Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Look for our luxury properties in England and throughout Europe this summer!!
From the Desk of Marcia Salkin
We have so often heard that “you are judged by the company that you keep” and we, at Premier Properties of SW Florida beg you to Judge us! We are proud to be a member of RESIDENCE INTERNATIONAL, the ultra-marketer of luxury properties! Their magazine distribution to the world’s most affluent individuals is triple the nearest competitor and they have only just begun.
This week Residence International announced the formation of a London office and a distribution partnership with Borders in their 42 United Kingdom stores. In addition, Residence International digital edition will be e-mailed to 153,000 European real estate professionals and 225,000 European real estate investors. Each digital magazine will be translated into the language associated with its destination.
In addition, Residence International is displayed in over 100 luxury hotels throughout Europe, in airport terminal locations and in high end grocery stores and bookstores. Each quarter, Residence International mails nearly 100,000 magazines and over 2,000,000 digital editions annually.
Tally ho!
We have so often heard that “you are judged by the company that you keep” and we, at Premier Properties of SW Florida beg you to Judge us! We are proud to be a member of RESIDENCE INTERNATIONAL, the ultra-marketer of luxury properties! Their magazine distribution to the world’s most affluent individuals is triple the nearest competitor and they have only just begun.This week Residence International announced the formation of a London office and a distribution partnership with Borders in their 42 United Kingdom stores. In addition, Residence International digital edition will be e-mailed to 153,000 European real estate professionals and 225,000 European real estate investors. Each digital magazine will be translated into the language associated with its destination.
In addition, Residence International is displayed in over 100 luxury hotels throughout Europe, in airport terminal locations and in high end grocery stores and bookstores. Each quarter, Residence International mails nearly 100,000 magazines and over 2,000,000 digital editions annually.
Tally ho!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
America's wealthy see buying opportunities in sluggish real-estate market
From The Wall Street Journal
Sunny Side of the Street
America's wealthy see buying opportunities in sluggish real-estate market
By AMY HOAK
MarketWatch - April 16, 2008
CHICAGO -- Is now a good time to buy real estate? The size of your paycheck likely will play a big part in how you answer that question.
While many average Americans are skittish about the housing market, some of the country's richest citizens see the current conditions as perfect for buying, according to the Annual Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America, released on Tuesday by the American Express Publishing Corp. and Harrison Group, a market research and consulting firm.
Seventy-seven percent of the wealthiest people surveyed think real estate presents a "real opportunity" right now. In the survey, "wealthy" meant having discretionary household income of more than $500,000 a year.
And these high-income earners are putting their money where their mouths are: 40% said they are in the market to acquire real estate this year.
The survey was originally conducted late last year with 1,800 people representing the wealthiest 10% of American households. But the more recent figures are from a follow-up survey with a smaller sample of the original participants, conducted last week to ensure the study reflects rapidly changing market dynamics.
Other survey participants are "upper middle class," with incomes between $100,000 and $149,000; "affluent," with incomes between $150,000 and $249,000; and "super affluent," with incomes between $250,000 and $499,000.
Associated Press
The wealthy aren't alone in their belief that the real-estate market represents a buying opportunity: 67% of the upper-middle-class participants also agreed with that statement, as did 72% of the affluent and the super-affluent.
"There are bargains out there...severe price pressure across the board," said Jim Taylor, vice-chairman of Harrison Group. That said, at the very top of the market, there is an abundance of buyers and that is holding prices steady at that level, he added.
Still, the wealthiest were the most committed to buying soon. Only 17% of upper-middle-class participants said they were in the market to buy real estate this year, while 24% of the affluent and 26% of the super-affluent said the same.
Home sweet second -- and third -- home
Forty-one percent of those in the wealthy category said owning a second home was "almost a requirement" for people of their economic means, according to the survey.
Thirty-three percent of the wealthiest who said they intended to buy this year are now in the market for a second home, and 25% said they are in the market for a finished third home, according to the survey.
"They're treating it as a portfolio play, rather than a recreation play," Taylor said. "They've moved off the notion that it's just pleasure real estate," he said, adding that the wealthy use second homes to help balance their overall investment portfolio.
Recession now, but rebound coming
Seventy-nine percent of the survey's respondents said the country is in a recession now, but 88% said they are confident that property values will eventually rebound. Still, 18% of respondents said the equity in their home is worth less than what they owe.
Many respondents expressed significant anxiety over the recession, Taylor said. That was especially true of the upper-middle-class and affluent groups, he said.
But not everyone is worried about their own financial stability. Taylor said he expects the number of millionaires to increase by another 6% this year.
Passion for home improvement
A separate survey of senior-level executives found that high earners often are passionate about improving their homes -- even more passionate than they are about spending time on the golf course.
Thirty-nine percent of 552 high-level executives said they were passionate about home improvement, compared with 32% who said the same about playing golf, according to a recent survey by Doremus, a business communications agency.
"Home is seen by most as a respite from the world, a place where people feel they can be themselves." said Hope Picker, director of research for Doremus, in a news release. "And high-powered senior-level executives are no exception.
"Golf is a game, but it's another form of competition and, in many cases, it's also a surrogate conference room where business is conducted and deals made. But home, even for many high-level professionals, is a safe haven. In addition, home-improvement projects tend to be both tangible and finite, in contrast to much of their work."
The company recommended that marketers interested in reaching these high-net-worth individuals should target them through publications, broadcasts and online sites that feature decorating and improvement ideas for the home and garden. End of Story
Amy Hoak is a MarketWatch reporter based in Chicago.
Sunny Side of the Street
America's wealthy see buying opportunities in sluggish real-estate market
By AMY HOAK
MarketWatch - April 16, 2008
CHICAGO -- Is now a good time to buy real estate? The size of your paycheck likely will play a big part in how you answer that question.
While many average Americans are skittish about the housing market, some of the country's richest citizens see the current conditions as perfect for buying, according to the Annual Survey of Affluence and Wealth in America, released on Tuesday by the American Express Publishing Corp. and Harrison Group, a market research and consulting firm.
Seventy-seven percent of the wealthiest people surveyed think real estate presents a "real opportunity" right now. In the survey, "wealthy" meant having discretionary household income of more than $500,000 a year.
And these high-income earners are putting their money where their mouths are: 40% said they are in the market to acquire real estate this year.
The survey was originally conducted late last year with 1,800 people representing the wealthiest 10% of American households. But the more recent figures are from a follow-up survey with a smaller sample of the original participants, conducted last week to ensure the study reflects rapidly changing market dynamics.
Other survey participants are "upper middle class," with incomes between $100,000 and $149,000; "affluent," with incomes between $150,000 and $249,000; and "super affluent," with incomes between $250,000 and $499,000.
Associated Press
The wealthy aren't alone in their belief that the real-estate market represents a buying opportunity: 67% of the upper-middle-class participants also agreed with that statement, as did 72% of the affluent and the super-affluent.
"There are bargains out there...severe price pressure across the board," said Jim Taylor, vice-chairman of Harrison Group. That said, at the very top of the market, there is an abundance of buyers and that is holding prices steady at that level, he added.
Still, the wealthiest were the most committed to buying soon. Only 17% of upper-middle-class participants said they were in the market to buy real estate this year, while 24% of the affluent and 26% of the super-affluent said the same.
Home sweet second -- and third -- home
Forty-one percent of those in the wealthy category said owning a second home was "almost a requirement" for people of their economic means, according to the survey.
Thirty-three percent of the wealthiest who said they intended to buy this year are now in the market for a second home, and 25% said they are in the market for a finished third home, according to the survey.
"They're treating it as a portfolio play, rather than a recreation play," Taylor said. "They've moved off the notion that it's just pleasure real estate," he said, adding that the wealthy use second homes to help balance their overall investment portfolio.
Recession now, but rebound coming
Seventy-nine percent of the survey's respondents said the country is in a recession now, but 88% said they are confident that property values will eventually rebound. Still, 18% of respondents said the equity in their home is worth less than what they owe.
Many respondents expressed significant anxiety over the recession, Taylor said. That was especially true of the upper-middle-class and affluent groups, he said.
But not everyone is worried about their own financial stability. Taylor said he expects the number of millionaires to increase by another 6% this year.
Passion for home improvement
A separate survey of senior-level executives found that high earners often are passionate about improving their homes -- even more passionate than they are about spending time on the golf course.
Thirty-nine percent of 552 high-level executives said they were passionate about home improvement, compared with 32% who said the same about playing golf, according to a recent survey by Doremus, a business communications agency.
"Home is seen by most as a respite from the world, a place where people feel they can be themselves." said Hope Picker, director of research for Doremus, in a news release. "And high-powered senior-level executives are no exception.
"Golf is a game, but it's another form of competition and, in many cases, it's also a surrogate conference room where business is conducted and deals made. But home, even for many high-level professionals, is a safe haven. In addition, home-improvement projects tend to be both tangible and finite, in contrast to much of their work."
The company recommended that marketers interested in reaching these high-net-worth individuals should target them through publications, broadcasts and online sites that feature decorating and improvement ideas for the home and garden. End of Story
Amy Hoak is a MarketWatch reporter based in Chicago.
Monday, March 17, 2008
In today's Herald Tribune
BY THE BAY, A NEW CACHET
By Michael Pollick and Toni Whitt
STAFF WRITERS
The wealthy have long come to Sarasota, but these days Sarasota is developing something more: cachet.
WEALTH DENSITY WITHIN FLORIDA
Percentage of households with more than $1 million in investable assets.
Source: National City Private Client Group, 2006 statistics
from TNS, SNL Datasource
Within the last few weeks, Sarasota got the official word that both Waldorf-Astoria and Nederlander Worldwide plan to join the Sarasota scene, signing up for a lavish four-star hotel, condos and an 800-seat off-Broadway performing arts center at the $1 billion development to be known as the Proscenium.
They aim to join the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, whose November 2001 arrival helped set the stage for a string of global names -- Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Van Cleef & Arpels and Lilly Pulitzer -- and left other brands sniffing around the territory with renewed enthusiasm.
By Michael Pollick and Toni Whitt
STAFF WRITERS
The wealthy have long come to Sarasota, but these days Sarasota is developing something more: cachet.
WEALTH DENSITY WITHIN FLORIDA
Percentage of households with more than $1 million in investable assets.
Source: National City Private Client Group, 2006 statistics
from TNS, SNL Datasource
Within the last few weeks, Sarasota got the official word that both Waldorf-Astoria and Nederlander Worldwide plan to join the Sarasota scene, signing up for a lavish four-star hotel, condos and an 800-seat off-Broadway performing arts center at the $1 billion development to be known as the Proscenium.
They aim to join the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, whose November 2001 arrival helped set the stage for a string of global names -- Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Van Cleef & Arpels and Lilly Pulitzer -- and left other brands sniffing around the territory with renewed enthusiasm.
"Even in the five years we have been in business we have seen a noticeable difference," said Susan Robinson, whose Key Concierge on Longboat Key caters to those whose Sarasota abode is their second, third or even fourth home. "Increasingly we are picking them up at the jetport -- at Dolphin Aviation -- instead of the airport, so they are flying in on their corporate jets or in their private jets.
"Some clients are flying their own personal chefs in with them."
The Waldorf-Astoria Collection, a high-end resort unit of Hilton Hotels, has just five other properties, including the Arizona Biltmore, The Grand Wailea in Hawaii, and La Quinta in Palm Springs. The company, now owned by the muscular Blackstone Group, plans to roll out the brand into a string of Waldorfs around the world.
The customers?
"Higher household income, highly educated, generally well-heeled travelers," said Edward J. Russo, Waldorf-Astoria's senior director of marketing. "Our customers are very experiential. They are not going to these locales and staying in their room."
In Sarasota, that might mean not only going to the beach, but also golfing or boating, going to a play, visiting a museum and experiencing the architecture, Russo said.
You can bank on it
Once the wealthy begin populating a place, the people who take care of their money show up, too.
The latest to see the need in Sarasota is National City Corp.'s Private Client Group, a wealth management organization handling not just banking, but also every single financial need the wealthy could possibly have.
"We've been in Florida for about 20 years, both in Naples and in Palm Beach," said Matthew Lowell Bower, the senior vice president who opened the Sarasota office on Jan. 4.
While the firm is willing to deal with the emerging affluent -- those with investable assets of $500,000 to $1 million -- its core customers have assets of $1 million to $20 million.
"One out of nine individuals in the Sarasota market has a million or more in investable assets," Bower said. "Just the corridor from Naples up into the Tampa-St. Petersburg market is probably the sixth or seventh most wealthy corridor in the United States."
Sounds operatic
The region's evolution into a watering hole for the wealthy began long ago, always focused on watery views with cultural overtones.
Its nascence goes back to 1910, with the arrival of Chicago heiress Bertha Palmer. She built a bayfront winter home south of downtown Sarasota, "The Oaks." In the succeeding years, the Ringlings and friends built their homes on the north side of town, leaving room for yachts to dock.
"The entire west coast of Florida is the best cruising market, in my opinion, of anywhere in the world," said Carmine Galati, co-owner of Galati Yacht Sales, just named the best yacht sales organization in the world by Boating magazine. He runs the firm's yachting centers at Naples, Anna Maria Island and Tampa.
By 1926, downtown Sarasota was strutting its stuff with the opening of the A.B. Edwards Theater, an early mixed-use development graced by an elaborate three-story-high entrance. In addition to a movie theater, the building had ground-floor shops, second-story offices and third-story apartments.
In 1983, it was dusted off as the Sarasota Opera House.
Just in time to save the 2008 winter season, the opera house reopened March 1 after extensive updating and remodeling, to the tune of $20 million. It has medium-sized Sarasota being written up for opera by both London's Financial Times and L'Opera magazine, based in Milan, Italy.
The presence of the opera, the Ringling College of Art and Design, the Ringling Museum and dozens of downtown art galleries -- well-established features of the cultural landscape -- made it all the easier for those who came during this decade's boom years. In the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota's wake came a passel of fancy condominiums and upscale shops and restaurants. The people who moved into those new condos, in turn, encouraged Whole Foods to establish its downtown Sarasota store, giving the area even more of a center of gravity.
Back when Ritz announced it would build a hotel here, Lynn Robbins of Coldwell Banker began making calls to Naples to find out what difference the hotel might make. The answer, she found, was that it would completely change the landscape for the rich.
"What it did do, it brought a lot of people here who heard about Sarasota, but they wouldn't come here unless there was a Ritz or a Waldorf or a Four Seasons," Robbins said. "And they come here and they fall in love with it and buy a second, third or fourth home."
This Ritz effect continues to generate ripples.
Consider Hyde Park Steakhouse -- scheduled to open Tuesday -- where Kobe beef burgers and Russian caviar are on the bar menu -- or the Paris-based jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels, which moved into Southgate mall late last year.
No quiet ribbon-cutting would do for the jeweler. Instead, Van Cleef & Arpels flew in soprano Patricia Johnson, a specialist in the Italian bel canto repertoire. Johnson has performed at The Met with the New York City Opera, and her European debut was as Konstanze in Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" with the Komische Oper Berlin.
"It appealed to our core client," said Nathalie Diamantis, a vice president for the New York-based jeweler. "We often do things with the arts."
Jet set
One solid barometer of how Sarasota is catching on with the jet set comes from Flight Options, which sells flight hours aboard a private, crewed jet.
"You put a deposit down, draw travel time against that," said company spokeswoman Cindi Deutschmann-Ruiz. "It takes $100,000 to begin."
With prices of $3,400 to $8,000 per hour, $100,000 can be exhausted quickly.
Flight Options recently cranked out a Top 10 list of places rich people want to take its jets during the winter. Sarasota came in at No. 6.
Palm Beach was No. 1, and the Sundance Film Festival pushed Salt Lake City into the No. 2 slot. After that came Las Vegas, Naples and Boca Raton. The ski village of Aspen, Colo., was No. 8.
Retail cachet
Retail is another sign of Sarasota's growing cachet.
Before signing on the dotted line in Sarasota, Neiman-Marcus studied, among other things, just how many black-tie events were held each year. The company did extensive demographic and psychographic research, said Wayne Hussey, the company's vice president of development.
The Dallas-based retailer is known for selling Armani tuxedos and gowns, as well as fashions by Versacci, Gucci, Roberto Cavelli, Nina Ricci and Carolina Herrera, and it operates just 39 stores. They are in places like Bal Harbour, Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, New York, Honolulu, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Boston and Denver.
The Sarasota community has "a very sophisticated and fashion-conscious segment of residents," Hussey said.
"The thing that appeals to us is its diversity -- its strong business environment, the cultural element that it offers, compared to other Florida cities, and its high level of season."
Read the article in the Herald Tribune...
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Record sale on Sarasota's Bird Key
Excerpt from Harold Bubil's Herald Tribune Blog:
Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 8:37 am
Mickey and Brooke Callanen have sold their home at 643 Mourning Dove Drive for a Bird Key-record $6.9 million, according to Premier Properties of Southwest Florida. The brokerage firm's Marcia Salkin and Paulene Soublis marketed the listing.
The five-bedroom estate has a waterside pool, spa and deep-water dock. Views sweep from downtown to Big Pass. The Callanens hired Bella Casa to build the luxury property, with architecture by Cliff Scholtz. The buyers were not disclosed.
"This sale demonstrates the drawing power of Sarasota, especially the appeal of waterside living," said Steve Bailey, vice president and regional manager of Premier Properties. "We continue to experience robust activity in the luxury home market here, as established by this record-breaking sale price."
The Callanens live on Siesta Key and have built four luxury homes in the Sarasota area. They were real estate developers in Connecticut, although Mickey Callanen is best known for developing the Guess watch line in the 1980s.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 8:37 am
Mickey and Brooke Callanen have sold their home at 643 Mourning Dove Drive for a Bird Key-record $6.9 million, according to Premier Properties of Southwest Florida. The brokerage firm's Marcia Salkin and Paulene Soublis marketed the listing.
The five-bedroom estate has a waterside pool, spa and deep-water dock. Views sweep from downtown to Big Pass. The Callanens hired Bella Casa to build the luxury property, with architecture by Cliff Scholtz. The buyers were not disclosed.
"This sale demonstrates the drawing power of Sarasota, especially the appeal of waterside living," said Steve Bailey, vice president and regional manager of Premier Properties. "We continue to experience robust activity in the luxury home market here, as established by this record-breaking sale price."
The Callanens live on Siesta Key and have built four luxury homes in the Sarasota area. They were real estate developers in Connecticut, although Mickey Callanen is best known for developing the Guess watch line in the 1980s.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
From the Desk of Marcia Salkin - thisweekinsarasota.com
We are proud to announce that we are a Real Estate partner with “This Week in Sarasota”, our area’s most active and up-to-date events and happenings web-based calendar. We invite you all to click and save this site to your favorites, send them your e-mail address and definitely check out their REAL ESTATE section. We absolutely love how the colorful, artistic tiles by Ringling School of Art graduates represent each section of our community.
Monday, January 14, 2008
The chance to get an oversized deal
By MICHAEL POLLICKmichael.pollick@heraldtribune.com
Can there be such a thing as value pricing for homes in the $10 million-plus range?
...If you come into Big Pass by boat, it is hard to miss the second most expensive residential listing in the Sarasota Multiple Listing Service, or maybe the first -- the $19.5 million "Snook Inn."
Once you are through the pass into Sarasota Bay, turn your 50-foot yacht right into Hanson Bayou, go just past the two-story mansion perched on its own hill, and glide into one of the two private boathouse slips.
A yachtsman could back out of the boathouse and be out in the open Gulf within five minutes from this privileged spot."
Say they have their own plane," said Premier Properties co-listing agent Marcia Salkin. "In a half hour they can be down here from the airport and be out on their boat."
The mansion, nestled on a two-acre site, with six bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, and views from almost every room, has been on the market since March.
Mickey and Brooke Callanen built the home for themselves nine years ago and have lived there until now. Mickey Callanen founded Guess Watches, sold it to Timex in 1991, and has become a serial mansion builder ever since.
Sellers like the Callenens are fortunate in that they seem to be able to continue turning over properties, if at a slower pace than during the boom.
They are in the midst of closing on a multimillion dollar home they built speculatively on Bird Key. And they just listed a third spec mansion, with dock, at the end of Hillview Drive within Harbor Acres, for $11.4 million...
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
November sales numbers indicate 2007 mirroring 2006
Jan. 2, 2008
*The following press release was sent to local media on Dec. 31 at 11 a.m.*
Property sales in the Sarasota market are off by only 7.2 percent for the first 11 months of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. The total sales dollar volume is also close to the 2006 figure, bolstered by stronger condominium sales and sale prices during 2007.
More condominiums sold over the first 11 months of 2007 than in 2006, 1,973 to 1,924, for an increase of almost 3 percent. The median sale price for condos also increased, from $315,000 in the first 11 months of 2006, to $335,000 for the first 11 months of 2007 - a 6.3 percent increase. The figures are in stark contrast to the overall state of Florida, in which condominium sales are down 27 percent year-to-date and prices are down 3 percent year-to-date..
During the same time period, local prices dropped for single family homes, from $345,000 to $306,500 (11 percent), and sales fell from 4,127 in 2006 to 3,640 in 2007 (11.8 percent). While these numbers tended to pull down the overall local market, the drop has not been nearly as much as the drop seen statewide during 2007, when sales have dropped 29 percent.
Pending local sales, a strong indicator for future market activity, have been heading up for two successive months, following a lull in September. Pendings reached 489 in November for combined condos and single family homes. They were only at 446 in October, and only 397 in September. Normally, sales begin to pick up as seasonal residents and tourists begin to arrive in the winter months.
Word on the street indicates activity has already been on the increase at open houses, and real estate agents are beginning to get busier as the season starts to heat up, both good signs from a market undergoing a positive transition.
In total, 5,613 closings were reported through the end of November 2007, compared to 6,051 closings through the end of November 2006. The total volume of sales for the first 11 months of 2007 was $2.7 billion, compared to $2.98 billion in 2006. If the trend continues through the end of December, 2007 will rank is one of the five top years in the history of SAR for volume of sales, despite the gloom and doom of media reports.
"The buyer's market that was predicted for 2007 has definitely come true, and the message we have stressed that now is the time to buy is proving out," said Joe Hembree, 2007 SAR President. "It's really difficult to time a market's bottom, but 2007 numbers have consistently indicated that the Sarasota market is fast reaching normalcy. With the Fed continuing to ease interest rates, this remains an incredible time to get into a local home."
There are many other factors that continue to make Sarasota a great choice for potential home buyers, including the affordable cost of living, tremendous natural beauty, great education system, fabulous restaurants, recreational and cultural opportunities, safe and clean environment, and world-class health care.
Sarasota Association of REALTORS®
Sunday, December 30, 2007
New York Times Article
SET on a sparkling bay, behind a necklace of sandy barrier islands, the resort town of Sarasota was pioneered in the Roaring Twenties by the immensely wealthy John and Mable Ringling of circus fame. The couple didn’t come to get away from the clowns and freaks; they brought the entire circus with them to pass the winter in warmth and style. To this day, this scrubbed, suntanned and artsy little town offers just enough of a city vibe to sustain great food and a little night life. Plus, the circus still comes down in the winter.
Friday 5 p.m.
1) FLASHING COCKTAIL
Get sand between your toes before the sky goes dark, and head to Lido Key beach, a relaxing stretch of white sand across the bay from downtown Sarasota. Park near the Ritz Carlton Beach Club (1234 Benjamin Franklin Drive) and make a beeline for the Lido Key Tiki Bar (941-309-2581). Leave your shoes in the car but don’t forget to bring cash, so you can order the signature Green Flash Cocktail, a rum, pineapple and Midori concoction served with flashing ice cubes. A resident bongo player is there to provide a live soundtrack for the spectacular sunsets.
Get sand between your toes before the sky goes dark, and head to Lido Key beach, a relaxing stretch of white sand across the bay from downtown Sarasota. Park near the Ritz Carlton Beach Club (1234 Benjamin Franklin Drive) and make a beeline for the Lido Key Tiki Bar (941-309-2581). Leave your shoes in the car but don’t forget to bring cash, so you can order the signature Green Flash Cocktail, a rum, pineapple and Midori concoction served with flashing ice cubes. A resident bongo player is there to provide a live soundtrack for the spectacular sunsets.
8 p.m.
2) CEVICHE CHOICES
Darwin Santa Maria, the chef and owner of the Selva Grill (1345 Main Street, 941-362-4427; http://www.selvagrill.com/), is originally from Peru, and the flavors of his country of mountains and coasts infuse almost everything on the menu. And everything on the menu is worth trying, as Selva serves quite possibly the best food in town. The ceviches de la casa alone offer 10 choices ($11 to $17), not including the daily specials. It’s a tough decision, but the Selva ceviche, made with corvina, cusco corn and roasted camote (sweet potato), tastes like the first day of summer. It’s served up in a lively space, with a crowded bar and friendly patrons who wave to one another as they come and go.
Darwin Santa Maria, the chef and owner of the Selva Grill (1345 Main Street, 941-362-4427; http://www.selvagrill.com/), is originally from Peru, and the flavors of his country of mountains and coasts infuse almost everything on the menu. And everything on the menu is worth trying, as Selva serves quite possibly the best food in town. The ceviches de la casa alone offer 10 choices ($11 to $17), not including the daily specials. It’s a tough decision, but the Selva ceviche, made with corvina, cusco corn and roasted camote (sweet potato), tastes like the first day of summer. It’s served up in a lively space, with a crowded bar and friendly patrons who wave to one another as they come and go.
10 p.m.
3) RHYTHM AND BALLS
Sarasota’s night life is a mixed bag, so for surefire action, head to the Gator Club (1490 Main Street, 941-366-5969; http://www.thegatorclub.com/), a popular dance club with red brick, polished brass and R & B tunes. Not a dancing fool? Head upstairs to the billiards bar, where they serve 125 different single-malt Scotches. Don’t try them all. For other options, pick up a copy of Creative Loafing (http://www.sarasota.creativeloafing.com/), a free arts and entertainment weekly.
Sarasota’s night life is a mixed bag, so for surefire action, head to the Gator Club (1490 Main Street, 941-366-5969; http://www.thegatorclub.com/), a popular dance club with red brick, polished brass and R & B tunes. Not a dancing fool? Head upstairs to the billiards bar, where they serve 125 different single-malt Scotches. Don’t try them all. For other options, pick up a copy of Creative Loafing (http://www.sarasota.creativeloafing.com/), a free arts and entertainment weekly.
Saturday 8:30 a.m.
4) POLISH THAT BACKHAND
Your morning tennis is about to begin. Though the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort (1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive, 941-383-6464; http://www.colonybeachresort.com/) is a little frayed, it frequently ends up on the lists of top tennis resorts for its first-class instruction. Most patrons sign up for multiday packages, but the pros are happy to accommodate shorter lessons (dial extension 2312 to reserve). The adult clinics start at $50 for a 90-minutes lesson and private lessons start at $80 per hour. And if your traveling partner doesn’t need as much help with follow through, the glorious white sands of Longboat Key beach is a ball toss away.
Your morning tennis is about to begin. Though the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort (1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive, 941-383-6464; http://www.colonybeachresort.com/) is a little frayed, it frequently ends up on the lists of top tennis resorts for its first-class instruction. Most patrons sign up for multiday packages, but the pros are happy to accommodate shorter lessons (dial extension 2312 to reserve). The adult clinics start at $50 for a 90-minutes lesson and private lessons start at $80 per hour. And if your traveling partner doesn’t need as much help with follow through, the glorious white sands of Longboat Key beach is a ball toss away.
1 p.m.
5) HEALTHY TO GO
The thing about Floridian sprawl is that the best eats are sometimes in the most unassuming places. Such is the case with Simon’s Coffee House (5900 South Tamiami Trail, 941-926-7151; http://www.simonstogo.com/), which serves one of the best lunches in town in a nondescript shopping plaza. Nothing fancy, just whole grain breads, meaty panini, fruity smoothies and creative sandwiches like roasted butternut squash, with soup, ($9.50) that taste too good to be vegan. It’s a local favorite.
The thing about Floridian sprawl is that the best eats are sometimes in the most unassuming places. Such is the case with Simon’s Coffee House (5900 South Tamiami Trail, 941-926-7151; http://www.simonstogo.com/), which serves one of the best lunches in town in a nondescript shopping plaza. Nothing fancy, just whole grain breads, meaty panini, fruity smoothies and creative sandwiches like roasted butternut squash, with soup, ($9.50) that taste too good to be vegan. It’s a local favorite.
2 p.m.
6) VIVA LA SIESTA
Sarasota Bay has plenty of sandy beaches on the gently lapping Gulf of Mexico. But Siesta Public Beach, on Siesta Key, is widely considered by locals to be the fairest of them all, with talcum-powder-soft sands that never get too hot to the touch. And it draws a mixed crowd — the young and ancient, locals and tourists, active volleyball players and laid-back lollygaggers. Best of all, it rarely feels crowded.
Sarasota Bay has plenty of sandy beaches on the gently lapping Gulf of Mexico. But Siesta Public Beach, on Siesta Key, is widely considered by locals to be the fairest of them all, with talcum-powder-soft sands that never get too hot to the touch. And it draws a mixed crowd — the young and ancient, locals and tourists, active volleyball players and laid-back lollygaggers. Best of all, it rarely feels crowded.
5 p.m.
7) AMBER AND BANDANAS
St. Armand’s Circle is the vaguely touristy heart of Sarasota shopping. There are a few big-name stores like Tommy Bahama, but mostly it’s jammed with smaller boutiques like the Baltic Amber Gallery (9 North Boulevard of the Presidents, 941-388-2651, http://www.ambershowroom.com/), where handmade earrings from Latvia, Poland, and elsewhere start as low as $18 a pair. If you forgot your bathing suit, there are plenty to choose from at the Beach House (331 John Ringling Boulevard, 941-388-1025; http://www.thebeachhouseswimwear.com/). If you forgot sandals, check Foxy Lady West (481 John Ringling Boulevard, 941-388-5239, http://www.foxyladysarasota.com/). And if you forgot your New Year’s resolution, grab a homemade waffle cone at Big Olaf Creamery (561 North Washington Drive, 941-388-4108), a sort of homegrown Ben & Jerry’s.
St. Armand’s Circle is the vaguely touristy heart of Sarasota shopping. There are a few big-name stores like Tommy Bahama, but mostly it’s jammed with smaller boutiques like the Baltic Amber Gallery (9 North Boulevard of the Presidents, 941-388-2651, http://www.ambershowroom.com/), where handmade earrings from Latvia, Poland, and elsewhere start as low as $18 a pair. If you forgot your bathing suit, there are plenty to choose from at the Beach House (331 John Ringling Boulevard, 941-388-1025; http://www.thebeachhouseswimwear.com/). If you forgot sandals, check Foxy Lady West (481 John Ringling Boulevard, 941-388-5239, http://www.foxyladysarasota.com/). And if you forgot your New Year’s resolution, grab a homemade waffle cone at Big Olaf Creamery (561 North Washington Drive, 941-388-4108), a sort of homegrown Ben & Jerry’s.
8 p.m.
8) PAN-AM DINING
By day, sleepy Hillview Street seems an unlikely spot for night life, but when the weekend rolls around, good luck finding a parking spot. A handful of buzzing restaurants and bars have recently opened along this block-and-a-half stretch. For lively ambience and inventive food, go to the Table (1936 Hillview Street, 941-365-4558, http://www.thetablesarasota.com/), an upscale restaurant that serves so-called Atlantic Rim cuisine, which blends Caribbean, South American and southeast American flavors. Favorites include spring rolls with Havana short ribs ($7.95) and grilled salmon encrusted with Venezuelan crab and served with purple sticky rice ($23.95). Ask for a table in the back room; a D.J. starts spinning at the bar around 9 p.m. By 10 p.m., it’s a full-on dance.
By day, sleepy Hillview Street seems an unlikely spot for night life, but when the weekend rolls around, good luck finding a parking spot. A handful of buzzing restaurants and bars have recently opened along this block-and-a-half stretch. For lively ambience and inventive food, go to the Table (1936 Hillview Street, 941-365-4558, http://www.thetablesarasota.com/), an upscale restaurant that serves so-called Atlantic Rim cuisine, which blends Caribbean, South American and southeast American flavors. Favorites include spring rolls with Havana short ribs ($7.95) and grilled salmon encrusted with Venezuelan crab and served with purple sticky rice ($23.95). Ask for a table in the back room; a D.J. starts spinning at the bar around 9 p.m. By 10 p.m., it’s a full-on dance.
10 p.m.
9) ROCK ON
If D.J.’s aren’t your thing, head next door to the Five O’Clock Club (1930 Hillview Street, 941-366-5555; http://www.5oclockclub.net/), a rocking dive bar that’s been showcasing live music since 1955. On any given night, there might be reggae or an eccentric AC/DC tribute band.
If D.J.’s aren’t your thing, head next door to the Five O’Clock Club (1930 Hillview Street, 941-366-5555; http://www.5oclockclub.net/), a rocking dive bar that’s been showcasing live music since 1955. On any given night, there might be reggae or an eccentric AC/DC tribute band.
Sunday 10 a.m.
10) WEIRD GROWTH
Had enough sun and sand? Stroll around the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (811 South Palm Avenue, 941 366-5731; http://www.selby.org/), a 9.5-acre park with bamboo, banyans and shady benches where you can enjoy great views of Sarasota Bay. But the real prize is the tropical display house, which has rare orchids, psychedelic caladiums and a strange yet beautiful society of pitcher plants that trap insects.
Had enough sun and sand? Stroll around the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (811 South Palm Avenue, 941 366-5731; http://www.selby.org/), a 9.5-acre park with bamboo, banyans and shady benches where you can enjoy great views of Sarasota Bay. But the real prize is the tropical display house, which has rare orchids, psychedelic caladiums and a strange yet beautiful society of pitcher plants that trap insects.
1:00 p.m.
11) FREAK SHOW
The Ringlings left behind more than just a circus. They amassed a large art collection, including a series of gargantuan paintings by Rubens that are displayed at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (5401 Bay Shore Road, 941-359-5700; http://www.ringling.org/), on the 66-acre bayside estate where they wintered. But the main event is the Howard Bros. Circus, a miniature model of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at its height in the early 20th century. Created over half a century by a passionate circus fan, Howard Tibbals, the three-quarter-inch-to-the-foot scale replica covers 3,800 square feet and is, as one might say, the Greatest Historical Installation on Earth.
The Ringlings left behind more than just a circus. They amassed a large art collection, including a series of gargantuan paintings by Rubens that are displayed at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (5401 Bay Shore Road, 941-359-5700; http://www.ringling.org/), on the 66-acre bayside estate where they wintered. But the main event is the Howard Bros. Circus, a miniature model of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus at its height in the early 20th century. Created over half a century by a passionate circus fan, Howard Tibbals, the three-quarter-inch-to-the-foot scale replica covers 3,800 square feet and is, as one might say, the Greatest Historical Installation on Earth.
The Basics
JetBlue has direct flights from Kennedy Airport to Sarasota, with round-trip fares starting at about $200 for travel next month. More flights and airlines service the much bigger Tampa airport, which is about an hour’s drive away.
JetBlue has direct flights from Kennedy Airport to Sarasota, with round-trip fares starting at about $200 for travel next month. More flights and airlines service the much bigger Tampa airport, which is about an hour’s drive away.
If your budget is up to it, the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota (1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, 941-309-2000; http://www.ritzcarlton.com/) offers all the usual big hotel pleasures, plus access to its private beach club on Lido Key. Double occupancy rates range from $399 to $5,000 a night.
Groovier and cheaper in-town lodging can be found at the Hotel Ranola (118 Indian Place, 866-951-0111; http://www.hotelranola.com/). Rooms with full kitchens start at about $159 a night.
On Lido Key, Coquina on the Beach (1008 Ben Franklin Drive, 800-833-2141; http://www.coquinaonthebeach.com/) has clean and simple rooms that offer views of the Gulf of Mexico, but not a whole lot more. Double occupancy with beach views start at $189.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Sarasota Herald Tribune Article
REAL ESTATE PROFILE
Partners work together for winning formula
By STEPHEN FRATER
stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com
SARASOTA -- At a time when realty brokerages are under pressure across the board and many have merged or been bought out, it is increasingly unusual for a partnership of individual Realtors to survive and thrive for nearly a quarter-century, as have Marcia Salkin and Paulene Soublis of Premier Properties of Southwest Florida.
The pair worked together in three separate brokerages and along the way racked up close to a quarter of a billion dollars' worth of closed Southwest Florida real estate.
Salkin grew up in the real estate business, the fourth generation in her family of Realtors. Born and raised in Louisville, Ky., she used to help her father set up for open houses when she was 4 years old. She moved to Sarasota in 1979.
Trained in journalism with a minor in business marketing from the Ohio State University, she has honed her interviewing, marketing and negotiating skills. She says the real estate business is her "passion and excitement."
Salkin says she "doesn't sweat the small stuff." She raised her son alone while taking care of her parents, an experience she says taught her to keep her eyes "on the big picture."
Her family's real estate legacy continues with her son, David, a 2003 graduate of Pine View School in Osprey. He is in his final year at Tulane University's School of Architecture in the master's program.
Upon entering the local real estate market in 1981 at Merrill Lynch Boomhower Realty, she soon decided to partner with Soublis, whom she had met there."
I listened to Paulene, who is the much more quantitatively oriented one of us," Salkin said. "I admired her attention to detail, her persistence and follow-through on behalf of her clients. She would speak with everyone involved in the transaction: the termite inspector, the appraiser, the lender, the attorney, the title companies, etc."
The partners joined Michael Saunders & Co. in 1986, where they became a top team by setting records and placing in the upper tier of powerhouse producers year after year.
They continued their successful collaboration after deciding to join Premier Properties of Southwest Florida in 2006.Real estate has also been Soublis' passion from an early age. Every Sunday when her father brought home the newspaper, she said, she would go straight to the real estate section and read every ad, visualizing each home."
While other girls were playing with dollhouses, I would send away for floor plans for real houses and study them," Soublis said.Born and raised in Philadelphia, the daughter of Greek immigrants, Soublis speaks Greek fluently. She married and raised three daughters while working in her husband's restaurant business. When they sold that business, Soublis pursued her longtime interest in real estate and earned her Pennsylvania real estate license.
Upon moving to Sarasota in 1984, Soublis joined Merrill Lynch Boomhower Realty and met Salkin. She says she realized that Salkin had great people skills and marketing savvy that complemented Soublis' own self-described analytic approach.
As Soublis' business grew, so did her family. Married for 41 years, Paulene and her husband, George, owner of Sarasota's El Greco Café, enjoy spending time with their three daughters and their five grandchildren, all of whom live in the Sarasota area.
An interesting note is that their boss at Premier Properties, Steve Bailey, is not really a big fan of realty teams.
Bailey says he would prefer agents to manage their client portfolios solo but makes exceptions when he sees strength of teamwork, as he does in the Salkin-Soublis partnership. He calls the duo "one of the successful teams at Premier."
Partners work together for winning formula
By STEPHEN FRATER
stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com
SARASOTA -- At a time when realty brokerages are under pressure across the board and many have merged or been bought out, it is increasingly unusual for a partnership of individual Realtors to survive and thrive for nearly a quarter-century, as have Marcia Salkin and Paulene Soublis of Premier Properties of Southwest Florida.
The pair worked together in three separate brokerages and along the way racked up close to a quarter of a billion dollars' worth of closed Southwest Florida real estate.
Salkin grew up in the real estate business, the fourth generation in her family of Realtors. Born and raised in Louisville, Ky., she used to help her father set up for open houses when she was 4 years old. She moved to Sarasota in 1979.
Trained in journalism with a minor in business marketing from the Ohio State University, she has honed her interviewing, marketing and negotiating skills. She says the real estate business is her "passion and excitement."
Salkin says she "doesn't sweat the small stuff." She raised her son alone while taking care of her parents, an experience she says taught her to keep her eyes "on the big picture."
Her family's real estate legacy continues with her son, David, a 2003 graduate of Pine View School in Osprey. He is in his final year at Tulane University's School of Architecture in the master's program.
Upon entering the local real estate market in 1981 at Merrill Lynch Boomhower Realty, she soon decided to partner with Soublis, whom she had met there."
I listened to Paulene, who is the much more quantitatively oriented one of us," Salkin said. "I admired her attention to detail, her persistence and follow-through on behalf of her clients. She would speak with everyone involved in the transaction: the termite inspector, the appraiser, the lender, the attorney, the title companies, etc."
The partners joined Michael Saunders & Co. in 1986, where they became a top team by setting records and placing in the upper tier of powerhouse producers year after year.
They continued their successful collaboration after deciding to join Premier Properties of Southwest Florida in 2006.Real estate has also been Soublis' passion from an early age. Every Sunday when her father brought home the newspaper, she said, she would go straight to the real estate section and read every ad, visualizing each home."
While other girls were playing with dollhouses, I would send away for floor plans for real houses and study them," Soublis said.Born and raised in Philadelphia, the daughter of Greek immigrants, Soublis speaks Greek fluently. She married and raised three daughters while working in her husband's restaurant business. When they sold that business, Soublis pursued her longtime interest in real estate and earned her Pennsylvania real estate license.
Upon moving to Sarasota in 1984, Soublis joined Merrill Lynch Boomhower Realty and met Salkin. She says she realized that Salkin had great people skills and marketing savvy that complemented Soublis' own self-described analytic approach.
As Soublis' business grew, so did her family. Married for 41 years, Paulene and her husband, George, owner of Sarasota's El Greco Café, enjoy spending time with their three daughters and their five grandchildren, all of whom live in the Sarasota area.
An interesting note is that their boss at Premier Properties, Steve Bailey, is not really a big fan of realty teams.
Bailey says he would prefer agents to manage their client portfolios solo but makes exceptions when he sees strength of teamwork, as he does in the Salkin-Soublis partnership. He calls the duo "one of the successful teams at Premier."
Monday, September 24, 2007
From the Desk of Marcia Salkin...
We often marvel at Sarasota’s attributes …Our beaches are consistently voted as one of the top ten in the world. Southern Living magazine called Sarasota “The Nation’s Per Capita Arts Capital”. Money Magazine has named Sarasota "The Best Small City in the United States" and one of the “Top Ten Places to Retire Young."
The Sarasota County public school system is regarded as one of the best in the south plus; we have top ranking private institutions and higher education venues such as New College, the honors college for the state, and the Ringling School of Art & Design.
We are a water lover's paradise with our Gulf and Bay waterways filled with sailboats, kayaks, jet skis and powerboats…not to mention the best fishing for snook, grouper and snapper! Other recreational activities include over sixty golf courses, professional polo matches, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mote Marine Laboratory, Ringling Art Museum and a wide spectrum of arts including an Opera, Symphony, and a host of theatres.
And, of course, Sarasota’s real estate is beyond compare. From homes on the golf courses to mega waterfront mansions, from multi-acre ranches to beachfront condominiums to renovated "Old Florida" homes in the Downtown area, Sarasota has it all!
There’s only been one thing missing and it’s soon to be remedied. Lured by Sarasota’s economic and growth potential, Sarasota has finally hooked the big one! NEIMAN MARCUS IS COMING TO TOWN! It will be joining Nordstrom at the University Town Center.
Now, we can scream from the roof tops in celebration, "SARASOTA HAS SHOPPING"!
Warmest Regards,
Marcia
Premier Properties of Southwest Florida, Inc.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Luxury Broker Tour Takes to the Water
Premier Properties' REALTORS Marcia Salkin & Paulene Soublis recently hosted a unique broker tour for over 100 top area real estate agents and the press. The tour, conducted by boat, featured four of their luxurious listings. The largest was Snook Inn on Siesta Key, listed at $19,500,000, while the other three properties viewed were two magnificent mansions-one brand new home on Bird Key and one nearly completed home in Harbor Acres with an adjacent vacant waterfront lot. The properties, totaling approximately $42 million dollars, are owned by Mickey Callanen, founder of Guess Watches.
Salkin & Soublis creatively planned the posh event treating everyone to a Morton's buffet and tequila bar, sponsored by Penny Hill of Chase and John Taylor of Lutgert Insurance, on the terrace of Snook Inn overlooking the bay. They made sure everything ran smoothly down to the safety of shoes as fun-colored flip flops were handed out to those in need. Salkin & Soublis wanted to showcase these high-end homes from their best vantage point-the water. "With over 20 years of selling luxury homes in Sarasota, we wanted the best way to show that it's all about the water," Soublis said.
The Salkin & Soublis Team, corporate sponsors of Mote Marine, rented the Explorer IV, a 45-foot craft operated by Sarasota Bay Explorers through a referral from Mote. The captain and his crew ferried guests across Sarasota Bay between each property. Attendees were treated to a perfect day including blue skies, calm waters, and even playful dolphins.
Salkin & Soublis creatively planned the posh event treating everyone to a Morton's buffet and tequila bar, sponsored by Penny Hill of Chase and John Taylor of Lutgert Insurance, on the terrace of Snook Inn overlooking the bay. They made sure everything ran smoothly down to the safety of shoes as fun-colored flip flops were handed out to those in need. Salkin & Soublis wanted to showcase these high-end homes from their best vantage point-the water. "With over 20 years of selling luxury homes in Sarasota, we wanted the best way to show that it's all about the water," Soublis said.
The Salkin & Soublis Team, corporate sponsors of Mote Marine, rented the Explorer IV, a 45-foot craft operated by Sarasota Bay Explorers through a referral from Mote. The captain and his crew ferried guests across Sarasota Bay between each property. Attendees were treated to a perfect day including blue skies, calm waters, and even playful dolphins.
All aboard Mote Marine's Explorer IV
A Red-Carpet Affair!
Paulene Soublis, Mr. and Mrs. Callanen and Marcia Salkin
One of the stops on the tour in Bird Key.
BROKER AGENT Magazine September 2007 Edition
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Sarasota Market Continues to be Bright Spot in Florida Real Estate
August 29, 2007*The following press release was sent to local media on Aug. 27 at 11 a.m.*
Sales of homes and condominiums compiled in the Sarasota MLS system, and sales within the Sarasota-Bradenton Metropolitan Service Area (MSA), are continuing to reflect strength compared to the overall state of Florida.
Statistics indicate the summer months have actually seen a strengthening of sales activity in the Sarasota real estate market, with overall sales in July 2007 up 7 percent from July 2006.
There were 369 single family home sales recorded in the Sarasota MLS in July 2007, compared to only 351 sales in July 2006 - a 5 percent increase, while the MSA showed a drop of 4 in single family home sales for the period. But even that figure stands out in stark contrast to other MSAs across the state. A total of 14 MSAs saw double-digit percentage declines in single family home sales, and statewide the real estate market saw a sales decline of 24 percent from July to July for single family homes.
Condominium sales were also up in the Sarasota MLS, with 159 sales in July 2007 compared to 141 sales in July 2006, for a 12 percent increase. Condos also saw a median price jump of 14.8 percent for the Sarasota MLS, from $269,990 in July 2006 up to $310,000 in July 2007.
The MSA fared better, with a 41 percent increase in condo sales, July to July. This was the third best performance in the state, and Sarasota-Bradenton was one of only six MSAs to show positive condo sales growth in July. Only two much smaller MSAs - Panama City (up 78 percent) and Fort Walton Beach (up 49 percent) - fared better than the local MSA. Statewide, condo sales were down 19 percent.
"When you look at the numbers, we are clearly seeing the Sarasota market taking the lead in the anticipated real estate market recovery in Florida," said Joe Hembree, 2007 SAR President. "Our Association has taken the lead in educating the public concerning the fundamentals of our market, and this has made a big difference. Local real estate agents have also done an excellent job of counseling sellers on the need to price their properties realistically."
With an eye toward the bigger picture, and discounting the historically abnormal years of 2003-2005, we have seen a return to the normal market experienced as recently as 2001 and 2002, Hembree noted.
In July 2001, there were 359 homes and 175 condos reported sold in the Sarasota MLS. In July 2002, there were 328 homes and 187 condos sold. The biggest difference this July is that the median price, even with recent declines, is still much higher than those recent years.
The median home in July 2001 sold for $176,000, and the median condo sale price was $132,000. The numbers went up a little in July 2002 - $190,000 for a single family home, and $179,900 for a condo. But the figures are much higher today - $299,000 for a home, and $310,000 for a condo - so the overall sales volume is far greater.
"The current market is in a normal adjustment period, which makes this an historic buyer's market," Hembree continued. "Our area has always offered tremendous amenities, abundant cultural assets, and great natural beauty and climate. Now, it's all more affordable than it was two years ago."
The lowest point in the recent local market was apparently reached in December 2006, when only 355 sales closed. Sales have escalated since then, and were much higher in July 2007, with 528 total sales - almost 50 percent higher than the sales low. The strong pending sales numbers - nearly 500 reported pending sales - continue to reflect a brighter future as the Sarasota area begins to enter the traditionally stronger fall and winter sales period.
SarasotaRealtors.com Statistics Released for July 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
SENSATIONAL SARASOTA REAL ESTATE
BARRIER ISLANDS
Single Family Homes, Lots, Waterfront
$19,500,000.00 View Details
$4,195,000.00 View Details
$3,599,000.00 View Details
LONGBOAT KEY
$1,975,000.00 View Details
http://www.realestateshows.com/175656
BIRD KEY+of+643MourningDoveDr.jpg)
$7,800,000.00 View Details
LIDO SHORES
$3,950,000.00 View Details
COUNTRY CLUB COMMUNITY
Single Family Homes, Waterfront
$6,195,000 View- Country Club Community
DOWNTOWN
Condominiums, Single Family Homes, Waterfront
.jpg)
SOLD $3,250,000
$2,990,000 More Info
RENAISSANCE $795,000 More Info
http://www.realestateshows.com/191250
MAINLAND
Single Family Homes, Lots, Waterfront
Sold $5,000,000 View Details
$395,000.00 View Details
http://www.realestateshows.com/202979
$4,200,000.00 View Details
$439,000.00 View Details
$198,000.00 View Details
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
SARASOTA-The Top of the Small Business List
10 Best Places for Starting a Small Business Florida is the best state to grow a small business, according to a new study by Bizjournals, the Web site of American City Business Journals Inc. Bizjournals used a 12-part formula to rate the vitality of small-businesses in the nation's 75 largest metropolitan areas. These 75 markets, taken as a group, had 179 million residents as of mid-2005, accounting for 60 percent of the nation's total population. They also included 4.5 million small businesses, a number that rose by 7 percent between 2000 and 2005. The study's objective was to identify those metro areas that are most conducive to the creation and development of small businesses. The highest scores went to areas that have prosperous economies, are expanding rapidly, and are densely packed with small businesses.
The top 10 are:
1. Orlando
2. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.
3. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
4. Las Vegas
5. Jacksonville, Fla.
6. Raleigh, N.C.
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Salt Lake City, Utah
9. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, Calif.
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul
Source: Biz Journals, G. Scott Thomas (07/10/07)
Daily Real Estate News
The top 10 are:
1. Orlando
2. Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.
3. Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
4. Las Vegas
5. Jacksonville, Fla.
6. Raleigh, N.C.
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Salt Lake City, Utah
9. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, Calif.
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul
Source: Biz Journals, G. Scott Thomas (07/10/07)
Daily Real Estate News
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
FIVE STAR REAL ESTATE AGENTS
The Best in Client Satisfaction is the resulting list of Five Star Real Estate Agents, an elite group, representing less than 7 percent of licensed agents in the Sarasota area. Among this elite group are our very own Marcia Salkin & Paulene Soublis of Premier Properties. Please feel free to travel through their website to see why this Team has been chosen top of their class. Congratulations!www.SarasotaBestProperties.com
The complete list can be viewed in the Summer 2007 issue of Sarasota Magazine http://www.sarasotamagazine.com/
Monday, June 25, 2007
Real Estate Gossip
Everything you want to know about Sarasota luxury property sales.
Mary Alice Collins
Everything you want to know about Sarasota luxury property sales.
Mary Alice Collins
CHARMED, I’M SURE When the market slows and sellers grow uneasy, clever realtors generate excitement in creative ways. Marcia Salkin and Pauline Soublis of Premier Properties teamed with Carol Clark and Joel Schemmel of SKY Sotheby’s to stir interest—along with mint juleps—for their listings in The Oaks Bayside. The Old Southern-style homes, at 100 Osprey Point Drive and 136 Osprey Point Drive, are offered for sale at $10.8 million and $7.7 million, respectively. Guests were steeped in Southern hospitality, from icy mint juleps to the lovely ladies dressed as Southern belles who served as greeters and tour guides. “We had a wonderful turnout with over 100 people,” says Clark. “Guests responded with very positive comments, and we were fortunate to experience gorgeous weather and a magnificent sunset. The event was a fun way to showcase these residences, which really are the pinnacle properties of The Oaks Bayside.”
GO LONG Ever dreamed of living like an NFL star? Quarterback Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals is selling his vacation home in Sabal Cove on Longboat Key for an asking price of $1,724,900 and will even autograph the deed of sale. Warner purchased the 4,000-square-foot, four-bedroom home when he was still with the Super Bowl-champion St. Louis Rams. Built in 1994, it has expansive lake and golf course views. Warner’s home is listed with Tom and Andy Cail of SKY Sotheby’s International Realty.
GOING, GOING, GONE! Marsha Wolak is trying to shatter the image of real estate auctions as the last step before foreclosure. “Auctions are no longer the last resort of desperate sellers,” explains Wolak, who started Marsha Wolak Auctions earlier this year, “but an alternative for individuals seeking a different approach to buying and selling property. Buyers usually get a bargain, but sellers get a good deal, too, because they can rid themselves of properties in a hurry without fees and without hassles.”
Wolak’s new company specializes in residential and commercial properties, with offices in Tampa, Sarasota and Naples. A short-sale division handles sales for financial institutions, but Wolak also sells for individuals who are looking for an innovative way to showcase their properties.
At a recent auction Wolak sold a Ritz-Carlton penthouse for $3 million, her largest residential sale to date. She’s currently preparing to auction off a buildable canal-front lot at 505 Avenida de Mayo on Siesta Key. And with each successful sale, her telephone starts to ring. “We’re a nice alternative to real estate agents for people who want a different approach, say a faster resolution or results without the marketing costs,” she says.
Wolak explains that sellers have to be motivated and not looking for top dollar, although there are occasions when the competitive nature of the auction drives price up. Sometimes bidding starts with a reserve amount and the sale price is subject to seller confirmation. Then there are absolute sales, where offers can begin at any amount and the property sells to the highest bidder, creating tremendous excitement in the crowd.
Wolak has the genuine patter of an auctioneer. “I love to hold my auctions on the property, with a big tent filled with chairs so bidders can see the land, see the waterfront and walk around the neighborhood,” she says. Wolak also offers a bidder reward program for high rollers and frequent bidders, including VIP seating in a special roped-off section along with beverages and appetizers. “We don’t just sell property at our auctions, we create events,” she says. “The atmosphere is exciting and fun.”
IN ANY LANGUAGE Candy Swick felt certain she could loll around the house in her pajamas on New Year’s Day. But the telephone rang very early, and the caller begged Swick to show her prospective buyers a house that Swick had listed for sale. One hour later, Swick met the enthusiastic clients at the property only to find out that neither spoke or understood a word of English.
The buyers hastily called a multilingual friend, and he hurried over to the house to act as interpreter. The buyers loved the place and decided right then and there to buy. But the friend could not accompany them to the bargaining table, and once again Swick was left to negotiate the contract and explain the subtle nuances of the transaction.
“I was lucky enough to locate someone through MLS, Tania Corredor, who was fluent in Spanish and English, and I hired her to facilitate the transaction,” Swick says. As luck would have it, the deal did not go through. But Swick was so impressed by Corredor’s people skills and professionalism that she hired her to come aboard and work at Swick & Associates. Not long afterwards, the Spanish-speaking couple called back. “This time, the details all came together,” says Swick. “They got the house; I got a brilliant new associate and a few words of Spanish on my vocabulary. Gracias.”
SARASOTA MAGAZINE June 2007
The Magazine of Sarasota and the Barrier Islands
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Lutgert Insurance Joins Premier Properties of Sarasota
We are thrilled to offer our clients and customers the services of Lutgert Insurance of Sarasota, a full service agency that has served Southwest Florida individuals and businesses for over fifty years. Lutgert Insurance of Sarasota has a dedicated “Premier Client Services” division which was specifically designed to properly cover our client’s with significant assets.
Working in our Premier Properties Sarasota office, Lutgert Insurance of Sarasota comes armed with waterfront home insurance options that are not currently offered in our area.
They will have the ability to write coverage on coastal properties and to provide personal lines of coverage for high wealth clients with homes in excess of $1 million.
Working in our Premier Properties Sarasota office, Lutgert Insurance of Sarasota comes armed with waterfront home insurance options that are not currently offered in our area.
They will have the ability to write coverage on coastal properties and to provide personal lines of coverage for high wealth clients with homes in excess of $1 million.
Please Contact John Taylor at
941-366-6100 office 941-228-3589 cell.
Lutgert Insurance of Sarasota
Plaza at Five Points
50 Central Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
Plaza at Five Points
50 Central Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Clearing the Quay to Make Way...
...for Developer Patrick Kelly of the Ireland-based company that wants to build 701 condominium units and 175 hotel rooms in the 14.5 acre development. It will also include 189,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, over 39,000 sq. ft. of office space, 18 boat dock slips, several restaurants, a night club, and a waterfront multi-use recreation trail open to the public. For those environmental conscious readers, it may interest you to know that roughly 90 percent of the demolished materials will be either inventoried, recycled or reused.
Information courtesy ofwww.HeraldTribune.com
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Our Residence International Summer Edition
EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, UNSURPASSED CIRCULATION AND THE MOST ELITE FRATERNITY OF REALTOR MEMBERS HAVE ESTABLISHED RESIDENCE INTERNATIONAL AS THE PREEMINENT BRAND FOR THE MARKETING OF LUXURY REAL ESTATE.
The Summer Edition of RESIDENCE INTERNATIONAL features one of our listings, SNOOK INN of Siesta Key offered at $19,500,000. We invite you to log onto our exclusive Ultimate Yachtsman site for a closer look at: http://www.ultimateyachtsmanestate.com/ and www.ResidencesLuxuryHome.com
Premier Properties of Southwest Florida, Inc.
The Plaza at Five Points, 50 Central Avenue, #110 Sarasota, FL 34236 Phone: 941-364-4000 Website: http://www.premiersarasota.com/