Charming and historical, Fort Myers, Florida is attracting a lot of new homebuyers, say local Realtors who want to capture their piece of the sun while interest rates are low.

"Fort Myers is Lee County's oldest city and is the heart of government for Lee County," says Realtor Audrey Pullos, "The rhythm of the city blends with historic and modern charm.The Edison-Ford Winter Estates are the city's most popular sites for visitors. For baseball enthusiasts, Fort Myers is home of spring training camps for the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins. Centennial Park & the Fort Myers Yacht Basin, both located by the Caloosahatchee River, host many cultural events throughout the year. Fort Myers offers resident and visitors alike access to many wondrous events such as the arts, symphony, theatre, fine dining, shopping, golf, boating, fishing, and is minutes away from some of the most beautiful white sandy beaches. The Southwest Florida area continues to be one of the hottest markets in USA. Sales have been strong in all areas of the market including golf and waterfront properties. Fort Myers has something to offer everybody including the historical sites at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the arts, shopping, dining, golfing, the Boston Red Sox Spring Training, the Minnesota Twins Spring Training or just a relaxing day at the beach."

About the market, Pullos suggests, "Fort Myers no longer can be called Lee County's undiscovered gem. The growth that has spiraled property values and new development across the region now is changing the skyline of the county's oldest city. Downtown Fort Myers has been undergoing extensive renovations which has given way to new restaurants, nightclubs and high rise condominiums along the riverfront. The latest numbers are in and housing in Ft. Myers is on the rise. Depending on your lifestyle choices from mobile homes, condo's, attached villas and single family homes, the current market prices are now ranging from the $100,000's to well over $10 million by the beach and river front. If you have been thinking of investing in real estate in Ft. Myers, now is the time. With low interest rates, the savvy buyer who knows how to purchase real estate with their self-directed IRA knows prices keep on escalating. We are also experiencing a surge of pre-baby boomers purchasing homes whether it be a second home for vacations or investment property for the future, they are buying now before the homes become more expensive."

Agrees Realtor Ruthann McBride, "Fort Myers has a unique blend of historic and modern charms. Drive along McGreggor Blvd, and the towering royal palm trees majestically wave in the south Florida breeze as you approach the winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Nestled serenely along the shore of the Caloosahatchee River, Fort Myers is the governmental hub of Lee County and offers its residents and visitors access to many wondrous things such as the arts and the symphony, fine dining, shopping, state of the art medical care, golfing, boating, fishing, and so much more."

She continues, "Established in 1886, Fort Myers has been growing and changing dynamically, yet still manages to maintain it's magnetic charm and appeal. The median age of the population of Fort Myers is 32. Downtown has been undergoing extensive renovations which has given way to new restaurants, nightclubs, apartments, and artistic venues providing energy and growth for the city. Centennial Park and The Fort Myers Yacht Basin host many cultural events throughout the year. Both overlook the Caloosahatchee River where you will often see sailboats and yachts as well as a diversity of colorful birds which inhabit the area. And, if you are a beach lover, Fort Myers is just minutes from some of the most beautiful white sandy beaches that southwest Florida has to offer."

"The first quarter of 2005 has come and gone and the real estate market in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte Counties continues to astound even the most optimistic buyers and investors," says Realtor Dan Buckley. "With the revitalization of the riverfront along the Caloosahatchee River, the city of palms is still a top destination. Many people feel that the end of the appreciation curve is here and they are going to wait for prices to come down. They are the same people who were going to buy property in southwest Florida two or three years ago and are now kicking themselves for not doing it then. My advice is to not look back and say 'I should have done it then.' The future is today. Pick out your vacation home or investment property now. Over the past two years we have seen property appreciation in the range of 15 percent to as much as 25 percent. Those increases are justified considering the influx of the baby boomers into the market and the fact that the southeast coast of Florida has been going through the same transition over the past 10 years or so. It was inevitable that the growth on the southeast coast would spill over to the southwest coast."

Buckley advises, "The reality is that prices will not be going down. Many say that they will continue to go up. My feeling is that they will continue to increase, but not at the same pace as the past two years. With many of the new developments that are on-line to be started this year already being sold out and resale inventory being low, buyers are finding that working with the right real estate agent is key in making the best choice for their future home."