Did you ever have the feeling that you’re right in the middle of a sea change and maybe just a little nervous about what’s around the next bend? Well, it’s probably safe to say that Anna Maria Island and likely all of Manatee County is in the midst of a sea of change in the real estate market, which could make people both happy and unhappy, depending on the course you’re headed.

Last June, I wrote a story about the listing prices in the three cities on Anna Maria Island starting to go well over a million. At that time there were 56 properties listed at or over $1 million dollars within the three cities. The breakdown then was 16 properties in the city of Anna Maria being listed over $1 million and one in the $900,000s. Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach at that time had 40 properties over $1 million and 12 properties in the $900,000s.

Based on the listing prices I’ve been following, I assumed these numbers would be considerably higher now than last year, and I was right. Here’s the update as of this writing:

Anna Maria city has seven properties listed at or over $2 million and 18 listed between $2 million and $1 million, that’s a total of 25 properties listed over $1 million this year compared to 16 last June. Anna Maria also had 2 properties listed in the 900,000s.

In Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach the breakdown is three properties listed at $3 million or over, eight properties listed between $3 million and $2 million and 38 properties listed between $2 million and $1 million, a total of 49 compared to 40 in June of last year. There were also 12 properties in the $900,000s.

The grand total for all cities on the island went from 56 last June listed at $1 million or over to 72 now. Considering that June 2013 was only a little over seven months ago, an almost 30 percent increase in over $1 million properties is substantial.

Million dollar listing prices off the island are also rapidly increasing. Our neighbors in little Cortez currently have four homes listed between $3 million and $1 million, and a search of realtor.com reveals over 80 properties in Bradenton listed over $1 milion with many of these listings in northwest Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch and on Riverview Boulevard.

Not only are the numbers of properties staggering, but the listing prices are also staggering. One property at the Concession Golf Club is listed at $16,500,000, another on Riverview Boulevard at $4,500,000, with several over $3 million and many over $2 million spread out through Bradenton. Hard to believe this is going on in sleepy little Bradenton but then it is The Friendly City with Anna Maria Island in its backyard.

So what comes with higher listing prices? Higher selling prices. A recent report in this paper confirmed that last year’s sales on Anna Maria Island were up considerably from the year before. The top selling price for a single-family home was $3,425,000, for a condo $2,622,000 and for duplexes $1,100,000.

Of course, not everyone is happy about property value increases. Some feel it’s another bubble in the making, and unfortunately, some long time Island residents feel they are being pushed out because of the flood insurance controversy and increase of weekly rentals. Many of the new buyers are from outside of the United States, and many from Canada, and of course, young retirees haven’t even begun to arrive.

Real estate is such a dynamic market we never know what will happen next. But whatever course you’re on, just remember that good sailors know when to trim the sails and head for cover, so they’re not swamped by changeable seas.