Real Estate News

The Sarasota Association of Realtors® released data yesterday showing Sarasota real estate sales jumped by 8.2 percent to 8,224 in 2011. This is the highest level since 2005. “The surge in sales was accompanied by stabilization in the median sale prices, which now stand at $155,925 for single family homes and $156,800 for condos over the full year, and have not fluctuated much for the past 12 months.”

Real estate is local and the Sarasota, Florida area is the considered the “place to be” by many homebuyers. “For the overall year of 2011, the resurgence in sales was dramatic, and represents a 44 percent increase over the low point of the downturn in 2008, when only 5,820 properties changed hands.”

New SAR President Laura Benson said "This is really…

Bird Key is a Sarasota, Florida neighborhood rich in beauty, luxury, privacy, and history. In the early 1900s, Bird Key was purchased by Thomas Worcester of Cincinnati, Ohio. Worchester built the first expensive home on a Sarasota Bay island. In the 1920s, John Ringling of circus fame bought Bird Key and proceeded with the development of connecting Bird Key, Lido Key and St. Armands to mainland Sarasota. Arvida Corporation bought the Ringling properties and continued development of the 511 single family home sites. Today Bird Key real estate is among the most desirable in all of Sarasota.

Bird Key today is a beautiful boating community with just under 300 waterfront homes facing the bay or on interior canals. The remaining homes on Bird Key are not

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The Sarasota Florida real estate market continues to improve and is “trending toward normalcy” according to a press release issued by the Sarasota Association of Realtors® for August 2011 sales figures.

Inventory of Sarasota MLS listings for sale has steadily dropped. The sales demand has stabilized which points to a more “normal” Sarasota real estate market.

For the past nine months inventories have been dropping and, in August 2011, “hit a decade-low figure of 4,408.” During the last 10 months, Sarasota property sales have exceeded 500 every month. The Board’s release state that sales hit 700 four times. The median sale price for single family homes and condos in August was $165,000. This was a 23 percent better than the lows of February 2011

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Real estate in Sarasota, Florida has continued to sell at a brisk pace in 2011. The Sarasota Association of Realtors® recently issued its August a press release reporting 599 properties sold in July 2011, a 14.3 percent increase from the previous year. In the July 2010 Sarasota real estate market, there were 525 property sales.

Single family home closings totaled 445 and 154 condos sold in July of this year. Four months in 2011, sales have hit the 700 level or above. July marked the fourth month in the previous 12 with sales exceeding 700 units. June sales reached 728 and May sales were the highest at 796 during Sarasota’s busiest selling season. Sales in July, of course, cooled as summer arrived. The Federal homebuyer tax credit which was a selling

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Following its annual two-week shutdown, the Lakewood Ranch Country Club is set to reopen with some new features. In addition to completing some routine maintenance, which takes place each year, the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club will now offer a certified personal trainer who offers cooking lessons as well as training sessions.

According to a recent Herald Tribune article, personal trainer Paul Evens will serve as the executive chef at Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club. Within his new capacity, Evans will help country club members achieve a higher level of health through exercise and dietary changes.

“We have already had great feedback about people being able to improve their health and cooking skills in one place, with one person,” said Wayne

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It’s official! “Dr. Beach” has confirmed what we’ve known all along: Siesta Beach was just named the #1 beach in the United States for 2011.

Dr. Stephen Leatherman ("Dr. Beach") is the director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University. He considers 50 different criteria including sand, water quality, facilities and crowds to rank the nation’s beaches in his annual survey. For the past two years, Siesta Key held the #2 ranking. Dr. Beach cited several factors that helped Siesta Key Beach win the top spot for 2011:

• Siesta Key's sugar white quartz crystal sand is considered by many to be the finest and whitest sand in the world.
• Siesta Key blue and turquoise water is clean and clear.
• The waves are small and

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Are you searching for your slice of Paradise? We just listed a gem of a condo at Seaplace on Longboat Key. The owners did a fabulous job on renovations taking the space taking down walls and opening up the living/dining area to beautiful open style living. Sip your morning coffee and enjoy incredible close-up views of the Gulf of Mexico. The view changes every day from crashing waves to a calm still scene where you'll see seagulls and pelicans diving for their catch as sailboats drift in the distance.

New Listing: 2045 Gulf of Mexico Dr #109 Longboat Key, FL 34228

This condominium residence at Seaplace Longboat Key FL features 2 bedrooms, 2 baths and a screened lanai overlooking the swimming pool, beach and the Gulf. There is a laundry room in the condo

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Sarasota Florida just made another list. This time Portfolio.com named the Sarasota Bradenton area as the number 1 place to retire in the United States.

Portfolio.com used a six point formula to rank the top retirement destinations. Results of the survey for Sarasota-Bradenton show that:

• Nearly 27 percent of its residents are 65 or older, the fourth-highest concentration of seniors in any market. That’s more than double the national average of 12.9 percent.
• Bradenton-Sarasota has a median age of 48.1. A median is a midpoint, with half of all residents being older and half being younger. The national median age is 36.8 years.
• Fully 95 percent of the seniors in Bradenton-Sarasota moved to Florida from another state. Only 53 percent of the elderly

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August 2010 Sarasota Real Estate Sales Rebound

Sales data just released from the Sarasota Board of Realtors show more positive signs than last months numbers. After a disappointing July, the Sarasota real estate market rebounded in August 2010. Sales were up nicely – 8% over July 2010 In addition, sales were up 14.3% compared to August 2009.

Total property sales this August totaled 567. “This compared to 525 sales in July 2010 and 496 sales in August 2009.” In August, 408 single family home sold. The median price reported was $154,500. Last month the median price was $155,000. In August 2009, the price was also $155,000.

Condos sales totaled 159 in August. The median price rose by 22 percent to $155,000 from July’s figure of $127,000. “For the last

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“Cocktails at Twilight” were enjoyed by a select group of Sarasota real estate brokers and residents of Beau Ciel in Sarasota. Barbara Mei, Realtor at Surfside Properties on Siesta Key was the hostess of this elegant event to introduce one of Sarasota’s most beautiful buildings.

Barbara spoke shortly of the outstanding features of Beau Ciel before turning over the podium to the building’s architect, Chuck Jones of Tampa. Chuck took the audience through the beginning concept of Beau Ciel which was originally sketched on a cocktail napkin at a meeting with the building developers. The Manager of the Hyatt Hotel, Beau Ciel’s neighbor, pointed out the amenities provided to Beau Ciel from the Hyatt, and The President of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

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