August – 2020 Update

August Newsletter

Housing Market, July MLS Numbers, Around SRQ


Hello Friends – Buyers outnumber sellers in our housing market as inventory remains at a historical low, and all indications are that Florida will continue to see home sales surge through the end of the summer, with our biggest near-term issue being a severe lack of single-family inventory.

We have even seen a valuation increase in areas where prices had stabilized or even dropped a bit pre-COVID-19 – they have now jumped up again. The high demand from buyers and week-over-week sales continue to outpace even our early 2020 numbers. With sales exceeding new listings, inventory will stay low and prices will stay steady. Listing your home for sale now holds little downside with inventory at these number. Selling may be the best move to make this year.

July 2020 Statistics from Stellar MLS

7/20 MLS Stats by Stellar MLS

On a personal note… This has been an incredibly busy and successful first 9 months of 2020, with extra challenges due to global events as well as the customary challenges of many real estate transactions…while those who know me well know that I generally do not cook, I was recently inspired by the words of well-known restaurateur Danny Meyer regarding one of the greatest pieces of advice that he received from his late Grandfather which is applicable to any business:

“He heard me complaining one day… and he said stop complaining about problems… problems is the definition of business… the people who do best in business are not the ones with the least problems, they are the people who solve their problems better and have more fun doing it with better people… we are all solving problems all day… the question is who do you want to be solving your problems with… I was able to identify in my top performers that there were 6 emotional skills present at a very high level: kind optimism, curious intelligence, work ethic, empathy, self-awareness and integrity… now you have someone who is really good at what they do and who is motivated to do that thing because they are happier themselves when they are making you feel better.”

I hope that you find that I possess those characteristics that Danny looks for and that you know that I am happier when I make you feel better/successful.

Sincerely,
Lenore

News Briefs…

In and Around Sarasota

Farmers Market, Parks, Beaches, and More

Real estate has outranked stocks, savings accounts, and gold as the best long-term investment among Americans for the past 7 years. The belief in the stability of housing as a long-term investment remains strong, despite the many challenges our economy faces today. While the pandemic has been on the uptick in Florida, we in Sarasota are blessed to be living in an area that is seeing only a small increase. Our beautiful beaches, over 50,000 acres of parks and boundless boatable waterways lend us the opportunity to enjoy countless outdoor activities while social distancing. No wonder our real estate market has been so active – it’s a highly desirable place to live!

Saturdays got a little bit more normal with the Sarasota Farmers Market back in business. After a five-month shutdown, the market reopened Aug. 1 with a configuration to accommodate social distancing. More than 60 vendors are participating. A mask or face covering is required while walking through the market.