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Tag: Manatee County

Castles in the Sand

Are you smarter than a hedge fund manager?

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

The most expensive home in U.S. history was just sold. It’s a four-story condo on Central Park South in New York City dubbed “billionaire’s bunker” and closing for $238 million. The buyer is a hedge fund manager who collects houses around the world so no surprise that the Big Apple was next on his hit list.

Those of us who live a little closer to earth will be interested in my latest three-month analysis of properties in the three cities of Anna Maria and Cortez that have sold or are listed over $1 million. This time we’re looking at November and December 2018 and January 2019. The residential closed property numbers are from the Manatee County Property Appraisers Office and the available or pending properties as of this writing are from realtor.com which reflects properties listed on the multiple listing records.

The little area of Cortez did not have any properties closing over $1 million during these months. The previous analysis was for a four-month period and showed two properties closed. The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach closed 7 properties ranging from $2,300,000 to $1,050,000. The four-month analysis previously showed there were 14 properties closed. The City of Anna Maria closed 14 $1 million or over properties ranging from $3,300,000 to $1,010,000. The previous four-month analysis reported 17 closed properties over the $1 million mark.

Although the sold properties appear to be a little lower considering we’re comparing three months to four months during the holiday season when there aren’t too many serious buyers around, I think we’re just fine.

The available properties are another story, every location is up considerably from the last analysis. Starting with Cortez, there are currently 6 over $1 million properties on the market or pending, ranging from $1,500,000 to $1,100,000, the last analysis had five.

The combined cities of Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach have an incredible 85 properties $1 million or more currently on the market or pending. The range is from a high of $9,500,000 to $1,049,000. There is one listing which happens to be land for $7,775,000; one property over $5 million; two properties over $4 million, five properties over $3 million and 16 properties over $2 million. The balance of the properties are between $2 million and $1 million. The previous analysis had 68 properties on the market.

The City of Anna Maria is also listing more properties than during the previous analysis. As of this writing, there were 58 either available or pending properties ranging from $5,496,000 to $1,065,000. There are two over $4 million; three over $3 million and 15 over $2 million; the balance of the available properties are between $1-2 million.

Lest we forget, it’s early March and the buyers are just starting to sniff around.

When you see the listing prices of the island properties lined up in a row it’s a little mind-blowing, considering what you could buy on the island in previous years. It may not be as mind-blowing as the price tag on a home in a 1,000-foot-tall tower with a view of Central Park, but we have our own views and we’re sticking to them. Are we smarter than a hedge fund manager? You bet we are.

More Castles in the Sand:

House hunting – the fun and not so fun

Florida’s new foreign buyers

A home’s equity is sometimes subjective

Reel Time: Release program promotes fishery recovery

Reel Time: Release program promotes fishery recovery

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), in conjunction with Duke Energy and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, released adult and juvenile redfish at Robinson Preserve in Manatee County. The redfish were donated by Duke Power and raised at its Mariculture Center in Crystal River, Fla. There are a number of releases scheduled in southwest Florida, which will include about 2,000 juvenile fish and 25 to 30 adult redfish per county, all of which will come from the Duke Energy Mariculture Center. In February, the group also released redfish in Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.

Additional tentative release dates and locations include Lee County, March 12 at 11 a.m.; Tropical Point Park, 3401 Tropical Point Drive, St. James City, Fla.; Collier County, March 15 at 11 a.m.; Shell Island Boat Launch, 10 Shell Island Road, Naples, Fla.; Charlotte County, March 19 at 11 a.m.; and Ponce De Leon Park, 3400 Ponce de Leon Parkway, Punta Gorda, Fla.

Brian Gorski, CCA Florida executive director, weighed in on the effort. “We’re extremely excited to release these fish now that the waters are determined to be safe,” he said.  “Between these releases, encouraging anglers to catch-and-release and promoting conservation, we’re going to see this fishery improve and we’re honored to be a part of it.”

Catherine Stempien, Duke Energy Florida president, stated that “Duke Energy is committed to helping protect and preserve Florida’s natural environment.” She added, “Our Mariculture Center advances environmental stewardship throughout the state by partnering with state and local agencies and universities on restoration projects. The redfish we are donating will have long-term positive environmental impacts in the affected areas and we’re proud to play a small part in the solution to the recent red tide occurrence.”

Eric Sutton, FWC executive director, also was proud to be a partner. “We are thankful for the leadership and efforts of CCA and Duke Energy on making this redfish enhancement possible,” he said. “The efforts to help struggling fisheries in the aftermath of such an intense and devastating red tide is welcome, and anglers should do their part by adhering to the closure and respecting size and bag limits. They can go further by handling their catches responsibly and practicing catch and release after the closure is lifted. All the partners in the effort are to be commended for not only adding to depleted fish stocks but also raising awareness.”

The CCA has come a long way since it came into Florida as the FCA in the early 80s. In 1985, I joined a few local residents, including Captain Scott Moore, Captain Jim O’Neil, Pete Turner, Jim Knowles and Cindy McCartney, and met with Gulf Coast Conservation Association organizer Bruce Cartwright. That meeting of six concerned citizens led to the formation of the Manatee Chapter of the then-FCA. I attended the Manatee CCA Banquet last Thursday night at the Manatee County Convention Center, where more than 1,000 members and guests showed their support for fisheries conservation.

The exponential growth of an organization concerned with the health of our waters and fishery is a reason for optimism but points to a larger issue that can’t get lost in the media buzz of hatchery releases. If we truly want a healthy habitat and robust fishery we have to address the root of the problem. While it is often mentioned that the red tide is a natural occurrence, what you don’t hear is that the occurrence and severity of red tide are 15 times greater than it was 50 years ago. More often the natural occurrence storyline is parroted by groups, corporations and state agencies responsible for the increase of nutrients and lack of enforcement of common sense laws that help feed the red tide.

The most recent red tide event may have hopefully awakened citizens and lawmakers to the severity of the issue. A new state administration taking action is encouraging. While significant funds are becoming available to address the problem, as long as the emphasis is on mitigating and killing red tide instead of addressing point (sewage spills) and nonpoint (agricultural runoff) source pollution we’ll miss an important opportunity to begin taking effective action towards a lasting solution.

Related coverage

https://amisun.com/2019/02/26/redfish-released-for-red-tide-recovery/

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Castles in the Sand

House hunting – the fun and not so fun

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

I love technology and, although I may not be as well-versed as a 12-year-old, I do feel that for my generation I’m pretty competent. One of the best parts of the high-tech world we’re living in is the multitude of information on real estate at our fingertips. It also can be one or the worst parts of the high-tech world, especially if you’re house hunting.

Shopping online has become more than just a pleasant past time, it has become the go-to form of research for so many things, and house hunting is at the top of this list. Realtor.com makes it so easy to find homes in the zip code, price range and style you’re looking for that it will convince you to stay in your pajamas and make an offer from the bed, but that would be a whopper of a mistake. Online pictures are fabulous. Where else can you peek into someone’s home unobserved? But be careful – the wide-angle lenses typically used in real estate listings make small spaces look deceptively big and water views look endless. Naturally, pictures don’t show flaws in the property like cracked tile, torn screens and mold. Even renovated kitchens and baths will look better in pictures than in person.

The only way to thoroughly check a property is to get out of your pajamas, into the car and set eyes on it. The best thing to do is to use your online research as a guideline to help you pin down a location and get educated in price ranges.

In conjunction with that, getting a home value estimator online can also be a misleading and time-wasting effort. Unless you’re looking at cookie cutter homes or identical condo units, there are too many variables that go into setting the value of a home. Even then, the estimators can’t tell you about renovations and they also can’t keep current with market conditions.

But real estate professionals can keep current with markets and they generally have a pretty good idea about the condition of available properties in your price range and location. That said, remember that all real estate agents work for the seller of the property. The seller pays the commission. Unless you work with a buyer’s agent, be careful not to disclose too far ahead of time your interest in a property and/or an acceptable price for the property, especially if you meet an agent at an open house.

Almost all condo properties and many single-family homes and villas in Florida have homeowners’ associations. Don’t take this lightly. Thoroughly read the condominium rules and regulations, by-laws and financials. Condo boards are very powerful and can and will limit some of your activities. They also have the power to levy assessments. Not all of this is a bad thing; well run HOAs keep the values up and owner’s responsibilities down.

Finally, there are no perfect homes so don’t pass on a property because it may not have the exact color countertops or appliances you want. Changes and improvements you think you will need to make can be a good negotiation point and a little elbow grease could turn into thousands of dollars in real money.

House hunting is like marriage, best approached with good humor and compromise.  If I’m correct, I think you can do that online also. That would have been right up my alley. Where was the 12-year-old when you needed them?

More Castles in the Sand:

Florida’s new foreign buyers

A home’s equity is sometimes subjective

Why is the housing market declining?

Castles in the Sand

Florida’s new foreign buyers

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

I was born in New York state and up until 20 years ago when I moved to Florida, lived my entire life in the New York City and surrounding suburban area. There have been innumerable times during those years when I missed my old home, but frankly, this place in time is not one of those.

About a month ago, I reported the findings of the U.S. Census Bureau’s recent analysis. According to it, Florida was the second fastest growing state in the country after Texas based on an eight-year period ending 2018. In addition, Florida had the highest level of net domestic migration from July 2017 to July 2018, according to the U.S. Census data released in December. Also, Florida has been creating jobs, gaining 231,000 jobs in 2018, a 2.7 percent increase over the previous year. This brought the Florida unemployment rate down to 3.3 percent in December.

Governors and public officials in New York and other high taxed states like New Jersey, Illinois and Connecticut are looking for an excuse to blame the reason residents are leaving their states as well as their state deficits and high taxes on the federal government’s cap on state and local taxes. There is some truth to this contributing to the states’ shortfalls, but not everyone is leaving because they can’t fully deduct their property taxes. Maybe the real question is “Why are these states’ taxes so high to begin with?” Even though Floridians are benefiting from the North’s problems, rather than gloat we should be paying careful attention not to make the same mistakes.

An analysis by Zillow shows the preliminary data indicates a jump in Florida home purchases by buyers from high-tax states, as well as home values increasing in other low-tax states. According to real estate brokers in the Miami area, the loss of their foreign buyers has been replaced by buyers from New York, Florida’s new foreign buyer. Considering that Manhattan co-op and condo sales last year were down 12 percent from 2017 and that New York state was the largest overall population loser, you have to take the census reports seriously.

Down here in Manatee County, we’re ready for all of those tax-soaked Northerners. Just take a look at the January sales numbers from the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

For single-family homes in Manatee County, the median sale price (half above half below) was $309,000, 3 percent more than last January. The average sale price was $386,927, exactly the same as last year. Median time to sell was 97 days, up 4.3 percent, and the month’s supply of properties available for sale was 4.4 months, no change.

The condo market is doing better. The median sale price was $195,000 this January, a 13 percent increase over last January, and the average sale price was $241,191, a 10 percent increase over last January. The median time to sell was 94 days, an increase of 11.9 percent, and the month’s supply of properties was 4.7 months, down from 5 months.

Again, the market looks like it’s leveling off as previously stated. However, we have not hit the busy selling and buying season yet, so the jury’s still out.

I guess after 20 years, I’m a Floridian. After all, if Amazon decided not to move to New York City after the city giving it billions of dollars in credits, who am I to whine? My advice to Island brokers – better check out advertising rates in The New York Times. I think it just might be the right time.

More Castles in the Sand:

A home’s equity is sometimes subjective

Why is the housing market declining?

Selling your home – it should show like a model

WMFR board members plan for the future

WMFR board members plan for the future

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue commissioners had a full agenda for their February board meeting.

The group met Feb. 19 at the administration building to discuss the future of the fire district.

Retirement and succession

With Chief Tom Sousa retiring from the district in October, the search is on for a new fire chief. Opening the position up first to internal candidates, only one emerged – Battalion Chief Ben Rigney.

Commissioner Larry Jennis, who’s heading the panel to find qualified candidates, said that he was very impressed with Rigney and his credentials, advising his fellow board members to allow him to move forward in the selection process. The next hurdle is for Rigney to have an interview with each board member.

“He’s exceptionally well qualified to be fire chief,” Jennis said, adding that when he spoke to the district’s firefighters Rigney also received glowing recommendations.

After the individual interviews, commissioners will decide whether or not to open the position up to outside candidates.

Administration merger

In light of Sousa’s retirement and the imminent sale of the district’s administration building to the Oasis Middle School, Commissioner George Harris suggested his fellow commissioners consider a different option – merging administration services with nearby Southern Manatee Fire Rescue. If this happened, the firefighters, stations and board would all remain West Manatee Fire Rescue but the administrative staff would be merged with Southern Manatee’s and that district’s chief would also serve as WMFR’s chief.

Because the two fire districts do not share a border, they could not completely merge into one district without Cedar Hammock Fire Rescue also agreeing to merge.

The idea received mixed reviews from commissioners with Jennis and Commissioner Al Robinson both agreeing that since WMFR has a small administrative staff that works well they don’t see a benefit or a need to the merger. Commissioners voted 3 to 2, with Jennis and Robinson dissenting, to allow Harris to enter into exploratory talks with Southern Manatee.

Cortez Fire Station

Harris said he’d received word from Cortezian Mary Fulford Green that the old Cortez Fire Station is vacant. He added that Green asked if the district would be interested in helping to create a fire services museum at the site. Commissioner David Bishop asked Sousa and Harris to do more research on the project, potentially reaching out to other county fire districts to see if there is any interest in creating a museum, and bring the information back to the March meeting.

Related coverage

WMFR celebrates excellence and career milestones

WMFR merger just talk for now

WMFR commissioners address merger concerns

Castles in the Sand

A home’s equity is sometimes subjective

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Are you familiar with the expression, “The happiest days of a boat owner’s life are the day he buys the boat and the day he sells it”? It’s not unlike homeownership. The happiest day is the day you walk into your new home deed in hand and the worst day is the one when your real estate broker tells you it’s not worth what you thought.

Last week we talked about the national real estate market cooling off in terms of the number of sales and selling price. We also are beginning to see some signs of this on Anna Maria Island with an overall leveling off of our recent outstanding market. It’s not necessarily a bad thing in a go-go market to take a pause and attract new buyers into the circle, but first homeowners need to readjust their expectations.

Freddie Mac’s chief economist coined the phrase mental recession, not a real recession only the perception of a recession. The danger of the mental recession is that it challenges your mental equity.

We all know that the definition of equity is the difference between the value of the asset (your home) and the value of the liability (your mortgage). Even though you won’t find mental equity in Webster’s Dictionary, all real estate professionals know exactly what it means. Essentially, it’s the value of a property in the homeowner’s mind and only in his mind. Whereas, the actual value of the property is based on comparable sales, location and the climate of the real estate market at the time. Frequently, these two values can be light years apart. Get the picture?

The point I’m trying to make is that real estate markets are dynamic. They’re always in flux, and buyers and especially sellers need to understand that last year’s values may not be this year’s values. Don’t get too comfortable with the mental equity because it can change in a heartbeat for both good and bad.

If you’re a buyer, Valentine’s Day was last week. Don’t fall in love based on previous sales until you’re sure the market will hold. If you’re a seller, turn the reality check button on in your brain and don’t turn down any offers no matter what your brain is telling you. Mental equity is not your friend; don’t get too cozy with it.

All of that said, we are just starting the busy selling season, which continues until about April or May when visitors and potential new residents feel comfortable enough to make an offer on available properties. And based on recent census numbers, there should be plenty of them. As previously stated, Florida’s population increased by 322,000 residents last year alone and is the second fastest growing state in the country.

However, some of those wanting to relocate to Florida could be faced with a slowing market where they’re coming from, particularly big city areas in the Northeast and Midwest who will be most affected by 2018’s change in federal tax deduction.

Everyone needs to keep their options open and flexible. Don’t allow your mental equity to make you mental and make sure that your first day of homeownership is indeed one of the happiest days of your life.

More Castles in the Sand:

Why is the housing market declining?

Selling your home – it should show like a model

Sunshine State population growth

County officials limited in regulating hunting

County officials limited in regulating hunting

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in First Place, Special Sections.

BRADENTON – Manatee County would have to petition the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish “no hunting” zones, according to a memo by County Attorney Mitchell Palmer.Florida Press Association logo - front

Residents bordering Perico Preserve on Perico Bayou and Neal Preserve on the Intracoastal Waterway are among those who have recently complained to county commissioners that shotgun blasts from hunters disturb them, particularly at sunrise and sunset.

Hunters have countered that they are within their legal rights to hunt in those areas if they abide by the FWC’s hunting regulations.

First Place

Outdoors and Recreation

2020

Commissioners asked Palmer to research the issue last month.

Manatee County no longer has any ordinances in place that restrict or regulate hunting; they were repealed in order to comply with Florida Statute §790.33, which gives the state sole authority to regulate firearms, including the discharge of firearms and the taking or possession of wildlife, according to Palmer’s Feb. 7 memo.

Only the FWC can establish a bird sanctuary, where hunting is prohibited, or a restricted hunting area, where hunting is prohibited unless authorized by an FWC permit, according to the memo.

The county can petition the FWC to establish such areas, and, if successful, would be responsible for posting the boundaries and enforcing the regulations.

FWC considers petitions for bird sanctuaries and restricted hunting areas at its July and January meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for July 17-18.

The repealed county ordinances formerly prohibited hunting – or the use of lights to facilitate hunting – on or from any highway, street or public road in the county, prohibited the discharge of firearms in certain areas west of U.S. 41 and regulated the use of shotguns for hunting in specified areas. Former ordinances also regulated concealed weapons permitting and the use of firearms at target practice ranges, according to the memo.

County ordinances continue to address hunting in Duette Preserve, where hunting is allowed, but any conflicts with the state’s hunting regulations are resolved by state law.

Duck hunting season ended on Jan. 27; hunting season for wood ducks resumes on Sept. 22.

Related coverage

County addresses duck hunting complaints

Duck hunters fire back against critics

Residents sound off on duck hunting

Duck hunting spreads to Neal Preserve

Hunters have bird lovers crying ‘foul’ at Perico Preserve

One Particular Harbour marina opens to the public

One Particular Harbour marina opens

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Manatee County.

The new marina at One Particular Harbour Margaritaville will have a grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 9 from noon to 4 p.m.

The opening of the deep-water marina will include a number of festivities, including live bands, aerial artists, a water ski show, hors d’oeuvres and stilt walkers. Attendees also will be invited to tour the marina, model homes and the Harbour Isle Beach Club. Boats from Cannons Marina, Erickson Marina, Galati Yacht Sales and MarineMax will be on display.

The new marina features a Ship’s Store, 55 wet slips for boats up to 45 feet and an enclosed dry dock facility capable of holding 128 vessels up to 42 feet. Additionally, the marina has a floating fuel dock, detailing services, dockside water and electricity, air-conditioned restrooms, showers and laundry facilities.

The marina is adjacent to the Harbour Isle residences and the residences at One Particular Harbour Margaritaville. A 131-room hotel and Floridays Restaurant and Grill are still in the development phase for the location.

One Particular Harbour is being developed as a joint venture between Minto Communities and Margaritaville Holdings.

Related coverage:

One Particular Harbour’s marina is on the market

New hotel coming to One Particular Harbour

New hotel approved for Margaritaville site

Fire district merger talks off the table – for now

Fire district merger talks off the table – for now

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said the crowd assembled for the Council of Governments meeting was the largest she’s ever seen.

The reason for that crowd was one agenda item, the possibility of merging all the county’s fire districts into one, an item brought to the table by Manatee County Commissioner Betsy Benac.

“I have no pre-determined agenda,” Benac said, opening the conversation.

With the population and construction growth over the past few years and with what’s expected to come in the future, Benac said she wants to make sure the fire districts still feel that individually they’re up to the task of meeting the safety needs of residents, visitors and businesses.

Representatives from eight of the county’s 10 fire districts were on hand for the discussion – North River, Parrish, Cedar Hammock, Southern Manatee, East Manatee, West Manatee, Myakka City and Trailer Estates Fire Control District. Bradenton Fire Department and Longboat Key Fire Rescue also are located in Manatee County.

“We’re a very popular place for people to come,” Benac said. “The number one priority in the county is public safety.”

She added that in talks with representatives from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and EMS workers she’s gotten the impression that keeping up with the growth is becoming an issue and a strain on resources, including creating a quality of life issue for rescue workers, who regularly work 24-hour shifts. Benac said she wanted to hear from the fire district representatives whether there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Though taxpayer monies go to fund the fire districts, she said the districts are possibly the part of government that people know the least about; they just expect rescue workers to arrive on-scene quickly when needed. One of her goals with the discussion, Benac said, is that she wants to increase communication between the county and the fire districts and increase the communication from the fire districts to the public.

Fire districts often work together through memorandums of understanding and mutual aid agreements, some of which will be before county commissioners during their first February meeting for informational purposes.

Talking about a merger

Though a merger was on the agenda, county leadership cannot force the fire districts to merge and Benac said she has no plans to add fire department administration to the already difficult task of county officials. She cited two feasibility studies, one from 1980 and another from 1992, that both discussed the possibility of a Manatee County-helmed single fire district. The benefit of a single district, she said, would be standardization of training, service and communication, something she feels the individual districts have accomplished on their own.

Each of Manatee County’s fire districts is an independent district. Residents of each district pay a tax or assessment, depending on the district and its policies, that appears on TRIM (Truth in Millage) notices received in the fall. Districts are responsible for their own oversight, management and the services they provide to residents. Each fire district was created using enabling legislation from the Florida state government and, in order to merge, the districts would have to share a border, they both must agree, pay for an independent feasibility study, and get the approval of the majority of residents in each affected district before a merge can happen.

The topic of a merger came up in 2018 when WMFR Commissioner George Harris broached the subject during that board’s meeting. With Chief Tom Sousa retiring in October and the district in the process of selling its administration building, Harris said he felt it was the perfect time to consider merging with the neighboring Cedar Hammock Fire District and Southern Manatee Fire District, which shares a border with Cedar Hammock but not WMFR. Southern Manatee commissioners stated during a meeting that they were not inclined to consider a merger at that time. Talks between WMFR and Cedar Hammock leadership fizzled out at the point of obtaining the feasibility study. After the Jan. 29 meeting, WMFR Commissioner Randy Cooper said the district’s leadership is still open to discussing a merger.

What happens next

While a county-wide merge into one fire district is unlikely at this point, some representatives from the Manatee County fire districts present during the meeting expressed their intent to keep county leadership and the public more informed in the future.

East Manatee Fire Commissioner Garry Lawson agreed that he wants better communication, suggesting a monthly meeting between the districts and a county representative or a regular newsletter to keep all parties informed about the district’s activities.

Chief Brian Gorski from Southern Manatee said the communication among districts is happening, but he feels the weakness might be in getting the information out to the public.

Chief Stacey Bailey of the Parrish Fire District said he feels the fire districts “represent Manatee County in an efficient manner. Our services are second to none.”

Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh applauded the fire district representatives and the work done to keep the public safe. She said in her experience the fire districts all work well together and support each other’s efforts. About a merger, she said, “The fire districts should decide. It’s up to them. Each fire district knows their district better than the others, better than the commission.”

“The bottom line is our top priority is public safety. These districts have figured it out,” she added. “I think we need to leave well enough alone. If one thing in our government is working, it’s our fire districts.”

Baugh encouraged her fellow commissioners to visit the fire departments in their districts, take a tour of the facilities and remain engaged to get a better understanding of how the fire service works.

“I’m very proud of the fire districts,” she said. “You guys just rock.”

Related coverage

WMFR merger just talk for now

WMFR commissioners address merger concerns

Reel Time: Clams restored to Manatee County waters

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Red tide, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch capped a two-year clam restoration effort in January. Despite windy conditions and a choppy bay, board members and volunteers placed 7,000 pounds, or about 52,000 clams, at two sites in Manatee County. This brings the total to just over 250,000 clams placed as a part of the restoration project.

At one of the sites, the water was crystal clear and Al Jeffrey and diver Ian Kayea, an underwater videographer and Scuba Quest employee, got excellent footage of the clams in their new home.

Sarasota Bay Watch has a second round of about 750,000 clams growing as we speak under the watchful eye of Curt at the Bay Shellfish hatchery.

While much of the restoration has been focused on sites in Sarasota County, SBW President Steve Martin made it clear that the nonprofit is dedicated to restoring clams to all the waters of Sarasota Bay.

“Sarasota Bay extends to all of Manatee County’s bay waters from mid-Longboat Key to Tampa Bay. In 2019, we’ll be introducing more clams to Manatee County waters and holding events there like the Sister Keys clean up and island invasive plant control in conjunction with Longboat Key Public Works,” Martin said.

“Sarasota Bay Watch is a grassroots, nonprofit, citizen-based organization dedicated to preserving and restoring Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem through education and citizen participation. SBW would like to thank Reef Innovations, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, and their many wonderful volunteers for making the restoration effort possible,” he added.

Sarasota Bay Watch works with a set of core values to guide their activities. Their goal is to initiate innovative and effective action grounded in selfless and comprehensive planning to assure the sustainability of Sarasota Bay, its stakeholders and all its inhabitants.

Action

It is our objective to establish collaborative relationships with other environmental organizations, scientists and NGOs. We strive to forge partnerships that allow Sarasota Bay Watch to accomplish its goals while enhancing the effectiveness of every person and group that benefits from the natural assets of the Bay system.

Commitment

We are committed to accomplishing our mission because of a shared love of the estuarine environment, knowing full well that it supports our economy, our health and an ineffable legacy for future generations. It is our belief that sustainable ecosystems are essential for the well-being of human communities, and that our goals can be accomplished through citizen action that is guided by sound science.

Integrity

Sarasota Bay Watch is committed to openness and honesty, fostering a culture of sincerity and trust. We strive to attain tangible and measurable results through relationships and methods that hold to the highest ethical and financial standards.

Respect

We vow to respect the opinions of our members, volunteers, donors and co-workers.  We will also respect the views of those with whom we may disagree, and strive to reach consensus through dialogue, transparency and collaboration.

Sustainability

We believe a sustainable ecosystem to be one that most closely resembles its natural state absent of human influences and, to the greatest extent possible, one that maintains its balance of species and habitat quality in harmony with human communities. This requires both the education and active stewardship of our human communities.

You can become an active participant by joining as a member and volunteering in Sarasota Bay Watch’s on-going effort to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. Donate your time or help fund our efforts at our website.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Push poles – a must in skinny water

Reel Time: A new direction for Florida’s marine environment

Reel Time: The miracle of Matlacha

Sato and Duncan county’s top Realtors

Sato and Duncan county’s top Realtors

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Business, Real estate | Development.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Jason Sato was Manatee County’s top Realtor for the fourth consecutive year and Darcie Duncan was the county’s number two Realtor in 2018.

The sales and listing figures are contained in the 2018 Agent Market Share Report, compiled by the My Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service and shared by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

In 2018, Sato totaled 70 transactions, with 36 properties sold and 34 properties listed for a total reported value of $71.6 million and an average sales price of $1.06 million.

Duncan totaled 57 transactions, with 23 properties sold and 34 properties listed for a total reported value of $54.9 million and an average sale price of $963,000.

Sato and his mother, Barbara Sato, own Sato Real Estate at 519 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria. Duncan owns Duncan Real Estate at 310 Pine Ave. in Anna Maria.

Sato’s observations

Sato attributes his success to the comfort level and familiarity he has with the Island and its real estate market.

“I grew up here, I live here, and my office is here. I do stuff off-Island for friends and people I know, but my focus is Anna Maria Island,” he said.

He said new construction and newer homes remain the most popular, but there’s also a market for renovated homes and a price point of desirability for historic bungalows.

“The Island’s got something for everyone, which is great. And the vibe is different in all three cities,” Sato said.

He’s seeing an increase in the construction of custom homes designed as permanent residences, and he’s not seeing as many vacation rental homes being built.

He said the Island’s real estate inventory is strong and it spikes at the beginning of the year because more people list their homes during season.

Sato didn’t see significant home price increases in 2018 and he attributes that partially to the knowledge available to buyers using websites like Zillow.com and Realtor.com.

Sato said the red tide had some impact on home sales, but 2019 is off to a busy start and he sees that as a good sign.

He said red tide affected the real estate market by bringing fewer people to the Island. This impacts sales because vacationers often turn into potential homebuyers when they discover the Island’s magic.

“We need people here to sell real estate,” Sato said of the relationship between vacationers and homebuyers.

Duncan’s insight

“2018 was fantastic,” Duncan said.

Darcie Duncan
Realtor Darcie Duncan came in as the second-highest local realtor for 2018.

She said the red tide impacted her vacation rentals, but she didn’t lose a single home sale because of it, and her sales figures were up from 2017.

“I attribute my success to hard work, working with integrity and giving back to my community. Seventy-five percent of my business is from past client referrals and my sphere of influence,” she said, noting that 70 percent of her sales are on the Island.

“Not as many people that I worked with this past year were laser-focused on rental income. They were looking more at living here and retiring here. I think it’s important that people know that,” she said.

Duncan believes the housing market is stabilizing, and prices are going to level off some in 2019. She said she’s already seeing some price reductions.

She agrees the Island’s real estate inventory is strong and there’s still much new construction taking place. She said the $500,000 to $800,000 price range is the most-desired right now, but some of the Gulffront homes and others are selling for $1.5 million and up.

Castles in the Sand

Sunshine State population growth

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

There’s a reason that Florida is called the Sunshine State and it has nothing to do with sunshine.

What it does have to do with is people – people from other states – and here’s why.

According to a new federal census report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida was the second fastest growing state, adding more than 322,000 people last year. Only Texas scored higher than Florida, adding nearly 380,000 people during the same time frame. In addition, for the eight-year period between 2010 and 2018, Florida’s population increased 13.3 percent with Texas just above adding 14.3 percent in population. Nevada and Washington state came in third and fourth with approximately an increase of 12 percent each.

So why are we importing so many residents from other states? Obviously, in spite of the threat of hurricanes, which are frequently overblown, we do have a lot of sunshine and almost perfect weather for at least six months. And, for those of us who live here full-time, even the summers are a non-issue compared to the six months of horrible weather experienced in many other parts of the country. The car starts every day even if it’s 90 degrees and, in Florida, boots are a fashion statement rather than a life-saving essential.

And Florida has no state tax in a state friendly to business, which has created a booming business community. Although retirees keep coming, businesses are recruiting young workers in an effort to keep up with the expanding population. All of this is happening in Florida during a time when the United States population growth has fallen to an 80-year low because of declining birth rates.

Consequently, what goes up must come down and there are plenty of states that are losing some of the population coming to us. For the one-year period from July 2017 to July 2018, the top two states to lose population are New York, losing 48,510 people, and Illinois, losing 45,116.

These two states, in addition to Connecticut which also lost population, are some of the highest taxed states for both state tax and property tax. In addition, the implementation of the federal tax reform last year limits the deductibility of state and local taxes, hitting residents in these states particularly hard. It will be interesting to track the population shifts in a few years after residents have experienced several years of tax returns.

What this all means to Manatee County real estate can only be good. These are the December sales statistics from the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee’s website:

Single-family homes in December maintained their benchmark at a $300,000 or over sale price again coming in at $309,000, 2.7 percent down from last year. The average single-family sale was $380,272, a 1 percent increase. The median time to sell was 90 days, about the same as last year, and the month’s supply of properties remains at about four months.

Condo sales were a median of $190,000, down 2.6 percent from last year, but the average was $236,606, up 7.2 percent. Median time to sell was 96 days, up from last year by 17.1 percent, and month’s supply of properties was four months, up slightly from last year.

I know the U.S. Census Bureau has its algorithms and fancy computer programs to analyze population growth, but I have my own personal methods. If the Cortez Bridge is backed up to the firehouse during the summer and the parking lot at Publix has zero spaces, that’s when I know July isn’t what it once was. Let the sunshine in.

More Castles in the Sand:

2019 tax nightmare

Is a piece better than the whole pie?

2019 real estate trends

Bradenton Beach paving delays

Force main delays impacting Gulf Drive traffic

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The paving and reopening of the northbound Gulf Drive travel lane near the intersection with Cortez Road has been delayed due to complications with Manatee County’s force main replacement project.

The water main valves Westra Construction recently installed along Gulf Drive and along Avenue C must be replaced with valves that contain backflow preventers. The replacement of the Gulf Drive valves is required before that section of Gulf Drive can be repaved and reopened.

A portion of the northbound lane between Cortez Road and 12th Street North has been barricaded for several months. As a result, the southbound left turn lane onto Cortez Road is currently serving as the northbound travel lane. This is creating traffic delays and safety concerns.

The force main valves Westra installed along Avenue C as part of the county’s force main project must also be replaced.

In October, Bradenton Beach commissioners authorized a $302,626 contract with Westra to accelerate a separate, city-funded Avenue C drainage improvement project that also includes the restoration of rights of way and driveways disturbed by the county project.

The city project was originally planned to be done by Woodruff & Sons later this year. Westra is now doing both projects at once in order to end the year-long disruptions Avenue C property owners have been subjected to.

On Wednesday, Jan. 3, The Sun contacted Tina Allen, the county’s contracted community outreach specialist. Allen said the repaving of the Gulf Drive travel lane is supposed to begin at some point in January.

Regarding Avenue C, Allen said, “I have been advised that some of the valves for Avenue C did not meet specifications and had to be sent back for replacements. The crew will be replacing the faulty valves and plan to begin restoration of the rights-of-way along Avenue C next week. Provided there are not unforeseen issues, they plan to have that restoration completed by the end of February. The paving of Avenue C will occur once the right-of-way areas are finished.”

Commission concerns

During the Thursday, Jan. 3 City Commission meeting, Commissioner Jake Spooner asked when the Gulf Drive turn lane would be restored.

Mayor John Chappie and Public Works Director Tom Woodard then shared the new information they received.

“I just got a report today. Apparently, they’re going to have to open that ditch line up again. The wrong valves were put on, so it’s going to be another three or four weeks,” Chappie said.

“Westra is claiming the county did not specify back-flows to be part of the valve. Manatee County is saying back-flows are standard spec for those valves, so they’re fighting between the two of them to see who’s going to pay. The valves that were installed are not correct,” Woodard said.

Woodard said the valves are site-specific and located the rights of way at each intersection. Their replacement doesn’t require the entire section of road to be dug up. Woodard was told the Gulf Drive valves extend from Cortez Road to 26th Street North, and the new valves were expected to arrive in about a week.

“I’d give it two weeks. You know how things go,” he said.

Woodard said it was suggested that Westra replace the valves near the Gulf Drive/Cortez Road intersection first.

“If they do that first, then they put the lanes back and the striping back and that would help immensely,” he said.

Commissioner Ralph Cole said the absence of the southbound left turn lane is confusing motorists as they approach the altered intersection from different directions.

“That’s why the police department is very concerned,” Chappie added.

“It’s backing up all the way past the S-turn, almost to Circle K,” Cole said of the congestion created by the missing southbound turn lane.

“It starts affecting businesses around here, and I’ll make sure the county knows about it. That’s not right,” Chappie said.

Related Coverage

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American pickers Mike and Frank

‘American Pickers’ to film in Florida

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Entertainment, Family fun.

Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, and their team are returning to Florida in January to film episodes of their popular TV series “American Pickers.”

“American Pickers” is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique picking on The History Channel. The hit show follows Mike and Frank, two of the most skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques. They are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them.

As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, the Pickers want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items. The pair hopes to give historically significant objects a new lease on life while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way.

Mike and Frank have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them. “American Pickers” is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure.

If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-OLD-RUST.

Castles in the Sand

No Christmas gifts for foreign buyers

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Almost a year ago, I wrote a column about the proliferation of buyers from other countries coming into the state of Florida. Florida at that time was the national leader for international buyers at 22 percent of all international buyers in the United States. But there are many foreign countries that either prohibit foreign buyers or levy additional taxes to discourage them. These are a few:

New Zealand, in particular, has taken a hard stance on foreign buyers in an effort to make homes more affordable for its citizens. It recently passed legislation to limit foreign buyers to buying only newly built homes, and only 60 percent of units in new apartment buildings can be owned by foreign buyers.

New Zealand’s neighbor Australia has also increased the tax burden on new homes, introducing a buying tax and raising its stamp tax to 8 percent. This is in addition to annual fees for foreign owners.

Property values in the United Kingdom have been very hot, especially in London in recent years. To help cool off the market, the U.K. has added a 3 percent surcharge on the stamp tax paid by second home buyers and a 15 percent buying tax on all homes bought through a shell company. This was a previous technique frequently used by foreign buyers, which has resulted in prices falling substantially in London.

Hong Kong also has a tax stamp fee of 15 percent for foreign buyers and has extended that to include all second-home buyers as well. And Switzerland, which always has discouraged foreign ownership of property, now requires a permit to purchase property with a limit of 1,500 permits a year. There is an exception for EU buyers who have permanent homes in Switzerland. Even Mexico will technically not allow foreign buyers to purchase property within 31 miles of the coast or 62 miles of the U.S. border. There are, however, ways to get around this by having local banks hold title to the property. But there is still hope for foreign buyers who want to purchase exotic properties. The Maldives in the Indian Ocean and Thailand will be glad to take your money.

To my knowledge, I don’t believe the United States government has placed any restrictions on foreign buyers entering our real estate market. Aside from a tax ID number, foreign buyers do not have to be U.S. citizens, do not need a green card and do not require a special visa. As long as they have the cash or can obtain satisfactory financing, they are pretty much free to buy whatever and where ever they want.

The onus is on the lenders to qualify the buyer’s finances, visas and legal right to be in the country to protect their investment from buyers who suddenly leave the country with the bank becoming responsible for the property. However, almost half of property purchases by foreign nationals are made in cash, 44 percent at last count.

Foreign buyers may be boxed out of purchasing real estate in some countries in an effort to keep their real estate prices from becoming overinflated, harming their own citizens. Fortunately, the United States is a big wealthy country and will not be seriously impacted by an influx of foreign buyers. That said, there are areas of Florida, particularly on the east coast, where foreign buyers have some responsibility in running up property values.

We love real estate buyers no matter where they’re from. Tell Mexico and Australia and Switzerland and all the others to send them to us. We’ll make sure they have a merry Christmas.

More Castles in the Sand:

Tax overhaul saved one thing

Anticipating condo special assessments

So, you want to be a real estate investor