The times are a changing

Some of the latest market statistics show that the Manatee and Sarasota area dropped the least amount for homes sales last month.

Basically the area had about a five per cent decrease one of the lowest in the state.

If you look at the region of Bradenton, Sarasota and Anna Maria Island, a couple of years ago home prices skyrocketed about 35 percent or more.

In the past two years they have probably dropped about 24 per cent.

So in reality most home owners are still we ahead if they purchased before the boom.

Now the recent figures may indicate we are starting to find bottom. It has been predicted several times that we are there but we still had a way to go.

My gut tells me we're starting to skip across bottom. There are still a lot of overpriced homes out there but the huge influx of foreclosures and short sales has helped to drive prices down to an affordable level.

No longer do you have to spend your life savings just to afford a house. I have seen pretty nice three and four bedroom homes in the high 100k and low 200k range.

Not bad considering that a couple of years ago anything under 200k was considered fixer upper range.

Some of the builders are getting into the act starting to build new homes in the mid to high 100k range.

I don't see prices rising again in the foreseeable future but I do see indications they may stabilize a bit.

All the best
Greg Owens PA
Keller Williams Realty of Greater Manatee
941.779.5149