New Projects in the Bradenton area

I've been previewing new projects as well as resales. One of the more memorable ones is The Grand Sarasotan, starting at $1,000,000 in downtown Sarasota. The Builder had a grand opening reception to kick off their project. It will be arranged to give you the most privacy, as if you were living in a house. At the other end of the spectrum is a group of converter 1 and 2BR condos called West Village starting at 145K in Bradenton. Even though they are modestly priced (by comparison) they developer put in some nice upgrades including granite in the kitchen. A very impressive area is north of Palmetto - Terra Ceia Bay which is a mixture of types of housing and some of them have an uninterrupted view of the Skyline Bridge. The golf course there is an executive course which would probably fit the average golfer better. It even has it's own restaurant on site with many more retail shops in the works for the surrounding area. Centex, on the east side of Bradenton is offering some great incentives to buy there!

Change in Market Conditions

Just like Virginia, the real estate market was booming here til last Fall. Now, the buyers seem to have disappeared. I am currently going to several new homes projects to get up to speed on what the products are. There are a few things under 100 k if a one BR condo is your style. Most of the newer homes are in the 300-500 K range. Last year, the builders weren't accepting investors, today they will sell to anyone and often with strong incentives. If property with boating facilities interests you, you will pay higher prices and have less to choose from. Many people here buy condos and come down for 3 to 6 months. With very little upkeep, they can safely lock up til the next trip. Although Florida is known for it's warm winters, the beaches are beautiful and, during the Spring, Summer and Fall Seasons they are relatively empty! One of the great things about this area is that it does not rely on the tourist dollar to survive. There are several companies who call Bradenton home as well as IMG Academies (Bollitierri Tennis, Golf and Fishing).