Sarasota, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch New Homes

It's unbelievable to me how quickly builders can change a landscape.  This is Cresswind in Lakewood Ranch in December 2018, and July 2019. Cresswind will be a 55 and over community that will compete with Del Webb. It's located just north of Lakewood National, north of SR 70 off the Uiehlien Road extension.  Cresswind site December 2018 Cresswind Lakewood Ranch July 2019 I'll have a video for Cresswind on my website, lakewoodranchdavid.com/cresswind-lakewood-ranch .  Remember, new homes cost the same as the builder's advertised price when you're working with a Realtor.

What's the true price of buying a Lakewood Ranch new home?  If you're not sure what I mean by this, you definitely should continue reading this post. New home builders usually advertise "base prices" to home buyers to get them into their sales centers and model homes.  Truth is, you'll end up possibly paying a more than their advertised prices. In Lakewood Ranch, the base price for a new paired villa or town home starts in the high $200,000's.  Typical buyer upgrades plus any lot premium average about $20,000. Paired villas in Lakewood Ranch For a new single family homes, base prices start in the mid $300's.  You can expect to add about $40,000 in upgrades, which would include a home site premium. Typical upgrades include larger tile or tile on the diagonal in all living and "wet areas" like kitchens and baths, crown molding, upgraded kitchen cabinets and counter top material, and expanded lanais. New single family homes in La...

I got a phone call yesterday that prompted me to write this blog post. I get these types of calls now and then.  Another Realtor contacted me for information about some condos in one of the new home communities I serve.  This Realtor said "I found you online" and "Aren't you the builder"? It's a pretty sad situation when someone with a real estate license doesn't know who the builder is for a new home community.  I think it's even worse that these people can't get off the couch and go to visit these new home communities on their own, for knowledge sake. I'm your Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch new home specialist. If you're looking for a new home, you should demand more than someone who just drives you to the sales center and lets the new home sales associate take over for them.  The new home sales associates know their product very well, but usually can't tell you about competing properties or local attractions and amenities....

I've been working with a buyer looking for a new home in Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch.  I've been saying this for a long time:  you really do need your own Realtor when you're ready to buy a new home. The biggest issue we ran across was making sure we were getting accurate price quotes for homes that were already built.  When you see "homes starting at" on builder advertisements, those prices usually don't include any upgrades or home site premiums.  For example, homes starting in the mid $300,000's usually ended up costing over $400,000. An "inventory" or "quick move in home" may be either finished or under construction, with up to 60 days before it's ready for occupancy.  These quick move in homes should be priced with upgrades included as well as any lot premium.  A lot premium can run from $0 (if your home backs up to another home, or a road) to over $75,000 for a lake view home site.  Lot premiums are one of the mo...

Continuing the theme of newly opened amenity centers in new home communities, I have a new video for you of the club house and pool for Waterside in Lakewood Ranch. I've been writing, visiting, and filming Waterside because it's going to be such an important community for Lakewood Ranch.  The second town center withing Lakewood Ranch will be built here, with water taxis, a commercial district, condos, apartments, a waterside park and promenade, and a new building for The Player's Club theater. Visit lakewoodranchdavid.com/waterside-lakewood-ranch for a current list of quick move in homes and more information.  Remember, new construction homes cost the same as the advertised price when you're working with your own Realtor.  Contact me for a tour.

There's lots of activity this season involving the opening of amenity centers in many of the new home communities I serve. Savanna in Lakewood Ranch just opened their beautiful club house and community pool.  There are 2 builders in Savanna, Lennar and M/I Homes, offering both single story and 2 story homes with prices ranging from the low $300's to the $700's. Savanna is located east of I-75, and south of SR 64 in Manatee County FL.  This is a great location for those with school age children because of the highly rated schools, and it's close to St. Petersburg or Tampa. You can view a current list of quick move in homes in Savanna on my website, lakewoodranchdavid.com/savanna-lakewood-ranch Remember, new homes cost the same as the advertised price when you're working with your own Realtor.  With 15 new home communities in Lakewood Ranch alone, it pays to have someone helping you.

Over the holidays we had some excellent weather, so I took advantage and updated this video of the pool and club house under construction in Waterside at Lakewood Ranch . I think Waterside will be an amazing place to live.  There is 20 miles of lakefront shoreline among 7 huge lakes, which in part will be home to a town center with commercial district, restaurants, businesses, apartments, water taxis, and the new home of The Players Theater. The lake views in Waterside are simply unmatched among any of the new home communities I serve in The West Villages , Venice, Nokomis, Sarasota, and Lakewood Ranch .   Home prices in Waterside range from the low $400's to over $1.5 million. Remember, new homes cost the same when you're working with your own Realtor.  Contact me for a tour of this and any other new home community in two of the top 5 selling master planned communities in the country.