The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 17 - February 18, 2015

REAL ESTATE

Interesting facts abut buyers and sellers

 

Most of us have been on both sides of the real estate fence. We have been both buyers and sellers during our adult lives. In spite of or maybe because of our real estate experiences, we may not understand the person on the opposite side when it comes time to do business. The National Association of Realtors published some highlights from its 2014 profile of home buyers and sellers, which may help to explain both sides.

Purchasing a home is still the American dream and one of, if not the largest, financial transaction that most people will make. However, purchasing a home is not only an investment, it also is where your family will live, grow and make memories. When it’s time to sell your home and move on to another one because of job changes, family structure or retirement, it is stressful and sometimes traumatic. The National Association of Realtors has analyzed some of the insight and information about buyer and seller experiences in its 2014 report.

First time, primary home buyer statistics were down in 2014, coming in at 33 percent from a historical norm of 40 percent. For 43 percent of home buyers, the first step in the home-buying process was looking online for properties. Ninety-two percent of buyers use the Internet in some way in their home search process, and 50 percent of buyers use a mobile Website or application in their home search.

Ninety-eight percent of buyers use a real estate agent while searching for a home. Seventy percent of home sellers only contacted one agent before selecting the one to market their home sale. Only 9 percent of home sellers did so without the assistance of a real estate agent, and 44 percent of these sellers already knew the buyer prior to the home sale. The typical home buyer searched for 10 weeks and viewed 10 homes, which is two weeks shorter than the previous year’s statistic.

What this analysis tells me is that being a real estate agent is still a great career move and that the Internet is front and center in the real estate market. These two facts may seem like they’re working against each other, but in reality, what they’re telling us is today’s buyers and sellers demand up to the minute information and are the most well informed in history.

On line residential real estate Websites designed for buyers, sellers, renters and real estate professionals are easy to find, informative and user friendly. Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia as well as most real estate company Websites will provide you with most available listings in the area you’re considering. These sites are generally linked to the multiple listing services and will reflect everything on multiple listing, but not private sellers.

And if you’re looking for a specific property, another trick I discovered is if you just Google a street address you will likely hit on a listing for that property without having to search some of the real estate Websites. Also, property appraisers all have Websites reflecting properties in their counties. These sites are public information, and you don’t require a password to gain access. This is also a good way to determine information about a property you’re considering, including size, last sale price and all previous sales history.

The more we change the more we stay the same. Buying a home is less a mystery than when our parents bought their first home, but it still remains a people to people transaction. Just remember that no matter which side of the fence you’re on.

Real Estate Transactions
November 2014

Sponsored by Alan Galletto Island Real Estate

Sold Date | List Price | Sold Price | Address | Provision | Property Style

Anna Maria

12/29/2014 569900 552000 762 N. Shore Dr. 1068 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/23/2014 798000 728000 216 Oak St. 1789 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/10/2014 1675000 425000 861 N. Shore Dr . 2914 54x137 4 Br/3 Ba SFR
12/12/2014 260000 522 Pine Ave. #2c 822 2 Br/1 Ba Condo

Bradenton Beach

12/29/2014 255900 243000 108 4th St. N. 786 50x100 2 Br/1 Ba SFR
12/18/2014 549900 535000 2515 Avenue C 1584 4 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
12/29/2014 189000 170000 107 8th St. S. 4 570 2 Br/1 Ba Condo
12/20/2014 415000 394000 250 17th St. 1268 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/02/2014 697000 650000 1900 Gulf Dr. N. 3 1206 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/08/2014 245000 225000 1801 Gulf Dr. N.#266 691 1 Br/1 Ba Condo
12/15/2014 325000 295000 1801 Gulf Dr. N. 247 1080 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/29/2014 314900 295000 1801 Gulf Dr. N. #216 1080 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/15/2014 390000 380000 1000 Gulf Dr. N. #8 450 1 Br/1 Ba Condo
12/29/2014 569000 540000 2319 Avenue C #100 1673 3 Br/2 Ba Condo

Cortez

12/10/2014 459000 400000 12408 42nd Ave. W. Dr. 1745 3 Br/2 Ba SFR

Holmes Beach

12/30/2014 419000 405000 312 66th St. 1231 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/30/2014 475000 450000 502 69th St. 1180 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/09/2014 448700 493572 201 69th St. #A 1664 2 Br/2 Ba SFR, Reo/Bank Owned
12/05/2014 619000 605000 303 74th St .# A 1340 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/18/2014 675000 630000 405 73rd St. 1800 100x85 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
12/15/2014 649000 634500 217 81st St. 2020 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
12/04/2014 679000 635000 7204 Marina Dr. #B 1319 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/04/2014 899500 850000 531 69th St. 85x123 3Br/3 Ba SFR
12/08/2014 979000 940000 214 75th St. 1929 4 Br/3 Ba SFR
12/31/2014 1270000 1180000 303 68th St. 1800 4 Br/3 Ba SFR
12/12/2014 1499999 1300000 613 N. Point Dr. 3939 4 Br/4.5 Ba SFR
12/19/2014 1450000 1300000 536 70th St . 2370 3 Br/3 Ba SFR
12/22/2014 445000 369000 6309 Gulf Dr. 1252 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
12/05/2014 425000 395000 4255 Gulf Dr. # 107 1865 3 Br/3 Ba SFR
12/30/2014 644900 639000 4005 4th Ave. 2988 4 Br/4 Ba SFR, Reo/Bank Owned
12/01/2014 239000 220000 3601 E. Bay Dr.#207 1004 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/16/2014 249500 245000 5400 Gulf Dr. #11 996 2 Br/1.5 Ba Condo
12/18/2014 315000 300000 600 Manatee Ave. 118 1179 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/22/2014 379000 369000 3302 6th Ave. #1 750 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
12/01/2014 485000 460000 6250 Holmes Blvd. #40 1536 3 Br/2.5 Ba Condo
12/19/2014 599000 575000 317 64th St. 317 2001 3 Br/2.5 Ba Condo
12/31/2014 44900 40000 6800 Bl. Marina Dr. #8 Dock
12/31/2014 69000 50000 11 N Between Baronet/Concord Dock
12/15/2014 395000 375000 213 77th St. 75x101x92x99 Vac

Source: Mid Florida Multiple Listing Service


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