Marching on in March. Right now for me marching on means the brace and crutches days are behind me from fracturing my tibia in January! It will be a few more weeks before I can go back to bicycling (or even marching for that matter) but what a JOY to say goodbye to the crutches. The thought of marching brings back memories of being on my high school drill team. We were a precision high step dance team which included a lot of synchronized marching. One of our top precision moves was taking the high kicking straight line and high kicking our way into a circle. Being one of the shorter girls on the team (did you know the Rockettes have a minimum height requirement?) of course I was at the end which meant a lot of high kicking and moving backwards. My best friend was 6 feet tall so she was in the center; she got to just stand there and kick. That year we competed in the State
(My high school drill team pic) 
competition and our routine was sharp and crisp. The problem was that we were the only team still doing precision drill rather than the more contemporary dance style routines the other teams were doing. As we watched the other teams with all their new moves (moves my mom would not have approved) we realized that as solid as our routine was, the other style was what the judges were giving the higher marks to. The other routines were "new” and “innovative” (I still say getting 30 teenagers to high kick into a circle is pretty impressive.). When we watched the tape of our performance, we did great, it just wasn’t what the judges were looking for.
Well, we are marching in the real estate market too and while it can get pretty competitive, the reward is more than a trophy, it is the triumph of being handed the keys to your new home. When Ray and I are working with folks looking for a new construction home they want to see what is new and innovative. Did you know that you can have a Realtor with you as you look at new construction?( We highly encourage it!) The resale market is marching on too and full of the classics. I am sure you have noticed all the for-sale signs popping up and if you are on a subscription to our OneHome or our website you are seeing new listings coming in on your daily feed. There are a lot of options for buyers now. Sellers are having to be innovative in this very competitive market. Sellers are accepting financed offers, offering closing cost credits, and when necessary, adjusting their price. Realtors are having to be in tune with the best new ways to market and sell. The days of put-the-house-in-the-MLS-and-by-end-of-day-it-is-sold are long gone in our market.
If you follow our monthly blog you know Ray and I are marching to this new market beat. If you have wondered if this is a good time to sell—the answer is yes. Fortunately, you will not have to contend with 50 showings in the first five minutes of being on the market. Buyers will look at homes, the offers will come, and your house will sell. Buyers, is it a good time to buy? Yes, and there are plenty of homes on the market to choose from. The prices are not skyrocketing. The market is marching steadily on.
Since I included a flashback picture, how about some flash back designs. Enjoy this article: Design by the Decade You were Born
Stats and Data for March 2024
Before we jump into the Stats and Data I want to take a moment to share with you that our Coldwell Banker office made the TOP 100 of Coldwell Banker offices across the Nation. There are over 2400 offices nationwide and we are in the Top 100! WOW! Also, I made the Diamond Society again this year, which is the Top 10% of agents!
Now for the Stats and Data:
Since it is Spring Break season and condo life is in full swing here in Florida this month’s market stats and data will focus on condos close to the beach. The beach life condo market is full of an array of condos from cute little 500 square feet condos just blocks from the Gulf of Mexico to lavish 3000+ square feet penthouses with breathtaking views of the Gulf and Bays plus so many more to choose from in-between. One thing that always seems to catch people by surprise is the monthly fees for condo life. To help explain them I wrote a blog about condos and those pesky association fees. But are they really pesky? Take a moment to read : The WHY of Condo Fees
Here is an overview of the condo market and the fees associated with them.
Venice Island Condo Market
There are 136 Venice Island condos to choose from with a price range of $215k for 550 square feet to
well over $4,000,000 with 2200 square feet. Some with boat slips, some overlooking the Gulf, some
close to downtown, and some within walking distance to downtown or the beach. What are the condo
fees like on the Island of Venice? Over ½ of them have monthly fees over $700 or more a month.
Click here to see the details of our stunning Gulf access condo listing
Siesta Key and Longboat Key area
There are 200 condos on the market in this area. Prices range from $349k to over $6M . Over half of the condos have monthly fees well over $1000 a month and there are many over $2000 a month. Less than 10 have monthly fees below $600 a month.
Click here to see this extraordinary condo on Lido Key:
Click here to see a beautiful condo on Midnight Pass:
Englewood along Beach Rd condo market:
In Englewood you can find a condo for under $300k and they go up to $2M.
There are 52 to choose from currently. There are even a couple that allow 1-7 day rentals, great investment opportunities! Again over half have fees higher than $700 a month.
So, what do you get with these monthly fees? For that you need to review the condo association documents. But, for most the insurance and maintenance of the buildings, the roofs, the grounds, and the elevator. There is also the care and maintenance of the pools and other amenities such as fitness center, tennis or pickle ball courts . Community security is also covered by the fees and some communities offer concierge services. The variety of amenities and community offerings directly affect the fees, also known as assessments. It’s essential to look beyond the fee when evaluating a condo, inquire about what is included in the monthly assessment. Take the time to explore the community you’re considering calling HOME. You will find that these fees are what provide you with the laid-back Florida beach lifestyle you desire.
Below are some info articles for you:
Good article about Selling a Home in Florida
A Dave Ramsey article :Questions to Ask About When Buying
What to do with your company Marching in?
Myakka River State Park
Cruise the Myakka River on Logan River Tours & then dine at Snook Haven
Venice has a calendar of events!
Glamping at Oscar Sherer State Park-seriously looks pretty cool!
Now to leave you with a little joke:
and a funny...
Since March is the time for Floridians to entertain visiting family and friends enjoy this Ol'Irish Proverb:
"May your home always be too small to hold all your friends"
Happy St. Patrick's Day
#maryraywestbrook
#makingrealestatedreamsareality
#condolife
#realestate