Blog - Gina Larouche

Market Updates

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 […]
LOCAL INFO, Market Updates

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 […]
LOCAL INFO, Market Updates, 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 […]
LOCAL INFO, Market Updates

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 […]

Market Updates 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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: […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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® […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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 […]

LOCAL INFO 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. […]

LOCAL INFO June 2020, Existing-Home Sales Climb Record 20.7% JULY 22, 2020 NAR: June Existing-Home Sales Climb Record 20.7% U.S. home sales rose a record amount month-to-month in June, NAR says – but part of the reason is because May sales fell dramatically in the early days of the pandemic. WASHINGTON – Existing-home sales rebounded at a record pace in June, according to the […]

LOCAL INFO Best Beach Towns for Homeownership? Sarasota No. 6. JANUARY 2020 Best Beach Towns for Homeownership? Sarasota No. 6 out of 145 ! By Kerry Smith JUNE 17, 2020 WalletHub ranked 145 U.S. cities by affordability, weather, safety and economy. The final list includes 22 Fla. cities with 4 in the top 10 and 9 in the top 25. ORLANDO, Fla. – WalletHub released its […]

LOCAL INFO Sarasota: # 2 in Florida for Best to Retire in FL… AGAIN! 2019 OCTOBER 9, 2019 3 Fla. Cities in Top 10 ‘Best Places to Retire’ list U.S. News & World Report: Out of 125 cities ranked, 10 Fla. cities are in the top 50. In top 10: 1) Fort Myers, 2) Sarasota, 5) Port St. Lucie and 6) Jacksonville. WASHINGTON – U.S. News & World Report released […]

LOCAL INFO Can’t Afford to Buy a Home? Have You Considered Down Payment Assistance? 2019 Can’t Afford to Buy a Home? Have You Considered Down Payment Assistance? What’s the number one hurdle for renters making the leap to homeownership? That pesky down payment. Even with an FHA loan that only requires a minimum of 3.5% down, the thought of setting aside several thousand dollars is daunting (and for some, darn […]

LOCAL INFO PROPERTY SHARING: YOURS, MINE AND OURS PROPERTY SHARING: YOURS, MINE AND OURS Many times property ends up having some form of shared ownership. Sometimes it is simply in the form of joint tenants or tenants in common, but sometimes more complex forms are involved such as life estates, ownership through entities or even by agreement (such as a co-habitation agreement). Over […]

LOCAL INFO Home Improvement Projects Worth Cost and Time. 2019 NAR Survey: Home Improvement Projects Worth Cost and Time Remodeling isn’t always more money at resale, though that’s important. NAR’s “Joy Score” analyzes the level of current owner satisfaction with remodeling projects. WASHINGTON – Homeowners who undergo a home improvement project, whether it be interior or exterior modifications, often find that the task was worth […]