Are you already a resident of the fantastic East Bradenton golfing community of Heritage Harbour? If so, please check out the newest Heritage Harbour community information resource....  www.HeritageHarbourBradenton.com!   This blog is dedicated to providing important, relevant, community information, real estate information, homeowner association information, events calendars, golfing information... Anything you want to know about Heritage Harbour... you will find it here!   For Heritage Harbour homeowners who may have plans to sell their home in 2010... THE SERENA GROUP has a "Listing Promotion" that will surely interest you... Check it out at: http://www.heritageharbourbradenton.com THE SERENA GROUP welcomes contributions to the content for this new blog. Please feel free to email us... 01/12/2010

There are so many reasons why to move to Bradenton, but here are some which exist for almost 100 years...     More (historic) Bradenton & Manatee information: http://www.bradentonbroker.com/2010/bradentown-and-manatee-county/ If you have any questions about Bradenton, Manatee County, Anna Maria Island and Sarasota, do not hesitate to contact the INTERNATIONAL Bradenton and Sarasota Real Estate Company: Weiss International RealtyThe INTERNATIONAL Bradenton and Sarasota Real Estate CompanyPO Box 14222Bradenton, FL 34205Axel Weiss, MBA, BrokerT. (941) 866 1666 www.weissinternational.comwww.bradentonbroker.comEmail: http://www.bradentonbroker.com/contact/ Bradenton German Info: www.bradentonbroker.de Property Search for Bradenton, Sarasota and Anna Maria Island: http://mls.bradentonbroker.com 01/09/2010

Heritage Harbour is a golfing community in East Bradenton offering 2 championship golf courses, Stoneybrook Golf Club and River Strand Golf and County Club.  Both courses were designed by world-renowned Arthur Hills and offer a memorable golfing experience to the expert and novice golfers alike. If you're looking for an active, luxurious lifestyle in the Bradenton area of Florida, ... you will find it at Heritage Harbour!  Amenities offered by this community include: world class clubhouses & fine dining, walking and biking trails around a lake, ball fields, tennis, state-of-the-art fitness center, resort-style pools, billiards and card rooms, inline skating, sand lot volleyball .... and more! Below are 2 beautiful Heritage Harbour homes, in "like - new" condition that have just been red... 01/06/2010

Are you considering selling your Bradenton, Manatee county, Sarasota county home in 2010?  If so... Here are some home selling tips to help you get prepared! LET'S START INSIDE! Clean upholstery and polish wood surfaces Clean, neat, well-kept rooms make agood impression and show your home in a favorable light Clean carpets and remove spots Clean walls and wax woodwork Clean, wax and polish all hard surface floors Clean windows inside and out – glass, frames and ledges Clean draperies and open to maximize natural light Clean bathrooms thoroughly – floors, walls, fixtures and tiles Clean kitchen ceiling, cabinets, appliances and fixtures. Wax and polish kitchen floor Clean attic, garage and other storage areas Clean closets and hang clothes neatly. Store shoes, luggage and other articles ... 01/06/2010

Lighthouse Cove at Heritage Harbour is located only a block away from Heritage Harbour's "Central Park" which offers baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds, a 70 acre fishing lake, and running / bike path that circles the lake. Lighthouse Cove at Heritage Harbour, is a great community for active families! If golfing is your sport, Lighthouse Cove at Heritage Harbour offers access to an open "fee daily" golf course at Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club or residents can purchase an exclusive membership for River Strand Golf & Country Club's semi-private course. Both championship golf courses were designed by top course designer, Arthur Hills. If tennis is your game a tennis membership is also an option. Heritage Harbour is conveniently located close to shopping, restaurants and with quick a... 12/14/2009

We have been living here in Waterlefe golf and river club since 2003 and the annual holiday golf cart parade is an event that we look forward to every year. Last year there was over 25 carts, and about 10 motorcycles, all decked out with holiday decorations, and plenty of lights. Even Santa Clause was there too! The parade starts at 6pm in front of the river club.  From there the route will lead through the majority of the neighborhood. After the parade, there is a nice holiday party, with a buffet served and live music too.  Reservations can be made through the river club.  The food is great and everyone is in a great festive mood after the ride. This year I am prepared with a larger inverter (to power the lights).  Last year mine failed about halfway through, so "no lights"!  This yea... 12/13/2009

I just withdrew a short sale listing off the market.  It was a typical short sale.  The owners were having a struggle making their payments, and then one got laid off from work.  The bill collectors start calling, and they start getting behind in the mortgage.  I meet with the owners and gave them their options. 1.  Try to work on a Loan Modification.(which they had been doing.. unsuccessfully) , OR, 2.  Start the short sale process. They had tried, as many do, to do the loan modification on their own with no success.  I did not "do" their loan modification.  I only gave them advice on preparing the documents, consistent follow ups, and patience. I prepared a preliminary BPO of the home to foreshadow the future BPO the bank would do when an offer came it.   At the same time I listed the... 12/10/2009

 Finally! Home owners, Realtors, Lenders, and home buyers are all going to benefit from these new guidlines.  The faster and easier the process becomes the closer offers will come to being fair market value.  This will lead to reduced inventories, and market stabilization.  The Treasury department created a 46 page guide for major lenders to follow with regards to short sales, deed in lieu, and loan modifications.  The frustrating process was in need of standardization, and streamlining.  Short sales can take months to close, andtend to go pending with prices that are below market value since the buyer(s) brace themselves for the long drawn out process with no guarantee that their offer will be accepted.  New homes, regular sales, and bank owned homes can be closed in a normal time peri... 12/08/2009

I'd like to introduce you to a friend who is an Accredited Buyer Representative named Brian Ward. He has a very informative website at http://www.sarasotahomefinderservice.com/ You may wish to contact him for information about the Bradenton, Anna Maria iskand and Lakewood Ranch  communities. 12/08/2009

Lighthouse Cove is the only town home community within Heritage Harbour in Bradenton, Florida.  A number of Lighthouse Cove town homes include lake views and amenities include a cabana and community pool.  Located only a block away from Heritage Harbour's "Central Park" which offers baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds, a 70 acre fishing lake, and running / bike path that circles the lake... makes Lighthouse Cove a great community for active families!  If golfing is your sport, Lighthouse Cove at Heritage Harbour offers access to an open "fee daily" golf course at Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club or residents can purchase an exclusive membership for River Strand Golf & Country Club's semi-private course.  Both championship golf courses were designed by top course designer, Arthur Hill... 12/07/2009

Just listed this rare newer home built in 2007.  Has a great big lot, and NO DEED RESTRICTIONS!  Easy drive to SR 70, and Sarasota or Bradenton.  The home features upgrades uncommon for a home in the area.  Granite Counter tops, wood cabinets, tile floor in the main living areas, and plenty of details that make this a fine home.  3 Full bedrooms, 2 Baths, and a separate den.  The home also has a spacious three car garage. Call me today if you are interested to see this great house.  Move in ready, and ready for you today! Joe Murphy, Broker-Associate with Coldwell Banker, Specializing in selling Manatee County. Expert with short sales. Bank owned homes. Investment. Waterfront. Golf course. 941-780-3260 www.manateemoves.com joe@manateemoves.com       tile floors throught living area Gre... 11/30/2009

I love Thanksgiving!  It's a day to reflect back on the year... before it comes to an end... and re-live moments of joy, love, and blessings...  or not! I read a quote today by Robert Quillen that says: "If you count all your assets, you always show a profit."  It made me wonder... if we accept the validity of that quote... why there is such negativity around us as we move though our daily lives?  The only thing that I could come up with is that a spirit of gratitude is a choice that we make... to live with that thrust motivating our actions... or on the opposite side...to focus on our deficiencies and let that limit us. If we realize that our life becomes what we choose to focus our thoughts and energy on... then why would we choose an attitude that drags us down... instead of lifting... 11/26/2009

Ironwood is a beautiful golfing community in west Bradenton in Florida.  A full service golf club, Pinewood - Ironwood Golf Club, is situated within the community... only steps away!  With a convenient central location, off of Cortez Road, you're just a short trip away for shopping, hospitals, restaurants, and the beaches! 11/24/2009

It was front page news that the number of foreclosures filings here in Manatee County has had 5687 foreclosure filings to date this year, which is an increase from last year.  This is a lot of homes and as an active agent it made me wonder where are all the bank owned inventory? There are 4696 total active residential listings as of this evening (11/22/09). 474 "normal" are pending There are 149 active bank owned homes 123 pending There are 920 short sales active there are 940 pending The Statistics show two big things. The action is happening on bank owned, and short sale homes.  You can clearly see that there is almost the same amount of pending listing vs. active in the short sale/bank owned categories.  The conventional sellers have only about 10 to 1 that are pending. If there are ... 11/22/2009

Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Real Estate - Market Update, Statistics, MLS Report, Information 11/22/2009

I have been working with a buyer this week, and after seeing all the resale inventory including short sales, and foreclosures they decided on a new build.  What is amazing to me is that the deal they got with the local builder is BETTER than any of the comparable resales in that area. A resale home that was essentially the same home as they purchased was an option, BUT it was 45,000 dollars more, and a SHORT SALE too.  The new construction will take 8 months to close, but a short sale can take 90-180 days to close.  Plus the new home has all the features and upgrades that they want. This perplexed the buyers.  The new home Should be More, but in a falling market, I explained, that Bank owned, and new builds pull the market down, since they HAVE to Sell. A builder is not a builder if he ... 11/20/2009

Many of us read John Novak's post this week on "Facebook Fan Page Basics" and heard the call to action to either create a page or to develop the pages that we already have. Among some of the many comments made on John's post was:  "How do I get fans for my FACEBOOK fan page?" Great question... with lots of answers and strategies.  Here are a few tips that have worked for.....     THE SERENA GROUP'S ......FAN PAGE! Send out an invitation from your page to all your FACEBOOK Friends to "fan" your page.  Ask some of your friends to do the same. Join groups in Facebook and post information on the group page adding a link to your fan page at the bottom of your post. Send a link to your fan page with all of your email blasts to your database with the phrase: "FIND US ON FACEBOOK!" Add a "FACEB... 11/17/2009

Bradenton Real Estate investors... heads up for a great Bradenton "investment" opportunity!  This adorable home needs some updating but has great potential for the "handyman" Real Estate investor! Contact THE SERENA GROUP for our list of "best investment" home buys.  Now is a great time to get into the Real Estate investment market.  A combination of low pricing, great inventory, low mortgage rates, and large rental pool mixes together for a "winning recipe" for Real Estate investors looking to get back into the market or to expand their existing portfolio. 11/13/2009

Palm Lake Estates is beautiful, well maintained, and active adult manufactured home community in Bradenton, Florida. A peaceful and tranquil lake is the center of this community and affords many home owners water views and boating for kayaks, canoes, or small fishing boats.   If you'd "rather be fishing than..."  ... the lake is stocked with fish for hours of enjoyment right in your backyard! Palm Lake Estates offers an active lifestyle for the "over 55" crowd with lots of planned activities, a clubhouse for socializing, and a heated pool for "sun lovers" and swimming for exercise or just plain fun! If you are a snow bird, looking for a "florida nest" or a home buyer with your eye on a retirement or vacation home... consider Palm Lake Estates, a wonderful place to call "home!" 11/13/2009

The Bradenton Real Estate market is ripe for picking if you are comtemplating a winter retreat or vacation home, residence! It's a "PERFECT STORM" for Real Estate investors... High home inventory levels Great pricing on homes Short Sale & Foreclosure Opportunities Low Mortgage rates Large rental pool, if you'd like to lease part of the year, due to the fact that many sellers who have had to let their homes go are now entering the rental market For a list of THE SERENA GROUP'S "Best Buys" for investors... contact us today.   THEN... GRAB YOUR GALOSHES... and we'll help you navigate through the storm! 11/09/2009