Signs of a Firm Bottom?

Everyone wants to know when we'll hit the bottom and everyone has opinions. I've made my point about speculation before and won't go there again. Personally, I'm a fan of facts over emotions and I've been waiting for enough facts to pile up. Here are a few:

1. Realtors are super busy these days although "season" typically ends with Easter. I have 3 closings this month (first-time homebuyer, investor and relocation)! Last month was good, next month looks even better so far.... Last weekend was, in fact, the first weekend I DIDN'T show property since February.
2. Last months sales statistics from the Sarasota Association of Realtors showed an increase in closed deals and even an increase in the median sales price. Pending transactions have been up so many months now I can't remember when they started rising. For more details, charts and exact figures, click here: http://www.sarasotarealtors.com/about/hottopic.cfm?eveID=110.
3. The number of properties for sale on our MLX has decreased all year. Good job to the Realtors! Congrats to the new homeowners and investors have bought some great deals.
4. More and more folks are receiving actual help to refinance and stay in their homes now with the help of that the government's Making Home Affordable program. Click here for the official website: http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/. Don't get me wrong: more folks need help and the help needs to be less frustrating and cumbersome. Contact me if you'd like to see if you qualify as I can refer you to some amazing mortgage brokers and negotiators.
5. And then... foreclosure filings have dropped for the Sarasota/Manatee area! Read the Sarasota Herald Tribune article here: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090611/ARTICLE/906111057/2055/NEWS?Title=Regional-foreclosures-buck-a-state-trend-. Filings were still up for the rest of the state.
6. You can buy for less than what it costs to rent!

In summary, who knows? The commercial market is still all out-of-whack and that will have a big impact on the residential market. However, I think it's only fair to proclaim once again that Sarasota rocks!

"Sarasota County Considers Helping Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure"

Tough times call for creative measures, right? The potentially local good news is that Sarasota leaders are at least trying to do something proactive to help the rising rates of foreclosures AKA folks losing their homes, their jobs and their futures.

County administrator Jim Ley proposed a foreclosure prevention program this week that would divert funds from affordable housing programs, typically providing first-time homebuyers with downpayment assistance, to help homeowners keep their homes from going into foreclosure.

For more details, check out Zac Anderson's article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081023/ARTICLE/810230383/0/SPORTS.

Jungle Gardens Saved & New Venice Park

The rescued animals and tropical plants at Sarasota's Jungle Gardens will have a safe home, and Venice a new park, after state money was approved Thursday for both local conservation projects.

The Sarasota Conservation Foundation secured $6.7 million to buy a conservation easement for the 10-acre Jungle Gardens site, ensuring that the 68-year-old attraction will remain a zoological and botanical garden.

The city of Venice will receive $3.7 million for a new 10-acre waterfront park near the historic Venice Train Depot site.

The two projects had to qualify as natural, cultural, historic or recreational "jewels" to receive Florida Communities Trust grants, funded through the $300 million annual Florida Forever program that state legislators reauthorized this year.

Both projects made the cut despite fierce competition. The state had $73 million to dole out and applications for $263 million in grants from 84 communities. In the end, 18 projects received funding for 2008. "They had to be pretty special," said Doug Hattaway, who helps communities secure grants as the senior project manager for the Trust for Public Lands conservation group.
Sarasota County, he added, "was well represented."

Albert Joerger, president of the Conservation Foundation, said Sarasota County community leaders traveled to Tallahassee to make the case for Jungle Gardens as a historic treasure.
"This is a great day for Sarasota," Joerger said. "Jungle Gardens is exemplary of old Florida. They're not making any more of these."

According to Jungle Gardens' Web site, it is one of the oldest continuously operated attractions in the state, and dates back to 1940 when tourists arrived by car and roadside attractions were popular.

Joerger said a private donor has agreed to contribute part of the required local matching funds to purchase the easement from a family trust. But Joerger is still looking for private and possibly public financial support for the roughly $9 million purchase.

By Zac Anderson
Published: Friday, September 5, 2008 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Friday, September 5, 2008 at 1:20 a.m.

Our Libraries Rock!

Sarasota County residents are among the most active library users in the state, with 77 percent of them holding library cards.

That ranks first among mid-sized counties, according to the State Library and Archives of Florida.

Sarasota County ranks third in per-capita library visits, with more than 2.6 million visits annually.

Visit our libraries online: http://suncat.co.sarasota.fl.us/.

For full article: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080831/ARTICLE/808310343.

Source: SHT online 8-31-8

Show You Care: Clean the Coast!

Come clean up the coastline with me, my kids and a bunch of great volunteers from the Sarasota Association of Realtor's GRAS (Green Realtor Alliance of Sarasota) Saturday September 20 at 8 am around John Ringling Causeway. Follow this link for more details and the registration form: http://www.sarasotarealtors.com/about/event.cfm?eveID=74.

This is a great way to get your kids involved as volunteer opportunities for kids are few and far between.

Hope to see you there!

Sarasota City Hall Landscape Honored As Florida Friendly Yard

To see firsthand what a quintessential Florida Friendly Yard looks like, take a peek at City Hall, 1565 First Street. The City of Sarasota was notified yesterday its City Hall landscape achieved the highest recognition level for Florida Friendly Yards. The recognition was awarded by environmental experts at the University of Florida extension office in Sarasota County.

The City achieved the “Golden Oak” recognition level, the highest of three levels, by assuring the landscape protects our natural resources. The landscape demonstrates to the public that serious environmental issues, such as storm water runoff, water shortages, and disappearing wildlife habitats, can be addressed without sacrificing attractive landscaping. “We wanted to showcase the plantings at City Hall as an educational tool because it is a public space that receives many visitors,” said Michele Mician, Neighborhood Coordinator who oversees green initiatives for the City of Sarasota. Some of the techniques used at City Hall include:

• Planting more native species

• Recycling grass clippings

• Collecting rainwater and using it to water plants

• Using drip irrigation

• Avoiding fertilizers and pesticides

• Positioning trees and shrubs to improve the building’s cooling capacity

• Planting low maintenance plants

• Providing cover for wildlife

• Purchasing plant materials from local native plant stores

• Positioning plants according to the principals of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)

Moving forward with green initiatives is one of the City Commission’s top five critical priorities. In October 2007, the Environmental Management Task Force, comprised of City employees, was created to oversee sustainability issues within City government. “The landscape department includes a master gardener whose expertise helped make the garden bed at City Hall Florida friendly,” said Neil Gaines, a Public Works employee who is a member of the EMTF.

In addition to the Florida Friendly Yard, visitors to City Hall can also see a set of rain barrels, which capture rainwater. Ultimately, that water is used to irrigate plants and flowers at City Hall through a drip system.

For more information about green initiatives visit yourgreencity.sarasotagov.com.

For more information, please contact:Jan Thornburg, Public Information Officer (941) 954-2613

Source: City Hall Press Release 8/7/8

Free Trees!

CITY SEEKS GREEN CANOPY PARTICIPANTS

Sarasota, FL: The City of Sarasota is looking for residents interested in participating in the Green Canopy Partnership Program. In the program, the City plants trees along the right-of-way of residents’ homes, as long as the residents pledge to water and care for the saplings until they take root. “It’s a true partnership between the City and residents. The City provides the trees and installation, and the residents agree to water them,” said Michele Mician, Sustainability Coordinator. There is no fee to participate in the program.

Since the program began in 2004, hundreds of trees have been purchased and planted by the City, then nurtured by residents. Recently, 31 crape myrtle trees were planted along 7th Street in Gillespie Park as part of the program. “We love them,” said Carmen Adcock, a resident who pledged to care for a tree. “We each have a tree in front of our house that we water according to the directions the City gave us,” said Adcock. Residents who participate in the program must sign a pledge sheet, agreeing to follow the watering guidelines given by City staff.

City of Sarasota arborists study a potential location and determine the right tree for that area. Available sunlight, overhead utility lines, and soil all play a role in determining what species is best suited in an area. Ultimately, the trees benefit the environment and residents’ property. “Trees give properties many value added benefits as well as helping the environment. Environmental benefits such as soil stabilization, increased wildlife habitat, and shade are just some of the valuable returns you can expect when you plant a tree,” said Mician.

The Green Canopy Partnership Program is funded through the Sarasota County penny surtax.
To have trees planted by autumn, residents must submit pledge forms by Fri., August 8, 2008. For more information on this unique program contact Neighborhood Services at 954-2612, or download a Green Canopy Partnership Program pledge form at npo.sarasotagov.com.

Source: http://www.sarasotagov.com/InsideCityGovernment/Content/CAC/Communications/Releases/Tree_canopy.htm

Updates To Public Policy

The Sarasota Association of Realtors has updated our public policy. According to Marc Mansfield, our Governmental Affairs Director, we have "retained the overall philosophy" and "tweaked language" with regards to smart growth and sustainability in addition to other core policies we support.

To read the SAR's Public Policy, click here: http://www.sarasotarealtors.com/files/pdfdocuments/RevisedPolicyPositions0808062734453.pdf.

Green Features on New MLS!

The Sarasota Association of Realtors' Green Realtor Alliance of Sarasota committee was amazingly able to have 4 green feature options added to our new Mid-Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service system's listing form. This makes us one of a small handful of Realtor associations and multiple listing services in the country to offer green features (1) as a way to distinguish your home for sale and (2) as an option to look for in your home. Go Sarasota!

Check out our new listing form: http://www.mfrmls.com/uploads/MFRMLSresidential.pdf. The green features can be found on the bottom left corner of the first page. My contribution is the last option which I felt was important since a lot of homes have some green elements (energy efficient appliances, window upgrades, skylights, low impact yards that may not yet be Florida Certified, etc), especially considering that every little bit helps!

Thanks for all the hard work, GRAS!

Sarasota's May Home Sales Statistics

While most areas throughout the state continue to struggle, home sales in the Sarasota MLS hit an all time high for 2008 in May with a total sold of 627 single family houses and condos--the most properties sold in one month since March 2007. This marks the fifth consistent increase in sales this year: January 329, February 423, March 514 and April 567.

Inventory levels were also lower in May for the third month in a row with a total of roughly 9500 homes and 5100 condos currently for sale.

There's still a lot of truly affordable housing available out there, including great deals on foreclosures. If you're interested in receiving automatic updates of newly listed homes and price reductions--or need help finding your dream home--email me at Christina@YourHometownConsultant.com.

SRQ Only 1 of 2 Florida Markets With Sales Increase!

"In area home sales, signs of hope"

In another sign that the Sarasota-Bradenton housing market is recovering faster than most parts of Florida, June home sales climbed 5 percent from the same month last year. Prices were still seeking firmer footing: the median dropped 10 percent. But the June price was on par with the last six months.In the Sarasota-Bradenton area, one of only two Florida markets with June sales increases, home sales continue to run at about the rate of the pre-boom market. "I would not expect median prices to be rising yet as there is still so much inventory, but people are buying and beginning to realize perhaps we are skidding along the bottom," said Penny Hill, the Sarasota-based top national producer for Chase Mortgage. "Skidding along" might be an apt description: Sarasota-Bradenton's median sales price was $292,700 in June, $294,700 in May, $294,800 in April, $291,500 in March and $294,500 in February.

One sign that the recovery in Sarasota-Bradenton may be ahead of the rest of the state: In Miami, 469 existing homes were sold during June, compared to the 797 that sold in Sarasota-Bradenton.

Meanwhile, Charlotte County-North Port saw a 33 percent drop in sales, from 323 homes in June 2006 to 218. Its median price dropped 10 percent, from $222,300 to $199,000. Only Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay had a bigger drop at 15 percent. Tallahassee, Ocala and Fort Lauderdale all posted increases -- 4 percent, 3 percent and 1 percent, respectively.Sales in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market dropped 35 percent.

For the rest of the article by By STEPHEN FRATER and MICHAEL POLLICK in the SHT: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20070726/REALESTATE/707260573/1201.

7th Best State To Do Business Too

Florida is one of the best places to do business, ranking seventh in the 2007 listing of business-friendly states by Forbes.com. Criteria considered included job and income growth, living costs, and educational achievement, as well as projections of job, income, and gross state product growth.

Full story:http://click.email.floridarealtors.org/?ju=fe5b11747c67017e7412&ls=fe3211727667077e711171&m=feff1070756103&l=fecc177274660379&s=fe5f1d777365047c7215&jb=ffcf14&t=

Sarasota Memorial Rocks Again!

"For the past three years, Sarasota Memorial Hospital has trumpeted the release of a national magazine's rankings of top hospitals.In 2006, Sarasota Memorial was heralded as being among the nation's top 50 hospitals in six different specialties, including high-profile programs like heart surgery and orthopedics. This year's rankings, though, have hospital officials quietly poring over the numbers.U.S. News & World Report released its 'America's Top Hospitals' rankings on its Web site Friday.

Sarasota Memorial ranked among the top 50 hospitals in two specialties, cancer and geriatrics. Officially, the hospital calls it an achievement just to make a list dominated by big-name facilities like Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic....


For more info: http://heraldtribune.com/article/20070717/BUSINESS/707170599.

Sarasota's 2nd Best In US For New Small Business!

10 Best Places for Starting a Small Business

Florida is the best state to grow a small business, according to a new study by Bizjournals, the Web site of American City Business Journals Inc. Bizjournals used a 12-part formula to rate the vitality of small-businesses in the nation's 75 largest metropolitan areas. These 75 markets, taken as a group, had 179 million residents as of mid-2005, accounting for 60 percent of the nation's total population. They also included 4.5 million small businesses, a number that rose by 7 percent between 2000 and 2005. The study's objective was to identify those metro areas that are most conducive to the creation and development of small businesses.

The highest scores went to areas that have prosperous economies, are expanding rapidly, and are densely packed with small businesses. The top 10 are:


Orlando, FL
Sarasota-Bradenton, FL
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL
Las Vegas,NV
Jacksonville, FL
Raleigh, NC
Washington, DC
Salt Lake City, UT
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN


For a more complete results, see how all 75 markets ranked for small business growth.

Source: BizJournals, G. Scott Thomas (07/10/07)

Sarasota-Bradenton A Bright Spot In The Nation For Home Sales In March

By MICHAEL BRAGA and MICHAEL POLLICK
michael.braga@heraldtribune.commichael.pollick@heraldtribune.com


Sarasota-Bradenton’s housing market was bright spot in a bleak national landscape during March. The market was the only one among the state’s 20 largest metropolitan areas besides Panama City to post an increase in sales. Sarasota-Bradenton’s increase was 16 percent while Panama City’s was up 28 percent. The median sales price was down 9 percent at $291,500, but there was some good news in even that. The price was actually higher than during the last several months even though it was lower than March 2006.

Charlotte County-North Port’s sales dropped 25 percent during March while its median sales price was $193,000, a decline of 14 percent.

The national backdrop of the region’s March performance was that sales of existing homes dropped by the largest amount in nearly two decades, reflecting bad weather and increasing problems in the subprime mortgage market, the National Association of Realtors reported. Sales of existing homes fell by 8.4 percent in March, compared with February. It was the biggest one-month decline since a 12.6 percent drop in January 1989, another period of recession conditions in housing. The drop left sales in March at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.12 million units, the slowest pace since June 2003. The steep sales decline was accompanied by an eighth straight fall in median home prices, the longest such period of falling prices on record. The median price fell to $217,000, a drop of 0.3 percent from the price a year ago.

Sarasota Is 7th Best Spot For Young Retirees

STAFF REPORT

SARASOTA -- Money magazine named Sarasota as one of the "Best Places to Retire Young." Money lauded the city of 53,000 for its architecture, beaches and culture, though it took a mild shot at Sarasota's house prices. Sarasota was the seventh city on the list of 10. "While you're not going to realize a lot of housing bargains in this Gulf Coast spot, you will discover some of the most splendid architecture anywhere in the Sunshine State," Money writers said. "It also boasts pure white sands, exotic birds and plants, boating, water skiing, opera, ballets." Sarasota was among nine other cities around the nation that were praised for being a good spot to hang up your work hat while you still walk without a cane.

No other Florida cities made the list, but four other Sunshine State communities were finalists for the top 100 on Money's spots to retire young: Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Miramar and Pembroke Pines.Only one state -- Virginia -- claimed more than one spot on the list. The other nine cities among the top 10 were -- in the order of the list: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Charlottesville, Va.; Logan, Utah; Blacksburg, Va.; Burlington, Vt.; Anacortes, Wash.; Hanover, N.H.; Manhattan, Kan.; and Ames, Iowa. Money listed Sarasota with a population of 53,477, a 15-year population growth of 2.6 percent, a median house price of $423,400, and a home price forecast for the next two years of a 6.3 percent increase.

How did Money make the call for what communities would be on the list? The magazine's writers figured that young retired people were still active and would have a need for travel and recreation. They also are not likely to want to fight major-city congestion. Each city chosen for the list had to be near a major city or "urban cluster" to provide a major airport, shopping and dining and other amenities.In cases where a metropolitan area was not within 100 miles, the magazine "looked for an outdoor lifestyle compelling enough to overcome the relative isolation."

The magazine's writers also looked for places with healthy economies -- they looked for low unemployment and long-term job growth -- and a cost of living measured by home prices that were near the average in the United States. Unemployment in Sarasota County during February was 3 percent, down from 3.1 percent in January and slightly higher than the same month last year. Sarasota, obviously, had some difficulties in the latter housing category given its $400,000-plus median." In some cases, we were willing to include those places that are worth their higher price tag through their unique mix of resources," the magazine writers said.

House Sales Rise 5 % in Sarasota-Bradenton; Price Drops 9 %

March 23. 2007 11:28AM
Sales drop 1 percent in Charlotte County North while price drops 11 percent
STAFF REPORT for Sarasota Herald Tribune

February proved a brighter month for homes sales in Southwest Florida with a 5 percent increase in sales in the Sarasota-Bradenton market. That was the biggest increase in the state behind Panama City, which posted a 21 percent rise.

There were 598 homes sold in Sarasota-Bradenton last month compared with 568 during the same month in 2006.Charlotte County-North Port posted a 1 percent drop in sales, 216 sales in February 2006 compared with 218 last month.

The median sales price in the Sarasota-Bradenton market was $294,500 in February, down 9 percent from $324,200 during the same month last year.The median sales price dropped by a larger margin in Charlotte County-North Port. It was $201,100 last month, down 11 percent from $226,300 during the same 2006 month.