January/February • 2021 • GASPARILLA MAGAZINE 63
either direction. If the economy stays good,
there is a segment of the population that will
continue to migrate to Florida permanently,
and we will continue to be a strong secondhome
market. Should the economy hit some
speed bumps we should still fair well. With
a favorable tax environment and a fi scally
strong state government, Florida is a prime
location for market investors to park their
investments while sitting on the sidelines of
Wall Street.
Benson said before you decide to
purchase or rent a house you should
consider the likelihood that at least two
other parties are also considering making an
offer on the same house you are. Be ready
to buy, he said, and the less contingencies
you have, the stronger your offer will be.
“Be reasonable in your offer,” he said.
“If the home you are looking at is already
priced appropriately, don’t be stingy or
you’re going to lose it.”
Rebekah
McCracken is a
Realtor with Coastal
Dream Real Estate &
Rentals. Her personal
market, she said, is
about 90 percent
comprised of second
home buyers on
Manasota Key.
“There is low
inventory and high demand,” she said. “It
has become a seller’s market, and at times
there are multiple offers on properties are priced right.”
McCracken said that compared to 2019,
buyers were able to negotiate for lower
prices.
“There were fewer buyers and more
inventory,” she said. “Now, if a buyer really
wants the property, we tell them they have
one chance. They need to put their best foot
forward. There is no messing around. They
need to offer the right amount, a price that
they will not be upset about offering if it
causes them to lose the deal.”
She believes there are primary factors
driving the differences.
“On Manasota Key, I believe the beach
renourishment is a big factor,” McCracken
said. “People love to see the beach. When
COVID hit there was a lot of fear. The buyers
that had the money and income moved on
buying. They had been thinking about it and
did it.”
McCracken has a practical outlook for
2021.
“We are really not sure; none of us know
what the future holds,” she admitted.
“We never planned on the red tide or the
coronavirus. For my husband and I, we plan
to save for a rainy day. Time will tell.”
Brian R. Corcoran is
a Broker/Owner for
The BRC Group, LLC.
He also said there
is extremely high
demand for properties
in Boca Grande and
the Placida area.
“I believe this is due
to the low-density,
high quality of life aspects that our area has
to offer,” he said. “With higher demand,
the inventory of homes is at an all-time
low, which is leading to price increases.
Compared to 2019, sales volume in Boca
Grande is up 40 percent.”
He understands what is driving the
difference.
“COVID-19 has been a big factor
in the
demand that is driving sales,” he said. “More
people from cities have found remote
working to be effi cient, and owners of
second larger homes on the island, a place they can
work from and comfortably spend more
time. Also, low interest rates are certainly a
factor driving demand.”
Will we maintain these levels? Corcoran
said the lack of sellers and properties
available will, in his opinion, be a factor in
the slowing of sales volume in 2021. He
advises anyone looking to purchase or rent
a house to do the research.
“Don’t feel any pressure to buy now just
are always new sellers and if you can focus
on the type of property that fi ts your needs,
get with a local Realtor with experience on
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