SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 11th, 2016 – The luxury condo market in Sarasota is one sector that most realtors would want to be specialized in these days as activity is on a strong uptick in this segment since the start of 2016. Sales of condominium units priced from $1 million and up registered sustained increases from January to March that year, totaling 32 for the three-month period. This contrasts with declines in closed sales for most of the first quarter in all price segments combined.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 10th, 2016 – The celebration of Women’s Small Business Month is marked for October yet, but there is reason this early for the lady entrepreneurs in Florida to reflect and spread inspiration on the gains they have made in recent years. Women-owned businesses in the Sunshine State, according to a recent report, was the most prolific across the nation growing in number by 67.1 percent to 971,000 firms between 2007 and 2006.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 6th, 2016 – Wide-ranging recreational benefits are in store for residential neighborhoods in North Port under a parks master plan that the city commission approved in April 2016. This plan will serve as a road map for a $15 million project to revitalize the city’s parks network within a 10-year timeframe. Also designed to attract new residents and promote North Port as an eco-tourism destination, the plan has identified trails development, parks connectivity, and water access amongst its top priorities.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 4th, 2016 – Value-added developments for properties in Fruitville Park, Southpointe Meadows, Pine Valley, Fox Creek Acres and other Sarasota homes for sale in East County appear forthcoming. Benderson, the co-developer of the Mall at the UTC, is constructing a 10,000-square-foot commercial building at 5354 Fruitville Road north of the retailer Target in the Sarasota Towne Center Plaza. The developer also said it is moving forward with a mixed-use development at the corner of Fruitville and Coburn Roads.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 3rd, 2016 – The opening of the Honore Avenue‒Pinebrook extension in April 2016 not only improved traffic movement and boosted vehicular capacity on Sarasota County’s north‒south roadways. This project has also put on the spotlight many attractive residential communities in Sarasota’s south county which greatly benefit from the new road link serving as an alternative to Interstate 75.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 2nd, 2016 – Property development activity is revving up to the max for Lakewood Ranch (LWR) developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR) as it set in motion two major projects in April 2016: a multi-purpose community park in East Manatee and groundbreaking for its Waterside venture in Sarasota. SMR in early April filed the plans for a 44.5-acre Lakewood Ranch Community Park bordered to the north by State Road 70 and to the east by Lakewood Ranch Boulevard.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 30th, 2016 – Sales activity has significantly picked up at the residential neighborhoods of Copperstone and Harrison Ranch in Parrish, with recent deals in these communities closed after only a few weeks of the properties’ listing in the market. These brisk sales are apparently being driven by a pair of developments brewing along the Erie Road corridor of their north Manatee locality. One of these market drivers is a plan of the Manatee County School District to set up a new high school in this area.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 29th, 2016 – Consider Cedar Grove at the Woodlands in North Port if you are searching for a mid-priced single family home. Centex, its developer, recently listed in the MLS of Sarasota homes for sale a pair of quick move-in residences in this community with price tags in the $200s‒$300s range. These new listings come at a most opportune time as Sarasota homes for sale in this price range are currently fast sellers in the market.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 27th, 2016 – The Esplanade brand which is signature to the active lifestyle communities of Taylor Morrison has found a new territory with the grand opening in April 2016 of Bellacina by Casey Key in Nokomis. Rising in a 165-acre former ranch land, Bellacina by Casey Key is strategically located off the Venice road connector SR 681 just a short distance east of US 41 (Tamiami Trail), a critical reference point in searching Sarasota homes for sale.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 26th, 2016 – Homeowners in communities east of Sarasota’s downtown center got some good cheers recently. Several new property developments have been lined up in their area long lagging behind in development. Icon International is one of the developers coming into the neighborhood with projects that could also help bring more market focus to Sarasota homes for sale in this area east of Washington Blvd.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 25th, 2016 – Expect more zip in market activity of homes for sale in central Sarasota, as construction is set in Osprey for two bayfront communities less than a mile apart from each other— the Edgewater at Hidden Bay and the Bayside community of national builder Taylor Morrison. Edgewater is programmed for the remaining bayfront lots of the 14-acre Hidden Bay, a gated condominium enclave with residential units already existing just east of S Tamiami Trail.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 23rd, 2016 – Selections have just widened further on downtown Sarasota condos for sale priced starting at around the $300s. Two new condominium projects in the downtown area moved forward recently, featuring units at this attractive price range which some developers believe could draw in a new crop of buyers to the city center. In March 2016, pre-construction marketing started for 1500 State Street, a project erstwhile known as “pad lite” attached to the newly built parking garage on State Street.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 22nd, 2016 – The Islands on the Manatee River recently served notice of its strength amongst the newer destinations for upscale home buyers in Parrish. A pair of million-dollar, newly built model homes were sold here in the run-up to this year’s Parade of Homes wherein this neighborhood eventually emerged as one of the most outstanding entries. A neighborhood in the River Wilderness Golf and Country Club, this development is definitely on a strong rebound from the housing downturn.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 21st, 2016 – Another sound platform is being laid to help diversify Southwest Florida’s economy, with the University of Florida set to open its first FLEXStation (Florida Engineering Experiment Station) in Sarasota. Some industry observers believe that this program could contribute much in building the next “tech boom town” in the region, a development that certainly should help further stimulate demand for Sarasota homes for sale.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 15th, 2016 – An organization called AMI—Home, Sweet Home has taken several initiatives to help stem the decline of permanent residents in Anna Maria, a drop seen as a threat to the island’s Old Florida charm. In recent years, many old-time island residents have moved elsewhere, having been tempted by the top dollars that their homes commanded amongst investors on rental properties. AMI—Home, Sweet Home is led by three lady commissioners from the island’s three cities.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, January April 14th, 2016 – Urban infill developments are fast reshaping Rosemary District as a northern downtown core richly stocked with Sarasota homes for sale, as another condominium is planned for the northeast corner of Cocoanut Avenue‒Fourth Street. This new project comes at a time when the Sarasota Downtown Community Redevelopment Authority has already listed a dozen real estate developments in progress in this district and its neighboring bayfront as of March 2016.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 13th, 2016 – Rarely seen in recent years, a historic district vied for market attention along with newer developments in the Manatee and Sarasota counties’ Parade of Homes, with a project in Laurel Park amongst the eight featured communities in this annual builders’ showcase unveiled in February‒March of 2016. Billed as “The Homes of Laurel Park,” this project sits in a site of nearly 3 acres near Burns Court south of downtown Sarasota.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 12th, 2016 – Several property developments in the Burns and Laurel Park Overlay districts are giving a healthy boost to thin inventory of townhouse condo units around downtown Sarasota. One of these projects is the Enclave at Laurel Park which is planned for 20 homes at 1938 Laurel St. Its developer, Oaktree Development, envisions it as affordable housing and hopes to have its groundbreaking around the first quarter of 2017 if there are no setbacks in city approvals and permits.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 8th, 2016 – Two local centers for equestrian sports—the Sarasota Polo Club at Lakewood Ranch (LWR) and the Fox Lea Farm—both had a successful launch of their respective 2016 season early this year, ensuring that a horse-loving culture remains as a thriving lifestyle niche in the county. The year’s polo season, with matches held each Sunday at the Lakewood Ranch venue, reeled off February 7 with London Bay Homes, builder of custom-built Sarasota homes for sale, as sponsor.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 6th, 2016 – Mangrove forests, like those off Lido Key which add delight to Sarasota homes for sale in its waterfront communities Orchid Beach Club and Lido Harbour South, are Suncoast assets that Sarasota County now wants to have direct control. At present, it is the state’s Department of Environmental Protection which takes charge of all rules and regulations on preservation and trimming of Florida’s mangroves.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 5th, 2016 – A new era of growth appears looming on the horizon for Charlotte County, as indicated by the recent robust gain in the population of its lone incorporated town and seat of government, Punta Gorda, and by some major local projects set in this metro area. Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau released in March 2016 showed that the Punta Gorda was the ninth fastest-growing amongst all metro areas in the country.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, April 4th, 2016 – Rental properties have grown tremendously in Anna Maria Island as a result of the surge in its popularity as a U.S. tourist destination in recent years. This development in turn is generating a profound impact on the market for Anna Maria homes for sale and the island’s real estate development. It was reported that as of October 2015, 48.5 percent of all bed tax revenues in the county was accounted for by Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach, the island’s three cities.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 31st, 2016 – The sports performance sector appears poised to significantly increase its economic impact in the North Port‒Bradenton‒Sarasota metropolitan area, particularly on job growth and housing. Already, this emergent trend could be seen in Lakewood Ranch where early March 2016 groundbreaking was held for the 122-room Hyatt Place in Lakewood Ranch. Double rooms at Hyatt Place will be higher than normal so that it could cater specifically to sports teams.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 30th, 2016 – The choices for energy-efficient and environment-friendly homes in Bradenton have widened further with the recent of confirmation that homes of the new neighborhood of Mirabella at Village Green qualify for certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The final LEED certification for Mirabella residences is expected at either Gold or Platinum, the highest level achievable under standards of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 29th, 2016 – Bradenton-based Medallion Home and Canadian builder Mattamy Homes face contrasting scenarios as they separately seek to redevelop some golf courses in Sarasota into residential communities, recent developments indicate. The sailing seems smoother for Mattamy which is poised for a quick follow-up to its successful launch of the Enclave at Forest Lakes. This new community of condo villas was successfully launched in February 2016.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 28th, 2016 – A strategy launched last year seeking to take the economy of Bradenton to the next level is fast gaining traction as three companies early in 2016 announced plans either to expand or relocate in the area. This multi-year strategy, dubbed as the “Build Bradenton Area Plan,” aims to expand economic opportunities both for residents and existing businesses including players on the local housing market.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 24th, 2016 – Expect a flurry of construction activity soon right close to the gates of Golden Gate Point Peninsula entering from Gulfstream Avenue. The Diversified real estate company Jebco Ventures and Canadian developer Vandyk are separately girding for luxury condominium projects in this upscale location northwest of main downtown Sarasota. April 2016, groundbreaking is slated for Jebco’s Allure townhouse project at 111 Golden Gate Point just across the high-rise condo Vista Bay Point.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 23rd, 2016 – Florida’s regional homebuilder Neal Communities is looking sharper than ever and even more driven after having received the coveted 2015 Builder of the Year award from Professional Builder Magazine recently. Just consider this. Neal and its unit Neal Signature Homes notched 62 home sales in January 2016 on the heels of their record 984-unit sales in 2015 and over 1,200 housing permits pulled during the year in Sarasota and Manatee.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 22nd, 2016 – Folks from Sarasota sure have a broader smile these days as the city pulled ahead of other larger Florida urban centers in the recent U.S. News & World Report on the best places to live in the country. Sarasota’s top ranking amongst Sunshine State cities, just one amongst several it received recently, this time was good for 14th place overall in the U.S. News list. But what’s even more heartening, the city has various measures in the pipeline by which it can build upon to further improve quality of life.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 21th, 2016 – Relief is in sight for homeowners in Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island, who may have been bothered for years by the eyesore of rebar in the ground for what was supposed to be the Tidemark Lodge at Marina Drive. By end-2016, the posh Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club is expected to be up on this site that Tampa-based Mainsail Lodging and Development has taken over.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 20th, 2016 – Rank distance running amongst the activities that have been contributing to the delights of living in Sarasota which has been recognized as a runner-friendly community by the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). The RRCA, which certifies courses and sanctions footraces, is the oldest and largest U.S. organization dedicated to distance running. It certified Sarasota as runner-friendly after determining that distance running enjoys staunch government and community support.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 19th, 2016 – This conservation jewel is the product of a four-year restoration project that Manatee County initiated using the blueprint of contracted ecologists from design and consulting firm Stantec. Their plan successfully converted the site to a coastal hammock through enhancements of its mangrove swamp and removal of unwanted plant species and overgrowth, a step which also helped improve the area’s hydrology.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 18th, 2016 – The 2016 International Orchid Show at Marie Selby Gardens is wrapping up a successful run this late March but the added touch of floral color to Sarasota’s downtown will be staying for good. Such a striking feature is set to become a permanent fixture in the city’s core as the cool folks of the Downtown Improvement District (DID) are implementing a project to adorn street light poles in the central district with flower baskets.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 17th, 2016 – Two upscale condominiums are bidding to share in the upbeat interest that the numerous new condo constructions in downtown Sarasota have been generating lately. This time, this duo—Waterfront at Main Street and Lakeshore—is turning downtown Lakewood Ranch as their virtual market battleground. Riding on their proximity to the Lakewood Ranch downtown, they also capitalizing on their neighboring Lake Uihlein.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 16th, 2016 – Residents and homeowners of the neighborhoods at Forest Lakes around Beneva Road and Webber Street southeast of Sarasota downtown are cheering their good fortunes these days. The grand reopening in March 2016 of the community’s newly renovated golf course got a warm reception and more. It not only attracted plenty of player bookings but also drew good media coverage that certainly helped further buoy values and market interest in properties at Forest Lakes.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 15th, 2016 – Charlotte County is stepping up its tourism marketing efforts to match strides with the more aggressive drive of its neighbors Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples whose housing markets are also riding on their revved-up campaigns to attract tourists. There’s a strong foundation for Charlotte’s campaign, as the number of travelers landing on its Punta Gorda Airport is on the rise.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 14th, 2016 – A spike in redevelopment of aging properties in the Golden Gate Point Peninsula seems in the offing. Nokomis Ventures LLC was recently reported as poised to replace a cluster of two-story buildings built in the 1950s and 1960s in this upscale neighborhood also popular in searches of downtown Sarasota condos for sale. Already, the developer has requested for a community workshop to start discussions on its plans to replace the three existing structures in the property.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 13th, 2016 – Something great surely must be going on in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro area as it again ranked highly in the Gallup-Healthways’ State of American Well-Being: 2015 Community Rankings. While it slid to third from No. 1 in the 2014 listing, the region improved its score from 64.1 to 64.7 in the latest ranking. Institutions promoting physical health, one of the benchmarks in the Gallup index, appear as one strong driver for the area’s consistent top rating in well-being across the country.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 12th, 2016 – Here’s a good lead for residents of Charlotte Harbor or for those eying to expand their home search beyond Sarasota homes for sale. This suburban community just south of the city of North Port stands to reap significant benefits from the multi-million dollar Charlotte Harbor Gateway‒Harbor Walk project whose first phase is scheduled for completion this March 2016.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 11th, 2016 – Encouraging for homeowners thinking of selling their residences, some industry analysts expect that recent uptick in prices of pre-owned homes for sale in Sarasota and Manatee is sustainable and won’t be affected much by low-priced foreclosed properties entering the market. This expectation is based on the conventional thinking in the housing industry that the selling activity on foreclosed or distressed homes below fair market or median home value force down prices.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 10th, 2016 – With Florida having grown as the third most populous state in the nation and the influx of new residents to the Sunshine State expected to continue, the massive development that is Babcock Ranch couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Ground has finally been broken for this property in November 2015, and bigwigs including major players of Southwest Florida’s real the estate industry surely will flock to its official opening this April 22nd to coincide with the celebration of Earth Day.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 9th, 2016 – Don’t think that first-time home buyers are being left out amid the current excitement in the record-breaking pace of the Southwest Florida residential property market. Purposive efforts have been taken recently by the Realtors Association of Manatee and Sarasota (RAMS) to make its membership more knowledgeable in affordable housing solutions in order to help entry-level home buyers.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 7th, 2016 – The master planned development of Riverwood in Port Charlotte, an equally exciting alternative destination for searching Sarasota homes for sale, has reaffirmed its standing as one of the leading Florida golf communities. Its championship layout was again cited recently amongst the top 25 in the Sunshine State. Orlando-based Golf Advisor announced in January 2016 Riverwood’s recent inclusion in this stellar ranking based on 75,000-plus reviewers’ postings for all of 2015.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 6th, 2016 – More choices on neighborhood urban amenities promise to add to the perks of Sarasota homes for sale in Longwood Run and other residential communities around the University Parkway corridor, following recent a rezoning of a parcel at this road’s junction with Honore Avenue. This rezoning, approved in January 2016 by the Sarasota County commissioners, paves the way for the development of University Station, a commercial real estate project of SJ Collins Enterprises.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 5th, 2016 – The property sector in Longboat Key came off to a flying start this year in the five-year record, $7-million sales of a speculative mansion around end-January 2016. Moving forward, at least three major infrastructure projects in the town promise to help keep real estate market interest in Longboat aloft and vibrant. Firstly, aesthetics and curb appeal are in for a significant enhancement for communities and Longboat Key homes for sale along Gulf of Mexico Drive (GMD).

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 4th, 2016 – The West Palm Beach-based Kolter Group has pipelined more property developments in the Suncoast on the heels of the successful pre-construction selling of its Vue condominium in downtown Sarasota. Looking convinced that more good times are ahead for high-end Sarasota condos for sale, the developer is setting its sights on another luxury condo project adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota hotel and resort just north of the 144-unit Vue.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 3rd, 2016 – More sweet spots look ready to arise in Sarasota, as dots begin to link for major planned developments at the Bayfront just north of the downtown. A boon particularly for nearby properties like the pre-construction condos of Risdon on 5th, these projects fall under Bayfront 20:20, the vision to synchronize developments in a prime 75-acre bayside area.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, March 2nd, 2016 – The rescheduled start of the spring season of the Major League Football (MLFB) at Premier Sports Campus sometime this April indicate some positive fallout for Sarasota and Bradenton homes for sale. The MLFB spring training was supposed to start at the campus in the late half of February 2016 but was postponed for a few weeks following withdrawal of a $20 million investor commitment in startup funds.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, February 26th, 2016 – Ringside seats to the $21.5 million improvements in Siesta Beach and benefits from approximately the same amount to be poured in the sand renourishment of Turtle Beach create the stage for some exciting searches of condos for sale in Siesta Key this spring. Let’s look first at the condominiums at the front row of this February’s grand opening of the sparklingly new facilities in Siesta Beach.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, February 24th, 2016 – IMG Academy is now not only developing star athletes in various sport disciplines like football, tennis, baseball, golf, basketball and soccer. More recently, it has also started improving its academic learning programs and facilities that in the process is further bolstering its role as economic driver in the Bradenton area including its housing sector.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, February 22nd, 2016 – Leadership in green building continues to come on strong amongst the factors shaping a robust future of the real estate sector in Sarasota. On the heels of the accolades that the region’s pristine beaches and quality of living received in 2015, local builders and architects again placed Sarasota in the limelight with big wins during the International Builders Show of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) held this January 19‒22, 2016, in Las Vegas.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, February 10th, 2016 – More than ever, it is essential for prospective sellers of existing or pre-owned homes in Sarasota and Manatee to ensure that their properties for resale are well primed-up and priced well. New home construction, industry indicators show, is expected to hit higher levels in 2016 and thereby pose as strong, competitive options for resale homes in the two counties. The recent growth of new home construction shall continue locally this year.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, February 2nd, 2016 – With overall home inventory at less than six months for most of 2014 and 2015, pricing in Manatee and Sarasota’s real estate market has mainly favored sellers during the past two years. Some realtors, however, observed that there is a much healthier balance in the luxury home segment with the recent uptick in selling interest on Manatee-Sarasota homes for sale priced over the $1-million level.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, January 29th, 2016 – Previous moves to incorporate the Lakewood Ranch (LWR) into a city may soon be revived as its developer, Schroeder-Manatee Ranch (SMR), is set to start in the 2016 first half the infrastructure construction for the massive Lakewood Ranch Waterside community in Sarasota County. Formerly called the Villages of Lakewood Ranch South, this project is programmed as sprawling community of about 3,500 acres south of University Parkway past the LWR Corporate Park.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, January 26th, 2016 – Several developers are readying a number of projects that could add more zest to the property market in Longboat Key moving forward in 2016. Significantly, one of these proposed undertakings involves a revitalization of the island’s north end which some observers feel is being left out in local development. This northern Longboat project is being pursued by Sarasota-based Floridays Development Co.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, January 22nd, 2016 – Sarasota-Manatee home sales volume in 2015 appears headed towards exceeding its previous historic high of 19,389 properties sold in 2014, but the party looks not over yet. Recently released data indicate that there’s enough gas from the labor sector to help sustain the residential property market’s banner run onwards to 2016.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, January 8th, 2016 – Besides the retiring “boomers” moving in, some economists observed that young adults or “millennials” are also now steadily relocating here, drawn by the improved job creation and lots of new businesses opening in the state. With the population influx from these demographics, Florida now has the bragging rights as the country’s third largest state. It has overtaken New York in this slot with a head count of nearly 20 million as of the latest Census Bureau estimate in December 2015.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, January 4th, 2016 – Sarasota downtown property developers appear not yet ready to hang up their spades as three more building projects begun moving forward in December, promising to further add vibrancy to the real estate market in the city’s core in 2016. With 2015 drawing to a close, GreenPointe Communities wrote the city government asking for a community workshop to consider street right-of-way at El Vernona Avenue and a nearby alley in the downtown’s northern bayfront.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, December 21st, 2015 – It looks certain that 2016 shall be a year of new boutique condominiums in downtown Sarasota, with several projects for small but very upscale condo communities either under construction or already pipelined for permitting. Notably, the award-winning architectural firm DSDG rendered the design of most of these condominiums which have luxury, sophistication and low-density as their shared theme.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, December 15th, 2015 – Strong economic drivers were recently launched in Manatee, promising to further add growth impetus to the county’s real estate market. Among these economic stimuli is the Build Bradenton Area Plan covering business expansion and job creation for the county between 2016 and 2020. An initiative of the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the plan calls for encouraging the establishment of a business incubator.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, December 9th, 2015 – These are exciting times in the Southwest Florida residential property market as real estate experts predict that sales of existing homes in Manatee and Sarasota counties will hit new record highs in 2015 and that this robust performance will be carried over to the early months of 2016. For the first 10 months of 2015, sales of condos and single family homes in Sarasota already stood 630 ahead of a year earlier.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, December 2nd, 2015 – Players in the real estate industry in the Florida Suncoast have reason to cheer about the strong indications that recent record gains in the region’s tourism sector follow a growth trajectory toward boom years ahead. In Sarasota, this uptick was manifested in a 27 percent increase in the 5 percent tax on overnight accommodations during fiscal year 2015 to over $19 million.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, November 24th, 2015 – Sarasota and Manatee counties are building up momentum to grow the region’s presence in biotechnology wherein advances are continuing relentlessly and delivering profound impact on the health care industry, an area that has been identified as critical in diversifying growth of the local economy. The two counties jointly showcased the growing capability of the region to be a major U.S. hub for biotechnology during the Health Innovation Week held November 9-13, 2015.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, November 17th, 2015 – If plans don’t miscarry, an 11-story condominium tower with 157 units will break ground in a 1.5-acre site at downtown Sarasota in 2016 and eventually help boost the dwindling stock of Sarasota condos for sale which has already hit record lows recently. The West Palm Beach-based Kolter Group is pursuing this condo project as part of the proposed multi-use City Place at Pineapple Park on the corner of Lemon and Pineapple Avenues.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, November 12th, 2015 – Major improvements are steadily moving forward at the Broadmoor Park of Rotonda West in Charlotte County, a development which could favorably compare with prime properties up north offering Sarasota homes for sale. With graded walking paths nearly complete around the park’s centerpiece lagoons, preparations are underway to convert an old golf pro shop in the 26-acre Broadmoor Park into a new community center.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, November 5th, 2015 – Milestones have been set anew recently by non-government organizations supportive of growing families in Sarasota, with an alumnae of a local Boys & Girls Club having been named as the 2015-2016 National of America Youth of the Year. Additionally, the Forty Carrots Family Center announced in September 2015 that it is expanding its services and buying a new building, a move directly beneficial to its nearby communities like those around Poinsettia Park and Arlington Park.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 27th, 2015 – Recent increases in the number of single family residences and condos put onto the market in Sarasota is fueling realtors’ hopes of a turnaround in the current tight supply of available residential properties in the county. As of August 2015, data from Florida Realtors showed that Sarasota has only 3.2 months supply of single family homes, down 23.3 percent from a year earlier and well below the six-month benchmark for a balanced market.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 22nd, 2015 – Charlotte County seems well on its way leveling up from playing second-fiddle to its neighboring Southwest Florida real estate destinations, like Lee and Collier counties to its south and Manatee and Sarasota homes for sale towards north. Jim Quinn, president of the Punta Gorda-Port Charlotte-North Port Association of Realtors, said in a recent report that the number of homes sold in Charlotte in March‒April 2015 is trending at 10-year highs.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 16th, 2015 – Wise indeed are those folks who have moved to the two-county Manatee-Sarasota region mainly due to the area’s superior healthcare facilities and services. The A grade in patient safety recently awarded to the Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, is not only a blessing particularly to its nearby communities like Center Gates and Grove Pointe. This plaudit also represents one of the recent shining examples of the superiority of the healthcare industry in the region.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 15th, 2015 – Two rival groups are currently courting signatures for their respective versions of a proposed state constitutional amendment which could potentially drive wider use of more environment-friendly, and possibly cheaper, solar electricity for residences in Florida. A total of 683,149 signatures would be needed to place a proposed constitutional amendment in the forthcoming 2016 elections’ Florida ballot, and the two rival groups have until February 1st, 2016 to gather their respective support.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 13th, 2015 – Development activities look poised to pick up in the area around Sarasota downtown’s Pineapple Park. Early in September 2015, West Palm Beach-based Kolter Group was reported exploring the possibility of buying the rights for developing Pineapple Square, a planned mixed-use project near the park popular for its weekly Farmers Market. The Pineapple Square development was proposed about a decade ago at a site straddling three distinct land parcels between Pineapple and Lemon Avenues.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 12th, 2015 – Property developers in Sarasota may have to get busy soon in seeking ways to fill the need for affordable housing for millennials, as this market niche has captured official attention in the county’s pursuit of an 18-month program launched early in 2015 to revise its comprehensive plan. Availability of Sarasota homes for sale or rent within easy reach of millennials or those born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s is one of the major concerns.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 9th, 2015 – The green community of Granada Park located West of The Trail looks primed up for the 2015 fall and winter selling season as its exclusive builder, MGB Homes, announced early in September that it has completed and opened for viewing its new model home here after just a five-month construction. Two other pre-built, move-in ready residences in this community were also entered in the MLS listing of Sarasota homes for sale during the month.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 8th, 2015 – Only less than 20 residences in the sprawling community of Country Club East (CCE) are listed in the MLS of Sarasota homes for sale as of end-September 2015. But expect the choices of sales listings here to grow very soon after, with site development now in full swing for the addition of two neighborhoods in this golf community in Lakewood Ranch (LWR). The new subdivisions are slated for a total of 190 single family homes in a 212-acre parcel east of the Highlands.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 7th, 2015 – Don’t be bothered if sales listings rarely appear at prime downtown properties like Embassy House and Royal St. Andrew which are favored for their quiet bayfront location at the southern terminus of Palm and Gulfstream Avenues toward the verdant Marie Selby Gardens. Only a short distance north of these two high-rise condominiums, the new condo development of South Palm Residences has recently stepped into the limelight via pre-construction marketing activities.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 6th, 2015 – It leaves no shadow of a doubt about it. The wealth and passion for parks in Sarasota have contributed much to recognitions like its recent inclusion in the 2016 “Best Places to Live,” the third annual listing of the top 100 U.S. cities as ranked by the website Livability.com. The website’s raters, bigwigs from the NYU School of Professional Studies, among other things gave stellar points to the “year-round access to beautiful beaches” in Sarasota.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 5th, 2015 – There is a current common thread between the community of Bay Island and its West of the Trail neighbors, besides all being older developments host to high-end Sarasota homes for sale. Pockets of new construction, including a good number of luxury spec homes, are sprouting in both of these two localities which are definitely in step with the upbeat tempo of the housing market. This conspicuous trend is resulting in the demolition of many old homes, some of which date back to the 1920s.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 3rd, 2015 – Another reason has just been added as to why Manatee Gardens and its neighborhoods should stay prominent among prospective residential buyers in search of affordable homes for sale in East Bradenton. The city’s planning commission unanimously approved mid-September of 2015 a rezoning of two parcels just west of the Manatee Gardens’ area to “urban village” from its erstwhile classification of “medium density residential.”

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 2nd, 2015 – A longer and safer Legacy Trail linking several parks and other amenities within Sarasota County is fast shaping up, thanks to the concerted efforts by private groups and local government agencies. Realtors hail this looming major makeover of the scenic 10-mile paved carless pathway as yet another strong draw for Sarasota homes for sale. Much of this renovation involves a 7.5-mile extension of the multiuse trail to Payne Park.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, October 1st, 2015 – A downtown Sarasota luxury condominium—DeMarcay—has started pre-selling units recently, and the timing of their market entry couldn’t be better. Overall inventory of condos in Sarasota as of July 2015 ebbed to a 3.8-month supply, an 11.8 percent decline from a year earlier. This drop sent the stock of Sarasota condos for sale well under the 6-month market equilibrium wherein neither seller nor buyer has the pricing advantage.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 29th, 2015 – Things are looking up for residents of Chelsea Oaks and River Wilderness in Parrish, as well as those in Waterlefe in Bradenton. Their Old Florida rural ambiance, which has brought many searchers of Sarasota homes for sale in this locality, promises to stay untouched as government authorities recently ruled no commercial or retail uses in a large land parcel for development near these communities.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 28th, 2015 – What a difference does a grove of palm trees make? A lot, if these are in downtown Sarasota where a streetscape improvement project for North Palm Avenue has been painstakingly revised to consider, among other things, the preservation of 26 palm trees. These trees, which lord over North Palm’s intersection with Cocoanut Avenue and just behind the 15-story Bay Plaza Condominium, partly date back to the early 1900s and are certainly iconic of downtown Sarasota’s growth over the years.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 25th, 2015 – Envy those folks of Pelican Cove, Holiday Harbor, and Palmer Ranch. Living just a distance from some of the leading local retail hubs, these residents enjoy a ringside seat to a “battle of the malls” which ultimately redound to the benefit of consumers with more and better offerings of goods and services, in addition to priming up Sarasota homes for sale in their locality.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 23rd, 2015 – A vibrant economy in Sarasota and its resulting increase in employment opportunities appear likely to boost housing demand, particularly from a younger demographic, reports from the annual meeting of county’s Economic Development Corp. (EDC) held in September 2015 indicate. Business revenues are projected to grow between 10 percent and 49 percent in the next 18 months, the EDC survey also showed.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 22nd, 2015 – Steps appear falling perfectly in place as business and government in the Sarasota-Bradenton area continue launching bold initiatives to help draw international market interest in the region. Better traction, for one, has been lent to recent realtor posturing to convert visiting foreign tourists into buyers when the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) announced in August 2015 that it is again reducing the fees.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 21st, 2015 – Many prospective residential buyers often rue that there is a dearth of housing stock for their market segment which essentially are properties priced around the $200,000 level. Nonetheless, these folks need not fret too much on the notion that current home developments either trend towards pricey new builds or to government-subsidized low-cost housing, and thus, mid-priced options for them are too paltry or are altogether disappearing, as some observers claim.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 19th, 2015 – Oyster Bay residents bothered by an unfinished development which has been an eyesore adjacent to their gate at Lakeshore Drive along South Tamiami Trail may now heave a sigh of relief. This 19,943-square-foot property has been sold recently, and its new owner has announced that the site will be developed into a standalone retail store, just one of the many commercial projects lined up along the South Trail.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 17th, 2015 – Esplanade at Artisan Lakes and Fairways at Imperial Lakewoods share some things in common though the development of the latter precedes the former by at least a decade. Property values in both communities may gain further strength in tandem with favorable goings-on at the nearby Port Manatee. Only a short distance northwest, these neighboring communities are likewise just off Interstate 75 that too is pivotal to the fortunes of many Sarasota homes for sale.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 15th, 2015 – Whoever coined the word “staycation” must’ve moved to, or has a strong affinity with, Florida wherein residents can conveniently go on regular getaways or holiday trips but nonetheless remain quite close to home. The glorious natural resources of the Sunshine State, particularly in its many state and national parks, allow this rare privilege to have the ultimate in fun and relaxation but minus the hassle of travelling to far-off tourist destinations.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 11th, 2015 – Convenient availability of local and organic foods enhancing and improving the quality of life is one of the perks of living in Manatee and Sarasota, courtesy of several farmers’ markets in the two counties. In Sarasota, such convenience extends anew this October to the communities around Bee Ridge and Ridge Wood Heights, which incidentally constitute one potent hunting ground in a search for Sarasota homes for sale.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 10th, 2015 – The Rosemary District just north of downtown Sarasota continues to evolve as a neighborhood of upscale condominiums and townhouses. In mid-August 2015, plans for a high-end condo complex, Risdon on 5th, was presented to the city’s development review committee, thereby adding yet another project proposed in this blossoming district. The planned luxury condominium is programmed for 22 residential units plus six slots for office space totaling 36,000 square feet.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 9th, 2015 – Prospective buyers planning a winter hunt for Sarasota homes for sale would be well advised to team up with a pro realtor early on. Sales pace in the county, as well as in its neighboring Manatee, has been on a record clip for the first months of the year, and indications are that this market uptick would be maintained moving towards year-end. A study by a home search portal listed the SW Florida region among the top 10 fastest moving U.S. home markets this summer.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 8th, 2015 – Home buyers from overseas are focusing more on upscale residential properties in the United States, and Florida continues to lead as the top U.S. destination of foreigners’ home purchases, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reported recently. Data from NAR’s “2015 Profile of Home Buying Activity of International Clients” showed that for the 12 months ending March 2015, the mean price foreign home buyers paid amounted to nearly $500,000.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 7th, 2015 – Historically known as a tiny fishing village, Osprey is starting to catch up with the luxury areas flanking it—Palmer Ranch to the north and Casey Key to the south. Osprey’s locality has recently drawn some of the nation’s big guns in housing, including Ryland Homes which already established a strong presence at several communities in Manatee and Sarasota.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 5th, 2015 – County officials in Sarasota and Manatee are set to decide towards end-2015 on how to secure funding for the additional schools deemed needed following the recent wave of residential property developments in the region. The restoration of school impact fees and loan borrowings are in the radar screen of both counties to finance the establishment of these new schools.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 4th, 2015 – Residents of Villa La Grande and other nearby communities just off north of East Venice Ave. and west of U.S. 41 will soon have an exciting addition to their immediate neighborhood—the Legacy Park for which construction has finally began with an expected completion before end-2015. Legacy Park is rising in a 10-acre site of a former cement plant which the city of Venice and the Florida Communities Trust bought for $7.4 million way back in 2008.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 3rd, 2015 – Aspiring buyers of luxury houses will have their fill of superb builds at the 2015 Lakewood Ranch (LWR) Tour of Homes which will be held from October 16 to November 22. The residential showcases here promise to be particularly a thrill at the exclusive Lake Club Village where luxury home builders T.J. Nutter and John Cannon each already have completed models in the Vineyards section of this community, a favorite destination in searches for high-end Sarasota homes for sale.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 2nd, 2015 – If you are in the market for a coastal home in Sarasota or Manatee, it would be smart to fast-track your choice to options in older but well-established seaside communities, as it is unlikely that many new major developments directly fronting the Gulf of Mexico or Sarasota Bay will be added in the years ahead.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, September 1st, 2015 – The popularity of golf may be in a plateau, but recent initiatives to reinvent this royal, ancient game can help rekindle its popularity by making it more fun and exciting, a fresh lead which should also help sustain market interest in Sarasota homes for sale in local golf communities. A seven-point “Relaxed Rules of Golf” is one initiative which promises to contribute much in improving the sport’s paltry 1% annual growth expected.

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, August 31th, 2015 – Expect to see more public infrastructure improvements in Sarasota geared towards roads friendlier to pedestrians and bike riders as the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has included the county among its top 15 priority areas for a revamp of urban streets to make them safer for those on foot or on bikes. The proposed fixes to make county roads safer were presented during a recent meeting of the Florida Transportation Commission, a citizen’s oversight board for FDOT.