In our June real estate update on Bird Key homes for sale, we reported 53 homes available on the Key with homes priced from $592,000 to $14,900,000.
This week we have customers in town from England and did some research on Bird Key when scheduling showing appointments for our customers. Currently the Sarasota MLS, now the Mid FL Regional MLS reports 53 listings on Bird Key. Pending sales on the Key total 7. Activity on this barrier island has been quite active in the last few months with a burst of international customers taking advantage of the Sarasota real estate market. Sales in the last six months total 20!
Have we hit a bottom in the Sarasota and Bird Key real estate market? Who knows? I do know that our website traffic has tripled in the last two months and the phones are ringing and the emails are clogging up my computer. We are once again answering questions about Sarasota, its real estate market and referring questions about mortages, insurance and taxes to the appropriate professionals. Our showing schedules are filling too so give us a call if you plan to visit Sarasota and want to check out one of the 53 homes for sale on Bird Key.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Sarasota Real Estate - Bird Key Homes for Sale Update
Monday, August 25, 2008
Sarasota Florida Real Estate Searches
If you've been searching for Sarasota Florida real estate on our blogs and sites in the last few weeks, I'm sure you've noticed the process is different. Sarasota Realtors are now included in the Mid Florida Regional MLS and searching is very different. In the basic search area, you will see many more cities included for your Florida search.
If you are considering a move to Florida and need research on South West Florida cities, it's easier than ever to explore Florida online! Click on our video tour of Sarasota on our home page to see Sarasota photography.
We're always available to do searching for you should you get a little confused. There is also a map search link too. You might consider clicking the map search for Siesta Key. Add your price range and once your map loads click on a link to check a listing.
If you need would like an appointment to view property in Sarasota, please call us to be included in our showing schedules.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Venetian Golf & River Club Homes
Monday, August 18, 2008
Reporting from Hurricane Central Sarasota
Tuesday Morning Update: 5:15 am
Update: 1:00 pm Check out Channel 10 Tampa Bay to track Hurricane Fay.
Schools will be closed tomorrow according to local Channel 10 news. The hurricane track looks like it is headed for Sarasota, but this could change over time. For the time being, there are no mandatory evacuations. Temperature is 87 degrees, and it is getting a little cloudy. I just spoke with Sandy Whitehead who is on her way back to Sarasota. She's near Naples and was in pouring rain. Tomorrow will be a messy day. Don't panic and be prepared.
Early this morning, about 6:15 am, Snuffy Smith and I took a long walk. We may not be able to walk in Paradise if Fay hits Sarasota this week. I noticed that my yard needs to be cut and hope that the landscaping company shows up as scheduled on Mondays. Our Sarasota neighborhood is quiet as it's barely dawn -- our best time to walk.
Okay, I'll make that hurricane run to the grocery store. It's unFloridian not to do this and just plain stupid not to be prepared! My next door neighbor is outside, and we chat about all the hype in the news about Hurricane Fay. She works and is worried her employees won't show up. My customer from West Virginia just cancelled our showings of Sarasota real estate because he didn't want to be stranded in Paradise. I understand, not really! Who wouldn't want to be in Sarasota a few extra days.
Publix was not crowded at all at 7:45 am, and I got all the hurricane items I needed, water. I'll fill the car with gas after Snuffy and I walk tomorrow. At 9:45 am, I'm delighted to see the landscapers mowing my yard. I'm thinking about bringing in the furniture from the lanai -- still have plenty of time.
The best part about a hurricane forecast for Florida is all my friends around the globe check in to be sure I'm okay. My cousin, Teegie, one of the MS Maes, called this morning and our conversation turned to SEC football and the grandkids. Hurricane Fay, who is she?
For information on Sarasota FL real estate, contact Annette at 941-504-3922.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Viewing NBC Olympic Studio from Sarasota FL Home
Inside NBC Sports' Olympic Studio from Sarasota, FL
After Snuffy and I took our morning walk near our Sarasota FL home, I turned on CNBC and was mesmerized by coverage of the Olympics. Carl Quintanilla of MSNBC had a short segment at the NBC Sports Olympic Studio. The studio is NBC's headquarters in Beijing. If you've been watching Olympic coverage, I'm sure you know that Mark Phelps won yet another metal -- he's now a household name. Would be nice if he needed a Sarasota home! It would look great with his Ralph Lauren attire. Hope you didn't miss the Opening Ceremony.
Since 1984, when Mary Lou Retton won her gold medal, I've followed the Olympics closely. When buying kitchen utensils for my gourmet kitchen shop at the Dallas Home Show later that same year, I had the pleasure of seeing Mary Lou and other Olympians who were staying at the Anatole Hotel also. One of the coaches of the USA Diving Team gave me two Olympic diving team pins for my sons. He told me that the pins would be collector's items one day because the rings were manufactured upside down. I still have the pins but they are not collectors items as far as I can find. In fact, most of my Olympic pin collection has gone down in value considerably. The pins are part of the merchandising package of the Olympics and great fun when you are in the midst of a collecting frenzy!
Even though the Olympics are consuming households across the country, our phone is ringing and emails are still coming in with questions about the Sarasota FL real estate sale. Yes, Florida is on sale folks, come on down! Or if you'd like us to merchandise your Sarasota home, give us a call and we'll create a frenzy in Sarasota!
For more information or if you are selling your Sarasota FL real estate, contact Annette Smith for a marketing presentation prepared specifically for your property.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sarasota FL Real Estate Market
The Sarasota real estate market is definitely offering some wonderful properties at huge discounts these days. I contacted several of my Internet marketing partners and asked them about their local real estate markets to see if this was true in other areas. Since CNBC has something different to say every day, I thought I’d get comments from realtors in my referral network about their areas.
State of the Market From Realtors in My Referral Network:
The Myrtle Beach condostore people urge anyone who is looking for the rock bottom deal or foreclosure homes to act soon. Prices have pretty much bottomed-out and inventory is going fast. Oceanfront condos in Myrtle Beach can be had for prices equal to 2003-2004.
Like many of the smaller residential areas, Greenville SC home sales were not that much affected by the 2005 boom, and therefore still offer a good market for both buyers and sellers. Greenville has something for everyone, from downtown condo living to gated senior golf communities.
North Texas Realtors report sales from Flower Mound Tx real estate and Frisco Texas real estate are remaining very affordable and offer a great alternative for retirement or suburban living. Prices there are stable and great deals can be found.
The consensus in Myrtle Beach, Greenville, SC and from my Texas network is "great inventory and affordable prices won’t last forever". When real estate hits the bottom, it will be too late to know. If you are buying Sarasota FL Real Estate I would agree with my network. Affordable prices, a great selection of inventory with these interest rates won't last forever. Once interest rates rise, prices may go a little lower but over the long run, buyers will pay more -- unless of course, it's a cash purchase.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Taking a Break from Sarasota Real Estate
Remembering the 1996 Olympics
It's hard to believe that 12 years have passed so quickly. In the 1990s, I went to work at King & Spalding, one of Atlanta's premier law firms. My boss, Charlie Shaffer, was one of the 9 men responsible for all the hard work that preceded Atlanta winning the 1996 Olympic Games. Seeing all the television coverage of Beijing brings all the memories back. I'll be glued to the TV for the next three weeks pulling for our athletes and enjoying all the sites and venues of the 2008 Olympic Games. Sarasota real estate will be taking a break in the evenings.
Highlights from 1996:
King & Spalding represented corporate customers who passed out Olympic pins: UPS, Delta and Coke. I got a pin at Johnny Rockets, my favorite hamburger joint in Buckhead too. Pins were everywhere. I still have a little bag with a few I didn't give away.
My friend and Sarasota attorney, Stanley (Corky) Sergent, got permission from his wife, Connie, one of my best friends, to go solo to the Atlanta Games and stayed at my Atlanta home. We went to Olympic Park and checked out the bricks. Prior to the Olympics, you could buy a brick with your name engraved on it. Later the bricks were built into the walkways of Olympic Park. Corky and I left the park the night of his arrival and had dinner in Buckhead. Since I lived in the area on Lenox Road, I knew a little place that wouldn't be crowded with our international visitors.
Early the next morning, my mom called from Mississippi delighted to hear my voice on the phone. She told me about the bomb in Olympic Park and just knew that Corky and I were there. The bomb exploded about an hour after we left.
We were scheduled to see track competition the morning after the bomb. The security was very tight, and we waited for what seemed like hours under a tarp at the new Olympic stadium with other spectators as it was raining heavily. The mood of the crowd was uplifting!!!
Officials closed Olympic Park for several days after the bomb exploded while every newspaper in Atlanta pointed a finger at Richard Jewel -- poor guy, and law enforcement investigated the area. The park reopened with a ceremony featuring Billy Payne and Andrew Young. Charlie Shaffer, his daughter Emi and I attended a moving, tearful ceremony and once again the park was open for business.
The second week of the Olympics my friend and colleague, Gloria Blessing, from our office in Houston, TX arrived for a visit. Gymnastics and women's a men's basketball were on our Olympics agenda and The House of Blues! We lost Gloria shortly after the Olympics to cancer. She is missed and remembered.
Mary Anne Walser, a King & Spalding attorney, and I attended the final festivities of the 1996 compliments of Charlie Shaffer! Mary Anne is now a real estate agent with Keller Williams in Atlanta. I snapped this picture on closing night of Mary Anne with members of the Canadian team.
Mary Anne and I enjoyed these highlights: Charlie along with the original nine Atlanta Olympic organizers carrying the Olympic flag out of the stadium, rockn' to Little Richard, and enjoying the beautiful Georgia native Tricia Yearwood's performance. With flashing fireworks and a bright sign that said "Good Bye from Atlanta" -- it was over in a flash. Now it's 12 years later, and we're ready for Beijing. "Let the Games Begin."
Cher's Home in Sarasota, FL
Cher's home in Malibu is for sale so for fun I searched the Sarasota MLS, the Mid-FL Regional MLS, for a 6 bedroom house in the Sarasota area with 7 bathrooms just to see what would be comparable to Cher's $45 million estate in Malibu, CA.
I found two houses searching Longboat Key, Casey Key real estate and Siesta Key. Cher's home also has a pool which these all do and a tennis court, gym, theater and guest house. These two Sarasota homes are priced at $17,500,000 for the one on Siesta Key and $18,500,000 for the Gulf to Bay estate on Casey Key. The Casey Key estate has a gym, with an indoor lap pool, billiard room, staff quarters, a pool house, a covered boat house on the Bay side, tennis court and putting green. Cher should buy a home in Sarasota, FL for a bargain! Stephen King might enjoy a new neighbor on Casey Key.
For more information about Casey Key FL real estate, contact Annette Smith.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Laurel Oak - Sarasota Country Club Homes for Sale
Sarasota Country Club Homes Available at Laurel Oak Estates
Laurel Oak is a private Sarasota country club community located east of Interstate 75. This beautiful golf course community has two championship golf courses designed by Gary Player. Near downtown Sarasota Florida, the Club is positioned on over 800 acres. Over 400 residents live in this well-maintained gated community. Many residents are part-timers choosing to enjoy Laurel Oak Estates as their second home in Sarasota's warm Florida climate. Residency in this community is not mandatory for a membership to the Club.
If a Sarasota golf course home has been at the top of your wish list, consider Laurel Oak Estates. The Mid FL Regional MLS currently lists 45 homes for sale in Laurel Oak. Prices range from a custom Arthur Rutenberg home built in 1991 priced at $874,900 to $1,895,000 for a fine estate home with over 7,000 sq.ft.
For more information and to set up and appointment to view homes in Laurel Oak, contact Annette Smith. If you are selling your Laurel Oak Estates home and would like to view our marketing plan, please call us to schedule an appointment.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Columbia's 1905 Salad Favorite in Saraosta
Columbia's 1905 Salad Always a Hit
When I got a call from a customer in Las Vegas about Sarasota real estate a few months ago, the first thing he mentioned was "can we go to St. Armands Circle and have a 1905 salad." Last Sunday, we went to Columbia and four out of the four of us ordered the world famous "1905" Salad!
Our group sat at an indoor outdoor table on the Mediterranean patio room and enjoyed good conversation and people watching on the Circle. Marsha and Bob Albert added a Cuban sandwich to their salad order and Winsor Harmon added scallops to his. I always add the black bean soup.
Marsha and Bob met Winsor and me for lunch to meet Winsor Harmon for the first time. Marsha and Winsor are soap opera related as their real life children are brother and sister on "The Bold and the Beautiful." Lesli Kay and Winsor Harmon III play Felicia and Thorne Forrester. Lesli worked for me in Charleston, WV at Kitchen Kaboodle as a teenager and was my babysitter. Her brothers David and Michael both went to George Washington High School with my sons: Bill and Scott. Marsha convinced me to purchase Sarasota real estate almost 10 years ago.
Lesli Kay visited Sarasota in May and word has it that Lesli and Winsor, aka Felicia and Thorne, will visit Sarasota this year so watch the Columbia. You never know whose walked the "red carpet" and is visiting the Circle, and by all means order a 1905 Salad at Columbia!
For information about the Sarasota, Florida area, Longboat Key real estate, or any of Sarasota's barrier island, send me an email.
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