David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

I ran across this Venice FL flip for sale in the MLS.  Overall, this is a well-executed flip of a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home with large lot available for sale for $199,000, with city water and sewer. The home has new laminate floors installed throughout.  It looks nice in the pictures, but I'm not a personal fan of laminate.  Ceramic tile would have been a better choice.  If you are flipping investment property, it's much easier to get a neutral tile that will appeal to more potential buyers. The kitchen is pretty close to a perfect "10".  The lighting is a nice designer touch, and the white cabinetry and light color counter tops are excellent choices. I'm glad to see that the seller opted for a muted tile backsplash.  The open floor plan makes this 1,290 sq. ft. home see much larger. The bathroom successfully repeats the same winning formula as the kitchen:  a simple white vanity and light colored countertop, with a couple of desi...

I recently saw a home come up for sale in Sarasota in the South Gate area as I was searching for clients.  The home is a renovation, and the seller did most things right and a couple things that could have been done better.  Here's my analysis. The color palette is perfect.  The light gray walls and painted fireplace are exactly what buyers are looking for.  The large tile floors are also a good choice, but I bet this home had terrazzo floors.  I would have preferred those be refinished. The sectioned dining room could be improved.  This should have been opened to the living room, and the mirrors removed. I can't find much fault with the kitchen.  I really like the timeless simple white cabinets and flooring choices, as well as the pickled planked ceiling.  It definitely adds a memorable selling point to this home.  I might have chosen lighter color counter tops, but most buyers won't quibble with these. A lot of homes in ...

I've been advising a client of mine who is renovating a home for sale, coming soon in Sarasota, about keeping everything white. The home is small, and using white will create the illusion of a larger, airy space that a potential buyer can imagine with their furnishings, art, and accessories. Here's a great example of how a small kitchen using simple materials looks spacious and contemporary: Subway tiles are a timeless classic.  The lack of cabinet pulls creates a streamlined effect that would work well on simple and inexpensive stock cabinets from places such as Ikea or Home Depot.  There are no jarring colors to distract the eye, which makes the space look larger. The goal in a successful "flip" is the balance between spending frugally on the renovation, while appealing to as many potential buyers as possible.  The simple lines and materials in the above example would appeal to any buyer who prefers a beachy aesthetic, or a rustic look by adding more per...

I just checked the sales data for the past 90 days for Manasota Key single family homes. Only 9 homes had sold, and of those, the median list price to sales price ratio was 86%.  This number is far too low in a seller's market.  Even worse, the median number of days on market for these sold homes was 571. You can view the report here . If you are thinking of selling your luxury home on Manasota Key, it's obviously time for a different approach.  I invite you to contact me to learn about Berkshire Hathaway's Luxury Collection, a powerful marketing program designed to put your property for sale in front of the most qualified potential buyers. You can learn more about the Luxury Collection here on my website:   http://www.davidbarrhomes.com/#!bhhs-venice-luxury-collection/c11zl

As a fellow dog lover, I am acutely aware that many people who relocate to the Venice FL area are bringing their pets with them and need to know exactly which condos allow pets. Pet friendly Brohard Beach in Venice FL courtesy of bringfido.com On my real estate website, you can search Venice FL area condos and villas for sale that are specifically pet friendly:  http://www.davidbarrhomes.com/#!venice-pet-friendly-condos/c1xbi

I will be listing a completely renovated 2 bedroom one bath cottage style home west of the Trail near Sarasota Square Mall in the next few weeks. The home will have an all new kitchen and bath, new roof and windows.  Here's a preview of the kitchen renovation. If you are looking for a smaller home that has an open and light feel, please contact me for a preview showing.