New Home Sales Continue To Soar In Lakewood Ranch, FL.  A continuing bright spot in new home construction, Lakewood Ranch experienced a 35% increase in sales for the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same quarter in 2011.  There were 123 sales versus 91 for the same period last year. The real estate market in the entire Sarasota area continues to shine in the past several months, but the new home sales at Lakewood Ranch are especially exciting.  New home construction both statewide and nationwide has been stagnant at best.  The success at Lakewood Ranch, FL is a testimony to the attraction of this vibrant community as well as the restructuring of pricing and value offered by the builders here. "We continue to buck state and national trends here," said Jimmy Stewart, vice president ... 04/17/2012

If you're sitting in your rental right now thinking: I wish I could paint it, but my lease doesn't allow it, maybe it's time to talk to a Lakewood Ranch real estate agent about purchasing a new home.  Before you rush off to the store to look at paint samples or, more importantly, commit to a mortgage, consider the pros and cons of buying. Pros1. Financial Investment: Buying Lakewood Ranch real estate is also a means of saving and investing.  The money you pay in rent to your landlord goes to your landlord; the money you put toward a mortgage goes toward building equity in your home.2. Pride of Ownership: By buying a home, you will be able to paint the interior walls any color, renovate to your heart's content, put nails in the walls and know that it is truly your territory. As a homeown... 03/25/2012

Polo Anyone?  A Day Of Fun, Food, And Sunshine At Lakewood Ranch!  A Sarasota tradition since 1991, the Sarasota Polo Club at Lakewood Ranch is fun for the entire family, even the family dog, provided he or she is on a leash. The polo matches can be enjoyed by all on most Sundays from December through April each year.  This season runs from December 18th through April 8th and the matches are held at 1pm.  The public is welcome to attend and bring along food and beverages to enjoy the wonderful setting and excitement of the polo matches.  Or, as the Sarasota Polo Club calls it, the "fastest game on four feet". There is fun for everyone including pony rides, Clydesdale wagon rides, al fresco dining, half-time entertainment and more.  Some weeks are themed and groups of fans will go to el... 03/23/2012

Contact the Florida Gulf Coast Group 941-404-6220 or Online agents@floridagulfcoastgroup.com   Lakewood Ranch Homes Homes for Sale Welcome to the Lakewood Ranch Homes homes and real estate portal: your single stop for finding a home in Lakewood Ranch Homes. Here you can search every available home for sale in Lakewood Ranch Homes. As of today there are many homes and properties for sale that are available to search. The number of homes changes daily, so be sure to keep coming back right here, to the best site for Lakewood Ranch Homes homes for sale. This list contains foreclosures in the Lakewood Ranch zip code area 34202.  You can search the MLS for all foreclosures, not just Lakewood Ranch Foreclosure property. Neighborhood Info In addition to Lakewood Ranch Homes homes for sale, here... 03/10/2012

Recently released figures indicate real estate nationwide and Lakewood Ranch real estate are continuing to steadily improve. Here are seven signs that demonstrate the upturn: 1. Housing affordability has risen dramatically. This is due to a combination of reduced real estate prices and record-low mortgage rates.2. Housing starts are increasing, driven mostly by multifamily starts. 3. Existing home sales increased in January. That means we’ve now had three months of gains out of the past four months.4. Total housing inventory fell to a 6.1 month supply at the end of January. This means that on average it now takes just over 6 months to sell a home, which is an improvement. According to Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, "The broad inventory condition can be described as moving into a rou... 03/09/2012

  New Home Sales Are Exploding In Sarasota Area!  Neal Communities, one of Sarasota's premier builders has been busy setting sales records all last year.  They celebrated 376 closings in Lakewood Ranch alone for 2011.  They have just released February's sales figures and report 54 homes were sold.  This is the biggest single month for Neal Communities in the past decade. Neal Communities is the most successful builder in Lakewood Ranch.  They are currently focusing on Central Park which has been key to their success.  The homes offered start in the low $100s and are perfect for today's market.  From a price standpoint they are competing with the distressed homes on the market.  The appeal to the diverse pool of buyers is a a new home at a price comparable to a bank-owned property.  The ... 03/08/2012

If you've ever dreamed of purchasing investment property, owning a vacation home or buying a home or condo in Lakewood Ranch, this could be the year to check that off your list.  With record low interest rates and decreased prices, it is a buyer’s market, particularly in the second-home market.  Before you sign on the dotted line for a mortgage, be it for a condo or a home in Lakewood Ranch that you plan to rent, be sure to:• Check your credit. The same rules apply for a getting a mortgage on a second home as on a first.  Good credit means better loan terms. • Save for a down payment. The more money you can put down, the lower your mortgage.  If you put 20% down, you can save money by avoiding Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) requirements• Check your budget.  It may be more economical t... 02/26/2012

Is your family starting to feel cramped in your current house, or are you ready to quit renting and start investing? With the extra day added into this leap year, you have an additional 24 hours this month to decide if you’re ready to take a big jump and purchase Lakewood Ranch real estate. Not sure how to decide if this is the year? Whether you’re a property-purchasing pro or a first-time home buyer, take a look at the three points below to determine if you’re prepared to take the leap. 1. You have a sizeable down payment. Knowing what you can actually afford is half the battle. The larger the down payment you have, the smaller your mortgage payments will be, and it could possibly get you a better interest rate.2. You have a good real estate agent. It’s important to find a trustworthy,... 02/11/2012

A lot has changed since you bought your Lakewood Ranch home. Home values have tanked, unemployment has spiked and homeownership has taken a turn for the worse.Millions feel stuck in a home they can’t afford to sell because they owe more on their mortgage than the home is worth. And for many, the mortgage payment is no longer manageable, so they are slipping farther and farther behind every month.At the same time, scam artists are coming up with new schemes to take advantage of Lakewood Ranch homeowners who are down on their luck.As a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) my mission is to help Lakewood Ranch homeowners to steer clear of scams and figure out the best option based on their circumstances.  The fact is, no one wants to see you foreclose on your home, and more help is a... 02/09/2012

The data from the 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is now available. Here are the significant changes you need to know that will help you market your Lakewood Ranch real estate and get it sold: 1. Most buyers are married: 64 percent of all buyers are married couples (up five percent from 2010), 18 percent are single women, 10 percent single men and 7 percent unmarried couples.2. Your property is competing against 12 other homes: Buyers searched a median of 12 weeks and visited 12 homes, both unchanged from 2010.3. Multiple bedrooms and bathrooms are preferred: The typical home had 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.4. Most buyers want single-family homes: 77 percent of respondents purchased a detached single-family home, 9 percent a condo and 8 percent a... 02/03/2012

Sarasota Choice Homes strives to bring you the latest Lakewood Ranch Florida Real Estate Market Conditions. We have created a slideshow of the most recent homes and condos listed for sale in Lakewood Ranch FL as of February 1st 2012. You can click on any one of the images to view more details on the particular house or condominium.If you would like more information you can visit ->http://www.sarasotachoicehomes.com/lakewood-ranch/Sarasota Choice Homes can also let you know as soon as new Lakewood Ranch properties come on the market:You can also search all of the homes and condos for sale on Sarasota Choice Homes by using this form.Sarasota Choice Homes?The Choice Homes for your Lifestyle in Lakewood Ranch Florida. 02/01/2012

As the New Year starts, pursuing your dream of buying a Lakewood Ranch home may be on your list of resolutions. Prices and interest rates are extremely low, which means 2012 could be the perfect year to buy a home. As exciting as that is, we bet it can also feel a little overwhelming. One of the best ways to attack a big goal is to break it down into smaller goals. So here are four smaller goals you can tackle to accomplish your larger goal of buying a home: 1) Prepare for battle: Before you begin looking for a house, look at your financial situation. Do what you can to clean up any credit blemishes, pay off debt and save toward a down payment.2) Check your qualifications: There's no sense looking at million dollar mansions if that's not in your budget. Talk to a mortgage professional, ... 01/28/2012

Lakewood Ranch, FL Named One Of The Top 10 Best-Selling Communities In The Nation In 2011!  Lakewood Ranch's great year for new home sales has received national attention again this year.  John Burns Consulting, a California- based consulting firm ranked Lakewood Ranch number 9 in their list of Top 10 best-selling new home communities in the United States. Only one other Florida community made the top 10 list.  The rest of the list contains communities scattered around the nation.   Lakewood Ranch reported 391 new home sales in 2011.  Increased traffic brought almost 7,000 visitors to the Lakewood Ranch models and information centers in the last quarter of 2011. Pent up demand and new home prices starting in the $100's appears to have sparked this resounding success.  The new homes are... 01/28/2012

Here are the most expensive luxury homes and condos listed for sale in Lakewood Ranch FL as of January 27th 2012. You can click on any one of the images to view more details on the particular Lakewood Ranch Florida house or condominium.If you would like to see all of the active properties at all price levels you can visit ->http://www.sarasotachoicehomes.com/lakewood-ranch/Sarasota Choice Homes can also let you know as soon as new Lakewood Ranch Luxury properties come on the market:You can also search all of the Luxury homes and condos for sale on Sarasota Choice Homes by using this form.Sarasota Choice Homes?The Choice Homes for your Luxury Lifestyle in Lakewood Ranch Florida. 01/27/2012

Sarasota Choice Homes strives to bring you the latest Lakewood Ranch Florida Real Estate Market Conditions. We have created a slideshow of the most recent homes and condos listed for sale in Lakewood Ranch FL as of January 27th 2012. You can click on any one of the images to view more details on the particular house or condominium.If you would like more information you can visit ->http://www.sarasotachoicehomes.com/lakewood-ranch/Sarasota Choice Homes can also let you know as soon as new Lakewood Ranch properties come on the market:You can also search all of the homes and condos for sale on Sarasota Choice Homes by using this form.Sarasota Choice Homes?The Choice Homes for your Lifestyle in Lakewood Ranch Florida. 01/27/2012

  Esplanade At Lakewood Ranch Is Open For Sales!  Esplanade, Lakewood Ranch's newest community is a gated enclave of age targeted residences with a Mediterranean inspired theme and home prices starting at $209,900 ranging up to $339,900.  We attended the Realtor Only Preview today and were treated to a grand tour by Rhonda Fleming-Hill, Senior Sales Associate with Taylor Morrison. Taylor Morrison is offering ten floor plans.  There are 45' wide lots for the Corte Villas Collection, 52' wide lots for the Novelli Collection and 62' wide lots for the LaPalma Collection.  The 207-acre community will eventually contain 450 maintenance-free villas and single family homes.  Esplanade at Lakewood Ranch will be generously landscaped, features several man made lakes and a wonderful resort-style c... 01/19/2012

If you're a potential buyer of Lakewood Ranch real estate, when scanning the listings of homes for sale, you may see references to “short sales.”  You may hear vague warnings about avoiding short sales from some people, while others tout the advantages.  So who is right?  Well, it depends… Short Sales DefinedFirst, what is a short sale?  A short sale is a situation in which the current market price of a home would not, in fact, cover the amount the home owner owes on the mortgage.  Yes, that's what people mean when they say they are “underwater” – they owe more on their home than it is worth. Since the mortgage can't be paid off by the sale of the house, short sales become an option, albeit a complicated one. The seller and the bank (or banks, as is sometimes the case if there are multi... 01/18/2012

Here are the most expensive luxury homes and condos listed for sale in Lakewood Ranch FL as of January 13th 2012. You can click on any one of the images to view more details on the particular Lakewood Ranch Florida house or condominium.If you would like to see all of the active properties at all price levels you can visit ->http://www.sarasotachoicehomes.com/lakewood-ranch/Sarasota Choice Homes can also let you know as soon as new Lakewood Ranch Luxury properties come on the market:You can also search all of the Luxury homes and condos for sale on Sarasota Choice Homes by using this form.Sarasota Choice Homes?The Choice Homes for your Luxury Lifestyle in Lakewood Ranch Florida. 01/13/2012

Sarasota Choice Homes strives to bring you the latest Lakewood Ranch Florida Real Estate Market Conditions. We have created a slideshow of the most recent homes and condos listed for sale in Lakewood Ranch FL as of January 13th 2012. You can click on any one of the images to view more details on the particular house or condominium.If you would like more information you can visit ->http://www.sarasotachoicehomes.com/lakewood-ranch/Sarasota Choice Homes can also let you know as soon as new Lakewood Ranch properties come on the market:You can also search all of the homes and condos for sale on Sarasota Choice Homes by using this form.Sarasota Choice Homes?The Choice Homes for your Lifestyle in Lakewood Ranch Florida. 01/13/2012

Lakewood Ranch, Florida New Home Sales Engine Revs Up In 2011 and Full Speed Ahead In 2012! As far as I can tell, Lakewood Ranch has become the "hot spot" in the state of Florida for new home sales.  According to the developer of Lakewood Ranch, new home sales more than doubled in 2011 compared to the previous year.  LWR Communities sold 391 new homes in 2011 which represents an astounding 71 percent increase. In addition, new home sales outperformed the sales of existing homes in the amazing 48-square mile master-planned community in 2011.  New home sales represented 56 percent of all sales in Lakewood Ranch compared to 44 percent for resales.The average sales price for a new home last year was $397,149 compared to $364,171 for resales. Lakewood Ranch spokespersons expect new home sal... 01/12/2012