Best Invest Realty, LLC

02/13/2026

Spacious condo in Fort Myers, ready for a new Owner! 🌞

10/09/2025

10/01/2025

FLORIDA ENDS 57-YEAR TAX ON COMMERCIAL LEASES TODAY!

The state’s Business Rent Tax has officially been repealed after decades of advocacy by Florida Realtors, saving commercial tenants $2.5 billion annually.

A decades-old state tax on commercial leases, known as the Business Rent Tax, will disappear today after 57 years on the books.

Florida Realtors® has been actively working for years to eliminate this tax, making it a longstanding legislative priority. Lawmakers approved the repeal as part of a larger tax bill in June.

“This is a major step forward for Florida’s economic development, and we want to thank Florida lawmakers for once again leading the way — not just for the real estate and business communities, but for the entire state,” said 2025 Florida Realtors President Tim Weisheyer, “By steadily reducing the business rent tax over the past decade and now fully eliminating it, lawmakers have removed a long-standing deterrent for out-of-state companies considering Florida. We’re now better positioned to attract new companies, scale existing ones, and compete nationally for the jobs and investment that will fuel our state’s long-term growth.”

The Business Rent Tax (BRT) began in 1968, when the state’s sales-tax rate was 4%. As the sales tax rose in the 1980s, so did the BRT, which eventually reached 6%. Over the past decade, legislators gradually lowered the rate until it hit 2% in June 2024.

Cutting the BRT means commercial tenants in Florida will be saving a total of $2.5 billion annually and represents an important milestone in the state’s efforts to become more competitive in attracting and growing businesses. This elimination includes both the state sales tax rate and the discretionary sales surtax that counties can levy on commercial leases. Removing the BRT provides Florida businesses with the capital to expand, hire more employees, buy new equipment, improve benefits and raise salaries.

Eliminating this tax puts real capital back into the hands of Florida’s businesses, and that money gets reinvested directly into our communities. Small business owners have the space to grow, hire, and lower costs for customers, driving stronger local economies. Meanwhile, commercial landlords, who’ve long carried the burden of remitting this tax, will see meaningful savings in time and compliance costs.

09/23/2025

Clean-Energy Tax Credits Ending Soon!

Tax breaks for some home upgrades, solar panels and electric vehicles end soon, some as early as Sept. 30. Homeowners and buyers need to act fast to lock in savings.
Tax incentives that saved U.S. residents thousands of dollars on home efficiency upgrades, clean energy installations and electric vehicles are expiring this year. That means people who want to take advantage of them before they disappear have to act quickly.
Refresh my memory. What are these incentives?
The Inflation Reduction Act that passed in 2022 includes a slew of tax credits for electric vehicles and home efficiency upgrades.
The credits had two main goals: to help people afford cleaner alternatives like heat pumps and electric vehicles that can save them money, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are the largest driver of climate change.
In addition to EVs, home upgrades that qualify include home energy audits, heat pumps, solar panels, water heaters, appliances, battery storage, car chargers and improvements to windows, doors, skylights, insulation and electrical panels.
Payback comes at tax filing time. For example, if you buy a heat pump and qualify for a $2,000 tax credit, you document that expense on your tax return, and you owe $2,000 less in taxes that year.
Some incentives have a cap. You can only get $1,200 of credit per year for most of the home improvements like insulation and efficient windows, and $2,000 of credit for heat pumps and water heaters. The big expenses, including geothermal heat pumps, rooftop solar and battery storage, aren't capped. Those tax credits are 30% of the purchase price. So a new $20,000 rooftop solar system earns you a $6,000 tax credit.
Most of these credits were originally set to expire between 2032 and 2034. But the budget passed by Congress this year ends them far sooner.

When are they expiring?
Most of them expire at the end of this year. But there are some exceptions.
The clean vehicle tax credit worth $7,500 for new EVs and up to $4,000 for used ones expires Sept. 30.
The credit for EV chargers, which is up to $1,000 for qualifying residents, is good through June 30 of next year. Everything else expires on Dec. 31.

If I'm focused on my home, what should I prioritize?
Start with the home energy assessment.
“Experts estimate that takes 16 to 90 days to get a solar panels system installed, and that’s quick”

But what if the tax credits exceed what I owe?
OK, let's say you qualified for tax credits on a home efficiency improvement and the amount exceeded the tax you owed. You weren't allowed to carry that unused credit forward into a future year anyway.
But credits for residential clean energy projects — think really big-ticket items like solar, and battery storage — could be carried forward if you didn't get the full benefit of the incentive on your tax return.
Rewiring America said it's not clear if that will continue given the accelerated expiration dates, and recommended consumers check with their tax adviser.

04/01/2025

Island relaxation 💭

03/11/2025

For more information about this unique property in Pine Island,
call us at (239) 777- 0005

02/14/2025

“Zestimates” – Zillow

Even if you haven't been selling real estate you've probably heard about Zillow price estimate, aka Zestimate, is ‘spot-on’... Unfortunately, these can be way off-track.

To help explain why Zillow prices cannot be taken seriously.
Here are some details of how Zillow determines these prices, and why a market analysis (CMA) from a Lic. Real Estate Agent is better.

Zillow’s pricing uses an algorithm that looks at public property records, tax records, recent home sales, comps, and user-submitted information. The algorithm often incorporates older comps into its price determination. Even those that are one year old can result in an off-base price estimate.
Zestimates often omit renovations, additions, and other changes to properties that affect their value.
Many attractive Zillow listings are for unavailable homes. Even after a home sale closes, Zillow may retain the listing online to draw in more site traffic.
The algorithm is often unable to determine a home's quality, especially new construction and upscale features.
Zillow isn't a skilled agent, it's a website that uses various sales tactics to draw in more viewers!

02/06/2025

Great opportunity, Immediate income!

01/31/2025

No snow here! 🌞🌴🐬

Cape Coral, Florida, has a warm climate and a wide range of outdoor recreation, making it the best destination for seniors this winter.

10/21/2024

"Where and how we choose to live"

The virtual office revolution reshapes real estate priorities. Remote work has sparked a seismic shift in homebuying preferences, transforming the real estate landscape across the United States. As the boundaries between office and home blur, buyers are reevaluating their priorities, leading to significant changes in where and how people choose to live.

The space race: Bigger homes, smaller cities
The exodus from urban centers to suburban and rural areas has accelerated as remote workers seek more square footage and outdoor space. No longer tethered to a physical office, many professionals are opting for larger homes in less densely populated areas, where they can enjoy a higher quality of life at a lower cost. This trend has led to a boom in suburban and rural real estate markets, while some urban areas experience a softening in demand. However, experts caution that this trend may not spell the end of city living, but rather a recalibration of urban housing needs.

Home office: From luxury to necessity
The rise of remote work has elevated the home office from a nice-to-have feature to a must-have amenity. Buyers are increasingly seeking properties with dedicated workspaces that offer privacy, natural light, and a professional backdrop for video calls. This demand has led to creative solutions in home design, with builders and renovators focusing on flexible spaces that can serve multiple purposes. Features like built-in desks, soundproofing, and enhanced lighting have become selling points in the new real estate market.

The great outdoors: Nature as the new neighbor
With more time spent at home, access to nature and outdoor recreation has become a top priority for many homebuyers. Properties near parks, hiking trails, or bodies of water are seeing increased interest as people seek to balance work life with outdoor activities. This trend is reshaping not just individual homebuying decisions but entire communities, as developers incorporate more green spaces and outdoor amenities into their plans.

Smart homes for smarter work
The demand for homes equipped with the latest technology has skyrocketed, driven by the need for reliable internet connectivity and smart home features that enhance both work and leisure time. High-speed internet has become a non-negotiable requirement for remote workers, with some buyers even factoring in the availability of fiber-optic connections when choosing a location. Additionally, smart home systems that allow for automated climate control, security, and energy management are increasingly sought after.
Health and wellness take center stage

The pandemic has heightened awareness of home environments’ impact on physical and mental health. As a result, homebuyers are placing greater emphasis on features that promote well-being, such as air purification systems, home gyms, and spaces for relaxation and meditation. Natural lighting, once considered a luxury, has become a critical factor in home selection. Large windows and open floor plans that allow for plenty of daylight are now highly desirable features, as people recognize the connection between their environment and their overall health.

The future of homebuying
As remote work solidifies its place in the professional landscape, its influence on homebuying trends is likely to persist. Real estate professionals, urban planners, and policymakers are adapting to these shifts, recognizing that the concept of “home” has expanded to encompass both living and working spaces.

While the long-term impacts of this shift are still unfolding, one thing is clear: the era of remote work has fundamentally altered what people value in a home. As buyers continue to prioritize space, flexibility, and quality of life over traditional location-based considerations, the housing market will need to evolve to meet these changing demands.

The transformation of homebuying priorities reflects a broader reassessment of work-life balance in the digital age. As remote work continues to shape our professional lives, it will undoubtedly leave a lasting imprint on where and how we choose to live.

09/25/2024

JUST LISTED!!!🏡