Hrs Start End Day Time CostIntro to QuickBooks 21 1/17 3/7 Tues 6-9 pm $94Intro to QuickBooks 21 3/14 5/2 Tues 6-9 pm $94

56 1/17 3/7 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $346

56 3/9 5/2 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $346 HOSPITALITY

24 1/17 2/9 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106 24 2/14 3/14 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $10624 3/16 4/18 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106

Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106

24 1/17 2/9 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106 24 2/14 3/14 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106 24 3/16 4/18 Tu/Thr 6-9 pm $106

HEALTH & MEDICAL

Tu/Thr

Register for Evening Classes Online at CapeCoralTech.edu orregister in person at Cape Coral Technical College.

239.574.4440www.CapeCoralTech.edu

Evening Classes • January-May, 2017

HOST A NETWORKING EVENT IN 2017HOST A NETWORKING EVENT IN 2017Business Card ExchangeFor the early birds, the Business Card Exchange is designed for those who cannot get away midday or for those looking for the extra early morning networking from 7:30am - 8:30am. This is your time to meet members of the chamber or to get prospect members through your doors. You will fi nd members passionate about networking the fi rst Tuesday of each month at the Business Card Exchange Networking Event.

AVAILABLE HOST DATESMay 2June 6August 1October 3November 7December 5

Networking at NoonJoin your fellow Chamber members the forth Friday of each month from 12:00pm - 1:00pm for Networking at Noon. Enjoy the opportunity to network with other chamber members and potential customers during the lunch hour.

AVAILABLE HOST DATESJanuary 27February 24March 24May 26June 23July 28August 25September 22October 27

Business After HoursJoin your fellow Chamber members for the Business After Hours Networking Event from 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Enjoy the opportunity to network with 100+ members. We always have networking activities, great giveaways and sponsorship opportunities to expose your business.

AVAILABLE HOST DATESJanuary 19March 16July 20August 17September 21October 19December 7

To host a networking event in 2017 or for questions regarding each of these opportunties, contact Shawna Pike, Membership Sales Director at (239) 549-6900 x103 or [email protected]

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Cape Coral Pet Vet428 Del Prado Blvd, Cape Coral FL 33909

(239) 772-2009 | www.capecoralpetvet.com

Cape Coral Pet VetBelk, Inc2342 Surfside Blvd, Cape Coral FL 33991

(239) 282-5692 | www.belk.com

Advanced Appearance Florida615 Cape Coral Pkwy, Suite 207, Cape Coral 33904

(239) 540-0719 | www.myadvancedappearance.com

Advanced Appearance FloridaAllgood Errands, LLCCape Coral FL 33909

(239) 209-8078 | www.allgooderrands.com

The Cole Team Re/Max Realty Group1537 Cape Coral Pkwy E, Cape Coral 33904

(239) 542-3332 | www.fl property.com

The Cole Team Re/Max Realty GroupReef Family & Cosmetic Dentistry3015 SW Pine Island Rd, Suite 113, Cape Coral FL 33991

(239) 283-3500 | www.reefdentistry.com

NETWORKING EVENTS

Thank you to our November Busness After Hours host, FOS Furniture for another wonderful networking event and for the recognition of the Cape Coral Police Department, Cape Coral Fire Department and Lee County Sheriff ’s Department

LEADERSHIP CAPE CORAL GRADUATION

CLASS OF 2016

JR LEADERSHIP CAPE CORALJr LEADERSHIP KICK-OFF

Mike “Q” Quaintance, MBA, CCEJr Leadership 2017 Chairman

On Wednesday, November 16, 2016, the Jr. Leadership Cape Coral program kicked off at the Chamber of Commerce

of Cape Coral’s Welcome Center with 30 high school juniors from local high schools. They hopped onto a Goodwill bus sponsored by Keiser University to the Fort Myers Beach Coast Guard station. Students interacted with speakers from the station commander to new recruits who talked about what they do in the service of our country.

Thanks to Day Chair Captain Pete Louzao, the students learned about the Coast Guard’s twelve diff erent missions. Additionally, students participated in a team-building exercise where they competed against each other in a pump-out simulation of a sinking vessel. They did this without vocal instruction from the Coast Guard; they only had the written instructions, which were included in the pump-out kit. Next, there was a competition where students were tasked with throwing a buoy line 70-feet into a metal drum.

The second part of the day included a trip back to the Chamber’s Welcome Center where Waste-Pro cooked up hot dogs and hamburgers provided by Siesta Pebble Pools. After lunch, Leadership Alumni

members, Brandon Deaver, Zack Zeis, and Bill Johnson worked with the students on other team building exercises.

Our next Jr. Leadership day is Philanthropy Day, December 1, 2016, led by Jackie Lawson and Michael Chatman with the Cape Coral Community Foundation. The students will tour four community service agencies like the Cape Coral Caring Center, Cape Coral Special Populations, Lifeline Family Center, and Street Chicks in Recovery. Here, students, after working and learning about the agencies, will have an opportunity to determine which agency or agencies will receive a $3,000 grant from the Cape Coral Community Foundation. The bus for this day will be sponsored by Jones, Haber & Rolling’s, PA and Prime Communications; lunch will be sponsored by Lifeline Family Center; and snacks will be provided by the Cape Coral Caring Center and Street Chicks in Recovery.

The Chamber could not provide free programs like these to students without help from volunteers and sponsors like LCEC, the Cape Coral Community Foundation, the News Press, Keiser University, Waste Pro, Haber & Rolling’s PA, Prime Communications AT&T, Lifeline Family Center, and Siesta Pebble Pools. We truly appreciate the investment of time, treasure, and talent by the village to help raise a child!

As always if you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact Mike Quaintance, 2017 Jr. Leadership Chairman at [email protected].

DNA Is Not Your Destiny, Dinner Is

Salvatore Lacagnina, D.O.Vice President of Health & Wellness,

Lee Memorial Health System

“DNA is not your destiny, dinner is!” I have to thank Dr. Dean Ornish for this statement which is to mean that genetics, our DNA, does

not determine our destiny as much as our meals do. Dr. Amy Chappell, Neurologist from Naples, Florida, used Dr. Ornish’s statement in a presentation she made recently on Diabetes and Alzheimer’s. The reason for using the statement was to explain that although a person might inherit bad genes, he/she might not get the intended disease depending on the lifestyle he/she lives, especially in regard to what foods are eaten on a regular basis.

Dr. Chappell talked about Alzheimer’s as “Type 3 Diabetes” and she explained that excess sugar in the body negatively aff ects all organs including the brain. She talked about the ApoE gene which is a gene that, when inherited, increase a person’s risk for Alzheimer’s. Yet, studies have shown that lifestyles either result in these bad genes being turned on or off depending on the quality of the lifestyle. In countries where inheritance of the ApoE gene is high and where the lifestyle is healthy, the incidence of the actual disease is low. This is the explanation of the statement: DNA is not your destiny; and, when we think about the second part of the statement, dinner is, this can also be easily explained.

The production of food in 2016 has resulted in some

of the most common sources of toxins which aff ect the function of our DNA. When we examine all processed foods (foods that come in a box or a bag) and even most

animal products (red meat, chicken, pork, lunch meats and dairy), we fi nd an overabundance of chemicals, hormones, bacteria and other non-food additives, none of which are nutritionally benefi cial. As an example, I recently read the list of ingredients on a bag of Fruit Loops for Schools which included “Red 40, Turmeric extract color, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Annatto extract color, and BHT for freshness.” In the past I have read about these colorings and additives and there is research which links them to behavioral problems, allergies and other health problems in children. When the body has to deal with or metabolize chemicals that are not intended to be nutritional, often times it does not know how to handle these foreign chemicals; thereby, creating allergies, auto immune diseases and other chronic health problems. The result of this metabolic confusion might be the turning on of bad genes resulting in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other similarly devastating illnesses. In the last 100 years, we have seen the emergence of over 100 auto-immune diseases such as Celiac, thyroiditis and diff erent types of arthritis. Why have these illnesses developed? We must look for the cause and not simply attempt to treat the symptoms.

Getting back to the presentation done by Dr. Chappell, it was interesting to hear her suggestions on how to possibly prevent Alzheimer’s dementia. These were similar to the suggestions I gave to the audience before Dr. Chappell’s presentation. We both were speakers at a Diabetes conference in Naples. I was asked to speak about the generalities of Type 2 Diabetes (aka. Adult onset Diabetes). I spoke about the pathology of Diabetes and how it occurs, although I focused mainly on how we can prevent, treat and reverse it. The main point of my presentation was the benefi t of lifestyle in managing another disease thought to be inherited (Diabetes). In reality, this is a disease caused more by lifestyle than DNA. In both Dr. Chappell’s presentation and mine, the overarching message was the same: lifestyle will either create disease or health, depending on how you

HEALTHY TRENDS

live. And, the foundation for healthy living is on the dinner table!

Thousands of clinical studies have been done looking at food and its association to disease and health. The results of these studies are clear: the more processed foods a person eats, the more at risk they are for most of the chronic illnesses and many of the common cancers people suff er from on a daily basis. When we choose to eat organic, non-processed, whole natural foods, we get less disease, live a better quality and a longer life. Dr. Chappell spoke about, as did I, the CHIP program that we both champion in our respective practices. This is the “Complete Health Improvement Program” which is a nine-week program teaching the participants how to shop for, cook and eat delicious, health promoting foods. We both have seen people reverse many of their common health problems and enjoy more energy and good health than they

have in years. The clinical results and the anecdotal reports are inspiring.

In summary, as Dr. David Katz, from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, says: health is delivered by our forks, feet and fi ngers. When we use a fork to feed ourselves healthy food, when we use our feet to get regular exercise and when we don’t use our fi ngers to smoke, we stay healthy and enjoy life. We can be much more in control of our health than people believe. What you put on the dinner plate at every meal will determine your future health more than your DNA. So put the rainbow on your plate. Fill the plate with fresh, whole, natural, unprocessed foods and enjoy a wonderful meal and a healthy life! Stay well my friends and please send comments and questions to [email protected]

HEALTHY TRENDS CONTINUED

GIVING THANKSBerge Aslanian (CDPE)

Realtor, Island Harbor Realty

We are at that time of year where most of us sincerely give thanks for our blessings. From a housing perspective, buyers

should be thankful that they were able to buy in a rising market; sellers should be thankful that they were able to get their property sold; builders should be thankful that rising prices now make it profi table to build again; and, agents should be thankful that they were able to facilitate successful transactions.

The question becomes, “Where do we go from here?” Before answering, let us see where we have been and where we are now. We should get some insight by looking at the Cape Coral numbers for the three month period ending 11/23/16:

The number of single family homes for sale continues to rise; inventory is up 13.8% during our most recent three month period. Median prices have been hovering just above the $300,000 threshold. The number of sold homes remains low with median prices just over $200,000.

Condo inventory for sale increased a bit with fi rm median prices. The number of condos sold increased just over 37% from September through November and prices of sold condos rose 15.5% over the same three month period.

Once again, basic economic theory is being demonstrated. More of the lower priced homes and condos usually sell before the higher priced units. As lower priced inventory sells, the median prices move up. It is very signifi cant that these current increases are here at a time when our market is typically hibernating until after the holidays

Because of the weak recovery from our national recession,

there is a pent up demand for housing. Rents have jumped to the point where many “renters” are fi nding out that it is more economical to become “buyers”. We are seeing a number of folks tired of paying $950-1150/month to rent a small place when they can buy a larger place with a minimal down payment via FHA or VA and have a monthly payment under $900!

As our economy accelerates, people should be earning more money. If past experience repeats, as workers have more money they often will buy as soon as they are able. Folks who have been struggling with families in small apartments or small houses will buy once they realize they can aff ord their own homes.

Aff ordability is increased with low mortgage interest rates. As the national and local employment rates increase and families begin to thrive again, we should see some really strong increases in homes sold. We all know unemployed people who are no longer counted as unemployed because their benefi ts expired and we all know many under-employed people. Once these people can start aff ording mortgages and mortgage rates remain below 6% we should see strong sales. Currently mortgage rates are well below 4%.

Local builders are busily anticipating this surge. Just

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

Network Administration

Maintenance Agreements

Off -site Data Storage

Dell, Acer, Apple

(239) 573-1000

www.entechcomputers.com

Looking to Hire? Looking to Hire? Let us give you a helping hand Let us give you a helping hand

Use the chambers online Use the chambers online Job BankJob Bank

If you need more information If you need more information about the chamber Job Bank, about the chamber Job Bank,

please contact Stephanie please contact Stephanie Roberson at (239) 699-8442 or Roberson at (239) 699-8442 or [email protected]@capecoralchamber.com

http://web.capecoralchamber.com/jobbankhttp://web.capecoralchamber.com/jobbank

drive around and notice all the new homes popping up here and there. Here’s a bit of trivia for you. In Cape Coral the cost for impact fees and permitting for a new home is about $16,000. By building so many new homes here in the Cape, experienced builders are betting on a successful economy.

The signs are there, prices are going up steadily, interest rates are still low and construction technology has made homes more effi cient. What are you waiting for? Don’t be that person who fi ve years from now says, “I shoulda bought back in ’16 or ’17 when it was really aff ordable”. Now that you know where we have been and where we

are now; can you fi gure out where our housing market is going?

Always remember, successful real estate IS a team sport. Happy Property Buying and Selling!

Berge Aslanian (CDPE) is a Realtor in Cape Coral with Island Harbor Realty. For questions about residential real estate, please call (239) 989-3463 or email [email protected] or visit www.RECapeCoral.com.

REAL ESTATE TRENDS CONTINUED

Centers of Excellence

Quality Service

Reliability

* 7% Public Service Tax – Imposed by Cape Coral City Council* 3% Cape Coral Franchise fee* 4.5% Unincorporated Lee County Franchise Fee – Approved by Lee County Commissioners

Financial Strength

Community

www.lcec.net

LCEC – your cooperative empowers you!

The Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce presents

The Best of Ireland March 21, 2017

For more information or to sign up please contact at (239) 549-6900 ext.1 .

SPACE IS LIMITED. SIGN UP EARLY TO SECURE YOUR SEAT!

C I Destinations “The difference is in the details”

Ireland is a country that has never lost a shared sense of community. Even in towns and cities, the pace of life is gentler here; people stop to chat in the streets, they are happy to give directions to tourists, they are glad you have come and they are sorry to see you go. Ireland has much to offer everyone. From storybook castles to magnificent gardens, wide open spaces to the bustle of international cities, breathtaking natural scenery to man made megalithic structures, Ireland opens her arms and welcomes you to explore her ancient sites, traverse her green fields and discover her treasures. The scenery is gorgeous, the weather is mild (though changeable), there is a rich cultural heritage to discover, and a wealth of music and stories to share. But the real joy of Ireland lies in the friendliness of the people, the warmth of their welcome, and the ease with which they make you feel at home.

RESERVATION FORM Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce, Ireland, March 21, 2017

Name ___________________________________ Date of birth________ M F

Name ___________________________________ Date of birth________ M F

Address______________________________ City________________________

State______ Zip__________ Home phone____________________

Mobile___________________ Email______________________________________________

Payment information: Please make checks payable to C I Destinations.

Enclosed please find a deposit in the amount of __________($450 per person) to secure reservations for ___# of people. Reservations are on a first come first serve basis. Sign up early to secure your space

Please reserve me a single room at a $450 supplement (limited availability).

I have read and accept the terms and conditions as outlined below. Your deposit to C I Destinations constitutes a contract between the parties and acceptance of the foregoing terms and conditions.

Passenger 1 (Name as it appears on your passport)

Passenger 2 (Name as it appears on your passport)

Return to:

The Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce 2051 Cape Coral PKWY E. Cape Coral, FL 33904 (239) 549-6900 ext. 1

Signature______________________________

Gender

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Please cut along dotted line

Passport Information: A valid passport is required for this tour and is the responsibility of each passenger. Passports should be valid for up to six (6) months beyond the travel dates. All names must be submitted to C I Destinations exactly as they appear on the passenger passport. Rate: $3099 per person double occupancy. Single Supplement $450. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Included in the tour price: Roundtrip and airfare from Fort Meyers. CID is not responsible for airport transportation in the case of strikes, delays or natural disasters. Fuel surcharges and airport departure taxes are included but can increase at the time of billing and any difference will be added to your statement *Early Booking Discount: Refunds: Cancel up to 90 days prior to departure $200 per person non-refundable fee: Cancel 89 - 50 days prior to departure 50% of the total trip price is refunded: Cancel 49 days or less prior to departure 100% charge of the total trip price. We strongly suggest you purchase travel insurance to protect yourself. Please contact our office for more details. Written cancellation is required and is effective when received by C I Destinations during normal business hours. C I Destinations (CID) a California LLC acts only as an agent for tour participants in arranging room accommodations, transportation, sightseeing, admissions and restaurants. CID reserves the right in its sole discretion to make changes to the itinerary and is not responsible to any person for expenses, loss of time, money or other happening resulting from a change of tour scheduling made for tour members. CID does not have any vested interest in any services, facilities and vehicles in relation to this trip and can not guarantee or be held accountable for any actions or omissions of any agents, employees, etc. CID will make no refund in the event of delay, strike, overbooking, cancelations, bankruptcy, natural disaster, or for any part of the tour not utilized by the customer. These conditions are imposed by all suppliers and any other firms utilized in the tour. Currency, taxes, fees, and fuel surcharges are subject to change. CID reserves the right to decline/accept or retain any person as a member of a tour/cruise at its discretion. CID and/or its tour managers retain the right to require any participant to withdraw from a tour/cruise at any time if determined to be in the best interest of health, safety and general welfare of the tour/cruise group or of the individual participant. I/We agree any disputes concerning this contract or any material concerning this trip must be resolved exclusively pursuant to binding arbitration governed by CA law & subject to the jurisdiction of Fresno County. The cost of your trip has been calculated on currency exchange rate based on date of pricing and is subject to change if the USD weakens. CST 2111772-40.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GOVERNMENT AFFECTS YOU

Annette Carrasquillo2016 Chairperson

Government Aff airs Committee

Changes…. The citizens, business community, our City, County and Nation as a whole have seen the change that has happened over the last few years. Once again, change has occurred on the political realm of

our community and Nation. As I look at what has occurred, what we all have seen and felt, I can only hope that as a Nation we can ALL come together… embrace the change, forget and forgive the past and move forward!

I have heard so many talk about those who only want to act on their party line and on their principles, and not necessarily on what is best for the country as a whole. We as a City, State and Nation are in need of those LEADERS that can stand by their principles, compromise on the issues and make decisions that will benefi t us all…. That CHANGE will be the ultimate and the most benefi cial to us all!!

As we come to the end of 2016, the Government Aff airs Committee is

working to form the business plan for 2017. With the hard work of the committee volunteers and participation of our members and business leaders, we believe that we can be a strong voice for the business community and the citizens of our community. We are committed to being the Voice for the business community in all aspects of government relations, representing business and advancing public policy.

The Government Aff airs Committee understands the need for the business community and citizens to have their opinions heard and to get representation. We hope that you will take the opportunity to let us know your opinion so that we can represent your voice to our local and state elected offi cials.

Over the last year, once again, I have had the privilege to lead the Government Aff airs Committee as their Chairperson. The members of this committee are dedicated to our City and want only to see the City move forward. We all have a vision of Cape Coral… of a strong community where our family and children can work, play and call home. It has been my honor to work with this group of devoted and committed volunteers! To the GAC… I want to say “Thank You”!

As we come to the end of 2016, I wish you all a Joyous Holiday Season and all the Best in the New Year!

Remember: Government Aff ect You!

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