If you are looking for "gracious old charm" in your neighborhood, take a look at Cherokee Park in the West of the Trail area of Sarasota, FL.  Many of the homes for sale in Cherokee Park have been lovings updated.  These homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s.  Some homes have even been raised making way for a "new style" for this well established Sarasota neighborhood.  Residents in Cherokee Park take care of their properties and pride of ownership is displayed in this community.  Streets like Cherokee Terrace, Cherokee Drive, South and North Drives are worth a look.  At the Western tip of streets like South Drive, homes are on the Sarasota waterfront.  Prices in this neighborhood start over $1 million. Drive from downtown Sarasota on Osprey Avenue and not far from Southside Village, ... 11/09/2008

Thinking about a newer beach front condo? Take a look at the Orchid Beach Club condos on Lido Key. I have had the distinct pleasure of showing many of the units in the community. It sits directly on Lido Key beach on the south end of the island. Residents can walk (long walk, make sure the weather is nice) to the world famous St. Armands Circle and south Lido park. They also can be in downtown Sarasota within about a 5-10 minute drive. Golf or tennis at The Longboat Key Club is also not very far as it is just north over the bridge on to Longboat Key. This truly could be considered paradise. The two towers were constructed in 2005 under the more recent hurricane building codes. There is the gulf view building as well as the bay view building. Both offer stunning views of either the Gulf... 11/09/2008

Sanderling Clubis located at the south end of the beautiful Siesta Key Florida.  From the 24 hr guarded gate entrance throughout this Siesta Key neighborhood, nature provides a fantastic backdrop for homes with old Florida charm.  Many of Sanderling Club's homes are positioned directly on the beach with sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico.  Some of these homes with spacious lots are on Heron Lagoon and offer boat docks for canoes or kayaks.  Sanderling Club is truly a tropical beach paradise. Put you feet in the sand in your backyard at Sanderling Club as many homes are directly on the Gulf!  Enjoy walking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, bird watching, waves splashing and just relaxing on Siesta Key! Residents here live in luxury homes and take advantage of gulf cabanas and tennis course... 11/08/2008

Located North of University Parkway off Lockwood Ridge Road, Cascades is close to shopping and restaurants in Sarasota FL. Cascades could be the home for you if you are looking for a 24 hr gated maintenance free community in Sarasota offering its residents newer construction.  This active neighborhood provides its owners a 25,000 sq.ft. community center with an array of amenities: Three courses of bocce are offered here as well as six lighted Har-Tru tennis courts.  In addition residents have use of a spa and exercise facility with saunas and showers as well as a resort-style indoor/outdoor swimming pool.  A variety of styles and floor plans are available at Cascades and many of the homes have swimming pools, some with lagoon views.  The Lazy Lobster, one of Sarasota fun restaurants off... 11/08/2008

As-Is Sales Benefit Sarasota Buyers Often a client will ask if the fact that a home is being sold "as-is" should be a red flag. Is the seller trying to hide something? That may be the case, although I tend to doubt it. A more likely scenario is simply that the Seller doesn't want a prospective buyer "nickel and diming" them down off an agreed upon sales price for minor issues. They don't want to have to worry about handling these repairs, if found. Very often, there is nothing wrong with the home at all. Sarasota home buyers should see the "as-is" clause as an advantage for them. As a matter of fact, even when a home isn't listed "as-is", I recommend to my buyers that we write the contract that way. The reason is this - by writing the contract as-is with right to inspect, we reserve the... 11/06/2008

It's the same thing every day. Client sees short sale. Client wants short sale because the price is unbelievable. Client makes offer on short sale. Client never gets an answer, only to find the home has been sold months later. Heartbreaking for them. It is my duty as a buyer agent to tell people the reality of the short sale. As much hype as a listing creates, as low as they want to set the price, the fact is that a bank, at this stage of the game, is NOT going to give the house away. And the great SHORT SALE SECRET - most often, the bank is NOT involved in setting list price. Short sale pricing is NOT the same as traditional list pricing. Clients who treat it as such will rarely get the property.  If the goal is to get the home at a great price, talk to a buyer agent, do the research a... 11/06/2008

Water view. Within footsteps of Longboat Key beach and Gulf of Mexico Drive. Convenient to golf and tennis facilities. A place to call home. This is the Sanctuary on Longboat Key. Located on the south end of the island and behind the gates of the Longboat Key Club you will find the enchanted oasis of The Sanctuary. Residents and vacationers relish in fabulous water, beach and sunset views. The Sanctuary is a five building complex with 181 beach front condominiums. This condo development offers fabulous amenities, which include tennis courts, fitness facilities, a resort style swimming pool, tennis courts, clubhouse and a manned guard gate. Please contact Marc Rasmussen at 941-812-6272 if you would like to learn more about buying a Longboat Key condo. 11/06/2008

Sarasota Bayfront, Sarasota, Florida The newest hot spot in Sarasota Real Estate seems to be downtown, especially on the Bay. With the recent pricing downturn, luxury "see for miles and miles" condos are drawing the attention of bargain hunters.  Living on the Sarasota bayfront has many perks. 1) There are the water views. Absolutely outstanding - and since all these condos face due west, the sunsets are hard to describe. The higher up in the building you go, the better it gets - you can see Sarasota Bay...all the Keys...and beyond out into the Gulf of Mexico. 2) The beach is close enough. Let's face it, only the diehards are on the beach every day - living on the Bayfront, you can take a long walk (or a short bike- ride) across the John Ringling Bridge to Lido Key beaches. Expansive an... 11/05/2008

Bahia Vista Mennonite Church Home to Three Precincts The Bahia Vista Mennonite Church, about two minutes from my Sarasota home, is where I voted yesterday.  You can see from the big smile from the nice volunteer, it was a special day.  In a rush to get to the polls and avoid the long lines that the TV kept reporting, I left my precinct number at home.  The helpful poll volunteer kindly got the number so I could get in the correct line at 6:50 am. By 7:15 am, I was back at my computer.  Signs were prominent about "no taking pictures inside the voting room" and "turn cell phones off" was also posted where everyone could easily see to turn off their phones.  Many voters were making calls outside the voting room, and it was nice to see that not one abused the rules inside.  At least not whi... 11/04/2008

Want some some sun, sand, water and fun? Looking for a beachfront condo in one of the nicest places in Florida? Take a trip to Longboat Key on the west coast of Florida. This 11 mile long barrier island sits between the aqua blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the intercoastal just off the coast of Sarasota, Florida. Beachplace on Longboat Key is a 31 acre complex that sits on the coveted south end of the island. This location provides easy access to St. Armands circle, downtown Sarasota, Sarasota Int'l airport and the world class golf and tennis facilities of the Longboat Key Club. Many of the condo in Beachplace offers spectacular water and beach views. All owners have easy access to the beach and waters of the gulf. This is one of the best and more sought after Longboat Key condos... 11/04/2008

Looking for the ultimate in luxury on Longboat Key? Take a peek at the En Provence condos on Longboat Key. Luxury awaits you in this twenty one unit complex that sits comfortably on Longboat Key beach. Imagine waking to the soothing sounds of the rolling waves of the Gulf of Mexico. Residents enjoy stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico and Longboat Key beach. Longboat Key beach is long. You can walk for miles and miles. Sometimes without running into someone. Many people call it paradise. Condos are not inexpensive in En Provence. As of November 2008, there are 2 condos on the market and the sellers are both asking over $3 million. Enjoy life. Life is short. Think about a Longboat Key condo. 11/03/2008

Thinking about a beach front condo but don't want to spend a fortune? Take a gander at Seaplace condos on Longboat Key. These are some of the finest entry level beach front condos on Longboat Key. I always make a point to show them when I have a beach front condo buyer who wants to spend less than $500k. Look at that beach in the photo. You can walk for miles and miles. The views of the Gulf of Mexico and Longboat Key beach are simply breathtaking. Seaplace is also conveniently located to golf and tennis facilities at The Longboat Key Club, as well as shopping, dining and other fun in St. Armands Circle. Life is short. Enjoy it. Consider a Longboat Key condo. 11/03/2008

Looking to live the metropolitan lifestyle in a beach town? Take a look at my downtown Sarasota condos page to view virtually condos in downtown Sarasota, Florida that can offer you that lifestyle. Downtown Sarasota is one of the few cities where you can live within footsteps of hoping on your boat for a pleasure cruise with your family, enjoying a play with friends, strolling through various art galleries on a friday night enjoying cheese and wine, viewing the latest blockbuster at Hollywood 20 cinemas or the latest foreign film at Burns Court Cinema, shopping at Whole Foods grocery store or eating at any number of fabulous restaurants. Downtown Sarasota offers big city amenities in a small town setting. Known as the cultural capital of Florida, Sarasota is rich in arts and culture. V... 11/03/2008

At 6:30 am, I thought about a nice walk and decided I'd wait until the sun came up so Snuffy Smith, my famous Sarasota Pooch, and I headed to the Starbuck's on Bee Ridge Rd. and Beneva in Sarasota.  I ordered by tall coffee with cream and pulled through the drive thru to be greeted by Aly the Witch.  Oops, it's Halloween once again, and I have no treats for the kids who will stop by this evening.  Thank you Aly for reminding me that as busy as we get marketing and selling Sarasota real estate, there are holiday and special occasions.  Snuffy and I especially like the ones where the kids get treats and presents.  Festivity and excitement are nice in this every challenging environment.  Next stop later today is Publix at Paradise Plaza -- yes, we are in Paradise down here. If you are look... 10/30/2008

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose 5.5 percent last month, the biggest gain since July 2003. The National Association of Realtors on Friday said that sales of existing home rose to a 5.18 million-unit annual rate from the 4.91 million-unit pace set in August.  The median national home price declined 9 percent from a year ago to $191,600, the lowest level since April 2004. Sales jumped 16.8 percent in the West, while rising 4.4 percent in the Midwest and 2.2 percent in the South. In the Northeast, sales fell 1.2 percent. Sales of single-family homes, which represent the lion's share of the market, rose 6.2 percent. Sales of condominiums held steady.     Gina Burgio, Mortgage Agent VERICO Designer Mortgages Inc. Toll Free: 1-877-345-6265 Fax: 1-877-345-6256 Email: gina@ginaburgio.c... 10/25/2008

You have seen many posts detailing the hi-jacking of Marc Rasmussens Sarasota Real Estate website by the Sarasota Association of Realtors on Active Rain and many other blogs. Now, the SAR has had Marcs domain name redirected to their own site, effectively taking all of Marcs hard work and investment in his website, and making it their own. For the full story and details on this issue, the best sources are Real Estate Webmasters blog and Erick Blackwells Bloodhound Blog. What happened to Marc can happen to any of us. You can help Marc to fight the Sarasota Association of Realtors, and get back what is rightfully his, by visiting Sarasota MLS legal fund to help Marc. To see a list of many of the sites and blogs carrying details on this issue, check out the synopsis of the SAR hijacking b... 10/22/2008

This beautiful and historic neighborhood is located in northern side of Sarasota along the spectacular bay front. Many of the older water front homes have been remodeled and/or knocked down to make way for luxurious mansions. These homes have some of the best water views in Sarasota because this is one of the widest parts of Sarasota Bay. Located within minutes of downtown Sarasota and Bradenton. 10/17/2008

Need a pet groomer in Sarasota?  Snuffy Smith, a famous Sarasota Pooch, has been going to The Yuppy Puppy on Osprey Avenue for several years.  When Snuffy first arrived at this Sarasota pet salon, he certainly wasn't happy.  His first groomer in Sarasota didn't keep their salon very clean and after an outbreak of ticks even using Advantage, we checked out The Yuppy Puppy.  Every six weeks we call and Carla adds us to the appointment schedule.  Snuffy arrives by personal limo (me) and trots right up to the counter to wait for Mark to fetch him.  Several hours later, Snuffy's limo arrives to return him to his Forest Lakes home.  The limo never waits as Mark has Snuffy fluffed and ready to go. If you are looking for a groomer who gives wonderful services, keeps their establishment immacula... 10/07/2008

10/06/2008

When it comes time to prepare a home for sale, there are 5 easy ways to get started.  It's as simple as using your 5 senses.  Buyers will be using their senses to make a decision about whether a home they see is worthy of an offer.  If a seller can put themselves in the buyer's shoes, they can evaluate how their 5 senses are affected.  This scenario can help you understand this process. AS THE BUYER DRIVES UP TO YOUR HOME -  What do they SEE?  Is your lawn manicured and are the flower beds weeded?  Do they SEE the front door because that fresh coat of paint makes it stand out, inviting them inside.  If they SEE a dirty stained driveway or sidewalk they may wonder if other areas haven't been taken care of.  Let's hope they DON'T SEE toys in the yard or a dull, scratched door.  You don't ... 09/24/2008