May 19, 2012

Sarasota Downtown Condo Update

It is active in downtown Sarasota, Florida. Since we are in the midst of our busy winter selling season there are quite a few condos under contract in downtown Sarasota. The overall mood by people who closely observe the Sarasota market is that we are scraping along the bottom with prices remaining flat. Demand remains strong and supplies are near a 10 year low. Our office is located at 100 Central Avenue in the heart of downtown. Activity is brisk as we spot Realtors frequently taking their buyers in the 100 Central condos.

Here are pending statistics as of March 10, 2011.

  • 61 condos under contract
  • Lowest asking price – $49,000 – Dolphin Tower
  • Highest asking price – $5,400,000 – La Bellasara
  • Average asking price – $691,398
  • Median asking price – $395,000

There are several luxury condos downtown that have recently gone under contract. Of the 61 condos under contract 25 of them have an asking price over $500,000.

Although, the Sarasota condo market is active there are still some great opportunities. Below are statistics for active listings:

  • 172 condos for sale
  • Highest asking price – $6,995,000 – Beau Ciel
  • Lowest asking price – $34,500 – Dolphin Tower
  • Average asking price – $926,597
  • Median asking price – $527,000

With 172 condos for sale in the downtown area it sounds like there is an oversupply of properties. This is not really true. If you want to be within a short walk to Main Street, need 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and want to spend less than $400,000 you have fewer than 30 condos for sale.

Closed sales since January 1, 2012:

  • 35 condos sold
  • Highest sales price – $1,930,000 – La Bellasara
  • Lowest sales price – $15,000 – Dolphin Tower
  • Average sales price – $526,533
  • Median sales price – $349,000

Ironically, when compared to the same period in 2011 there have been exactly 35 sales as well. However, in 2011 the average sales price was $433,784 and the median sales price is $339,000.

If you are interested in buying or selling in Sarasota give Marc Rasmussen a call at 941.812.6272.

Tampa Condo Market is Tightening

According to the Tampa Bay Times, inventory is starting to tighten up for high-rise condos with views in the Tampa area.   The original developers of several towers went bankrupt allowing for investors to come in and buy the units and sell them for more realistic 2012 prices.  So while the number of sales have gone up, the average price has gone down.  We feel the net result of that activity is good for the market.  First, empty units and foreclosed condos are a drag on the HOA and can affect the building negatively.  Second, if inventory tightens up we hope that the pricing will stabilize to current market levels.

The activity we’re seeing in Tampa Condos is also happening in cities around the country.  Higher construction costs and tougher lending standards are keeping many developers from breaking ground on new condo towers, so existing units are selling a little faster.  This is going to be the trend for the near future since even when developers do decide to pull the trigger and plan new buildings there will be around five years before any new inventory is ready for move-in.

New Atlanta Condos Selling Well

Luxe CondosAccording to a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it appears that the condo price reductions seen recently in Atlanta have cause demand to increase leading several buildings to sell out.  The Luxe tower in Midtown has only one remaining unit for sale, and Horizon at Wildwood is down to their last two units.  In fact, according to real estate consulting firm Haddow & Co., sales of intown Atlanta condos passed 1,000 last year compared with only 636 in 2009.

Some real estate developers are predicting that we may even see price increases in the coming years as inventory dwindles.  They note that the newer buildings are selling out, and that there is little to no new development on the horizon to introduce new units to the market.

Wave of New Condos set to Hit Miami

The Miami Herald is reporting that at least SIX new condo towers are slated to go up in Miami over the next few years.  This is a sharp 180 degree turn from what was occurring just a few short years ago, when entire towers sat nearly empty and developers filed bankruptcy one after another.  According to the article demand is coming almost exclusively from outside of the Miami area, as foreign investors take advantage of the lower dollar and weak market to create their own American dream.

Read More here:  http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/29/2478900/condo-mania-20.html

Large Majority of South Florida Condos are Second Homes

A new report out today from the Condos Rating Agency shows that a large majority of waterfront condominiums in the South Florida area are not homesteaded, meaning they are second homes.  According to the report, only 27% of the condos from Downtown Miami to West Palm Beach have homestead declarations filed with the county authorities.  We’ve seen this number increasing in sales of South Florida, Las Vegas and Phoenix condos, as investors swoop in to buy up affordable condominiums as second homes.  This is also indicative of all the international investors that are buying condos while America is essentially on sale.