Bird Key Real Estate

Yesterday a gentleman from Michigan called for information on Bird Key real estate. He said he had visited Miami and some areas of Arizona but Bird Key was his favorite for pursuing real estate. I was driving out to Longboat Key to check on some property for a customer so I asked him to send me an email. He was also looking for a "deal". We hear that every day now.

Update on Bird Key real estate:

There are 53 homes for sale on Bird Key listed in the Sarasota MLS at prices starting at $599,900. The highest priced home on Bird Key is $14,900,000, a waterfront estate on Seagull Lane. In the last six months, there have been 16 closings and 8 Bird Key homes are under contract according to MLS data. Thanks to a blog reader this search data has been corrected!

With inventory levels high, many sellers are motivated to sell. Sellers have reduced their properties considerably and seem to be holding as pointed out in the Sarasota real estate market statistics this month. Making an offer and negotiating a price will be a win/win right now. Many want to sell their property and move on with their lives and are willing to go lower. Make an offer and see if the home you want may just be the deal instead of searching for distressed properties, short sales and foreclosures.

If you are interested in Bird Key real estate or other Sarasota properties, contact Annette Smith, the Herron Group, RE/MAX Alliance Group at 941-504-3922.

Venice Beach - Best Renourished Beach List

Venice Beach
Condos for Sale at Beleza on Renourished Venice Beach

According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, the City of Venice, Florida was notified by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association that it had been honored for the renourishment project on Venice Beach. The project started in 2005 and was just completed a few weeks ago.

Venice Beach is not as crowded as Siesta Key and Longboat Key and preferred by many who want a beach lifestyle. Venice Beach's newest luxury condominium is Beleza built in 2005. The Sarasota MLS list five condos in Beleza. Prices range from $1,495,000 to our listing on the 7th floor priced at $1,750,000. Views from the spacious terraces of this Venice condo of the Gulf of Mexico, the beach, bay and city are spectacular. This 3 bedroom, 3 bath unit has over 2000 sq.ft and residents enjoy the amenities: private elevator, lobby, club room, fitness room, pool & spa and garage. Being sold designer turnkey furnished.

Call the Herron Group for more information on Sarasota homes, Venetian Golf & River Club listings and condos for sale on Venice Beach or check our websites for daily updates on property listings. For photos, virtual tours and area information on Sarasota's barrier islands, visit our blogs and find more about Venice real estate. Beach, bay or Back Nine . . . Live the Dream!

Casey Key Real Estate Update

2008 Casey Key FL Real Estate Sales

Casey Key Home Sales Last Six Months

Checking the Sarasota MLS stats and going back six months, MLS data shows Casey Key real estate sales: 5 single family homes, from a 1970s single family beachfront residence with over 4,000 sq., sold at $4,500,000 to another 1970s bayfront property which sold at $1,340,000 for 1690 sq.ft. Selling prices of the five homes were $4,500,000 (Gulf), $3,797,500 (Gulf to Bay), $3,097,500 (Gulf to Bay), $3,750,000 (Gulf), and $1,340,000(Bay). Our last report was in October 2007 showing a high sale of over $6 million. Check Casey Key home sales stats for previous six months in our archives. The highest sale is $4.5 million in this report. There are 2 pending sales at this time.

Active listings number 49 properties, up from 43 in our October report from the MLS real estate stats for Casey Key, FL. Prices range from the high $1 millions to $20 million. If you are looking for land to build a beach house or a 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 Casey Key real estate market. Email us for a list of luxury Sarasota properties available if Florida luxury real estate is your choice.

For photos, virtual tours and area information on Casey Key or other Sarasota barrier islands of Siesta Key, Longboat Key, and Sarasota Florida real estate, visit The Herron Group listings. Our customers love our Sarasota MLS idx search capabilities. Beach, bay or Back Nine . . . Live the Dream!

Sarasota Real Estate Update

Sarasota Real Estate

The Sarasota real estate market is improving and buyers from all over the world are remaining on our websites for longer time periods, searching and looking for a Sarasota dream home. Showing traffic is up! Properties are available from high-rise condos with waterfront views to mainland villas or golf course homes.

A wonderful selection of inventory is available so search the Sarasota MLS for properties on the barrier islands, mainland Sarasota including estates, homes, condos, villas, and land. New condos offering top resort amenities are scattered throughout the area. Builders are offering incentives to buyers for new product and life in Sarasota continues to be robust. Residents enjoy a vibrant city, shopping, art galleries, fine dining and Sarasota's cultural assets. What better time to start your search? If you think it's the time to buy, give us a call. We'll help with your search!

If condos are your style, be sure to check with your Sarasota real estate agent regarding pets as each condo association has a different policy regarding pets.

For photos, virtual tours and area information on Sarasota real estate or Sarasota's barrier islands: Longboat Key, Casey Key, and Siesta Key, visit The Herron Group listings.

Beach, bay or Back Nine . . . Live the Dream!

Postive News Continues for Sarasota Real Estate Market

Good News Continues in Sarasota's Real Estate Market

The Sarasota Board of Realtors issued a press release yesterday to local media reporting that February property sales rebounded by 28 percent in Sarasota.

The release pointed out that pending sales are also very high, which is a good indicator for stronger real estate market ahead.

According to the statistics pulled from the Sarasota MLS, our local market saw a big jump in February 2008 in overall property sales. Read our last month's report.

There were 423 property sales reported in the Sarasota MLS, compared to only 329
sales in January 2008. In addition, pending sales climbed to 654 in February,
the highest level in nearly a year (March 2007 was the last month with higher
pending sales at 706).

There were 294 single family homes sold by SAR members, along with 129
condominium units. While sales numbers were strong, the median sale price for
homes and condos continued to fluctuate. Single family homes saw a small rise in
the median sale price, from $265,000 in January 2008 up to $285,000 in February
2008 - a 7 percent increase. But condominiums saw a drop in the median sale
price from $303,500 in January 2008 to only $230,500 in February 2008 - a 24
percent decline.

Helen Sosso, 2008 SAR President said: "we've been receiving strong anecdotal evidence from brokers that traffic has picked up significantly." The Herron Group has noticed an increase in open house activity: West of the Trail, Venetian Golf & River Resort and in some of our Casey Key real estate listings.

Another bright spot in the February report was pending sales strength, standing at 654, the highest in the last 11 months. A year ago pending sales were at 706 for the same time period. Pending sales have been on the rise since December 2007, when there were 374.

"Pending sales counts the number of signed contracts in a month, and is a leading indicator of sales activity."

Inventory levels were also slightly lower in February 2008 compared a year ago. Current inventory conditions may mark a great buying opportunity.

More Positive News for Sarasota Real Estate Recovery

Median Price Declining as Home Sales Rise in Sarasota Florida

In the last few weeks, we've actually had a few positive spins on the Sarasota real estate market. Sarasota's market seems to be one of the markets that is leading the state in a comeback. Homes sales are up as the median price declines. Sellers are becoming more realistic and pricing to sell their properties, and buyers are finally dipping into the waters of Sarasota at a time when home inventory is at its best.

According to released Sarasota MLS statistics, realtors in Sarasota - Bradenton sold 490 homes in January 2008 compared to 472 homes in the same time period in 2007. Pricing declined 14% in the area in January.

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.

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 us for a list of luxury Sarasota properties available if Florida luxury real estate is your choice.

Herron Group Sells a 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, click to our main website to view our listings. The Herron Group markets Sarasota's finest waterfront and country club communities including Venice, Florida real estate.

Longboat Key Luxury Condos Update

Longboat Key Beach Condos Report

Longboat Key's real estate market has adjusted along with Sarasota. Inventory levels for condos on Longboat Key now total over 400 according to the Sarasota MLS data. Longboat Key's manicured landscaping is still a big draw for our customers who want a luxury waterfront lifestyle. Some of our favorite buildings are listed:

New Condos Longboat Key Florida

Bleu Claire
Positano

Established Condominium Buildings

Water Club
En Provence
Vizcaya
Promenade
Sanctuary
Westchester

Amenities lure the buyers as our customers want the best of luxury services. Beach residents in these buildings enjoy resort style pools and top of the line services provided in the newer buildings: 24 hour concierge, heated pools and spa, club/billiard/library/media rooms, fitness/yoga rooms and more for your resort living enjoyment.

The MLS listing database currently reports over 400 condos in the Longboat Key area. Longboat Key waterfront condos are priced from the $300,000s for approximately 500 sq.ft. to the high millions for additional square footage, top amenities, extraoridinary Bay and Gulf views.

The Herron Group offers the highest of Internet exposure for selling your Longboat Key luxury condo with multiple websites and a creative marketing strategy for the changing Sarasota real estate market. Email Nick or Annette with your questions or to ask for a buying or listing appointment.

West of the Trail - Sarasota Neighborhood Report

Homes West of the Trail, Sarasota Florida

West of the Trail are the Sarasota neighborhoods "west" of Hwy 41 or the Tamiami Trail. Morton's Plaza area continues to be the most popular community in this area since it is centrally located around the Morton's Plaza anchored by Morton's Gourmet Market.

Stroll to the Market from your home or lunch at the "new" Fred's Restaurant, Sam Sneed's and Knick's Tavern. Single-family homes are of mixed architectural styles in this Sarasota subdivision. Many old Florida homes and the properties are exquisite with tropical landscaping and huge banyan trees. Older homes are still being updated with designer touches in kitchens, bathrooms. New homes are replacing some of the older homes to make way for a new look for this Sarasota area. This beautiful community is a "must see" for location, location, location.

Tis the season for holiday lights and you will see unusual displays in this area as well as traditional adornment. Since we don't get much snow in our area, residents go all out for lighting display during the holidays. Shop or dine in this area from Thanksgiving through New Year's and enjoy the clever arrangements presented by the shops, restaurants, and be sure to stop by and have your hair done at Snuffy's favorite hairdresser, Salon Posh on Hillview. Ask for Laurie Tiner, owner, 941-350-0384 for appointments.

On weekends, Snuffy and I make time for a visit to Morton's, stroll through the quiet streets to view new Sarasota real estate, walk around the Plaza and indulge in yummy pastries or a warm cup of flavored coffee.

Evening dining at Knick's is Snuffy's favorite or Sam Snead's, both allow doggies on their patios. We respect their rules though. All West of the Trail restaurants, Hillview Grille, or Chutney's are often on our calendar.

Searching area 41 in the Sarasota MLS data, 144 homes are currently available for sale. Prices range from $236,050 to over $11 million to enjoy this Sarasota lifestyle.

Sarasota FL Luxury Real Estate

Golden Gate Point has experienced a major transformation. In the last five years, the Sarasota skyline has changed considerably with massive high-rises priced over $3 million towering across from the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, all providing luxurious amenities to homeowners.

In the last six months, 7 sales were provided by the Sarasota MLS stats. A one bedroom unit sold for $500,000 at Harbor House while a luxury unit at Labellasara sold for $2,250,000 in July. Current Golden Gate Point listings are priced from $599,000 for a one bedroom, 1 bath, 670 sq.ft. unit at Pier 550 to a spacious, over 3900 sq.ft., unit offering 4 bedroom suites, a game room with fireplace, a web bar and a boat slip at the Grand Rivera, including sensational water views. With spectacular views of Sarasota's new Ringling Bridge, Sarasota Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, city lights and gorgeous sunsets, Golden Bay condos are within a quick drive to Sarasota's cultural attractions, dining and shopping.


The Herron Group offers the highest of Internet exposure for properties in Sarasota with multiple websites and a creative marketing strategy for the changing Sarasota real estate market. Email Nick, Kathleen or Annette with your questions or to ask for a buying or listing appointment.

Sellers of Sarasota Real Estate May Offer Buyer Incentives

Sarasota Home Buyers Doing Well on More Than Lowered Prices

If you need to sell your home and can't wait for the Sarasota real estate market to make its turn, consider enticing buyers with incentives.
Read this interesting article in its entirety.

Some sellers need to relocate due to a job placement. Elderly homeowners need to move closer to their kids due to illness. There are many reasons why a seller might be very motivated to move on with their life. Thus, buyers can now capitalize on more than price reductions. Home builders started offering incentives first, now homeowners are doing the same. Ask for the moon if you are buying, but get off the fence and take a look at the "pick'ns"

In downtown Sarasota, our showing schedule this week included one waterfront condo listed for $545,000 with a full bay view. The unit has marble floors, two bedrooms and two baths, open kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a balcony overlooking downtown and the bay in one of downtown's newest buildings. Walk to the bookstore across the street, stroll down to First Watch for breakfast or get a quick cub of java at Starbuck's. Shop for groceries at Whole Foods. Everything is within walking distance. Prices are down, interest rates remain at historic lows, and many sellers in downtown Sarasota are dealing.

If you are thinking of buying a condo in Sarasota, Florida in this cultural waterfront community, contact Annette Smith or Nick Herron with the Herron Group, RE/MAX Properties for listings in the Sarasota MLS. Email Annette or Nick for an appointment to view properties for sale or give us at call at 941-504-3922.