Approximately 14 days on the market and this listing of mine went under contract. There are selective buyers in the marketplace today that don’t want a resale, foreclosure nor short sale. The home is scheduled to close in 2 weeks.
New construction at 2100 square feet under air with a view of the 18th tee at Venetian and pond view. I can see why this one didn’t take long to sell.
Got on board with Prudential Florida Realty at Venetian Golf & River Club this week. WCI has elected to “suspend” home building operations for the time being in respect to the fact that the resale market pricing is pretty much competitively priced against the new home pricing. My partner; Frank McCarthy is a seasoned veteran in new home sales and I am honored to be working with him as a team. Frank and I can be reached at 941-544-7516.
I’ll be visiting Univesity Groves this week to discuss listing Fidelity Homes model. The home I’ll be listing is the most functional layout I have ever seen. David Hunihan spares no details on quality and design when it comes to buildinig a home. I consider him one of the most educated builders and astute real estate professionals in the area. Stop by and take a look at his homes. University Groves is located on Tuttle Ave., just north of University Parkway. Check back to this sight for a full video presentation.
Dropped by the “authentic” local pub to wet the whistle Friday night and who do I see in JR’s Packinghouse Cafe but Mr. Jon Thaxton (or his look alike decoy). I waved hello from across the entry walkway. We don’t know each other – yet. There he is hanging out being a local. I hope he realized that there is not a need to add a traffic light at that intersection, it’s just always that packed at the Packinghouse.
I think Jon is a good guy. He seems to be a formidable guy. Commissioners have a dirty job. It’s not for me.
You see, I don’t want to be in politics. But somehow it may be inherent and inevitable to my “Irish” blood line that I get involved. Why, Just the other day a neighbor asked if I was running for “REALTOR of The United States of America”. Well, truth is, I did launch this campaign 8 years ago, but the whole “Chad” thing took precedence. I tried to detour my directive at that time, but being in Florida the press interfered and off went public interest.
Now that the interest may be spawning ( and possibly Mr. Thaxton overheard the locals) amongst those living out East in Sarasota, I truly hope the local crowd don’t forget about the real election for the leaders of our free nation and put me first in their minds.
I recently assited a client with her purchase of a townhome in Willowbrook in Manatee County. She came to me through my website, sarasotacommunities.com. She was able to search the MLS through my website and found townhomes that met her criteria.
I do notice a trend in townhome customers of mine, they prefer to live a maintenance free lifestyle and enjoy being on the go.
One of the best places I feel you could live centrally in Sarasota is Gulf Gate. When you consider you’re right in the mix of all the great location and amenities that Sarasota has with its beaches, shopping, parks and recreation.
I purchased my first home in 1998 on Pinehurst St., which I still own to this day. Pinehurst St. isn’t in Gulf Gate but is a street south of the border of the Gulf Gate community. I could put on the in line skates and just cruise over to Gulf Gate Drive and eat or shop at all the cool little ma & paps stores from pierogies to cold local brewed beer. Gulf Gate Elementary School is one of the most sought after elementary schools in the area as well. Sarasota County has the Gulf Gate library there and most homes throughout Gulf Gate have charming curb appeal. The community itself was developed in the early 50’s and still today it is one of most desirable places to reside in Sarasota. You can find large estate sized homes in Gulf Gate Woods along with smaller villas and townhomes in the development as well. In today’s market, first time homebuyers (like I was in 1998) can find ample home pricing in the mid to high $100’s.
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Recently I came across a new development being considered for construction on the corner of Gulf Gate Drive and Gateway Ave.
This “Mix-Use” project will encompass a “Work-Play” lifestyle. 5 residential units along with 5 business store fronts will be put together in an interesting architectural design. This area is perfect for this and should utilize all of its amenities as a walkable community. An owner could purchase two units together for residential living on two floors above the entry of the store front. The developer is including elevators in the units themselves. I love the idea and would live there.
IF you or anyone you know may be interested in finding out more about the Gulf Gate Neighborhood and homes available on the market, please contact me today or call me direct at 941-544-7516.
Front row seats to Sarasota Bay and City Views.
Recently I visited the Marquee On The Bay Sales Center in Downtown Sarasota. This Condo along with its views and floor plans are truly remarkable. Marquee on the Bay will offer uniquely designed 1250, 1900, 2800 sq ft and full floor residence floor plans. Views are what you dream of when considering the Downtown Sarasota lifestyle.
One of the things I thought was neat is that Carolyn Spizzirro had specialized photography done to showcase the views that these incredible units will have from each floor in their respective location. Now that is pre-selling!
Contact me today to find out more about this exciting downtown Sarasota Condo development.
When working on site doing sales for Lennar Homes in 2003 in Rivendell, I worried about the development of this beautiful quaint area of Sarasota. Condo’s were planned for the waterfront on Blackburn Point and I could only see the land and amenities taken away from us locals that cherished using this great area for relaxing and enjoying the scenery that this part of Florida has to offer. It was great news to hear about the Blackburn Point Waterfront plan in the Herald. I didn’t want to see another Key West scenario happen here, where you can’t get to the water because the land was all privately owned.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080614/NEWS/806140366&SearchID=73320940944666
University Park, Mote Ranch, University and the I-75, exit 213 corridor are the epitomy of “location, location, location” these days. With current residential construction and communities that are within a young 10 year existance, the University Parkway communities and neighborhoods have everything within their reach. If that isn’t enough of a perk, the airport is just minutes west.
University Town Center, which has attracted Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s as anchors, is expected to be on a par with Tampa’s International Plaza in terms of luxury and retail variety. The project’s partners are Benderson Development Co., the Forbes Co. and Taubman Centers Inc., the developer of International Plaza and the Mall at Millenia in Orlando. University Town Center will be more than 900,000 square feet, surrounded by hotels, restaurants, homes and offices. The combined project is 1.7 million square feet. Developers plan a November 2010 opening.
I haven’t posted any new comments in awhile as I have been busy ready to launch the Sarasota Communities new website and working with one of my Canadian clients. I will have the new site packed with buyer and seller resources and up to date Sarasota MLS interface along with other pertinent real estate market news. Please check back at the end of the week for the new site and let me know if you have any suggestions.
In the interim, check out the encouraging news for Sarasota Real Estate release by the Sarasota Association of Realtors and the Florida Association of Realtors:
NEW HOME SALES
Sales of new homes in the U.S. rose in April for the first time in six months, moving up by 3.3 percent, according to a Department of Commerce report. The median price of a new home dropped to $246,100 in April, down 4.2 percent from April 2007
(The following press release was sent to local media on May 23)
Sarasota market hits highest sales figure since June 2007
Home sales in the Sarasota MLS for April 2008 stood at 567 – the highest level in 10 months, and approximately 72 percent higher than the sales in January 2008. In 2008, sales have been progressively stronger month by month, possibly due to the influence of the new property tax portability law adopted in late January. Sales have climbed from 329 in January to 423 in February, then 514 in March.
Bucking the trend of dropping median sales prices for single family homes, April also saw the median sale price rise to $285,000 from $266,750 in March – about a 7 percent increase.
Home sales on upswing in state
Florida Realtors® reported an upswing in existing home and condo sales from March to April 2008, according to FAR’s latest housing statistics. A total of 11,200 existing single-family homes sold statewide in April, a 20 percent increase over March sales activity, while statewide existing condo sales rose 21.6 percent over the same time period.
Sarasota Communities Weblog 