Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Sarasota Properties

Next week's showing schedule includes customers from Canada searching for a Sarasota property including a downtown condo in Sarasota with a price range of under $1,200,000. We scheduled appointments to view two buildings which they narrowed down from searching on the Internet. 100 Central and 1350 Main are always two of our property picks so it wasn't a surprise when those condominiums were the choices of our buyers. Rental restrictions are sometimes a problem for buyers but when the customers are planning to live year-round in Sarasota, they usually prefer a building where there isn't so much coming and going.

If you are searching for a Sarasota condo, don't forget to ask about rental restrictions and pet policies as each condominium building has a different set of rules.


Another customer needs a home in Sarasota close to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, preferably on the water. Theses customers would like to have a deep water dock for their boat. Since they need to be close to the hospital, our pick is Harbor Acres and the Sarasota MLS currently offers several listings.

For more information on Sarasota properties visit our main Sarasota FL real estate site Visit our Siesta Key FL site too if beach living is for you!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Sarasota Dream Homes


Ca d'Zan - Mable Ringling's Dream Home

Even in 1925, Mable Ringling was designing a Sarasota dream home. The Ringlings' waterfront estate Ca d'Zan is one of Florida's architectural treasures. Mable worked with Dwight James Baum during the Roaring 20s to produce the 30 room mansion.

The Ca d'Zan is now a popular Florida tourist attraction and owned by Florida State University. Some students from Florida State's design department make the drive at their own expense to study the inspiring mansion. University students from Tallahassee visited Sarasota this week to view the intricate designs of Mable Ringling's dream home. For more information about the Ca d'Zan and Mable Ringling's vision for her Sarasota dream home, read Harold Bubil's excellent article in the Herald Tribune published Sunday, July 20, 2008.

The C'd'Zan is located behind the Ringling Museum of Art on the Sarasota waterfront. If perhaps you are boating on Sarasota Bay, make sure to pass the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and continue north for a view from the water of Sarasota's most famous dream home.

Contact Annette Smith to make an appointment to search for a Sarasota home or condo. We will work diligently to take you through the process with speed and ease. You'll be moving in your Sarasota dream home shortly! Until then you'll have to just imagine Sarasota.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Imagine Sarasota

Imagine Life in Sarasota Florida
Snuffy Smith loves living in Sarasota Florida. He's been here since November 2007 and can't imagine any other best place to live. On Saturday mornings Snuffy helps me check on a property for an out of state customer who lives in Bay Isles on Longboat Key. We drive past Selby Gardens on the way over to the Key and pass the famous sailboats on Sarasota's bayfront. Entering beautiful Emerald Point, the guard at the gate is always polite and Snuffy is usually wagging for a bone -- none there, not like Starbuck's, Walgreen's and the cleaners on Webber Street. The vet has put this 13 pound pooch on a diet.



As you can see from the video, Snuffy checks out some of the lush landscaping at Emerald Point before we head out the gated entry. As we approach the bayfront, Snuffy starts whining for his pooch friends so we stop for a walk. We pass the boats, the Party Barge with the Mermaid atop and visit with friends. Snuffy's tongue is hanging, and he stops for a rest before one last look at the dolphin fountain before heading to Casey Key for a romp on the beach. Our Saturday ends perfectly with a beautiful Sarasota Florida sunset!