Figuring out what to give a customer as a closing gift can be difficult and sometimes stressful for some Realtors®.  In the past, I've given gift cards, wine, and even Cutco knife sets with personalized engraving on the blades.  Some of these items are very impersonal and once used are gone forever (as are you when they are no longer reminded of you and your gift). My wife recently introduced me to Thirty One brand bags which can be custom emroidered to each client.  Depending on the price of the transaction, I'll choose an appropriate sized bag, customize it with the customers last name, initials or the state of Florida with the year they purchased and fill it with some fun and useful housewarming gifts.  It's easy to pick up some coffee, wine, batteries, small houseware items, toys/bo... 04/04/2017

You Don't Need 20% Down to Buy a Home in Sarasota NOW!A survey by Ipsos found that the American public is still somewhat confused about what is required to qualify for a home mortgage loan in today’s housing market. There are two major misconceptions that we want to address today.1. Down PaymentThe survey revealed that consumers overestimate the down payment funds needed to qualify for a home loan. According to the report, 40% of consumers think a 20% down payment is always required. In actuality, there are many loans written with a down payment of 3% or less. Many renters may actually be able to enter the housing market sooner than they ever imagined with new programs that have emerged allowing less cash out of pocket. 2. FICO® Scores  The survey also revealed that 62% of respondents b... 04/03/2017

Renting or Buying in Sarasota Florida… Either Way You’re Paying a MortgageThere are some people who have not purchased homes because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage - either yours or your landlord’s. As Entrepreneur Magazine, a premier source for small business, explained this month in their article, “12 Practical Steps to Getting Rich”:“While renting on a temporary basis isn't terrible, you should most certainly own the roof over your head if you're serious about your finances. It won't make you rich overnight, but by renting, you're paying someone else's mortgage. In effect, you're making someone else rich.”Christina Boyle, Senior Vice President and... 03/27/2017

How to Get the Most Money When Selling Your Sarasota HomeEvery homeowner wants to make sure they get the best price when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible.1. Price it a LITTLE LOW This may seem counterintuitive. However, let’s look at this concept for a moment. Many homeowners think that pricing their home a little OVER market value will leave them room for negotiation. In reality, this just dramatically lessens the demand for their house (see chart below). Instead of the seller trying to ‘win’ the negotiation with one buyer, they should price it so that demand for the home is maximized. By doing this, the seller will not be fighting with a buyer over the price, but... 03/13/2017

How Much Money Do I Need to Buy a House in Sarasota Florida?Over Half of All Buyers Across the Country Are Surprised by Closing CostsWhen buying a home on Sarasota's Suncoast, choosing a good real estate agent is your first step. A good agent is going to have a team of real estate professionals to help make the home buying process as smooth as possible. Part of that team is a good mortgage lender. Your mortgage lender is going to help you understand the mortgage process and what will be needed from you in order to get a mortgage. If you're getting financing, it's likely you'll need a down payment. In addition to a down payment, you can expect to incur closing costs. Your mortgage lender can give you a pretty good idea as to how much your closing costs will run. Depending on the home you... 03/06/2017

Choosing a Good Mortgage Lender on Sarasota's SuncoastNot All Florida Lenders Are Created Equal - Finding a Good Mortgage Lender is Key to Closing!Disclaimer:  Let me start out by saying that I'm not a mortgage lender. I've learned what makes a good mortgage lender and I'm writing this blog post and expressing opinions from my experience as a real estate professional on Sarasota Florida's Suncoast.Will You Be Paying Cash or Getting a Mortgage?As a Realtor, one of the first things that we need to establish when working with buyers is whether they are actually qualified to make a purchase. We will ask our buyers if they will be making a cash purchase or if they will need to get financing to make the purchase. If they need to get financing, we will need to find out if they can be pre-appro... 03/06/2017

Paw Parks aka Dog Parks in Sarasota County Dogs Just Wanna Have FunSarasota County has some great dog parks, also known as paw parks, where you can let your dogs run free without a leash to exercise and play in a controlled environment. There are 5 dog parks in Sarasota County. Three are located in Sarasota and two others are in Venice. Some of the amenities available at the dog parks in Sarasota County include drinking fountains for dogs, separate fenced areas for large and small dogs, and waste disposal bags and trash cans for you-know-what. For addresses and directions to the dog parks, click the pins on the map.  Bring Your Dog to the Beach to Swim & Run Free! That's right! There's a very special dog park in Venice called Brohard Beach Paw Park. What makes it so special is that is l... 03/01/2017

Where Are the Home Prices Heading in the Next 5 Years, Sarasota? Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey. Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment & market strategists about where they believe prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the projections of all 100+ experts into a single number.The results of their latest survey:Home values will appreciate by 4.4% over the course of 2017, 3.4% in 2018, 2.8% in 2019, 2.7% in 2020, and 2.8% in 2021. That means the average annual appreciation will be 3.22% over the next 5 years. The prediction for cumulative appreciation fell from 21.4% to... 02/27/2017

Daydreaming About Your Perfect Sarasota Home? Know What You WANT vs. What You NEEDIn this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your Sarasota home search. If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now, you’ve probably come up with a list of things that you’d LOVE to have in your new home. Many new homebuyers fantasize about the amenities that they see on television or Pinterest, and start looking at the countless homes listed for sale through rose-colored glasses. Do you really need that farmhouse sink in the kitchen in order to be happy with your home choice? Would a two-car garage be a convenience or a necessity? Could the ‘man cave’ of your dreams be a future renovatio... 02/23/2017

Buy a Home in Sarasota & Be Healthier!The Impact of Homeownership on Family HealthThe National Association of Realtors recently released a study titled 'Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing.’ The study confirmed a long-standing belief of most Americans: “Owning a home embodies the promise of individual autonomy and is the aspiration of most American households. Homeownership allows households to accumulate wealth and social status, and is the basis for a number of positive social, economic, family and civic outcomes.”Today, we want to cover the section of the report that quoted several studies concentrating on the impact homeownership has on the health of family members. Here are some of the major findings on this issue revealed in the report: There is a strong positive r... 02/23/2017

Will You Be Buying a Home In Sarasota This Year?59 Million People Will Be Entering the Housing Market in 2017 According to a survey conducted by Bankrate.com, one in four Americans are considering buying a home this year. If this statistic proves to be true, that means that 59 million people will be looking to enter the housing market in 2017.The survey also revealed 3 key takeaways: Those most likely to buy are ‘Older Millennials’ (ages 27-36) or ‘Generation X’ (ages 37-52) Minorities were twice as likely to respond that they were considering purchasing a home this year. Many potential buyers believe they need to put 20% down and need to have perfect credit to own and are unaware of programs that would allow them to buy now. Holden Lewis, a mortgage analyst for Bankrate.com, pointed to... 02/22/2017

Yes, You Read the Headline Correctly! There's this shop on Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota. My daughter-in-law first pointed it out to me a few months ago. Yesterday, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to pull in to see what it's all about.By Appointment OnlyI didn't get too far because you need to make an appointment at this particular snowblowers and shovel shop. However, there wasn't a phone number that I could see. Guess I won't be able to refer them when one of my Sarasota real estate customers need to buy a snowblower!  _____________________________________________________________________________________ When You're Thinking of Moving...ThinkSuncoast.com  Julie Larson, Realtor®Julie@ThinkSuncoast.com 941-882-0322  Julie Anne Larson, LLC, Realtor® serving Sarasota, Manatee & Char... 02/19/2017

~Keeping Current MattersSarasota Renters - Do You Know the Real Cost of Renting vs. Buying?   Some Highlights: Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a close decision. Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (30%), vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (15%), the choice becomes obvious. Every market is different. Before you renew your lease again, find out if you could use your housing costs to own a home of your own! Considering Buying? Wondering if You Qualify for a Loan?Please understand that not all mortgage lenders are created equal. We can help you when it comes to choosing a good mortgage lender on Sarasota's Suncoast. If you're curious about buying, call Julie Larson at 941-882-0322 or complete the... 02/17/2017

~Keeping Current MattersSocial Benefits of Owning a Home in Sarasota FloridaOwning a Home on Sarasota's Suncoast has a Civic Impact The National Association of Realtors recently released a study titled 'Social Benefits of Home Ownership and Stable Housing.’ The study confirmed a long-standing belief of most Americans: “Owning a home embodies the promise of individual autonomy and is the aspiration of most American households. Home Ownership allows households to accumulate wealth and social status, and is the basis for a number of positive social, economic, family and civic outcomes.”Today, we want to cover the section of the report that quoted several studies concentrating on the impact homeownership has on the civic participation of family members. Here are some of the major findings o... 02/16/2017

In today’s mortgage marketplace there are two primary categories of mortgage loans. Those two categories are conventional and government. A conventional mortgage is one where the lender assumes the risk while a government loan contains an inherent loan guarantee to the lender. Should a lender issue a government loan and the loan goes into default the lender receives compensation for some or all of the loss, depending upon the loan program. A government loan doesn’t mean the government issued the loan but does issue a guarantee to the lender who owns the loan. There are three government-backed loans are the VA, FHA and USDA programs. Perhaps the ideal choice among the three is the VA program.The VA loan requires zero money down but unlike the other two government-backed loans there is no... 02/15/2017

Buyers are Searching for Sarasota Homes Like YoursThe most recent Pending Homes Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors revealed a slight bump in contracts with an increase of 1.6% in December. This news comes as existing home sales are also forecasted to be on pace for 5.54 million in 2017, a 1.7% increase over 2016, which was the best year for sales in a decade. The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed. According to NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun,“Pending sales bounded last month as enough buyers fended off rising mortgage rates and alarmingly low inventory levels to sign a contract.” So, what’s... 02/14/2017

UNDER CONTRACT IN 24 HRS! 1825 ROBINHOOD ST, SARASOTA, FL Get Directions Click Here Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Print Brochure $ Click for current price 1913 SQUARE FEET Great investment opportunity with this West of the Trail triplex. The property is located close to shopping and Siesta Key. Restaurants and Trader Joe's are little more than a block away. There is one 2/1 unit and two 1/1 units, all with long-term tenants. The total rent is below market at $1,890/mo combined. All are on month-to-month leases. Because this neighborhood is West of the Trail in an exceptional location, this property offers many possibilities: keep it as an investment, bring rents up to current market rates, or build a new home on the site. Home builder DR Horton is building a single family hom... 12/06/2016

5037 REMINGTON DRIVE, SARASOTA, FL Get Directions Click Here OPEN HOUSE November 25, Friday 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM 3D Property Tour Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Print Brochure $ Click for current price 4 BEDROOMS | 3 (3 full ) BATHROOMS | 1908 SQUARE FEET Text 41976 to 25678 for more information Stunning mid-century modern courtyard home in Indian Beach Sapphire Shores will take your breath away. Just unpack your bags and plan your welcome home pool party. When you walk in the doors you step into a 700 sf courtyard with a beautiful pool and screened lanai. Polished terrazzo floors greet you throughout the main home. There are three bedrooms, two baths in the main house and a detached master guest suite with wet bar, wine refrigerator and cozy freestanding fireplace. The suite al... 11/23/2016

7606 HEYWARD CIRCLE, UNIVERSITY PARK, FL Get Directions Click Here OPEN HOUSE November 25, Friday 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Virtual 3D Tour Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Print Brochure $ Click for current price 4 BEDROOMS | 3 (3 full ) BATHROOMS | 2637 SQUARE FEET Text 41975 to 25678 for more information! This is your opportunity to live in University Place, one of the most desirable gated communities on the Suncoast, in one of the finest homes in all of University Park! When you buy this home you will be confident that you own one of the most beautiful and spacious pool homes in all of University Place. With four bedrooms, a den, an office, separate living room and family room, plus the pool area, there will be no reason not to entertain or just lounge around and nest at home. When... 11/23/2016

  Sarasota Ranks In Top 4% Of Best Small CitiesSarasota was just named in the top 4% of Best Small Cities to Live In in America by the financial website,  WalletHub.  Some of the reasons given were number one spots for coffee shops per capita, bars per capita and fitness centers per capita.  Overall, Sarasota ranked in the 96 percentile among cities, and number 2 for quality of life.The number one city was Westfield, Indiana for economic health, number two was Princeton, New Jersey for economic health and number three was Leawood, Kansas for affordability.Combine these reasons with the semi-tropical climate and world class beaches of Sarasota, the thriving arts culture, the shopping and restaurants, health facilities and so much more - why live anywhere else?For information about Saraso... 11/08/2016