Michaelsaunders.comnow features rich neighborhood profiles, community videos, local real estate market data and improved property search functionality
SARASOTA, Florida—(August 17, 2010)—Michael Saunders & Company, the leading real estate company on Florida’s Gulf Coast, announces the premier of its new web site, michaelsaunders.com. The distinctive new site combines consumer-centric design and ease of usage with the compelling neighborhood content, market data and advanced property search capabilities that buyers and sellers need to make important decisions impacting their real estate goals. The new site is now live at michaelsaunders.com.
“When we opened our first office 34 years ago, we did so with the commitment to deliver an outstanding real estate experience to every customer who passed through our front door,” said Michael Saunders, company founder and CEO from her headquarters in downtown Sarasota. “Times have definitely changed; with today’s “front door” very often being the home page of our web site. The new site renews our commitment to an exceptional experience no matter which portal a customer comes through.” (more…)
Deborah O’Mara, a top-producing new home sales specialist in Sarasota/Manatee, has joined the Lakewood Ranch office of Michael Saunders & Company it was announced today from the company’s headquarters in downtown Sarasota.
“I’m thrilled to have someone with Deborah’s extensive business background and track record in real estate and new construction on our Lakewood Ranch team,” said company founder and CEO, Michael Saunders. “Very much appreciated for her high level of energy, knowledge and integrity, Deborah’s clients can always expect an exceptional real estate experience. After living and selling real estate there for 10 years, Deborah provides the total perspective on the lifestyle options of Lakewood Ranch and other new homes communities throughout Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Her focus on customer care and follow-through not only earns her the respect of her clients but also their referrals of friends and family.”
O’Mara has enjoyed a noteworthy career in real estate and finance for over 32 years; starting as a real estate broker in Massachusetts in 1978, where she became partner in her own real estate company on Cape Cod specializing in new home sales. Deborah later relocated to Florida’s east coast, where she joined Citibank and soon became vice president of business development and marketing with real estate lending responsibilities. In 2000, she moved to Florida’s west coast and currently resides in Lakewood Ranch with her husband, Charles.
Most recently a top-producer for Neal Communities, O’Mara consistently set the pace for that company’s new home sales for over 10 years. During her tenure there, she sold over 200 new homes in Lakewood Ranch alone and has been recognized annually at the Million Dollar Circle Awards; twice as one of the “Top 5” new home sales consultants in Sarasota/Manatee, with annual sales in excess of $30 million. She has also been awarded the Master Certified Sales Professional designation.
Deborah is a member of the Sarasota Association of Realtors (SAR), Manatee Association of Realtors (MAR) and the Sarasota Women’s Council of Realtors. She has also twice been awarded the Five-Star Real Estate Agent Best in Client Satisfaction award.
The Lakewood Ranch office of Michael Saunders & Company is at 8325 Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. Deborah O’Mara can be reached by calling (941) 730-0777; or at (941) 907-9595. Her email address is DeborahOMara@michaelsaunders.com.
The homes of Country Club Shores offer a quaint "Old Florida" style. Pictured: 621 Ranger Lane.
Originally developed in five phases in the early 1960s, Country Club Shores has become one of the most sought-after locations on Longboat Key. With its convenient site at the southern end of Longboat Key, the neighborhood is popular with boaters as most homes are set on the open bay or deepwater canals with direct access to Sarasota Bay. Residents also enjoy beach access, just across Gulf of Mexico Drive.
Market Activity – Country Club Shores
There are currently 43 active listings in Country Club Shores ranging in price from $499,000 for a 1,600-square foot home built in 1968 to $3.7 million for a 2010-built bayfront estate. So far year-to-date, 12 properties have sold with prices ranging from $330,000 to $1.7 million. Of these 12 closed properties, four took place in July.
Homes in The Loop boast an array of styles and sizes. Pictured: 9625 18th Avenue Nw Cir.
The Loop of Northwest Bradenton is located just minutes from the local beaches and the newly opened Robinson Preserve—over 400 acres of diverse marshlands, open water and nature trails. The Loop has 53 home sites and is the only gated community currently in Northwest Bradenton. What makes this neighborhood so special? The home sites are nice and large, and the varied home styles are surrounded by mature landscaping inside this quaint community.
Market Activity – The Loop
Homes in TheLoop currently on the market at priced from $650,000 to $747,000. These properties range in size from 3,000 square feet to just over 5,000 square feet, and are mostly newer with the oldest being built in 1998.
The most recent home sold in TheLoop was listed by Sandy Drapala of Michael Saunders & Company and sold for $647,000. Built in 1997, this home featured four bedrooms and approximately 3,800 square feet of living area. (more…)
Surrounded by sparkling waters, Bird Key is considered the jewel of Sarasota Bay.
Considered the jewel of Sarasota Bay, Bird Key is perfectly located in the middle of Sarasota Bay between St Armands Circle/Lido Key Beach and downtown Sarasota. This manmade island is made up of 511 lots, or approximately 460 single-family homes, with the only other occupant being the Bird Key Yacht Club. The original island had a large home built on it in 1914, which was owned by a couple from Cincinnati. Since then, John Ringling bought the island, which then became home for his sister. In 1950, Arvida Development Corp—with the assistance of the Corp of Engineers—designed and built the current island.
Market Activity – Bird Key
There are presently 39 active listings in Bird Key. Of these, 11 are off-water—known as Garden homes—15 are canal homes, and 13 are set on Sarasota Bay.
Garden homes range from $515,000 to $1,399,000; Canal homes range from $1,195,000 to $2,695,000; Sarasota Bay homes range from $1,499,000 to $9,490,000. There are five pending homes, in which two are Garden homes, two canal homes and one bay front home. In the last thirty days, one home has sold for $495,000. Year-to-date, fifteen homes have sold—ten of these were off-water; four were canal homes and one bay home. (more…)
Michael Saunders is please to welcome Bob Kelly to the Siesta Key office.
Having been a domestic and international hardwood broker for 15 years, Bob brings a wealth of experience in sales and marketing.
Bob uses his special skill set to achieve the highest value and return for buyers, sellers and investment groups. He offers a wide variety services and expertise to enable customers to fill their needs, wants and dreams.
Michael Saunders is pleased to welcome Kaley Lewis to the Punta Gorda Office.
With a background in business finance, Kaley began his real estate career in the mortgage sector. After performing as a top producer, he soon elevated his position to both management and training roles. In 2005, he was offered a position to move to Florida, so he packed up and made his way from Kansas City.
Working with and learning from true professionals that sold properties, Kaley found real estate to be his calling. The transition from the finance end to selling property was very fluid, as he was able to incorporate the knowledge from both areas to help his customers in achieving their real estate goals.
Michael Saundersis please to welcome Linda Thompson to the St.Armands office.
A results-oriented, energetic and highly focused professional, Linda strives to maintain a clear focus on each customer’s individual needs and preferences—and she has been successful with this philosophy.
A native of Audubon, New Jersey, and longtime resident of York, Pennsylvania, Linda has been a Sarasota County permanent resident since 1992. In her real estate career, she brings a high level of service and customer support to meet the needs and concerns of her clients. She is a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing and the ILHM Million Dollar Guild, and has earned designation as a Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) by the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council® and the National Association of Realtors, is ICREA® Transnational Certified, and is experienced in property and project Management.
Posted by Michael Saunders & Company on July 8, 2010
This month Michael Saunders & Company celebrates its 34th birthday—an age which Goldilocks would consider not too young, not too old; but “just right.”
With nearly three and a half decades of experience behind us, we’re old enough to have experienced several real estate cycles, wise enough to predict developing trends and changing market conditions; and nimble enough to reshape our customer service model as quickly as new challenges and opportunities mandate. Meanwhile the “youngster” in us consistently earns high marks throughout the industry for always being among the first real estate companies to import the benefits of the latest information and technologies to our clients and customers. Michaelsaunders.com, already widely regarded as one of the best web sites in real estate, is presently undergoing a dramatic transformation to further enhance its user capabilities.
As every business blessed with longevity knows, success typically comes from correctly identifying an underserved market, serving it as never before; and never becoming too comfortable with the status quo. Combining success with the growth needed to sustain it requires a willingness to continually offer the same brand of exemplary service to new segments of the market.
