Old Forest Lakes and Forest Lakes Country Club Tour Today

Open House Brokers' Tour in Sarasota

Searching for Sarasota real estate? From 9:30 am until 11:30 am today, you are cordially invited to tour these fabulous properties. These homes are open to Sarasota realtors for viewing after the Sarasota Board of Realtors meeting this morning. The public is welcome too so if you are in the neighborhoods of Old Forest Lakes and Forest Lakes Country Club, drop by these homes in Sarasota.

3313 W. Forest Lake Circle
Hosted by Lynn Robbins, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
Price: $775,000

3019 E. Forest Lake Circle
Glen Brown, Century 21 Advantage
Price: $679,000

3388 Espanola Drive
Hosted by Shirley Rowan, Safety Harbor Realty of Sarasota
Price: $340,000

3243 Pine Valley Drive
Hosted by Annette Ashley Smith, RE/MAX Properties
Price: $459,000

Sarasota Real Estate January Report

Real Estate Market Rebounds in Sarasota

According to statistics released by the Sarasota Board of Realtors, the Sarasota real estate market could be making a comeback. Seasonal buyers are looking at properties and showing schedules are getting tighter. With the Fed lowering the interest rate 75 basis points, high levels of inventory giving buyers a great choice of homes in our resort city, now is possibly the time to consider "jumping off the fence" and purchasing a home in South West Florida, particularly Sarasota. Longtime purchasers of property in Sarasota, watch this area and look for the dips. Don't miss the dip!

Retirement Amenities in Venice Florida Golf Course Community

North Venice Florida Golf Course Home Reduced

Posting no longer available.

If you are looking for golf course communities in Florida, The Venetian Golf & River Club offers its residents a championship golf course, one main and two additional dining rooms, lounge, cabana bar without outdoor grill, day spa, aerobics, fitness center, tennis courts, pro shop, two resort swimming pools, nature park and canoe launch.

Annette Smith is experienced in Sarasota golf course real estate sales and are ready to assist you in finding the perfect golf course home. Email Annette for a list of luxury Sarasota real estate available if Florida is your choice.

Tiki Hut on Lido Key Provides Beautiful Sunsets for Entertaining

Sarasota Real Estate Customers Enjoy Sunset on Lido Key

Last Friday evening was a little breezy on Lido Key and definitely sweater weather, when my good friends and customers, who purchased a condo on Longboat Key at the Water Club last year, entertained guests from their former resident state of Delaware to a beach sunset viewing in our Paradise.

Our group met about 5:00 pm at Lido Key Beach Club where another good friend resides and walked over to the Tiki Hut from the Beach club passing the Ritz-Carlton Beach Residences on our walk.

Everyone had a glass of wine or pina colada in hand to enjoy the spectacular January sunset on the Key as the drums beat to the final minutes of the sunset. We toasted to new and old friends and many years of the good life in Sarasota and her Keys. Some of us posed with the Ritz-Carlton's beach flags as the chefs of the Ritz prepared a fantastic dinner on the beach.

Ritz-Carlton Sarasota guests have access to the Beach Club amenities so keep that in mind for your next trip to Sarasota.

What a great evening and a clever way to entertain your friends and family when they visit this hot Florida destination!

New IDX Tools for Sarasota Real Estate Searching

Take a tour of breathtaking Sarasota real estate with our site's upgraded IDX search tools. Our customers can now freely access featured listings and benefit from gaining viewing thousands of properties listed online in the Sarasota Multiple Listing Service (Sarasota MLS). Enter your specific property specifications and search the entire database of approximately 15,000 homes and condos for sale, as well as waterfront, golf course or country club homes on Siesta Key, Casey Key, Bird Key, St. Armands, Lido Key and Longboat Key areas. Receive automatic email updates, use advanced search options and save your listings and searches. Use new Florida map and price chart, additional free tools to facilitate your real estate search in Sarasota.

Better News for Sarasota Real Estate Market

Real Estate Stabilizing in Sarasota

Back in forth conversation daily on CNBC and in newspapers around the country about the subprime crisis and its broad impact on the US economy can be read or heard every day. Short sales are becoming normal as sellers who need to sell due to a relocation, etc. market their homes for sale. The Sarasota MLS even has a new rule in place of short sale/foreclosure searches. Real estate sales are challenging.

Some economists and forecasters are starting to mention that the market in some areas shows signs of stabilizing. In Sarasota, buyers are definitely coming back into the market. It is likely that the Miami real estate market will take longer to recover, but South West Florida, particularly Sarasota is a special community. Buyers still watch this area and look for the dips. Don't miss the dip!

Geaux Tigers - Congrats on National Championship

LSU Wins National Title in Season Like no Other

This past football season has been like none that I remember in 40 years of watching football. Greenville, MS is my home town and you are either an Ole Miss fan or a Mississippi State fan when it comes to rooting for college sport teams. In 1958, I remember sitting with Mary Ezell, mother of Billy Ezell (Captain Easy) LSU quarterback in the 1960s, in my driveway, listening to the Tigers beat Ole Miss on Halloween night. Billy Cannon pulled the Tigers out of a tight spot that night and that Paul Dietzell team went on to win the National Title. A year later I attended my first LSU game with my aunt and uncle as guests of our close friend Carl Maddox, former LSU Athletic Director. The University of Louisiana hooked me from the minute I stepped into Tiger Stadium.

Through the years I've stayed in touch with Mrs. Ezell touching base with her every LSU game night. In 2003, we cheered Nick Saban's team to a National Championship. This year was to be good too, but I would have been happy just beating Alabama and "everything after that would be gravy." Every weekend during this season was a nail-biting, down to the wire experience leading to a National tile. I'll be wearing my LSU rhinestone pin proudly in the next week. Way to geaux Tigers. I love gravy, by the way!

Back to showing Sarasota real estate today. I'm showing waterfront property on Siesta Key to customers who are big Florida fans. They were pulling for an SEC victory last night and emailed me a good luck during last night's game. Today we are searching for good buys on canalfront property with boat docks. There are plenty to view and short sales are on the up now so buyers are slowly entering the real estate market in Sarasota.

The Sarasota MLS reports over 200 waterfront homes for sale on Siesta Key and over 450 condos currently listed on Siesta Key, FL. Prices range from the low $300,000s to over $19 million for homes and condos are currently priced from the $200,000s to over $3 million.

If you are looking for a home for your boat or a newly constructed mansion on the Gulf of Mexico, Annette Smith and Nick Herron are experienced in waterfront real estate sales and are ready to assist you in the Siesta Key real estate market. Email Annette for a list of luxury Sarasota properties available if Florida luxury real estate is your choice.

Grand Lifestyle in Venice, FL

Sarasota Golf Course Home Sold

There's something for everyone at Venetian Golf & River Club . . . resort style heated pool, lighted tennis courts, exercise facility, 5-star dining, 70-acre nature park with one mile of boardwalk, picnic areas, private canoe launch with access to Myakka River, and 18-hole championship golf.

Our Tennessee buyers recently purchased a Grand Estate in the Venetian with over 4900 sq. ft. and fabulous lake views. These new Florida residents are looking forward to living in their home in Venetian Golf & River Club in Venice. This will be a second home for years prior to their retirement. This new home was built in 2007, has 4 bedrooms, den and 5 1/2 baths. The listed price was $1,175,000.

Currently, the Sarasota MLS lists over 80 homes for sale in this Sarasota golf course neighborhood. Prices range from $249,900 for a two bedroom, two bath villa to over $1 million for an estate home with over 3,000 sq.ft.

For more Sarasota real estate information on homes at Venetian Golf & River Club, contact Annette Smith