The Bosshardt Blog

Good news from our friends in Venice!

I got this email this morning from our Venice Broker, Mary Smith, and I thought I would share it.  Keep in mind if you link the Sarasota Tribune from here the title of the article is "Home prices fall by the steepest rate on record." Now I'm not one to blame the media for the problems they report. However, Mary's point is buried in this article. The areas that saw the declines first are actually showing the signs of recovery first:

Aaron

"Good article in our morning paper. . . .  As we have spoken about in the past, the North Port area hit the wall first in our area - back in Oct 2005, the prices in that area stopped climbing.

For the first time since then, that area's pricing actually increased since Nov 2008. Still harsh overall, but I am happy that any area may be seeing the bottom. The Sarasota-Venice area still dropped; however, we hit the wall later than North Port."

Some of the article:

"In Sarasota-Bradenton, the December median price hit $160,000, a 35 percent decline harking back to April 2002 and driven by short sales and foreclosures.

December's median was a drop of $82,000 from where it may have been under a projection developed by the Herald-Tribune, one aimed at determining where prices would be with a generally accepted 6 percent annual appreciation rate and no three-year housing boom.

The median in Charlotte County-North Port was $102,400 last month, up 4.8 percent from $97,700 in November but down 37 percent from a year before. The $97,700 figure was on par with June 2001."

The Open House Blitz is Here! This Sunday, March 1, 1pm-5pm

The Blitz is back! Bosshardt Realty is kicking off its first of three annual Open House Blitzes this Sunday from 1pm to 5pm.

This open house blitz will feature a new approach. Carol Bosshardt has been busy redefining a successful real estate business for our new economy, and the Blitz was no exception.

"In the past, we tried to get as many open houses for the public to see as possible. This time, we want fewer open houses that represent the best of what this market has to offer current homebuyers. We have some new listings that the consumer has never had a chance to see. For instance, we have bank-owned properties that have been remodeled and put on the market this week. In addition to the unveiling of those listings, we have some listings that have just returned to the market and been repriced, we have some listings that have made a significant price reductions, and we have a few builder models open for the public to see. What they all share is that they are homes that show and are priced exceptionally well. Which is what the consumer is demanding to see in our new economy." said Bosshardt.

The Blitz is this Sunday, March 1, from 1pm-5pm. An interactive map and list of homes can be found at BossBlitz.com.

25 Random Things about Haile Plantation

Posted by Karen Godley , REALTOR® , Bosshardt Realty, 2/20/09

This exercise came from Facebook by way of my friends who wanted to know more about everyone. I thought about the places I like to be - to work, to shop, to hang out - and realized that so much of it involves Haile Plantation. Here are 25 of my favorite things in Haile Plantation.

1. Bosshardt Realty, since that’s where I have an office, and we’re the biggest agency in town.
2. My favorite sandwhich is the Chicken Pesto Ciabata at The Village Market.
3. I like Sisters: the name, the family involvement, and of course the food.
4. Walking to the Village Jeweler from my office is a favorite and that they carry Pandora because I can make a gift for any of my girls with Pandora.
5. The convenience of the Publix at Market Square.
6. O!O Tapas and Tinis, where you can enjoy great food and great people all the time.
7. I love that we have we have more than one bank to choose from in Haile.
8. Everyone is happy that we have more than one pizza restaurant to choose from in Haile.
9. One of my favorite places is The Perfect Gift for the cards, wine, and great gifts.
10. Why ruin your skin in the sun when we have All Over You Air Brush Tanning.
11. The best esthetician in town is Christy Conner (Facials by Christy Conner).
12. I love Bluebird, where they try to give me a sense of style.
13. Kudos to Haile’s Angels, who find homes for so many animals who need care.
14. On the Spot Dry Cleaners means no more driving across town with your laundry.
15. I’m glad we have a place for kids like Gelato in the Market Square.
16. Haile has a true sense of the old south with all the trees that have been preserved and all the Spanish moss.
17. The walking trails never seem to end.
18. The roundabouts work amazingly well if you know how to work them.
19. Haile has a wide range of tasteful architecture.
20. Driving past Hampstead Park makes me smile because of all the families enjoying each other there.
21. I can’t help looking across the golf course; it is consistently beautiful.
22. I enjoy that Haile is so close to the Mall.
23. The events in the Village are really fun, especially Octoberfest.
24. The traffic pace is slow, which reminds me to slow down and enjoy the scenery
25. Everyone gets out and walks or runs or simply strolls along, and they speak to you while they’re at it.

How do I know if my Property or Home has Termites?

Termites101.org put out this video on prevention. They show you the three different types. The video stresses prevention, which I think really needs to be addressed right now. We are all in cutback mode, and if you have a baiting system, you may be inclined to cut that out of your budget. I would say it's essential in protecting your home and familly from a catastrophic event. Even tenting would require you to move out of your home or take a forced vacation for a short period.

It's Cold in Gainesville, but is the Florida Real Estate Market Heating Up?

NAR threw out some national figures that show pending sales heating up. A lot of our associates are talking about increased activity. We have seen some multiple offer scenarios again. This morning, I heard about buyers that lost a property in a bidding war and were too late with an offer on their second choice.

Our own numbers seem to indicate improved activity and pending sales. So is this the sign of a sustained recovery for Gainesville's Real Estate market? Well, there are two things to consider before we jump ahead and say the worst is over. First, the numbers we are talking about are so low that even a short-term blip in activity can show up as a large percentage increase. Secondly, we often see after a major event, like the Credit Crisis and Bailout, a short term drop in activity. Those deals are still out there; they just get put off. So it could just be some pent-up short-term demand. I hope not - I think we all agree that the real estate market needs to be healthy for our local economy to recover.