SRQ Market Area (Sarasota | Bradenton | Lakewood Ranch | Venice | West Villages) Home Starts Up 16%

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By John Hielscher, Sarasota Herald Tribune, 3 November 2018 Builders break ground on 1,782 homes in the second quarter, nearly a 12-year high. Home starts surged to a nearly 12-year high in Southwest Florida in the second quarter, with baby-boomer-driven demand still outstripping the supply of new homes. Builders broke ground on 1,782 new local homes during the April-June period, a pace Continue Reading

Sarasota glows in Conde Nast Traveler’s list

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Article by Terry Glavin, Business Editor, Sarasota Herald Tribune, 24 October 2018 Conde Nast Traveler, one of the most high-profile and high-end of the mass-market travel publications, consulted 429,000 responses to its Readers Choice Award survey to rank Sarasota No. 5 on its 15 Best Small Cities in the U.S. list for 2018. “Sarasota is booming,” the magazine said in its blurb, “and our Continue Reading

Jimmy Buffet’s “Last Man Standing” Ballad Rings Eerily True After Hurricane Michael Flattens Mexico Beach

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1 House Left Standing in Mexico Beach after Hurricane Michael Article by Patricia Mazzei, The New York Times, October 14, 2018 MEXICO BEACH, Fla. — As they built their dream house last year on the shimmering sands of the Gulf of Mexico, Russell King and his nephew, Dr. Lebron Lackey, painstakingly documented every detail of the elevated construction, from the 40-foot pilings buried into the Continue Reading

Major Milestone in West Villages (Venice)

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The development of the West Villages reaches a major milestone this week with the groundbreaking of the community’s first retail center. For the approximately 5,000 homeowners who now live in the West Villages’ seven neighborhoods, retail is a top priority since none exists yet in this Mattamy Homes master-planned community. “Retail transforms neighborhoods,” Christine Masney, West Villages Continue Reading

2018 will be another GREAT YEAR for Florida real estate: the 30 second explanation

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In the spirit of full disclosure, this has been our market forecast for 2015 – 2016 – 2017 and now 2018. The only revision is the final 3 major risk factors we identify. Conventional wisdom states 3 key metrics drive housing prices: Economy Consumer Confidence Interest Rates The US economy is in good shape, but further improvement would be welcomed. Consumer confidence is Continue Reading

BRENT LEATHWOOD, MBA

LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER | BK 3300751

CROSS BORDER REALTY LLC | CQ1046895
2100 CONSTITUTION BLVD. #207
SARASOTA, FL, 34231
(941) 882-2995
Contact
3 Big Mistakes Buyers make:

  1. 1. NOT KNOWING THE NEIGHBORHOOD...ContinuedReal estate always has been and always will be a local business. Know your neighborhood is a cardinal rule in this business. A real estate professional knows what is going on in their local market area. Hire a knowledge, local professional. When we see folks wandering around with a notebook and a list of questions, we know they are the most likely to make a costly mistake. A PROFESSIONAL Realtor, (please note the word professional), can spend 15 minutes listening to your needs and wants, and probably rule out 90% of the local market options, and focus your attention, on the 3 or 4 or 5 communities that will meet your needs, and make sense from both a financial and lifestyle point of view. I am amazed at how many people from out of State, go it alone, end up buying in the wrong community, and come to regret it. I meet people like this everyday, and everyone single one of them will say to me: “I wish we had met you first.”
  2. 2. GETTING STUCK IN AN HOA NIGHTMARE...ContinuedHome owners association nightmares are the stuff of legend in our State. Do not buy the wrong property in the wrong community. A knowledgeable real estate professional can explain to you upfront, the ins and outs of the HOA regulations of the community you are considering, and help you avoid 99% of these potential pitfalls. This is another very costly mistake.
  3. 3. THINKING YOU DO NOT NEED A REALTOR WHEN BUYING A NEW HOME...ContinuedEverybody knows you need a Realtor to represent you, when buying a resale home. Many do not know, you also need a Realtor to represent you, when buying a new home. The new home sales person in the model home works for the Builder, not the Buyer. They are paid to look out for their employer’s interests, not yours. You will not save $1 by going it alone. You will lose money. A lot of money. One of our largest local builders reported 872 annual sales, of which, 762 were handled by Realtors representing the Buyer. That is 87% of the total. The Builder has already factored paying a finder’s fee into the price. The Builder will not rebate $1 of this money back to you. Builders laugh under their breath, when Buyers try this negotiating tactic, even though they will politely agree with you. Professional representation costs you $0, why would you fend for yourself, in a market you know almost nothing about? Buyers know less than 20% of what they actually need to know, to get a great deal. Having gone through the new home buying process hundreds of times with clients, we know all the pitfalls to avoid, and how to make the process go smoothly. Do not go it alone, get professional representation, it costs you $0. Not doing this is the most costly of the 3 mistakes. But everyone has heard the old saying, you can lead a horse to water. We are in the business of helping our customers solve a problem. Our ability to do that, is the sole reason we have a thriving business. We are here to help you through the entire process, and get a great deal.

4 Big Mistakes Investors make:
  1. INCOME... ContinuedThe rental income does not justify the $/sq. ft. purchase price.
  2. EXPENSES... Continued The monthly expenses are too high, relative to the property type and rental income produced.
  3. CAP RATE... Continued The capitalization rate is too low to justify the investment.
  4. HOA REGS... Continued The home owners association regulations are too restrictive, or do not permit the intended use. Frequently overlooked or glossed over by some sales people, the long run financial consequences are catastrophic if a mismatch occurs.
Avoid Costly $$$ Mistakes: Hire Brent. Costs you $0.