David Barr's Sarasota and Venice Real Estate Blog

I wrote a blog post about this company almost 2 years ago, so it's time for an update. Their website still says they offer condos for sale in Florida.  This company is not a registered Florida real estate broker.  It is therefore impossible for them to list and sell real estate in Florida. Their website lists "Value Properties" in different markets in Florida.  Since my original blog post about them, they are still marketing condos at Vintage Grand as "developer sell offs".  Vintage Grand was built in 1989.  The developer is long gone. They list two other condo communities in my service area of Sarasota and Bradenton, both of which they say are "sold out". One of these supposed "sold out" communities is Serenata.  Serenata had and may still have legal issues involving the original builder and the condition/warranty of the roofs and getting them to make repairs.  This is something you would never find out on the Florida Home Finders w...

Is having a washer and dryer in your own vacation condo unit at one of the beaches in the Sarasota area an important criteria in your property search?   www.davidbarrhomes.com/beachfront_sarasota_condos Most vacation condos for sale at our area beaches do not offer units with washer/dryer hook ups.  Some condo owners have taken over closet space to cram a stacked unit in, but there can be drawbacks to this.  You need an outside wall for ventilation, and proximity to a plumbing source. You will likely have to get condo approval to make alterations to the outside of the building to put in the dryer vent, but the good news is that other unit owners may have already gone through the process, so it's not impossible. There are ventless dryers, but that hot humid air has to go somewhere, and Florida already has a lot of hot humid air that your HVAC is continually working to remove. Plan on a suitable space for a stacked system of at least 30" wide, 32" deep, and 75...

Every day I update my real estate website with the day's reduced priced homes, condos, townhomes and villas. Price reductions are a good indication of a motivated seller, and many times, a home with a price reduction that may not have previously fit your budget may end up being the right home for you.  It may also mean an income producing property is a lot more attractive. Anna Maria Island duplex with pool reduced from $439,000 to $419,000 Bookmark my page for reduced price homes in the Sarasota area:  http://www.davidbarrhomes.com/#!price-reduction-sarasota/c1h1

A few weeks back I blogged about Bradenton's historic River District and some of the incredible homes to be found there. In working with several home buyers to locate property in our low-inventory market, I have been relying more and more on the charm and proximity to Anna Maria Island beaches that the River District offers. Riverview Blvd home for sale $525,000 I have now added a special page on my real estate website for homes for sale in the River District: http://www.davidbarrhomes.com/#!bradenton-river-district/ca0a  If you are looking for unique homes in a mature tropical setting, close to downtown amenities and local beaches, Bradenton's River District is a perfect option.

I periodically update my real estate website with a best deals page. I personally pick homes that are good values for owner occupants or for investors looking for a combination of cash flow and future appreciation potential. Newer home in Bradenton minutes to Anna Maria Island The current group of best deal picks includes a starter home near Stickney Point bridge, a spacious home in Bradenton minutes to Anna Maria Island beaches, a canal front pool home listed for half what it sold for in 2005, and a single family home within walking distance to Manasota Key beach in Englewood. Canal-front home in Englewood View my picks on my website:  http://www.davidbarrhomes.com/#!best-deals-sarasota/c142p

The topic of for sale by owner, of FSBO, deserves an update in terms of how owners who try to sell their homes themselves in today's market face a lot of issues they may not be able to handle themselves. 1) Property valuation :  A lot of people think Zillow and Trulia are the authoritative word when it comes to real estate values.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In Sarasota, Zillow overvalues the median sales price of single family homes, compared to the MLS.  Read more here on my real estate website:   www.davidbarrhomes.com/debunking_zillow . 2) Showings :  In the Sarasota area, most buyers come from out of town and those buyers select a local agent to represent them.  Are you willing to work with a real estate agent representing a buyer?  Will you be available to show the home when the buyer is available?  If you want to sell your home on your own, you have to be flexible to accommodate the buyer's schedule, who often has l...

Touring several properties today in Sarasota with out of town buyers presented a perfect case study in how an experienced buyer's agent is indispensable. Despite the variety of real estate sites and online tools to assist buyers, nothing replaces the local knowledge of a Realtor.  The buyers I was with today had a good general knowledge of the area and selected a few properties to tour.  I threw in a few suggestions, based on experience, to the tour list for properties in communities the buyers were not aware of. It's one thing to look at photos, square footage, and price, from a website, but this alone does not convey the "feel" of the community.  The customers I was with today were very satisfied that the property suggestions I had made resulted in an afternoon well spent.