Updates from March, 2010

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  • The Neighborhood Report - Venice Island

    John Butzko 2:14 am on March 11, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    A stroll along the storefronts along Venice Avenue on Venice Island.

    People love to live on and visit downtown Venice—located on Venice Island—where they find a small town atmosphere with plenty to see and do. Here, there is an active center of town where you can stroll down Venice Avenue and enjoy the shops and outside cafes, just a breath away from beautiful area beaches. Convenience is key, as one can ride a bike or walk to most places of interest on Venice Island.

    Market Activity – Venice Island

    In the past 30 days, 17 properties sold and 58 have gone under contract on Venice Island, according to Venice office branch manager Kathy Wood. Recently, Venice office agents Jo-Anne Sckowska and Nell Taylor worked with a vacationing couple who wanted a condominium to use as a vacation place for now and eventually move into. All the properties that met their criteria were in different areas off the island, and Jo-Anne and Nell could tell the homebuyers weren’t very enthusiastic about them. So, the team suggested they view a listing across from the beach with a nice side Gulf view. This listing was a bit dated and needed updating, but was near where they were staying and convenient to all of downtown’s charms. As they walked in and looked out the window at the wonderful view, they were able to overlook the updating needs. They wrote a contract for cash on this island condominium and will go to closing very soon. (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report – Lido Shores

    John Butzko 3:30 pm on March 4, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Lido Shores is home to an array of luxurious homes.

    Established in 1950 and nestled between St. Armands and Longboat Key, Lido Shores is an intimate oasis of approximately one hundred homes. The waterfront properties have frontage on Pansy Bayou, Sarasota Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and New Pass, which provide direct deepwater boating access to the Gulf of Mexico or Sarasota Bay.

    Lido Shore’s location is ideal, within walking distance of St. Armands Circle and Mote Marine, and just a few miles from downtown Sarasota with its restaurants and myriad of cultural activities. Residents have a private beach with pavilion directly on the Gulf of Mexico. The voluntary and friendly Lido Shores Property Owners Association organizes social activities including sunset parties, a Fall House Tour with Dinner, and Spring Beach Barbecue. Some of the most elegant homes in Sarasota are located on Westway Drive, often called “The Rodeo Drive of Sarasota.” (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report – Siesta Estates

    John Butzko 1:01 pm on February 25, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Homes in Siesta Estates rarely go on the market. This one is currently listed by Harvey and Ethel Lovelace.

    Tucked away at the corner of Beach and Midnight Pass roads on Siesta Key is a private enclave of 16 homes in a private, gated community called Siesta Estates. The homes are newer, built since 1995, and the community offers privacy walls, lush tropical landscaping and underground utilities including natural gas. Although this community lives like a single-family community, it has yard and private pool maintenance included, which make it ideal for owners that travel or want to use the home part time.

    Market Activity – Siesta Estates

    Homes in Siesta Estates are a minimum of 2,000 square feet with the average being around 2,500 square feet. In June of 2009, the only remaining lot was put under contract by Mary Jo Violett and Kristina Rain with the Siesta Key office of Michael Saunders & Company. A new home is being built on that site. (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report – Turtle Rock

    John Butzko 5:00 pm on February 10, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Turtle Rock offers a variety of residential options to suit any taste.

    Turtle Rock is a gated residential community located in the heart of Palmer Ranch. The community is comprised of 751 properties, including single-family homes and maintenance-free villas set within a lovely background of serene beauty. Most of the homes enjoy views of the pristine lakes and natural preserves. Residents enjoy an assortment of great amenities, such as tennis, basketball, swimming, walking, biking and even canoeing. In Turtle Rock, you are just steps away from the ever-popular Legacy Trail, where you can bike, jog or rollerblade 11 miles to Venice. Whether you are an active adult, early retiree or have a young family, there is a home that is right for you. (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report – The Meadows

    John Butzko 4:03 pm on February 2, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Tranquility awaits in The Meadows in Sarasota. Discover a range of available properties.

    The Meadows is a country club community that was the original planned urban development in Sarasota. Along with an assortment of real estate styles from single-family homes to villas and townhouses, The Meadows features 54 holes of challenging golf and a dynamic tennis club. This is a very active time in The Meadows, as many of its residents are seasonal, and everyone is here now to enjoy the beautiful winter weather.

    Market Activity – The Meadows

    At this time, there are approximately 40 properties for sale in The Meadows with prices ranging from $125k to $1,150,000, so opportunities for all types of homes are present. Our Main Street office represents a number of available properties for sale in The Meadows, and our most recently completed transactions have been accomplished by Judy Nimz. (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report – Village Green

    John Butzko 3:44 pm on January 26, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Well-manicured fairways adorn Village Green's golf course.

    Village Green is a prime neighborhood in the city of Bradenton, Florida, with 1,001 residences consisting of 575 freestanding single-family homes and 426 villa condominiums. Many of the condominium sections include community swimming pools among their amenities, and winding paths and tranquil lakes highlight the beautiful, lush surrounds.

    Bounded on the north by 7th Avenue West, on the south by 29th Avenue West, on the east by 63rd Street West and on the west by 75th Street West, Village Green enjoys a convenient location close to area shopping and medical services. The sparkling waters of Palma Sola Bay are only three blocks away, and the beautiful beaches on the Gulf of Mexico are a short three-mile drive.

    Recent Sales Activity – Village Green

    In the last 60 days, there have been seven sales in Village Green, with an average sales price of $156,992. Of the seven residences sold, five were single-family homes and two were villa condominiums.

    Agent Kudos – Selling Village Green

    Bradenton office agents Kathy Valente and Ally Howell have recently sold a home in Village Green to customers from out of the area. According to Ally, “They buyers fell in love with the home due to the great condition and gorgeous greenbelt view.”

    7405 7th W Ave - This 3BR villa is available in Village Green. Listed by Kathy Valente.

    The buyers were familiar with Village Green since they have family in the area, so they searched for homes online, where they also located Kathy and Ally for assistance in finding the right property. The residence purchased was a two-bedroom villa condominium with a two-car garage and approximately 2,100 square feet and sold for $136,000.

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  • The Neighborhood Report – Emerald Harbor

    John Butzko 3:48 pm on January 12, 2010 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Our office on south Longboat Key specializes in communties throughout the area.

    Located near the north end of Longboat Key, Emerald Harbor captures the essence of the Florida lifestyle as a quiet bayfront community. The neighborhood’s 72 homes are all  set on deep boating water along extra wide canals that offer direct access to the Intracoastal Waterway with no bridges to Sarasota Bay. Owners in this desirable community enjoy deeded beach access to Longboat Key’s sandy white beaches just across Gulf of Mexico Drive for shelling, strolling and watching beautiful sunsets.

    Market Activity – Emerald Harbor

    There are currently four active listings in Emerald Harbor, but activity in Emerald Harbor has been brisk recently with four of the five sales in 2009 occurring in the last four months of the year. One of those sales took place within the last 30 days. Selling prices in this community have ranged from $610,000 to a high of $1.375 million. (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report – Plantation Golf & Country Club

    John Butzko 2:49 pm on January 5, 2010 | Comments:2 Permalink | Reply
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    Our Plantation office is ready to assist homebuyers and sellers throughout the area.

    Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice was open for business with the completion of the Bobcat golf course in 1981. The Plantation added the second 18-hole Panther golf course in 1991 to complete the Ron Garl-designed 36 holes of championship golf. The courses feature two distinctively different layouts, providing challenging play and a rewarding golf experience at every level.

    The Plantation community consists of 1,300 acres and is approaching its build-out plan of 2,800 homes. Club membership is not restricted to residents of the community. Plantation offers a friendly yet refined atmosphere of comfortable elegance and first-class amenities, which include 13 Har-Tru lighted tennis courts, a heated junior-Olympic size swimming pool, a spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a grand clubhouse with the ambiance and charm of “Old Florida.” Plantation was voted “Best Private Country Club,” “Best Banquet Facilities” and “Best Tennis Facilities” by the Herald Tribune’s Reader’s Choice Awards. Plantation Golf & Country Club is very proud to have been selected to host the LPGA Annual Tour Qualifying School since 1987, one of only two qualifying schools in the nation. And, the Bobcat and Panther courses are included in the Golf Digest’s Places to Play Directory. (More …)

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  • The Neighborhood Report - Lakewood Ranch

    John Butzko 1:22 pm on December 14, 2009 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    Many beautiful homes grace the Country Club at Lakewood Ranch. Pictured: 7045 Portmarnock Place.

    Many beautiful homes grace the Country Club at Lakewood Ranch. Pictured: 7045 Portmarnock Place.

    November was quite a month for home sales in the over $1 million range in the gated areas of Lakewood Ranch—The Country Club and The Lake Club. Four sales closed during the month and another three homes went to contract, but have yet to close. Compare these results to just 15 sales during the previous ten months of 2009.

    Agent Kudos – Helping Sell Lakewood Ranch

    The improvement in sales in Lakewood Ranch is a clear result of long-awaited rational pricing in this category, which is more in evidence each day. One of the best examples is a home in the luxurious Portmarnock neighborhood listed by Barbara Najmy of our Lakewood Ranch office. Barbara, who has been associated with several transactions this year in this price range, clearly outlined the pricing realities of the market for her customer. She discussed the substantial costs associated with keeping a home of this nature on the market for prolonged periods and demonstrated the best ways to prepare a home for would-be buyers. The result: the home was placed under contract in 60 days and closed in just 80 days. What a difference when compared to the other three closings that averaged nearly three years on the market before sale! (More …)

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  • Neighborhood Report – St. Armands, Bird Key and Lido Key

    John Butzko 12:09 pm on December 8, 2009 | Comments:0 Permalink | Reply
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    The St. Armands area offers a variety of lifestyle options.

    The St. Armands area offers a variety of lifestyle options.

    Barbara Roberts, managing broker of our St. Armands Circle offices, reports an increase in walk-in activity. During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the agents of her office noted return customers coming in to inquire about the status of the real estate market.

    St. Armands Office Agents – News and Notes

    We are pleased to welcome Karen Lyons Nowadly to our St. Armands offices. Karen brings over 10 years of real estate experience Michael Saunders & Company.

    A premier property was just listed by Jenifer Schwell in the Grand Bay condominium community on Longboat Key. This residence is elegant and sophisticated with top-of-the-world views of the city and Sarasota Bay. This newly listed property is priced at $1.295 million. (More …)

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