This morning on the Today Show, Barbara Corcoran, Real Estate Correspondent, said Sarasota, Florida is the number one place in the NATION to buy a home today!
We Wanted to Share this Video From The Broadcast of The Today Show, For Those Who Have Visited Sarasota Before, This is no Surprise.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!
According to the interview, Sarasota prices have stabilized and are heading back up, and the community attributes (as we all know) - the beaches, the weather, the culture, the homes and the people - are too good to pass up!
Check it out! We're Number One!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Siesta Key Beach Video
Check out this great video about why Siesta Key Beach is ranked the best beach on the mainland USA!
WATCH VIDEO
WATCH VIDEO
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Siesta Key Beach ranked #2!
Siesta Key Beach has inched up to the #2 beach from the #3 beach last year in this year's "Dr. Beach" rankings. Read the full article from the Sarasota Herald Tribune.
Why not live at this famous beach? Check out our listings for homes and condos for sale on Siesta Key.
Why not live at this famous beach? Check out our listings for homes and condos for sale on Siesta Key.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Pending home sales rose in March
From today's Sarasota Herald Tribune:
By Aaron Kessler
Published: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Monday, May 4, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Pending home sales rose by an unexpected 3.2 percent in March, adding to mounting evidence in Southwest Florida that the housing market might be turning the corner.
The National Association of Realtors said that home buyers taking advantage of bargain prices, low interest rates and a tax credit for first-time buyers pushed the seasonally adjusted index of pending sales to a level that beat analysts' flat expectations and that was 1.1 percent above last year's levels, the first time that has happened since December.
Pending sales were up 8.5 percent in the South and 4 percent in the West, but dropped elsewhere.
Typically there is a one- to two-month lag between a contract and a done deal, so the index serves as a barometer for future home sales.
The national and regional results mirrored what parts of Southwest Florida has been experiencing. Pending sales for the territory covered by the Sarasota Association of Realtors numbered 817 in March.
The last time the figure was above the 800 mark was in March 2006. The 817 figure was 21 percent higher than the level a year earlier.
"Prices have come down, and buyers are jumping in," said Marc Rasmussen, an agent with Michael Saunders & Co. "A lot of people that have been waiting on the sidelines for a long time are getting in now."
The Sarasota Multiple Listing Service showed 2,400 single-family homes under contract to be sold, along with about 720 condominiums.
April and May traditionally have been a strong season for sales in Sarasota-Bradenton. As the season closes, buyers get motivated to take action.
"A lot of people start their search early in the season and decide for sure on what they want towards the end," Rasmussen said.
The driving force this time is price, he said. As sellers adjust themselves to the realities of the current market, buyers are responding.
A month-to-month increase in pricing during March, coupled with historically low mortgage rates for the region, has bolstered the notion that buyers arrived.
Realtors are also seeing what seemed a bygone boom phenomenon: multiple-offer situations.
"They're coming here and they want to secure something now," said Kathy Marlowe, a Lakewood Ranch-based agent for Keller Williams Realty. "People are saying they might not move here for 10 more years, but they want their property now."
Marlowe recently had one buyer from Ohio who chose eight properties to view, and by the time he flew down four had been sold. He put in offers on two of the remaining properties, but lost both to higher bids.
"He had to go up against four other offers, and wound up having to pay $5,000 over asking price to secure the property for himself," she said.
The region also has been experiencing something of an extended season, said Deborah Beacham, a Longboat Key-based Michael Saunders agent specializing in high-end properties. Sarasota-Bradenton could see a busy summer if the momentum holds, she said, noting that there were 19 sales pending for waterfront properties priced at $1.5 million and above.
Besides the pending sales figures, the Commerce Department reported that construction spending increased 0.3 percent in March, the best showing since a similar rise in September. Economists had expected spending to drop 1.5 percent for a sixth straight monthly decline.
New home sales have plunged 74 percent from their July 2005 peak. Sales of new homes hit a record low in January, posted an increase in February and then edged down 0.6 percent in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 356,000 units.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
This story appeared in print on page D1
By Aaron Kessler
Published: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Monday, May 4, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Pending home sales rose by an unexpected 3.2 percent in March, adding to mounting evidence in Southwest Florida that the housing market might be turning the corner.
The National Association of Realtors said that home buyers taking advantage of bargain prices, low interest rates and a tax credit for first-time buyers pushed the seasonally adjusted index of pending sales to a level that beat analysts' flat expectations and that was 1.1 percent above last year's levels, the first time that has happened since December.
Pending sales were up 8.5 percent in the South and 4 percent in the West, but dropped elsewhere.
Typically there is a one- to two-month lag between a contract and a done deal, so the index serves as a barometer for future home sales.
The national and regional results mirrored what parts of Southwest Florida has been experiencing. Pending sales for the territory covered by the Sarasota Association of Realtors numbered 817 in March.
The last time the figure was above the 800 mark was in March 2006. The 817 figure was 21 percent higher than the level a year earlier.
"Prices have come down, and buyers are jumping in," said Marc Rasmussen, an agent with Michael Saunders & Co. "A lot of people that have been waiting on the sidelines for a long time are getting in now."
The Sarasota Multiple Listing Service showed 2,400 single-family homes under contract to be sold, along with about 720 condominiums.
April and May traditionally have been a strong season for sales in Sarasota-Bradenton. As the season closes, buyers get motivated to take action.
"A lot of people start their search early in the season and decide for sure on what they want towards the end," Rasmussen said.
The driving force this time is price, he said. As sellers adjust themselves to the realities of the current market, buyers are responding.
A month-to-month increase in pricing during March, coupled with historically low mortgage rates for the region, has bolstered the notion that buyers arrived.
Realtors are also seeing what seemed a bygone boom phenomenon: multiple-offer situations.
"They're coming here and they want to secure something now," said Kathy Marlowe, a Lakewood Ranch-based agent for Keller Williams Realty. "People are saying they might not move here for 10 more years, but they want their property now."
Marlowe recently had one buyer from Ohio who chose eight properties to view, and by the time he flew down four had been sold. He put in offers on two of the remaining properties, but lost both to higher bids.
"He had to go up against four other offers, and wound up having to pay $5,000 over asking price to secure the property for himself," she said.
The region also has been experiencing something of an extended season, said Deborah Beacham, a Longboat Key-based Michael Saunders agent specializing in high-end properties. Sarasota-Bradenton could see a busy summer if the momentum holds, she said, noting that there were 19 sales pending for waterfront properties priced at $1.5 million and above.
Besides the pending sales figures, the Commerce Department reported that construction spending increased 0.3 percent in March, the best showing since a similar rise in September. Economists had expected spending to drop 1.5 percent for a sixth straight monthly decline.
New home sales have plunged 74 percent from their July 2005 peak. Sales of new homes hit a record low in January, posted an increase in February and then edged down 0.6 percent in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 356,000 units.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
This story appeared in print on page D1
Friday, April 17, 2009
Evidence of life in home sales
Staff and Wire Reports
Published: Friday, April 17, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. Sarasota Herald Tribune. Last Modified: Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 6:36 p.m.
In a potential preview of next week's existing home sales, Sarasota Realtors say they sold 353 single-family homes and 128 condominiums.
The Sarasota Association of Realtors did not offer a comparative number from 2008, but said that sales were up 33 percent from February and at the highest level of the year.
The association took that as a signal that things might be bottoming.
In another good sign, pending sales -- those under contract but not yet consummated -- numbered 817 last month. The last time pending sales in the Sarasota market climbed to that level was March 2006. The 817 was 21 percent higher than this time last year.
The pending-sales level has risen above 500 homes for the 15th consecutive month.
"We believe the current climate of historically low interest rates, major incentives for first-time home buyers, and the many other government programs designed to stabilize the economy and the housing industry is all having a very positive impact," said Bill Geller, the association's 2009 president, in a statement on Thursday. "Every downturn is followed by an upturn – we know this to be true historically."
The Florida Association of Realtors is scheduled to release March sales statistics for the Sarasota-Bradenton, Charlotte County-North Port and Florida markets on April 23.
Meanwhile, housing construction plunged to the second lowest level on record in March, reversing a big jump from the previous month. Economists, however, were heartened by indications that the long slide in single-family construction could be coming to an end.
The Commerce Department said construction of new homes and apartments dropped 10.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 510,000 units. That was the second lowest construction pace in records that go back 50 years.
The decline was worse than economists had expected and February activity also was revised lower. Applications for building permits fell 9 percent in March to a record low of 513,000 units.
But economists noted the big movements in construction starts in March occurred in the volatile apartment sector, which plunged 29 percent to an annual rate of 152,000 units after having surged 62.1 percent in February.
The much larger single-family sector actually stabilized in March at an annual rate of 358,000 units, the same level as February when single-family starts managed a small 0.6 percent rise.
"The headline numbers are disappointing," wrote IHS Global Insight Economist Patrick Newport. "But the details indicate that the market for single-family homes is testing the bottom."
The March single-family building pace remains just half of the level of activity a year ago, "but stabilization would represent progress," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.
Analysts cautioned that while housing sales and prices eventually will rebound, continuing home foreclosures and job losses likely mean that will take many months.
Joel Naroff, an economist at Naroff Economic Advisers, said the steep slump in housing has trimmed a percentage point from overall economic growth for the past two years so even a stabilization at low levels would help.
"The bad news is that home construction is still in the tank. The good news is that single-family activity may finally be stabilizing," he said.
The drop in construction in March followed a 17.2 percent surge in February, an unexpected gain driven by the big increase in apartment activity.
The 510,000 unit pace for total construction is the second lowest in government records dating to January 1959. The record low was a 488,000 unit pace set in January.
For March, the biggest decline was a 26.3 percent drop in the West followed by a 16.8 percent fall in the South. Construction activity rose 15.9 percent in the Midwest and 6.3 percent in the Northeast.
The setback in housing starts came after more upbeat reports showing tentative rebounds in sales and builder sentiment.
The National Association of Home Builders reported Wednesday that its gauge of builder sentiment posted its biggest one-month jump in five years in April.
While still near historically low levels, the trade association said the index rose five points to 14, its highest reading since October. The trade group includes industry heavyweights such as Centex Corp. and Lennar Corp., as well as hundreds of smaller builders nationwide.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
This story appeared in print on page D1
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Published: Friday, April 17, 2009 at 1:00 a.m. Sarasota Herald Tribune. Last Modified: Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 6:36 p.m.
In a potential preview of next week's existing home sales, Sarasota Realtors say they sold 353 single-family homes and 128 condominiums.
The Sarasota Association of Realtors did not offer a comparative number from 2008, but said that sales were up 33 percent from February and at the highest level of the year.
The association took that as a signal that things might be bottoming.
In another good sign, pending sales -- those under contract but not yet consummated -- numbered 817 last month. The last time pending sales in the Sarasota market climbed to that level was March 2006. The 817 was 21 percent higher than this time last year.
The pending-sales level has risen above 500 homes for the 15th consecutive month.
"We believe the current climate of historically low interest rates, major incentives for first-time home buyers, and the many other government programs designed to stabilize the economy and the housing industry is all having a very positive impact," said Bill Geller, the association's 2009 president, in a statement on Thursday. "Every downturn is followed by an upturn – we know this to be true historically."
The Florida Association of Realtors is scheduled to release March sales statistics for the Sarasota-Bradenton, Charlotte County-North Port and Florida markets on April 23.
Meanwhile, housing construction plunged to the second lowest level on record in March, reversing a big jump from the previous month. Economists, however, were heartened by indications that the long slide in single-family construction could be coming to an end.
The Commerce Department said construction of new homes and apartments dropped 10.8 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 510,000 units. That was the second lowest construction pace in records that go back 50 years.
The decline was worse than economists had expected and February activity also was revised lower. Applications for building permits fell 9 percent in March to a record low of 513,000 units.
But economists noted the big movements in construction starts in March occurred in the volatile apartment sector, which plunged 29 percent to an annual rate of 152,000 units after having surged 62.1 percent in February.
The much larger single-family sector actually stabilized in March at an annual rate of 358,000 units, the same level as February when single-family starts managed a small 0.6 percent rise.
"The headline numbers are disappointing," wrote IHS Global Insight Economist Patrick Newport. "But the details indicate that the market for single-family homes is testing the bottom."
The March single-family building pace remains just half of the level of activity a year ago, "but stabilization would represent progress," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.
Analysts cautioned that while housing sales and prices eventually will rebound, continuing home foreclosures and job losses likely mean that will take many months.
Joel Naroff, an economist at Naroff Economic Advisers, said the steep slump in housing has trimmed a percentage point from overall economic growth for the past two years so even a stabilization at low levels would help.
"The bad news is that home construction is still in the tank. The good news is that single-family activity may finally be stabilizing," he said.
The drop in construction in March followed a 17.2 percent surge in February, an unexpected gain driven by the big increase in apartment activity.
The 510,000 unit pace for total construction is the second lowest in government records dating to January 1959. The record low was a 488,000 unit pace set in January.
For March, the biggest decline was a 26.3 percent drop in the West followed by a 16.8 percent fall in the South. Construction activity rose 15.9 percent in the Midwest and 6.3 percent in the Northeast.
The setback in housing starts came after more upbeat reports showing tentative rebounds in sales and builder sentiment.
The National Association of Home Builders reported Wednesday that its gauge of builder sentiment posted its biggest one-month jump in five years in April.
While still near historically low levels, the trade association said the index rose five points to 14, its highest reading since October. The trade group includes industry heavyweights such as Centex Corp. and Lennar Corp., as well as hundreds of smaller builders nationwide.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
This story appeared in print on page D1
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
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