David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

I just updated my best deals page on my Sarasota real estate website:   www.davidbarrhomes.com/best_deals The criteria for the homes I choose are simple.  The home must be in particular areas and price ranges that make sense for cash investors for rental purposes, or the home must be priced at a significant discount compared to it's last sale price.  Past history is a good indicator of possible future appreciation. The current crop of homes I have chosen include an affordable single family home that is perfect for a rental in Englewood, a courtyard home in a popular Venice location, and a newer waterfront 5 bedroom home in Sarasota that is listed for sale at half what it sold for at the height of our real estate market in 2005. Make sure to contact me to schedule an appointment to view any of these properties.

I recently replied to an associate with our company who posted a comment for an article in the Sarasota Herald Tribune about buyers frustrated with multiple offers. This associate supposedly handles a large list of foreclosure properties.  His assertion was that many of the best foreclosures don't make it to the market, and sell before they are listed, so buyers should sign up with this broker to be the first to know about foreclosure listings. I found his assertion to be ludicrous.  Reference this excellent article:   http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?p=1&id=293426 If he's working with banks, they have no reason to withhold properties from the MLS and exposure to the general marketplace.  Banks want the highest price possible for their properties, and are extremely risk averse.  Withholding properties from the MLS for only a select group of buyers that register with a broker could be construed as discriminatory.  It's high...