Author: Nancy Ehlen

Halloween falls on October 31 because the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, considered the earliest known root of Halloween, occurred on this day.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to praise all saints.
Soon, All Saints' Day incorporated some traditions of Samhain and the evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
Today’s the day to eat candies and sweets to your heart’s content! Happy Halloween!

In Q3 2026, Florida existing sales stayed steady: single-family closings ↑0.2% yearly to 65.9K, while condo-townhouse closings ↑3.1% to 22.7K statewide overall.
Across Florida in Late-Q3, single-family closed sales reached 20.5K, ↓3.5% yearly, while condo-townhouse closings were 7.2K, essentially flat at ↓0.1% statewide overall.
Prices stayed relatively steady in Q3: single-family median reached $420K, ↑2.4% yearly, while condo-townhouse median held at $295K; supply measured 4.4 mo and 7.7 mo.
Market activity moved at a more measured pace, and homes generally sold faster than a year earlier, reinforcing the value of preparation and realistic expectations.
Heading into Q4 2026, an economist said higher mortgage rates weighed on sales, especially single-family, yet inventory stayed stable and upper-end activity performed well.

In Florida, buying a home does not automatically place the homestead exemption on your tax bill; new owners must file with the county.
Apply as soon as you move in, because each tax year missed is billed without the exemption, including your first full-year property tax bill.
Florida also limits taxable-value growth for homesteads to ~3% or inflation, whichever is lower, but that cap starts only after the exemption has been active.
If you miss that first full year, Florida’s assessment cap starts later, which can leave future tax bills based on a higher starting value.
Find the application through your county property appraiser or assessor, file it yourself for free, and remember Florida’s deadline is March 1.

County approved FY27 budget of $3.18B and lowered its property tax rate to ~3.2 mills, aiming for rollback revenue and ~$5.5M resident relief.
Countywide market values ↓~3% yearly to ~$217.7B, while officials said the conservation program would still receive ~$30M after the funding reduction this year.
Naples approved a ~1.3-mill rate for the current fiscal year, up from ~1.2 mills, alongside a city budget that grew to ~$241M.
Marco Island kept its rate flat at ~1.3 mills, approved a ~$34.3M budget, and included pay raises for police, fire rescue, and employees.
Everglades City lowered its rate to ~6.6 mills and trimmed its budget to ~$31.2M, though it remained among Florida's highest municipal rates.

Marco Island — Most Affordable homes for September 2026.

Listings (sorted by price):
1. Listing NABOR226017809 — $194,000
2. Listing NABOR226002555 — $215,000
3. Listing NABOR226033523 — $230,000
4. Listing NABOR226033265 — $239,000
5. Listing NABOR226026772 — $239,900
6. Listing NABOR226029528 — $248,000
7. Listing NABOR226033366 — $249,900
8. Listing NABOR226013804 — $259,000
9. Listing NABOR226025344 — $259,000
10. Listing NABOR226026837 — $265,000
11. Listing NABOR2026014874 — $269,000
12. Listing NABOR226029992 — $275,000
13. Listing NABOR226025977 — $290,000
14. Listing NABOR226017729 — $295,000
15. Listing NABOR226019003 — $295,000