Weekly Interest Rates

We work closely with the Penny Hill Group at Wells Fargo and they are kind enough to provide a weekly mortgage interest rate sheet.

This week’s rates:     

Conforming	Jumbo
30 Year Fixed                           5.125% (0 points)	30 Year Fixed                          5.875% (0 points)
15 Year Fixed 4.500% (0 points)	5/1 ARM, 30 Year Amortization 5.250% (0 points)

Myakka Float Trip

We’ve all come to cherish the many cultural delights that Sarasota has to offer.  From the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to the Asolo and Burns Court Theaters to Jazz on the Circle at St Armands and the West Coast Symphony, we love that Sarasota has so many cultural things to do. But equally important to the lifestyle that makes Sarasota so unique is it’s many State and local parks.

Today I’d like to tell you about a paddle trip we took down the Myakka River.

We started at the Myakka River State Park which is about 15 minutes east of US 41 and Stickney Point Road. Just follow State Road 70 (Clark Road) all the way out and look for the signs to the park.  There is a $6.00 fee per car load to get in the park and if you are going to paddle down the river you must register at the ranger station entrance.  They only allow 30 people per day to enter the preserve area down river so it really stays quiet and peaceful.  Once inside the park, we put in at the canoe and kayak launch at the first bridge. You’ll see it on the right just before the bridge.

From here you are about 5 miles to the far side of the lower lake and about 19 miles to Snook Haven.    Paddling to the lower lake in the morning, stopping for lunch and paddling back up river to the park makes for a good day trip but this time we decided to go all the way to Snook Haven spending the night on the river.  This makes an easy 2 day paddle and is fun to do some primitive camping along the way.

My brother from North Carolina drove down to join us.  He was glad to get out of the cold and sleet that was raveging the peidmont that week.  Also in attendence was my son-in-law Andreas Kurland, my grandson Alek, and my future son-in-law Kevin Segall.  It was a chest thumping “guys trip”.

The weather was perfect, the water level was just right (4.35 ft), and nobody got eaten by alligators!

Here’s a link to see the pictures if you are interested: View Album

A Day In The Life In Sarasota Florida

This may be the best video of what Sarasota is all about.  The gifts that Sarasota has to offer and the lifestyle of people who are lucky enough to call Sarasota home!

Monthly Sales Statistics for Sarasota County

Click here for your monthly sales statistics from the Sarasota MLS:

Jan. Statistics

Looks like things in Sarasota continue to improve with sales up dramatically from a year ago with many properties selling at a steep discount from their high a few years back.  Inventories continue to shrink and the best deals are getting picked up pretty quickly.  Sarasota has bucked the national trend and is showing signs, that if we are at the bottom, the way up will begin here in southwest Florida.