September marked the first month in some time when real estate agents in Sarasota and Manatee counties saw less activity than the same month last year. But leaders from the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee remain bullish about the state of the market.

“The market has taken a very typical breather through the late summer but we're still most likely in the ‘calm before the storm,’” said Alex Krumm, broker-owner of NextHome Excellence and the 2021 RASM president. “The same factors that have made this year one of the busiest on record are still in play, and prices will almost certainly be driven higher by a very limited supply of homes.”

The two-county area saw 2,072 sales in September, an 11% drop in number of sales compared to September 2020. Condo sales in particular dropped significantly, about 22.3% in Sarasota and 26.3$ in Manatee, but there were also fewer sales of single family homes, about 5.1% fewer in Sarasota and 4.5% less in Manatee.

But prices continued to rise across the market, showing a continued hunger to purchase property in the region. The median price for sales in Sarasota climbed to $407,000 in Sarasota and $430,000 in Manatee, both jumps over greater than 22% year-over-year.

In this market, cash remains a key medium for transactions, with about 42.6% of single-family home sales and 60% of condo sales moving that way.

All this creates incentive to sell, and the association notes new listings in September outpaced pending sales, despite the inventory of active listings decreasing by 58.9%. There remains less than a month’s worth of inventory in the region. Single-family homes have been listed about seven days before contract date, and condos have been snapped up even faster, an average of six days.

“This year, our market was driven by a tsunami of buyers who wanted to own real estate,” Krumm said. “Next year we'll still have the buyers, but this time, there aren't enough homes to sell to them—and we won't be able to build enough homes to assuage the pressure. The forecast is very, very strong for higher prices in 2022.” 

Don’t be scared this Halloween—come to Mattison’s for their annual Halloween Costume Contest a day before Halloween on October 30th. Whether you are lurking around Downtown Sarasota or Downtown Bradenton stop into Mattison’s to enter the contest. Mattison’s City Grille in Sarasota will hold their contest at 9 pm sharp with a $50 Mattison’s Gift Card being awarded to the Best Male costume, Best Female costume, and Best Group costume. If you are getting ghoulish up in Bradenton stop by Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille from 7-9 where the prizes will be $100 Mattison’s Gift Card for first place, $50 Mattison’s Gift Card for second place and $25 Mattison’s Gift Card for third place. Enjoy Halloween themed Boozy drinks, devilishly good food and haunt the night away with live music at both locations.

For more info visit mattisons.com. 

Homebuyers interested in living at Wellen Park will soon have even more options from which to choose. Sales are beginning at the neighborhoods in Wellen Park’s Playmore District, with options for a range of price points and lifestyles. For buyers ready to make a move now, Florida-based Neal Communities currently offers paired villa and single-family homes at Boca Royale, ranging from 1,632 to 2,907 square feet and priced from the $300s. The 1,000-acre gated neighborhood is set amidst lakes and nature preserves and offers amenities that include a fitness center, resort-style pool, pickleball courts and “Hydro-Grid” clay tennis courts, and an 18-hole par-72 golf course.

Neal Communities is also building two smaller Playmore District neighborhoods. Avelina will feature 96 British West Indies- and coastal-style single-family homes with five floorplan options, ranging in size from 2,327 to 2,762 square feet. The gated, maintenance-assisted neighborhood will include a small passive park for connecting with nature. Sales are expected to begin early 2022 with pricing in the $500s.

National luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers will offer 270 attached villas and one- and two-story, single-family homes at Solstice, its introductory neighborhood for Wellen Park. The future amenity center will include a resort-style swimming pool with lap lanes, tennis and pickleball courts, fitness center, tot lot, social hall, and yoga and event lawns. Sales will begin November 1, with pricing starting in the mid-$300s.

The intimate Gran Place neighborhood from Southwest Florida homebuilder Sam Rodgers Homes will feature just 42 homesites. With pricing starting in the $600s, the single-family, semi-custom homes will include three to four bedrooms and three-car garages. Only 21 of the neighborhood’s 63 acres will be developed, and many lots will overlook lakes or preserve areas. Sales are expected to begin in January, and models will open summer 2022.

Mattamy Homes will offer attached villas and single-family homes at their Sunstone neighborhood. Residents will enjoy exclusive access to a resort-style amenity campus, including a beach-entry pool, clubhouse with lap lanes and spa, clubhouse with fitness center, dog park, tot lot, pickleball and bocce ball courts and more. Sales are expected to begin in December, with pricing from the mid-$300s.

The Playmore District puts residents in the middle of the action at Wellen Park. Neighborhoods enjoy easy access to the master-planned community’s network of trails and amenities like CoolToday Park, the Atlanta Braves’ spring-training home. The Playmore District also offers close proximity to Downtown Wellen, the community’s central hub currently under construction that will offer a range of shopping, dining and recreational options.

Downtown Wellen will feature a vibrant hub filled with shopping, dining and entertainment options and other amenities. The mixed-use development will be open to residents and visitors alike and feature waterfront experiences, pedestrian-friendly streets and public community spaces. Expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2022, Phase One of Downtown Wellen will include retail shops; waterfront dining and other restaurants; a stylish food truck park, a town hall; a unique natural playground and splash pad; an outfitter equipped with e-bikes, paddle boards and kayaks for enjoying the 80-acre Grand Lake; and a 2.8-mile health and wellness trail.

For more information about living at Wellen Park, call 941-499-8210, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open Monday-Saturday, 10 am-5:30 pm and Sunday, 12 pm-5 pm. 

Pictured: Playmore District located near Downtown Wellen, a vibrant hub that will offer shopping, dining and entertainment options and other amenities, currently under construction.

Come join in celebrating the 30th year of Manatee County's Farm City Week by visiting a few of Manatee County's finest agricultural operations. This is a fun-filled, day-long tour. There are a limited number of tickets available and will sell out quickly. Farm City Week Farm Tour takes place on Friday, November 19, 2021, 8:30am - 3:00pm.  Check-In begins at 8:30am at Dry Prairie Baptist Church (40849 SR 62, Duette, FL 34219). The tour will start with visiting West Coast Tomato, Duette Preserve and Wish Strawberry Farms. The tour will end in Myakka City in the afternoon at Grainger Farms. Specific site details and timing will be provided on November 18.

Link to register here.($35 a person includes two bottled waters, lunch and entry into all hosting sites. The hosting sites are not open to the public and you will not have access to these locations beyond the tour day. Reservations and advance payment are required. If you have any questions or need assistance, call Mary Lawrence at (941)722-4524 ext. 1809. 

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art is thrilled to announce the opening of their Art of Performance season with De Paso by Sara Perez & Ruben Puertas. Show times are Oct. 30 and November 3 at 7:30 p.m. and October 31 at 5:30 pm. Dancer and choreographer Sara Perez makes her Sarasota premiere with a stunningly precise new work, De Paso (Along the Way), which reveals the choreographic virtuosity of this rising star in the realm of contemporary Flamenco. In a theatrical duet with firebrand dancer Ruben Puertas, De Paso employs the remarkable song, guitar and percussion talents of four musicians as part of a dance work that uses the language of Flamenco to express the allure of the unknown, the fear of failure, and the joy of sharing life’s journey with others. This presentation is part of the Casa Patas Foundation’s commissioning series of new Flamenco works, back by popular demand after two sold out shows in 2019 at The Historic Asolo Theater. 

Tickets for De Paso by Sara Perez & Ruben Puertas are priced at $25-35 with a 10% discount for members and are available at https://www.ringling.org/events/de-paso-sara-perez-ruben-puertas or by calling 941-360-7399. 

Photo courtesy of The Ringling

Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties will honor Steven and Marjolaine Townsend at the annual Champions for Children Gala on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 6:00 pm. Steven and Marjolaine believe that education is the key to unlocking a world of possibilities for our youth. Their humble beginnings have led to their philanthropic passion for equipping the next generation of leaders.

Presented by the Annette J. Hagens Memorial Foundation, all proceeds from the event will ensure youth across Sarasota and DeSoto Counties have access to award-winning programs that foster academic success, strong character and leadership, healthy lifestyles, and career readiness. Champions for Children will take place at the Lee Wetherington Boys & Girls Club at 3100 Fruitville Road in Sarasota.

The gala will feature an outdoor cocktail hour, award presentation and reception, a three-course gourmet dinner curated by Chef Paul Mattison and Mattison’s Catering, dancing, and a live and silent auction. Individual tickets are available for $350 per person. Sponsorships are also available starting at $3,500. Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased online at bgcsdc.org.  For more information, call Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties at 941-366-3911.