CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Options Seminar Sarasota & Manatee County Stop Foreclosure & Short Sale Assistance (Video)   Yes, being in a situation where you are facing foreclosure and have to contemplate a short sale of your home is not fun, nor is it insignificant, but I promise you . . . it's not the end of the world! Too many people allow their foreclosure problems to cloud their judgment and ruin their spirit.   Folks! I PROMISE you, in five years you will look back on things and realize that they are not so bad as you might be making them out to be. Thank God you're not withering away from cancer! Count your lucky stars that your children are healthy! They can't send you to jail for being in foreclosure and they can't take away the things that really matter i... 01/28/2011

  CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Options Seminar Residents of Greenbrook Ponder Short Sale Option Instead of Foreclosure in Lakewood Ranch Florida Foreclosures have come to the Greenbrook Village community of Lakewood Ranch as they have elsewhere in Florida. Many residents have considered, researched, and ultimately concluded that a professionally managed Short Sale is the best, least damaging option to take when faced with foreclosure. Surprisingly most banks are eager to approve a Short Sale, so long as their guidelines are followed and time-lines are met. They are willing to Approve Short Sales, because in the long-run they often recoup more of their money vs. if they had taken the home all the way through to foreclosure. This is a rare instance of, "What's good for... 01/25/2011

  CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Options Seminar   The Lake Club Property Owners Benefit From Short Sales In Lakewood Ranch Florida As is the case throughout Florida, residents of the Lake Club subdivision in Lakewood Ranch have been touched by the Foreclosure crisis that is plaguing the rest of the nation. Just as Florida Gulf Coast housing prices had soared during the height of the boom, the "bust" has caused local property values to plummet precipitously. This, combined with the general decline of the overall economy and increase in the area's unemployment rate, has created a situation where nearly 50% of all Manatee County mortgages are "underwater" -- where the current market value of a property is less than the remaining mortgage balance. Realizing that having a ... 01/23/2011

  CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Options Seminar Property Owners in Country Club East Gain Foreclosure Relief Thru Short Sales in Lakewood Ranch Florida Many Country Club East homeowners have found foreclosure relief by making the smart choice to Short Sell their homes. In fact, property owners throughout Lakewood Ranch and Manatee County are avoiding the foreclosure trap through Short Sales. A Short Sale occurs when a lender agrees to allow the sale of a property for less than the full mortgage balance owed. The typical Short Sale scenario involves a homeowner who for one reason or another is unable to continue to pay on their mortgage, and who are at the same time unable to sell for the amount owed due to falling property values. Without a Short Sale Approval from th... 01/23/2011

  CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Options Seminar   Homeowners Facing Foreclosure In Central Park Subdivision Get Short Sale Relief In Lakewood Ranch Florida The so called "mortgage crisis" has hit the west coast of Florida like a hurricane, leaving few communities unaffected, including the Central Park subdivision in Lakewood Ranch, FL. Central Park residents are finding that a Short Sale is an effective alternative to Foreclosure, and a superior choice vs. Foreclosure. The benefits of a Short Sale over Foreclosure are many: Preserve your credit. Most likely avoid a deficiency judgment. Be able to qualify for a new mortgage in as little as 24-months, compared to 7+ years after Foreclosure. Avoid the stigma of Foreclosure on your financial record. Get back on your finan... 01/23/2011

Keep Time on Your Side with These 5 Time Management Tips  RISMEDIA, January 22, 2011-Time management is a crucial part of any business, especially if you're looking to cross things off your to-do list and leave the office feeling like you got something accomplished. As our day-to-day lives-both in the office and at home-continue to become more hectic, knowing how to manage your time can be a successful skill. Here are five tips from the Moola Days blog to help you manage your time more effectively. 1. Create a schedule and stick to it. Having a daily schedule is the first step toward managing your time more effectively. When you come into the office in the morning, the first thing you should look at is your schedule. By mapping out when you will make time for certain tasks, you won't fi... 01/22/2011

RISMEDIA, January 21, 2011-Sales of existing homes and condominiums in Florida rose in December, a positive trend also reported at the close of 2010 as statewide sales activity posted gains over the previous year, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®.A total of 15,550 existing single-family homes sold statewide in December, up 4 percent from the 14,923 homes sold in December 2009. The statewide existing home median sales price last month was $133,100; in December '09 it was $139,800 for a 5 percent decrease, according to Florida Realtors' data. However, December's statewide existing home median price was higher than the $132,700 reported in November 2010. The national median existing single-family home price was $171,300 in November, according to the latest... 01/21/2011

CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Help Tele-seminar Free Tele-seminar Explains How To Short Sale Your Home and Avoid Deficiency Judgments - Free to Lakewood Ranch Florida Homeowners Facing Foreclosure!On Tuesday, January 18th, at 6:30 pm, Lakewood Ranch property owners faced with foreclosure are invited to a Free Informational Tele-seminar. You will learn exactly how to stave off foreclosure, how to Short Sale your property even if you've failed in the past, and the truth about Avoiding Deficiency Judgments (the difference between the mortgage balance and property sale price). This is a community-service outreach effort presented by nationally recognized preForeclosure and Short Sale Expert John Michailidis, GRI, CRS, JD - Broker/Owner - SaraMana Properties and the SaraMa... 01/16/2011

(CLICK to register for our next FREE Foreclosure Options Tele-seminar) Many Country Club of Lakewood Ranch Residents Seek Short Sale Instead of Foreclosure in Manatee County Florida The nationwide foreclosure crisis is affecting homeowners at all socioeconomic levels and in all communities. The Country Club of Lakewood Ranch homeowners are themselves coming to grips with the realities of today's Manatee County Florida real estate market. More and more of the residents are coming to realize that the issues created by the bursting of the housing bubble are neither their fault, nor a reflection of their personal integrity. It is what it is, and it "is" an issue affecting millions, including homeowners at the Country Club of Lakewood Ranch. While it's not something generally shared amongst... 01/09/2011

A lifestyle that is clean, healthy, and green is what makes Summerfield community draw continuous notice from homebuyers. This gated village was the first community established when Lakewood Ranch  started to rise from an 8,500-acre site in Manatee County, Florida, during the mid-1990s. From a modest start of two hundred Summerfield homes for sale sold the first year, Lakewood Ranch sales soon more than doubled. By the year 2000, house keys were turned over for some two thousand new residences. At last count, some 15,000 have taken up residence in the Lakewood Ranch Development which now consists of eight sprawling communities.A choice to live at Summerfield means acquiring a home built to the green code of the Florida Green Building Coalition. These homes are energy-efficient, single-f... 12/16/2010

For family-oriented reasons, many young couples and retirees, wind up their search for a home at the Greenbrook village of Lakewood Ranch. Made of up of three neighborhoods—Ravines, Preserve, and Banks—this village hosts affordable single-family dwellings in an 8,500-acre real estate property masterfully developed to be a self-contained community in Manatee County, Florida. One thousand two hundred business establishments providing the comforts of modern-day living have set up shop in Lakewood Ranch since its development started during the mid-1990s. The business park in this seven-village real estate development project is now a beehive of activity for restaurants, shops, and a diverse selection of entertainment places. Public schools in the elementary, high school and middle levels ha... 12/09/2010

Luxury, elegance, and sophistication all rolled into one—this is Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch. One of the eight communities at Lakewood Ranch, this 768-homesite village is a masterfully planned enclave of homes with complete resident amenities and juxtaposed with lakes, wetlands, parks and nature preserves. Partaking of such wonderful integration involves a choice in lot sizes between half an acre up to an acre and a half .       Homes at this gated community are all custom-built creations from the drawing boards of some of the best builders in the US. These studies of fine architectural masterpieces are all fittingly integrated into 1500 acres of a well-preserved natural environment in Manatee County, Florida. For a residence to be constructed in Lake Club, its builder has to ensure tha... 12/08/2010

It would indeed be a delight if a Spanish fifteenth and sixteenth century explorer prominent in Florida’s history, Juan Ponce de León, would have his imprints found at the Riverwalk community at Lakewood Ranch today. Far-fetched as it may sound, this community of five neighborhoods at Manatee County, Florida, shares some of the romance that de Leon has been associated with.De Leon, after all is the explorer who sailed to the American continent in search of the mythical fountain of youth and reached this territory that he called “Florida” or the “place of flowers” in Spanish. Riverwalk, on the other hand, is a village that is laced with miles of nature trails linking its five neighborhoods to an assortment of lakes and woodlands that might as well have been the harbor to the fabled fount... 12/08/2010

Homes of unprecedented value not only in terms of dollars and cents give Country Club East an edge over other real estate developments.  Single-family homes at this gated village, one of the eight in Lakewood Ranch, Manatee County, Florida, cost anywhere between the $300s and the $400s.  There are also maintenance-free and traditional homes that cost from the $200s to the $800s.Beyond these valuations, however, are some appraisals that cannot be captured by mere figures and some pencil pushing.  The location of the village for one can be a priceless gem, for golfers specially, as Country Club East hugs an 18-hole premier golf course.  This layout was the product of the architectural savvy of Rick Robbins, renowned worldwide for his outstanding designs.  Likewise close to the village are... 12/07/2010

Golf is more than a passion to live for in the Country Club village of Lakewood Ranch. This game adored by many is one of the prime factors that made the green way of living become a dream come true in this gated community in Manatee County, Florida. This village, one of the seven in the 8,500 estate of Lakewood Ranch, was masterfully built within the periphery of three world-class golf courses. These layouts include two—King Dunes and Cypress Links—designed by the revered golfer Arnold Palmer. The other course, Country Club East, boasts of a similar pedigree, having been created by the genius of world-renowned architect Rick Robbins. Playing conditions at these three courses have been adapted to varying golfer handicaps, levels and abilities. Complementary to these is a plush clubhouse... 12/01/2010

A client of mine recently went under contract with Gibraltar Homes to build them a home in the Country Club East section of Lakewood Ranch. About 2 weeks ago I escorted my buyers to all of the models in the Country Club East and Lakewood Ranch Country Club. I was amazed at the activity out there. There was an organized Tour of Homes and every model was busy with potential home buyers. I spoke with the owner of Paradise Homes of Sarasota. He told me that he has sold 40 homes in 2010 in Lakewood Ranch Country Club East. My guess would be the average price is somewhere around $500,000. Not too shabby eh? Neal Communities is still building in the original Lakewood Ranch Country Club. There are home sites available in several communities within the Country Club. You can get some great deals... 11/29/2010

Chief Circuit Judge, Lee Haworth of the 12th Judicial District will be the guest speaker along with Troy Funk, Broker/Associate, as well as Cristian Tramontozzi, Short Sale Manager of the Troy Funk Team at Keller Williams Realty, along with Bryan Sands, CPA with Sands and Associates at a Special Event held by Mary Howard of CornerStone Title.   For information on the event call 941-957-3737. For a free and confidential consultation of issues facing foreclosure.  Troy has developed a community service website (www.TroyFunk.com) to help homeowners understand possible solutions to foreclosure.  Troy leads the Troy Funk Team at Keller Williams Realty in Sarasota, Florida.  Having personally experienced foreclosure, Troy has had to Short Sale his own properties, and has successfully closed ... 08/20/2010

Chief Circuit Judge, Lee Haworth of the 12th Judicial District will be the guest speaker along with Troy Funk, Broker/Associate, as well as Cristian Tramontozzi, Short Sale Manager of the Troy Funk Team at Keller Williams Realty, along with Bryan Sands, CPA with Sands and Associates at a Special Event held by Mary Howard of CornerStone Title.   For information on the event call 941-957-3737. For a free and confidential consultation of issues facing foreclosure.  Troy has developed a community service website (www.TroyFunk.com) to help homeowners understand possible solutions to foreclosure.  Troy leads the Troy Funk Team at Keller Williams Realty in Sarasota, Florida.  Having personally experienced foreclosure, Troy has had to Short Sale his own properties, and has successfully closed ... 08/19/2010

Chief Circuit Judge, Lee Haworth of the 12th Judicial District will be the guest speaker along with Troy Funk, Broker/Associate, as well as Cristian Tramontozzi, Short Sale Manager of the Troy Funk Team at Keller Williams Realty, along with Bryan Sands, CPA with Sands and Associates at a Special Event held by Mary Howard of CornerStone Title.   For information on the event call 941-957-3737. For a free and confidential consultation of issues facing foreclosure.  Troy has developed a community service website (www.TroyFunk.com) to help homeowners understand possible solutions to foreclosure.  Troy leads the Troy Funk Team at Keller Williams Realty in Sarasota, Florida.  Having personally experienced foreclosure, Troy has had to Short Sale his own properties, and has successfully closed ... 08/19/2010

>> Market Update  INFO THAT HITS US WHERE WE LIVE  Last week began nicely with June New Home Sales UP 23.6% to an annual rate of 330,000, well ahead of expectations. This was a sharp rebound from May when New Home Sales sank to record lows not seen since 1963. This volatility of course is all about the homebuyer tax credit (requiring a contract by April 30 and a closing by June 30, now extended to September 30). Consequently, new homes sold at a 422,000 pace in April, fell to a 267,000 pace in May, then went to 330,000 in June. Demographic trends say sales should continue to rebound, as we eventually need to sell new homes at a 950,000 annual rate to meet population growth and replace teardowns. The supply of unsold new homes is now down to 7.6 months, just above the ideal 6-month level... 08/03/2010