LONGBOAT Observer
www.YourObserver.com
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
9A
Three Agents In One
In these uncertain times for the nation’s real estate markets, there are encouraging new certainties about ours. First, with a growing number of properties being sold from Bradenton to Boca Grande—Southwest Florida is showing definite signs of a sustained recovery.
gold standard for unbiased local market profiles based on actual sales. Your agent as knowledge broker will walk you through these revealing monthly trend reports and explain your best options as a buyer or seller.
Second, the recovery is occurring faster in many popular neighborhoods and price segments; less so in others. Third, in something of a blast from the not-too-distant past, a significant number of sellers are working with our agents to field multiple offers—thanks mainly to aggressive pricing.
Last week, front pages across the nation announced in bold headlines that February’s existing-home sales dropped 9.6% nationally compared with January. They were also down by 2.8% compared with last February.
To guarantee a successful transaction these days, your agent must not only possess competent real estate skills but also be equal parts knowledge broker and problem solver. Foreclosures, short-sales, fluctuating inventories and falling values—it can be very difficult for buyers and sellers to keep ahead of the market when the playing field changes constantly. To maximize your understanding of today’s market, be sure to contact an agent from Michael Saunders & Company. No one is more fully equipped, better trained or capable at dealing with each new twist and turn this market sends our way. To immediately capitalize on developing opportunities and trends within specific communities, neighborhoods, zip codes and price ranges we continuously provide our agents with updated market reports from such trusted sources as Trendgraphix—the industry’s
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune dutifully reported these less than stellar results as well—but with one key difference. It noted early-on in the story that for the third straight month homes sales in Southwest Florida defied the national trend. In fact, 17 of Florida’s 19 metro areas bucked February’s downward trend in national home sales. 18 of them also enjoyed higher condo sales. According to the Sarasota Association of Realtors, February sales in the Sarasota MLS were up 24.2% over January, up 27% over February 2010; and the inventory of unsold homes hit a six-year low. Plus, for the first time since April 2010—when the first time home buyer tax credit was still artificially stoking sales—pending sales exceeded 1,000. This proves yet again the adage that all real estate is local, thus making it unwise to form local housing decisions based solely on national trends. Foreclosures continued to place a drag on February prices in 14 of
Florida’s metro areas. Sarasota’s median price receded as well. Still, as the quickening pace of unit sales indicates, prices now occupy a comfortable range for many buyers who believe that any additional price declines are not worth the wait if it means missing out on a specific property, passing up a low interest rate; or having fewer firstrate properties to choose from. Instead, they’ve been known to formulate offers based on their best judgments of how area home prices may yet fall marginally before bouncing back. Moreover, our market has been repeatedly declared undervalued by numerous real estate experts. Theirs is also the expectation that prices will recover rather quickly once the backlog of distress sales is dealt with. With too many present-day transactions succumbing to preventable lending or title issues, your agent must also function as a troubleshooter as the sale progresses from contract to closing. Working in tandem with the teams from MSC Mortgage and MSC Title our agents offer their customers the added benefit of one-stop shopping; where the expertise and problem-solving skills of everyone involved remains unified, purposeful and communicative. When you choose a real estate company, be sure to get the personal representation you need in today’s hyper-challenging market. Choose an agent from Michael Saunders & Company and you’ll get three professionals in one. The licensed agent, the knowledge broker and the problem solver.
5200 Gulf Of Mexico Dr $4,199,000 #A3935021 Kathy Simonds
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-350-5292
6051 Gulf Of Mexico Dr $3,895,000 #A3925651 Hannerle Moore
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-387-7300
8263 Archers Ct $3,650,000 #A3938017 Sylvia Zimmerman
Sarasota 941-383-7591 941-350-5022
476 Partridge Cir $2,900,000 #A3935517 Anka Eshak PA
Bird Key 941-951-6660 941-504-6374
2399 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 3b1 $2,725,000 #A344892 Michael Moulton
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-928-3559
7100 Longboat Dr $2,499,000 #A3905119 Ann Martin
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-356-7717
1111 Ritz Carlton Dr # 1004 $1,595,000 #A3931999 Tammy Lynn Garner
Sarasota 941-951-6660 941-374-4161
3542 Mistletoe Ln $1,395,000 #A3932875 Maureen Horn
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-539-3384
535 Sanctuary Dr # C208 $1,199,500 #A3928854 Saint Cacchiotti
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-809-0787
455 Longboat Club Rd # 408 $1,195,000 #A3941512 Judy C Beck
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-320-2825
565 S Spoonbill Dr $1,099,000 #A3939831 Audrey Singer
Sarasota 941-383-7591 941-350-2588
398 Bob White Dr $1,090,000 #A3925830 Anne Mitchell
Bird Key 941-388-4447 941-725-0227
816 Idlewild Way $960,000 #A3940976 Ian Addy Pa
Siesta Key 941-383-7591 941-961-8850
2550 Harbourside Dr # 311 $899,000 #A3919713 Carol Aviles
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-356-6777
210 Sands Point Rd # 2803 $895,000 #A364192 Gail Wittig
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-228-1985
635 Marbury Ln $825,000 #A3939792 William Greene
Longboat Key 941-383-5502 941-321-0247
560 Cutter Ln $749,900 Sandi Layfield
#A3928539
Longboat Key 941-383-5502 941-914-2807
1425 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 204 $679,000 #A3941538 Jenifer Schwell
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-780-0968
2425 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 3E $669,500 #A3935734 Mel & Jan Goldsmith
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775 Longboat Club Rd # 202 $650,000 #A3941427 Diane Gregory
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-504-2993
660 Lands End Dr # 6 $575,000 #A3923323 Cathy Meldahl
Longboat Key 941-383-5502 941-724-7228
4401 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 304 $560,000 #A3930426 Michael Moulton
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-928-3559
4860 Cedar Oak Way $535,000 #A3940525 Alix Wexler PA
Sarasota 941-349-3444 941-350-2742
2036 84Th Street Cir Nw $495,000 #A3917532 Steve Abbott
Bradenton 941-383-7591 941-374-3003
3540 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 101 $435,000 #A3941336 Steve Magner
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-376-8559
4621 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 14F $425,000 #A3939474 Richard Perlman
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-228-8580
2016 Harbourside Dr # 321 $425,000 #A3939640 Hannerle Moore
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-387-7300
4485 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 703 $425,000 #A3941541 Maureen Horn
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-539-3384
3876 Spyglass Hill Rd $424,000 #A3941157 Judy Arreola & Kristina Talkie
Sarasota 941-349-3444 941-266-8658
4500 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # Ph4 $399,000 #A3915825 Bobbi Banan
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-356-2659
844 Evergreen Way # 29 $349,900 #A3937288 Cathy Meldahl
Longboat Key 941-383-5502 941-724-7228
3240 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 206 $349,000 #A3939877 Sherri Mills
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-350-7112
2039 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 205 $299,900 #A3939894 Anna Kaminski
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-388-4447
1100 Imperial Dr # 103 $287,000 #A3927065 Michael Nink
Sarasota 941-383-5502 941-914-2805
6800 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 183 $285,000 #A3935169 Sandi Layfield
Longboat Key 941-383-5502 941-914-2807
4235 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # G203 Longboat Key $274,000 #A3936274 941-388-4447 Eileen Burke 941-266-8949
3155 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 250 $214,000 #A3931985 Marilyn Brown
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-388-4447
2600 Harbourside Dr # N-07 $137,900 #A3937219 Ryan Heers
Vacation Ownership and Rentals LOngbOAt Key 3465 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 105 $225,000 #A3939095 Sandra Maslen
Longboat Key 941-388-4447 941-726-0035
White Sands of Longboat whitesandsoflongboat.com 800.230.2428
Longboat Key 941-383-7591 941-726-1703
Colony 941.383.3759 • Mid Longboat 383.5502 • South Longboat 383.7591 • St. Armands 388.4447 • Main Street 951.6660 • Palmer Ranch 966.8000 • Siesta Key 349.3444
51432
3320 Gulf Of Mexico Dr # 107C Longboat Key $249,000 #A3896917 941-383-7591 Doris Bushman 941-383-9253
Veranda Beach Club verandabeachclub.com 800.411.5511