The Concession, Sarasota Florida

Culinary Expertise at The Concession

If you are wavering on a purchasing a golf course home at the Concession, Beach Bistro's Sean Murphy is bringing his outstanding culinary style to this new Sarasota country club. Murphy is incorporating all his excellent elements at the Golf Clubhouse, which rated Beach Bistro "extraordinary to perfection" by Zagat, in designing of the kitchen, to menu creation, to dining spaces. Members will enjoy unforgettable experiences in dining pleasure at this new golf course while owning Sarasota real estate. So if you are wavering, The Concession offers the ultimate Sarasota lifestyle.

Lindrick homesites from one acre start at $1 million. Nicklaus Manor homes including Signature Membership are offered from the $2 millions.

Retiring in Sarasota

So You Want to Live in Florida

Many of the telephone calls we receive are from buyers who live in another area and want to buy a Sarasota property as an investment, rent it out and then retire here in ten years. It's a great long-term plan.

This week we spent some time with buyers who have a $1 million maximum price range. Since these prospective residents have never been to Sarasota, we gave them our "general tour" of our town. From Longboat Key's manicured lawns through downtown Sarasota to Siesta Key's beach-style community, we checked out available properties within their "wish" guidelines. Fortunately these buyers were very savy real estate investors and realize that you have to sometimes "give" to "get". Giving up some of your wish list is a toughy, but in today's Sarasota real estate market even in a buyer's market, you probably will have to compromise even at $1 million.

Want to live on the beach, with three bedrooms, a guest suite for an inlaw with an additional kitchen in a golf community? For a $1 million, you can live on the beach, maybe have three bedrooms, but the additional kitchen and golf community will probably not be part of the deal. For $6 million, you might can have it all!

In our general tour this week, we viewed condos instead of single family homes as maintenance is always an issue when owning an investment property or second home out of state. Downtown Sarasota condos hit a soft spot with these "wanna be" Sarasotans and the Burns Court Villas were more to their liking as this complex is similar to home-living and offers the convenience of a downtown lifestyle. One of the hottest new downtown addresses is 100 Central with prices ranging from $735,000 for approximately 1500 sq. ft. for a new Sarasota condo.

Sarasota Lifestyles

Enjoyment of Collecting in Sarasota, FL

In addition to previewing Sarasota listings and selling Sarasota real estate, I'm an avid treasure collector. When I see a treasure, I know it is for me and just where to work it into my Sarasota home or my next "fixer upper" project. So when I started glancing through Sunday's, August 27, 2006, Herald Tribune, I was intrigued by the main article in the real estate section about Sarasota residents, Karee and Ed Valek. The Valeks hired landscape designer, Robert Davie to create a New Orleans style courtyard for their Old Forest Lakes home. The article caught my eye as I've been collecting old relics which are now referred to as my "treasures" by anyone who asks for an explanation of these old pieces. An antique gate was featured in this article, and since my collection includes old columns, a knight in armor, pots, wrought iron pieces and pretty much anything that talks to me, I read more.

In the 1960s I enjoyed my T. Harry Williams history classes at LSU almost as much as going to a football game at Tiger Stadium. The LSU Tigers stayed with me and Mr. Williams history lessons trinkle my life through my collection of treasures each with their own history. The Herald article beautifully describes this Old Forest Lakes home and its passionate LSU residents -- not many of those fans in Gator country. Not knowing the Valeks but knowing that we were kindred LSU fans with a West Virginia connection too, I placed a call to Karee. We spoke shortly and her Southern graciousness was quite apparent from beginning to end of our conversation. I hope to be able to cheer with these Tigers at an LSU broadcast in the future and visit their special "garden" although I will miss seeing the LSU carved into their backyard -- the new swimming pool will just have to do.

Saturday or Sunday mornings are the best days to visit Sarasota's garage and estate sales. Visit South Gate or Forest Lakes on any weekend and you too can fill a seat, a trunk or a trailer full of "stuff." Some of my found treasures:

1. A wine goblet from Galatoire's in New Orleans -- brought back to me from a wedding in the French Quarter. The goblet houses a small matchbook collection from around the globe.

2. A very old newspaper clipping of the menu and offerings of "Doe's Eat Place" - a famous "hole in the wall" steakhouse in Greenville, MS, my hometown. Doe's has been visited by many celebrities and it is celebratory spot for many college graduates who got a degree to earn a steak at Doe's.

3. Many pieces of blue and white porcelain collected from Atlanta to Sarasota- each holds a different memory in my heart

4. A fabulous rhinestone pin sent to me from Baton Rouge by my former roomie and cousin Teegie Hamilton with the letter "LSU" found for $1.50, now worth about $150.

5. A very special autographed picture of Dick Clark from 1960 when I danced on American Bandstand in Philly.

6. An orginal Decca record of "Sugar Blues". My Dad played the sax in the recording. This one purchased on Ebay.

7. A chandellier bought at a Sarasota estate sale by a friend and presented to me as "just perfect" for your house. It was!

If you're a collector of treasures, be sure to make the South Gate and Forest Lakes rounds on a weekend in Sarasota!

Hot in Florida

Longboat Key Former Resident Writes:

"I used to live in LBK, and they closed down a Holiday Inn to build a condo... I
think the minimum price for a 1-bedroom condo was about $1,000, 000

--
Posted by Hot in Florida to Sarasota Real Estate News at 9/10/2006 09:09:09 PM

Sarasota Real Estate News

Sarasota Median Price Rises Slightly July 2006

Congratulations to Maria Sharapova! I took a little break from showing Sarasota real estate on Saturday, and doggie sat for friends and past clients. Snuffy, Kita (the Sarasota pooches)and I watched the men's semi finals of the US Open, LSU football and then flipped to the women's final of the Open. Maria trained at Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Bradenton so we were thrilled to see her win and convincingly too!

Saturday afternoon's mail delivered statistics from Sarasota Realtor Magazine with the median price statistics for July 2007. As sales ease, the median price rose slightly. In Sarasota, the median sales price for a single-family home a year ago was $350,000 compared to $360,000 in July of this year. The number of single-family Sarasota homes sold this year was 349, compared to 534 last year in July.

Market adjustments continue in Sarasota and the inventory of homes available for sale remain at very high levels.