Real Estate Market Update for South Sarasota

 April 2023

West Central Florida’s real estate market continues to be pulled by counterbalancing forces.  Inventory is low and people continue to migrate to Florida in record numbers.  Interest rates are fluctuating between 5 ½ and 7% which is about average for a 50  year period but they still feel high after record low rates below 3%.  Prices seem high but have remained strong because of low inventory and continued population growth.  Let’s look at these factors individually

There are three times as many homes for sale in March 2023 as there were last March.   Many current homeowners are hanging onto their current home with the sub 4% mortgage which has tempered the increase in inventory.  It

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is! This has never been more true than Instant Offers in real estate sales.

An instant offer is a generic term for when a company makes an offer to purchase a seller’s home and to allow the Seller to skip the traditional method of listing the home with a Realtor. Sure, an instant offers allows for a quick sale, flexible closing date, and no required repairs; but what is the cost you are giving up?

An instant offer involves meeting with a Realtor acting as the Company representative, viewing the home, an offer presentation, signing of contracts, closing, etc. This process has many of the steps involved in a traditional sale. In most cases, the Instant Offer is presented by the Realtor working with the

Gulf Shores Realty was the 2021 Winner of the Business of the Year Award for the Professional and Financial category.  Gulf Shores Realty is a three time winner of the award also winning in 2019 and 2014.  The Venice Area Chamber of Commerce held the annual Business of the Year awards ceremony at the Plantation Golf and Country Club.  Award categories included:

• Health & Wellness
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Service & Retail
• Professional and Financial
• Non-Profit/Not-For-Profit
• Employee of the Year

The Business of the Year award is coveted because it is awarded by your peers in the business community.  Businesses who are nominated for the award, submit a package of information which requires businesses to take a deep dive into their

It is time to sell your home and you have listed your home with a Realtor.  Your Realtor will place your home's keys into an electronic lockbox on or near your front door.  The lockbox is typically secured to an object such as the doorknob or railing to prevent it from being removed.  Realtors who schedule appointments to show your home to prospective customers use their electronic access code to open the lockbox for showings.  Once opened, the electronic lockbox sends the opening Realtor's contact information and creates a permanent record of the showing for accountability.

Ever wonder just how safe your keys are once placed in the lockbox?

What if a vandal decided to break into the lockbox and use the key to get into your home?

Well, Gulf

Gulf Shores Realty was honored to win the coveted 2019 Business of the Year Award from the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce.  The award was presented on May 31, 2019 at the Plantation Golf & Country Club with a dozen of our Agents and Staff present.  No one knew who the winners would be until they were announced.   This marks the second time Gulf Shores Realty has won the award having been a previous winner in 2014.  Gulf Shores Realty won for the category of Professional and Financial.  Broker-Owner Wayne Welsh stated, "This award is valued so much as it bestows the Trust of the Chamber of Commerce and the business community in the winner and the public knows they are a respected business that they can trust."

Award winners go through a