August 2010

I asked a client of mine to write about why he chose to purchase a downtown Sarasota condo. He was nice enough to write the following:

Downtown Sarasota: Sophisticated, Urban and Manageable

On June 30, we closed on our new home in downtown Sarasota.  It was the culmination of a four-year process that took us to three continents in search of a new place to live.

New York City had been our home for more than 30 years.  We loved the theater, the dance, the music, the museums and the art, the access to some of the world’s best shopping and restaurants.  Those are the positives, but there were negatives, too: the congestion, the prices, the subways at rush hour, and the general pace of things.

We made a list of cities we might consider – Paris; Palm…

Yearning for a more metropolitan lifestyle without many of the hassles of a large city. Downtown Sarasota is a great place to live if you want to be within walking distance to the Sarasota bayfront, Marina Jacks, numerous restaurants, art galleries, cozy retail stores, Florida Studio Theatre, Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, Sarasota Opera and several other cultural venues.

One of the benefits of living in downtown Sarasota are fabulous views of downtown, Marina Jacks, Sarasota bay and the barrier islands like Siesta Key, Bird Key, Lido Key and Longboat Key. There are several places in the downtown area that offer a fabulous view. Here are five of them:

888 and 988

If water views are what you are after then take a look at the Condo on the Bay…

Stunning water views - check

Easy beach access - check

Remodeled condo - check

2 bedroom, 2 bathrooms - check

Swimming pool - check

Well maintained building - check

Walk to restaurants, bars and shopping - check

Take a look at this remodeled condo in Terrace East Siesta Key condos. I showed it a few weeks ago and loved it. This is a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 1,375 square foot condo with magnificent water views. No need to go through an annoying remodel. It has already been done for you.

Call Marc Rasmussen at 941.812.6272 to see it.

Interested in a great waterfront community in Sarasota, Florida? Click the link above to view more information about  1921 Monte Carlo Drive #504 in the Phillippi Landings Sarasota condo community.

Phillippi Landings Sarasota

If you enjoy the boating lifestyle then take a look at this great waterfront community in central Sarasota. The community itself has boat slips. Phillippi Harbor Club is a dry storage boat marina that is located just outside the community on the Phillippi Creek. It is a wonderful place to live if you want easy access to your boat.

Phillippi Landings Market Update - 2010

• According to the Mid Florida MLS there have been 14 sales in Phillippi Landings in 2010
• Price range - $270,000 - $764,100
• The unit that sold for $764,100 was a…

We all know the old adage: you only have one chance to make a first impression. And that goes for your house too!

If you are in the process of selling your home, one of the first questions you must ask yourself is: Is my house making a great first impression? If the answer to this question is “no,” then it’s time to take matters into your own hands and bump up your home’s curb appeal!

Curb appeal is the general term used for describing the way your home looks at first impression.  Curb appeal may mean the difference between selling your home and watching it sit idle on the market.

Here are some tips for sprucing up your home’s curb appeal and making a fantastic first impression to potential buyers:

1. Give your home’s trim and shutters a fresh coat of…

The above chart represents the top 10 Sarasota real estate brokers in terms of dollar volume of sales for the last 12 months for Sarasota county. This data is pulled from the Mid-Florida MLS and provided by TrendGraphix Inc.

Sarasota Luxury Homes

Below are the top 5 Sarasota brokers for properties $1,000,000…

My clients just purchased a wonderful unit in Sea Gate Longboat Key condos. They bought unit 4A which was an end unit with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1.638 square feet and magnificent views of Longboat Key beach and the Gulf of Mexico.

Sea Gate Longboat Key - For Sale

Currently, there are 5 units for sale in Sea Gate:

• Unit 7C - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,552 square feet - $695,000
• Unit 2B - 2 bedrfooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,470 sqaure feet - $695,000
• Unit 2D - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,470 square feet - $698,900
• Unit 6A - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,513 square feet - $699,000
• Unit 14D - 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,470 square feet - $799,000

You can view these at Sea Gate Longboat Key condos.

Sea Gate Longboat Key - Sold

According to the…

What a fabulous place to live and vacation. Sunset Beach on south Longboat Key is a fabulous beachfront complex made up of 65 condo units in three buildings. The 2105 building which is pictured above offers residents spectacular views of Longboat Key beach and the Gulf of Mexico. The grounds are meticulously maintained in this low density, gated community. Owners don't have far to drive if they want to go shopping around St. Armands Circle or downtown Sarasota. World class golf and tennis facilities are also nearby at the Longboat Key Club. This truly is a magnificent place to live.

Under Contract - Sunset Beach Condos

My listing at 2105 Gulf of Mexico Drive #3503 recently went under contract. This magnificent 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with 1,463…