David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

The real estate industry as a whole probably isn't known for it's marketing genius.  That's how we came to have Zillow.  But I digress. I'm seeing a lot posts on social media comparing the Polar Vortex to the Florida climate.  Come on, fellow Realtors. Gloating about temperatures isn't going to move the needle when it comes to selling your Sarasota , Venice , or Lakewood Ranch home. I've said it many times in many blog posts.  Home buyers are searching in depth about real estate markets.  More buyers than ever have the flexibility to telecommute, so they can live practically anywhere.  This means I employ the latest technology and apply it in imaginative ways to reach potential buyers for your home or condo for sale.  I think a smart buyer already knows the basics of winter weather, but they probably don't know much about why they should live in your neighborhood, in your home. That's what I'm here for. Contact me when you'r...

Here's an update on my YouTube channel: Over 400 HD video tours; 80,000+ views; Playlists for homes in Sarasota, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch; Videos cover 2 of the top 4 selling master planned communities in the country. My YouTube channel dashboard Wh y is this important? I'm able to showcase our local real estate markets to the vast majority of potential home buyers who come from long distance to live here. Question: What good is listing with a "luxury broker", when one of them, over the past 90 days, had 7 out of 26 (27%) expired listings on Siesta Key and Longboat Key in our MLS? If you like how I market myself as a Realtor and our market area to attract buyers, you'll love how I market your home or condo for sale. And I don't do any of it with assistants, "buyer's agents", or an unlicensed spouse. A high tech Realtor like myself will attract the right buyer for your home using the latest tools and technology. ...

I've made owner financed properties one of my real estate specialities.  There's a lot of confusion around this subject, especially since the advent of Dodd-Frank financing rules after the real estate crash of 2008. First of all, a property owner offering a single owner financed home for sale during a one-year period does not qualify as a "lender" who would need a mortgage license under Dodd-Frank. Secondly, when you visit davidbarrhomes.com for owner financed properties, I'm able to display listings from our MLS based on the financing offered.  I include lease option homes, because most listing agents aren't familiar with owner financing and don't bring it up to their clients.  With the right offer, a home owner offering a lease purchase option may consider owner financing. Owner financing is not for those with bad credit .  You should expect the home owner will run a credit and background check.  After all, you will be, in a sense, business p...

Have you thought about hiring a high volume Realtor, or one of the "luxury" brokerages to list your Sarasota home for sale? Think about this: If you have a problem, what are the chances you can talk to the actual person you hired to list your home? Does the "team" business model in real estate give you real customer support? And if a Realtor has 10 or more properties they are listing and marketing at the same time, how often can they hold an Open House for yours? This last point is most important: Our price per square foot for luxury properties is far below that of Naples or Miami. Sarasota has just as nice beaches, with just as vibrant an arts and cultural scene than both those cities. When there's little competition other than to get your home sold, it's not a good recipe to get you the very best price for your luxury property. If you think the Sarasota luxury property market is handled by too few, resulting in low prices,...