All Blog Entries by Sara Leicht 
There are currently 71 blog entries published by Sara Leicht.
You May Owe Federal Income Taxes in 2013 if you have a Short Sale or Foreclosure
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 10:45am. 76 Views, 0 Comments.
The following article was published January 2012 By Donna Gehrke-White, Sun Sentinel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
WASHINGTON – Jan. 9, 2012 – You may owe federal income taxes in 2013 if you have a short sale, foreclosure after this year. Now is the time to make the hard decision: Are you going to walk away from your underwater home?
Uncle Sam is still giving homeowners until Dec. 31, 2012, to go through a short sale or foreclosure without tax consequences – as long as the lender officially releases the debt.
But on Jan. 1, 2013, the rules change: The amount a lender forgives, ether in a short sale or foreclosure, on a primary residence will be taxable on federal income taxes.
So if a house sold $50,000 short of what is owed on the mortgage, then the selling…
Ashley Parkway Homes for Sale
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 at 11:56am. 63 Views, 0 Comments.
Ashley Parkway has Homes for Sale in the neighborhood of Ashley. Ashley is a neighborhood of 50 large estate homes that is located just East of I-75 off of Proctor Road. If you are heading East on Proctor Road you cross over the I-75 bridge and the entrance to Ashley will be about ½ mile on your right hand side. The main road for Ashley is Ashley Parkway with Ashley Court coming off of Ashley Parkway.
After you pass through the entrance to Ashley you will notice that the homes in this neighborhood are large and set back from the road. This is not a neighborhood of the same style of homes. Ashley has a very peaceful feel with large trees and several winding roads.
To see the current list of homes for sale please visit:
Ashley Parkway Homes…
Siesta Key Condo for Sale at The Pointe on Midnight Pass
Friday, January 20th, 2012 at 10:58am. 58 Views, 0 Comments.
This Siesta Key condo is for sale at The Pointe on Midnight Pass at 9393 Midnight Pass Road. The Pointe on Midnight Pass is the last 2 buildings on the south end of Siesta Key. When you drive south on Midnight Pass you will come to a gate which is the entrance to The Pointe. 
This is a penthouse condo located on the 10th floor unit #P5 of the first building on the left. You will enjoy the amazing views of the Gulf of Mexico, the Intracoastal Waterway and Little Sarasota Bay along with overlooking the Neville Bird Sanctuary.
When you get off the elevator you are looking out over the Gulf of Mexico and can see the spot where Siesta Key joins with Casey Key. This is called Midnight Pass where there once was passage out to the Gulf of Mexico. The only…
Sarasota Real Estate Market Report for December and the Year 2011
Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 6:51pm. 103 Views, 0 Comments.
Please find below the market report from the Sarasota Association of Realtors for the closed December 2011 Business. This is not only the numbers for December but they have also included the year end perspective.
Overall the year 2011 sales are up 8.2 percent achieving the highest sale level since 2005 and prices have stabilized over this past year. This is good news for both the buyers and sellers. Sellers are realizing that if they want to move, because of the low inventory, houses that are coming onto the market are being seen quickly.
At the end of December I brought a new listing onto the market and had 6 offers in the first few days. With one of those offers being accepted as a cash closing in 2 weeks. This is not an uncommon story. The reason…
Prestancia Home for Sale at 7851 Estrella Court
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 1:34pm. 121 Views, 0 Comments.
This Prestancia Home for Sale is located at 7851 Estrella Court. Prestancia is a gated golf course community located in the heart of Palmer Ranch and is home to the private golf club of TPC Prestancia. TPC Prestancia is celebrating 25 years of excellence in Sarasota and has two meticulously groomed championship 18 hole courses, The Stadium Course and The Club Course. Membership to TPC Prestancia is not required to own a home in Prestancia, but is highly desirable!
This Prestancia Home for sale features 3,100 sq. ft. of A/C living space, 3 bedrooms with an office that could also be used as a 4th bedroom because of the built in closet, 3 ½ baths, 3 car garage and a large…
Selling Your Home in Sarasota
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012 at 4:51pm. 128 Views, 0 Comments.
Perhaps you have been asking yourself is this a good time to be Selling your home in Sarasota. Market conditions and activity has most certainly turned around in the Sarasota Market and a lot of interest has been generated about Sarasota and her Islands.
The recognition of Siesta Key Beach as the #1 Beach in America, along with the vast culture of arts and entertainment in the Sarasota area from the Film Festival, to the VanWezel Performing Arts Hall, to the Sarasota Opera House, to the many art studios, unique shops and restaurants, to the internationally recognized Ringling School of Art and Design and much, much more has made Sarasota a destination for many from around the globe. The un-certainty of the world financial markets has led many to take…
Stonebridge on Palmer Ranch Home Sells
Saturday, December 31st, 2011 at 11:32am. 121 Views, 0 Comments.
Clients of mine recently purchased this home located at 4900 Flagstone Drive in the heart of the Palmer Ranch Neighborhood of Stonebridge for $465,000.
This home is a gorgeous 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2,553 sq. ft. home with a very private pool and hot tub lanai area featuring pavers and a secluded lake and preserve view. The home has been meticulously maintained by the previous owners and wonderfully decorated.
This home features cathedral ceilings, tile and hardwood flooring, custom built in for a large tv, with great views of the pool and lake from many of the rooms. 
Stonebridge on Palmer Ranch is a popular neighborhood of 117 homes with a community pool and homes ranging in size from 1,800 sq. ft. to 3,600 sq. ft. with the majority of the homes…
How to Apply for a Florida Homestead Exemption
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011 at 10:24am. 100 Views, 0 Comments.
Applying for a Florida Homestead Exemption is a simple process and can be done on-line or in person through the Sarasota County Appraisers office however, there are certain guidelines and dead line dates that you must be aware of in order to qualify.
How to apply for a Florida Homestead Exemption
Florida Statute 196.031 specifies that every person who has legal title or beneficial title to real property in the State of Florida and makes the same their permanent residence in good faith, is eligible for this exemption entitlement. The law does not require you to reside at your property a minimum number of days every year in order to be a permanent resident.
Visit this link to view: What is required to be a permanent Resident of Florida
In order to meet…
Real Estate Sarasota - Market Update for November 2011 Closed Business
Saturday, December 17th, 2011 at 12:30pm. 174 Views, 0 Comments.
Please find below the latest statistics and information for Real Estate in Sarasota from the Sarasota Association of Realtors published this past week December 15, 2011. To view the article you can access it by visiting “Sarasota Association of Realtors November Sales”.
The Sarasota Real Estate market continues to show improvements with a declining inventory and stabilizing prices. We at Michael Saunders & Company at the Palmer Ranch Office are seeing a volume of sales that we haven’t seen since 2005. I personally have seen the effects of a low inventory creating a higher demand for properties across all price ranges. One of my listings came on the market and on the first day we had 6 cash offers. I am also seeing short sales closing much quicker…
Waterfront Homes on Siesta Key
Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 at 2:28pm. 182 Views, 0 Comments.
Siesta Key has some of the most spectacular waterfront homes for sale with prices ranging from $400, 000 to over $14 million. There are Siesta Key Waterfront Homes on the Gulf of Mexico side of Siesta Key as well as homes on the Sarasota Bay which is also called the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) side of Siesta Key. There are homes on the north side of Siesta Key that are facing Big Pass where the boat traffic passes on the way from Sarasota Bay into the Gulf of Mexico. Homes on this northern side also enjoy views of the Downtown Sarasota Skyline, Bird Key, and Lido Key.
Many waterfront homes on Siesta Key offer the ability to have your private boat at your dock behind your home. There are extensive canals that weave through-out Siesta Key giving you the…