Blog - Gina Larouche

BUYERS & SELLERS, Real Estate Local Market

InterNACHI’s Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Florida Homes, AUG, 2022

SOURCE: https://www.nachi.org/myowncopy.htm The following chart details the predicted life expectancy of appliances, products, materials, systems and components for homes in the state of Florida. (It may also be applicable to states in the nearby coastal region with similar climate and weather conditions on a typical basis.) While many components and systems in homes located in […]
Real Estate Local Market

Why a repeat of the 2008 housing crash is unlikely …

With U.S. home prices sharply higher and mortgage rates rising, consumers and investors alike are wondering if the environment for housing is still constructive. Home prices are on average almost 40% higher than before the pandemic.1 Mortgage rates have jumped over 200 basis points year to date, reducing purchasing power.2 Low affordability suggests that some […]
Real Estate Local Market

July 2022 – Local Market Snapshot

CLOSED SALES DECREASE IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE AS INVENTORY CONTINUES TO GROW Click here for the July 2022 Press Release and Statistics. The inventory of active listings in the two-county region continues to increase year-over-year in July 2022. According to data from Florida REALTORS® and compiled by the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM), […]
BUYERS & SELLERS

Remodel or buy? How to make the right move

With home prices and interest rates rising across the country, you may be reevaluating your housing situation: Should you take advantage of the seller’s market and upgrade before interest rates rise further? Or should you leverage your home’s equity to finance a renovation? It’s a significant decision that will depend on your specific financial situation […]

BUYERS & SELLERS InterNACHI’s Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Florida Homes, AUG, 2022 SOURCE: https://www.nachi.org/myowncopy.htm The following chart details the predicted life expectancy of appliances, products, materials, systems and components for homes in the state of Florida. (It may also be applicable to states in the nearby coastal region with similar climate and weather conditions on a typical basis.) While many components and systems in homes located in […]

Real Estate Local Market Why a repeat of the 2008 housing crash is unlikely … With U.S. home prices sharply higher and mortgage rates rising, consumers and investors alike are wondering if the environment for housing is still constructive. Home prices are on average almost 40% higher than before the pandemic.1 Mortgage rates have jumped over 200 basis points year to date, reducing purchasing power.2 Low affordability suggests that some […]

Real Estate Local Market July 2022 – Local Market Snapshot CLOSED SALES DECREASE IN SARASOTA AND MANATEE AS INVENTORY CONTINUES TO GROW Click here for the July 2022 Press Release and Statistics. The inventory of active listings in the two-county region continues to increase year-over-year in July 2022. According to data from Florida REALTORS® and compiled by the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM), […]

BUYERS & SELLERS Remodel or buy? How to make the right move With home prices and interest rates rising across the country, you may be reevaluating your housing situation: Should you take advantage of the seller’s market and upgrade before interest rates rise further? Or should you leverage your home’s equity to finance a renovation? It’s a significant decision that will depend on your specific financial situation […]

Real Estate Local Market Answers to your top 5 housing market questions Russell Price, Chief Economist – Ameriprise Financial Aug. 1, 2022 With home prices in many local markets reaching record levels in 2020 and 2021, homeowners and prospective homeowners alike are wondering what’s next for the housing market. Ameriprise Financial Chief Economist Russell Price answers the top 5 real estate questions our clients are asking. 1. […]

Real Estate Local Market NAR Study: International Buyers Are Back …. by Kerry Smith NAR Study: International Buyers Are Back …. by Kerry Smith In NAR’s annual report, 1 in 4 (24%) international buyers chose Fla. Nationwide, they spent $5.9B, up 8.5%, even as single-family home sales dropped 7.9%. WASHINGTON – Foreign buyers purchased $59 billion worth of U.S. existing homes over a one-year period (April 2021 through March […]

Real Estate Local Market Housing Inventory Continues to Grow in Sarasota and Manatee Courtesy of RASM Market Statistics. SARASOTA, Fla. (July 20, 2022) – With rising interest rates across the country, the Sarasota and Manatee housing market is beginning to see more and more homes available for purchase when compared to last year. According to data from Florida REALTORS® and compiled by the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and […]

Real Estate Local Market Nations Top 20 – has Sarasota as No 1 !!! Nov 2021 U.S. News & World Report: Fla. Has 8 of Top 10 ‘Best Retirement’ Metros By Phil Fernandez The magazine’s 2021 list ranks Fla. metros in the top four spots– Sarasota, Naples, Daytona Beach and Melbourne – but 7 other Fla. metros also made it into the top 20. NAPLES, Fla. – It may be getting […]

BUYERS & SELLERS Property Fraud Alerts, a growing Problem … 2021 Property Fraud Alerts in Sarasota and Manatee Counties…. Property and identity fraud are a nationwide problem. By filing fake deeds, scammers appear to own property, and can fraudulently rent or sell the property without the knowledge of the true owner. Your Sarasota Clerk and Comptroller wants to help you in protecting against property fraud. By […]

Real Estate Local Market Longboat Key Named Fifth Best Island in the U.S… 2021 The annual reader-sourced “World’s Best” list invites Travel + Leisure’s audience to vote on the best destinations and experiences worldwide. Travel + Leisure recently ranked Longboat Key as the No. 5 best island in the U.S. in its 2021 “World’s Best” awards. The annual reader-sourced list invites Travel + Leisure’s audience to vote on the […]

Real Estate Local Market Market Update: Sept 2021 .. HOUSING NEWS Mortgage Credit Availability Improves in August If you want to be approved for a mortgage, you have to qualify. Which means, if you have too much debt, too little income, or bad credit, you may not be able to get a loan. Put simply, you have to have your finances in order, if […]

Real Estate Local Market Real Estate – The July 2021 MLS Statistics Real Estate – The July 2021 MLS Statistics SARASOTA, Fla. (August 23, 2021) – Closed sales decreased in July 2021, the first year-over-year decrease since May 2020 for Sarasota and Manatee counties. According to data from Florida REALTORS® and compiled by the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM), the July 2021 market stays on-trend with […]

BUYERS & SELLERS ADU’s Approved in Manatee County & Sarasota City, 2021 ADU’s Approved in Manatee County and City of Sarasota In a big win for property owners, during the month of August both the Manatee County Commission as well as the Sarasota City Commission voted to allow homeowners to construct accessory dwelling units (ADU) on their property. REALTOR® Associations throughout the country have long touted the […]

BUYERS & SELLERS Qualifying for a Mortgage During Retirement Buying a home after Retirement – how is it done ? For many retired homeowners, relocating or downsizing is a common goal, but determining the best way to pay for their next home may seem complicated. Without a steady employment paycheck, many retirees assume they can’t qualify for a mortgage, leaving them with two options: […]

Real Estate Local Market Sarasota FL – 100 of WORLD’S GREATEST PLACES 2021, OCT 2021 Two Florida cities named among World’s 100 Greatest Places by Time magazine The list recognizes “100 unique destinations that are offering visitors an extraordinary experience that’s unlike any other.” Featuring both Orlando and Sarasota. https://time.com/collection/worlds-greatest-places-2021/6079302/sarasota-florida/ The write-up on Orlando focused on the city’s abundance of amusement parks, including “the crown jewel of American theme parks” Walt Disney World and the 18-month celebration […]

Real Estate Local Market HIGH DEMAND & LOW SUPPLY FUELS RISING PRICES in SRQ, JUNE 2021 High Demand and Low Supply Fuels Rising Prices in Sarasota-Manatee Click here for the May 2021 Press Release and Statistics. The June 2021 Year-End Stats will be released on July 22. SARASOTA, Fla. (June 22, 2021) – Record-low inventory brings record-high prices in the Sarasota and Manatee housing market. According to data from Florida REALTORS® […]

Real Estate Local Market Trend of more home sales & rising prices in 2021, APRIL The Sarasota and Manatee housing market continues the trend of more home sales and rising prices in April 2021. According to data from Florida REALTORS® and compiled by the REALTOR® Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM), April reported more sales, more new listings, and record-high prices. “It’s hard to compare to last year because of […]

Real Estate Local Market Best Places to Retire? Sarasota is No. 1. OCTOBER 2020 OCTOBER 14, 2020 Best Places to Retire? 13 of the ‘Top 25’ Are in Fla. By Kerry Smith U.S. News & World Report’s latest ranking of top retirement communities could have almost said, “Pick any town in Fla.” Seven Fla. metros are in the top 10: Sarasota (No. 1), Fort Myers (2), Port St. Lucie […]

Real Estate Local Market 3 Fla. Cities Now Hotter Than Before Pandemic – AUGUST 2020 AUGUST 13, 2020 RE Recovery Index: 3 Fla. Cities Now Hotter Than Before Pandemic By Kerry Smith The real estate market is better than before the pandemic, according to realtor.com’s weekly index, as a third Fla. metro area rose into positive territory. SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The U.S. real estate market is doing better than […]

Real Estate Local Market Buyers want it, Sellers have it? Inventory…! MARCH 2020 Low Inventory Generates Strongest Seller’s Market in 15 years Housing inventory. Buyers want it, Sellers have control of it and Realtors are hustling to work with what’s available while generating new listings to keep up with the demand. Even during these extraordinary times and the looming affects of COVID-19, real estate is as hot as ever. […]