Anna Maria, FL

Not everyone shares our tastes (and that may be a good thing!) but we like the places that look like a postcard from the 1950s. A little rough is okay with us, as long as there's character and history.

This place surely qualifies and you haven't seen Florida until you've had a meal there.

It's the Rod and Reel Restaurant on Anna Maria Island. Google Map

We just love this place. It's off the beaten path but so worth the trip! It sits on top of a fishing pier a couple of hundred feet out over the Gulf of Mexico, with a view of the Skyway bridge and more than a few fisherman out there with their hooks in the water.

The view alone is worth the ride, the food is good ... oh, and save time to drive around Anna Maria Island, which has retained a good bit of its old Florida charm. No vacation is complete if you haven't seen all this. And for the locals ... well, you'll feel like you're on vacation when you go there!

We make sure our out-of-town guests get to the Rod and Reel!

(875 N. Shore Drive, Anna Maria, FL 34217 - phone 941-778-1885)

Bring 50 cents to put in the coin-operated telescope!!

Anna Maria Island continues to be a bright spot in Florida Real Estate news. Transactions continue to be significantly above 2007. Our average sold prices for single family residences are more than 18% higher than 2007 levels. The average sales price per square foot is holding steady against 2007 levels for residential single family homes. See below chart...

Anna Maria Island is still a great paradise to diversify your fiscal investments. Our real estate correction on single family homes since 2000 has returned an average of more than 10%. Couple that with an investment property that you rent through Island Real Estate's fabulous vacation rental program and your investment can quickly become a power house within your portfolio of investments. See below chart...

For additional Anna Maria Real Estate information call me at 941 345-1288. For more information on Anna Maria Island visit the Island Real Estate Blog. I have more charts available to those who sign up for my newsletter. Mailto: Larry@IslandReal.com A chart you may find very interesting is an inventory absorption chart for Anna Maria Island that tells you relative to 2005 when demand is exceeding supply. The absorption chart for the second quarter of 2008 shows favorable conditions for Anna Maria Island's Real Estate appreciation levels.

In 2008 Anna Maria Island of Manatee county has seen a fabulous upturn. More specifically, residential property is doing well as compared to 2007. Anna Maria Island is on the Florida Gulf Coast just South of Tampa and just North of Sarasota and East of Bradenton. Our little island of 7 miles long and 10 bocks wide has many things to be proud of...in 2007 we were named the #1 hottest travel destination by Tripadvisor.com, our small chamber of commerce was named the best in Florida, and lastly, for decades we have restricted buildings higher than 37 feet. Sure, we have three separate cities for a 7 mile distance but our Gulf Coast, Tampa Bay coast, and white sand that feels like flour makes up for our local politics.

Single Family homes appear to have hit bottom. Each month in 2008 has pointed to a stronger number of transactions. More specifically, average sold $'s per square foot is up 6% versus 2007, number of transactions is up from 2007 and the average sold $'s per transaction is up more than 20%. That's right, the average SOLD $ per property is up 20+% versus 2007. The staggering number of 20+% is due to Gulf Front properties selling at a record pace in the past 8 weeks. As you can imagine the most desirable properties on a gulf coast would be the first to come back from a rough market and that is exactly what we are seeing on Anna Maria Island. That coupled with the fact that our property is very reasonable has created a demand for our premier locations. Take for example 753 North Shore, the home is surrounded by zero skyscrapers or condos and only residences. The property is a direct Gulf Front with two buildings on the lot. Total price for your piece of paradise right on the Gulf of Mexico? $1,750,000. Seem like alot? Just a reminder, two buildings, Direct Gulf Front, surrounded by single family homes! In this house you could hear the crickets chirp at night, heck you could hear them during the day if they chirped.

Condo's and multi-family homes have NOT hit bottom. Unfortunately there are no points that show we have hit bottom so we have some time in front of us. The good news we estimate supply versus demand stability of our island inventory is about 450 properties for sale and as of May 31st we were at 620 with an average of 40+ transactions per month. The 620 is down from the peak of almost 1000. If we don't have a surge of owners placing their properties on the market we should work down to a steady state inventory of mid 400's in about 6 months.

For anyone interested in specific data or charts of our Anna Maria Island ,drop me an email and I would be more than happy to share some positive news. Just a side note I have the luck of working for Island Real Estate of Anna Maria Island, Inc. www.IslandReal.com I hope my positive news helps others in the tough real estate cycle we have found ourselves in. Keep Positive, this too shall pass....