FORT MYERS, Fla.- We hear a lot of reports about the health of our real estate market and now that the third quarter numbers are in, but how is our market really doing? Will 2015 end up being a record year and if so, will it continue? WINK News real estate expert Denny Grimes from Denny Grimes & Company stopped into the studio with the answers as well as surprising facts from the Quarter 3 data. 1. Most sales (Homes & Condos) Lee County’s sales were up almost 11 percent, Collier County’s only 3 percent Most think Naples is the rocking market, but there are twice as many sales in Lee County as in Collier County Lee County will end this year with between 13,000 – 15,000 SF sales (about the pace of sales in 2012 A healthy pace, but record setting 2. Largest price change Lee County wins again by a mile (11.4 percent to just under 3 percent) Reason: price range. Collier has a median of $405,000, double that of Lee ($211,000) Interesting note: Guess what the median was in Lee Couny just 3 years ago? ANSWER = $128,000 Prices are up 65 percent in 3 years 3. Luxury Sales Increase Collier County wins with a 54 percent increase in million-dollar homes But, Lee County is up almost 30 percent 4. Fastest Growing Price Segment As mentioned above, the luxury segment is the fastest in Collier County, which is good news because discretionary money is moving off the fence. Lee County had a huge surge in the $300 to $500 range (44 percent) Buyers are climbing the price ladder. They would rather pay less, but when they can’t find it for less, they are buying up rather than driving up to Charlotte County. If you have any questions you can email Denny at Denny@dennygrimes.com