Siesta Key has the #1 Beach in the U.S.

That wide slice of quartz crystal white sand that is Siesta Key beach has won the title of the "Nation's Top Beach" last week.

Steven Leatherman, (affectionately known as Dr. Beach, director of the Florida International University Laboratory for Coastal Research, every year compares all the best beaches in the country and selects the top 10 beaches based upon 50 criteria. Those criteria include the look and feel of the sand, quality of the water, facilities available among other factors.

San Diego's Coronado Beach, which has scored at #1 previously, was the runner-up this year. Number 3 was Kahanamoku Beach in Hawaii, while #4 was Main Beach, in East Hampton, NY. Rounding out the top 5 was Cape Hatteras Beach in North Carolina.

Among other factors, Siesta Beach scored well on its shallow, warm water and gentle currents while losing a few points due to the heavy vista of condominiums.

Praise for the 40 acre Siesta Key beach comes as no surprise to Janet Dugan, a well-known seller of Siesta Key condos or to Judie Berger, a Siesta Key real estate agent and Siesta Key resident. herself.

Selling a Florida Home in the "Off Season"

Not everyone who relocates to Florida decides to buy a home while they are here as “snowbirds” in the months of December through April the appeal of our Sun Coast lifestyle is so obvious or when the kids are out of school and they have the time to be choosey because they’ve got three months before the kids need to be back in school. If you need to sell a home or condominium during the “off-season,” you may need to put a little more effort and creativity into the task of selling your home


Everyone who has ever sold a home has heard the usual advice: "Find a good agent, be aware of local home values, remove personal items and de-clutter the home. Touch up the paint, remove old wallpaper and keep the dog out of the way. That is all good advice, but it’s not always enough,” says the author of the blog Real Estate of Florida blog. "You may need to put in a little extra effort to achieve success if you’re selling your home in the “off-season.”

Keep these five suggestions in mind from the moment you start planning your next move and be open to further suggestions from your Realtors or other Realtors who show your home:

1. Start With an Accurate Valuation of Your Home: Nothing turns a new listing in to "stale on the market" listing faster thans tarting out at too high a price. You probably already know enough to use neighboring home values as comparisons in setting your asking price, but now, some additional homework can pay off. If you need to sell quickly, price your homs a little lower than the market suggests. In this post real estate bubble and bust timeframe, it’s also important to have a heightened awareness of foreclosures in your immediate area. Any foreclosures in your immediate neighborhood put a dent in your home’s market value today.

2. Get Involved Yourself: Just because you’re working with a Realtor® like Judie Berger doesn’t mean you can’t do some of your own legwork. The first 10 days on the market are the most critical to selling a home because new listings get the most attention from buyers. Internet-based social media sites have opened limitless new strategies to sell your home. Also consider using sites like Craigslist, Facebook, Flickr, Zillow and YouTube. Make sure you’ve agreed with your Realtor to pay his or her commission (or some other mutually agreed-upon amount) if you sell it yourself using one of these venues. Post pictures on these sites that show your home at its best. You can even upload a video tour. At some real estate agencies are making a video tour an integral part of their home marketing plan.

3. Accept Helping Hands: Take advantage of a wide range of services, beyond your local Realtor’s, that could help you streamline the home selling process. Some cost money, such as a home “staging” service that can help you show your home at its best. Others, like just your realtor to schedule a "broker's open house where many Realtors wkill tour your home and make suggestions, can be free. If you are employed or in the military, you may find that your employer or the the military services will offer you services for free or at discounted rates.

4. Get Creative With Your Sale Terms: Sometimes it takes unique terms to seal a deal. You can sweeten the deal by offering to pay some or all of a buyer’s closing costs, for example. In some master-planned communities, you may also be able to offer to pay the new owner’s membership initiation fee for the local golf, yacht or athletic club.

5. Stay Flexible: According to the experts, buyers and sellers should keep their pride in check and be willing to make concessions, especially in the off season. That means not haggling over minor repairs or refusing to leave behind the chandelier your potential buyer loves. Factor in your thinking the cost of keeping up your home for several more months versus just accepting a lower selling price or letting something go with the home and having the sale done right now.

Even in the most sluggish or off-season real estate market, getting ahead of the curve with these suggestions can lead to a quicker sale and get you successfully on to whatever you had planned as your next step in life..