“Dawdling buyers see home deals slip away”

Now is the time to buy!  Here is a link to an article posted in the SArasota Herald Tribune December 22, 2011. 

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20111222/ARCHIVES/112221061

Siesta Beach Voted Number 1 in the Nation!

Siesta Beach Voted #1

The Sarasota Ballet

The Sarasota Ballet is the Gulf Coast of Florida’s first and only professional ballet company. The company began in 1990, and has been gaining notariety ever since. The Ballet announced the appointment of its third Director, Iain Webb in January of 2007. Mr. Webb’s background, experience, and close, personal relationships with some of the biggest names in the dance world have taken the Sarasota Ballet to a higher level of national and international recognition. The Ballet and Director have given the Sarasota Community the opportunity to see ballets created by some of the top choreographers of the 20th Century. A few of the performances this year will be- Spring Surprise!; Anne Frank & Firebird; Modern Greats; The Nutcracker; Out of Denmark. For full performances and schedule, also to purchase tickets, visit the website at http://www.sarasotaballet.org/.

Bird Key Park at Ringling Bridge

This beautiful 3 acre park is just off the road on the western side of the Ringling Causeway Bridge.  Bird Key Park is a wonderful place to fish, hang out and enjoy the scenic views of downtown Sarasota and Lido Key, or to launch a canoe or kayak.  From here you can explore Sarasota Bay, Bird Key, City Island, and the St Armands Circle area.  You can also head west in your small vessel under a low bridge to Otter Key.  While out and about, or just relaxing at the park, you may be lucky enough to see dolphins playing in the waters.  Another great place to spend the day in Sarasota.

Charity & Weiss International Realty at Bradford Manor

Charity & Weiss has been chosen as the sales agency for the new construction community of Bradford Manor in Sarasota.   This is a great opportunity for both Charity & Weiss and the builder, Taylor Morrison.  Bradford Manor is a gated community in North Sarasota adjacent to Rolling Green golf course.  The community offers low association fees, new construction built to buyer’s specs, a community pool and spa, and a central location.  Two and three bedroom townhomes are available.  Both move-in ready and new construction.  It is a great value for a new home with prices starting at $96,900.  For more information on Bradford Manor, please contact our agency or go to http://www.taylormorrison.com/12,1-new-homes-US-34234-FL-Sarasota-Bradford-Manor-Community.aspx.

Prices Still Low – Sales Rising

Surging sales of distressed properties pushed prices for previously owned U.S. homes to a near nine-year low in January, even as they helped to lift overall sales to an eight-month high. The National Association of Realtors said on Wednesday existing homes sales climbed 2.7 percent to an annual rate of 5.36 million units, marking the third straight month of gains. Economists had expected a fall to a 5.24 million-unit pace. But foreclosures and short sales, which typically occur below market value, accounted for 37 percent of the transactions and suggested further price declines ahead. The median home price fell 3.7 percent from a year ago to $158,800, the lowest since April 2002. Data on Tuesday showed prices for single-family homes tracked by Standard & Poor’s/Case Shiller fell for a sixth straight month in December, and some economists warned they could fall another 25 percent. U.S. financial markets ignored the data as investors kept a wary eye on the unrest in Libya, which drove U.S. crude for April delivery to a 28-month high of $100 a barrel, before settling at $98.10. U.S. stocks (^SPX – News) fell for a second day, while the dollar weakened against a basket of currencies (^DXY – News). An overhang of foreclosed properties is weighing down the housing market even as the broader economy has entered a sustainable growth path. Housing was at the core of the worst recession since the 1930s. Sales rose even as demand for home loans slumped in January. The NAR has been accused of overstating the rate of home sales by as much as 20 percent. The NAR is reviewing its data and will release benchmark revisions later this year. Yun said the last benchmark revisions in 2000 showed an overcounting of about 13 percent. CASH TRANSACTIONS ON THE RISE Despite the weak housing market, luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers (NYSE:TOL – News) reported a surprise quarterly profit, with average home prices rising 7 percent to $586,000. However, the company expects a decline to a range of $540,000 to $565,000 for the rest of the year. The share of distressed sales last month, at 37 percent, was the highest in a year. All-cash purchases made up 32 percent of transactions compared with 29 percent in December. Analysts said this partly explained why home resales had surprised on the upside, when home loan applications had dropped sharply. “So far in February, mortgage applications have fallen, which could be reflected in resales numbers in the next report,” said Yelena Shulyatyeva, an economist at BNP Paribas in New York. Applications for home loans rebounded last week as buyers rushed to take advantage of a slide in mortgage rates in the wake of the growing unrest in the Middle East, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. The existing home sales report also showed a shift in the housing market becoming more pronounced, with growth in multifamily units outpacing single-family homes. Demand for rental apartments is on the increase, boosting sales of multifamily dwellings, as families lose their homes to foreclosure and prospective homeowners shy away from owning a property because of falling values. Paul Dales, a senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics, estimates there is an oversupply of 850,000 homes on the market, with another 4.5 million in the foreclosure pipeline. At January’s sales pace, the supply of existing homes on the market fell to 7.6 months’ worth, the lowest since December 2009, down from 8.2 months’ worth in December. A supply of between six and seven months is generally considered as ideal, with higher readings pointing to lower house prices.

Sarasota Sales on the Rise

Pending sales in the Sarasota real estate market experienced a major climb in January 2011, from 789 in December 2010 to 1,013 last month for a 28 percent increase. This statistic is a strong indicator for the next two or three months of sales, as pending sales reflect current buyer activity. It was the first time pendings have exceeded the 1,000 mark since April of 2010, when the looming homebuyer tax credit expiration date was fueling sales activity.

Van Wezel 2011 Great Orchestra Series

Five world-class orchestras lead the lineup for the 2011Great Orchestra Series at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The series will open Jan. 10, 2011, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The Philharmonic of Poland will perform on Jan. 24, followed by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra on Feb. 13, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra on March 15 and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra on April 8. Subscriptions to the complete series are now available by calling the box office at 953-3368 or toll-free at (800) 826-9303. Subscriptions range in price from $185.50 to $495.80.

Sarasota-Bradenton called top retiree community

The ranking is welcome news in a region that is still getting over the effects of the Great Recession and clearly banking on a rebound in the influx of retirees to fuel its economy.
Sarasota-Bradenton is number one on a list of 157 communities compiled by Portfolio.com.
The rankings were based on an analysis of data from the American Community Survey, conducted in 2009 and released by the U.S. Census Bureau in September. The communities analyzed by Portfolio.com were from the top 157 metropolitan and “micropolitan” areas that had at least 40,000 residents who could be classified as seniors.
“The markets that ranked the highest in the study were areas where the population of seniors is already substantial and growing rapidly.”
The combined Manatee and Sarasota county market was the largest on the top 10 list. Portfolio.com said that senior citizens represent 26.81 percent of the population of 688,126, or more than double the national average of 12.9 percent.
The business site said that “more than 95 percent of seniors residing in Bradenton-Sarasota were born out of state compared to only 53 percent of the elderly residents of a typical U.S. market who were born out of state.”
“Beginning next year, an unprecedented three million Americans will turn 65. While most of these seniors are expected to stay in their current homes, a significant number will decide to seek new places to live in other parts of the country,” said J. Jennings Moss, Portfolio.com’s editor.
“In addition to warm cities, we’ve also seen that seniors are attracted to communities that already have a significant population of retirees,” Moss said. “This demonstrates that seniors will go to places that already have a comfortable infrastructure in place.”

Mote Marine

Mote Marine is a great way to spend the day in Sarasota. Explore the secrets of the sea through touch pools, viewable-working labs and high-tech interactive exhibits. Pet a sting ray and grab a bite to eat in the cafe before heading over to see sharks, dolphins, manatees and sea turtles, along with more than 100 other species of marine life.
Mote Marine Laboratory has been a leader in marine research since it was founded in 1955. It is an independent nonprofit organization and has seven centers for marine research, the public Mote Aquarium and an Education Division specializing in public programs for all ages.
Mote Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and has met rigorous, professional standards for animal management, veterinary care, wildlife conservation and research, education, safety, staffing and more.