Anna Maria Island Sales Up Strongly

by Harold Bubil

The Anna Maria real estate market doesn’t get a lot of attention, but maybe it should.

Realtors John and Christine van Zandt of Island Real Estate report that residential sales for the first six months of the year are up 47 percent over the same period last year, with 268 total closings this year and just 182 in the first half of 2009.

Reporting on sales data from the Mid-Florida MLS, the Van Zandts said the average price per square foot for island condos sold is up nearly 15 percent, at $315 versus $277 a year ago.

There are about 500 active listings in the three island cities: Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach.

The data represents “pent-up demand for the vacation homes this island offers, generally lower prices, and more flexible sellers than in recent years,” said the Van Zandts in their newsletter. “Buyers also have shown confidence that their second homes can help pay a portion of their cost through strong rental income.”

In June, though, the picture clouded up a bit. June sales were off 11 percent over the same month a year earlier, and average prices dipped a bit, as well. “Tales of cautious behavior have local agents wondering what — if any — additional effect the gusher in the Gulf will have on sales and property values,” wrote the Van Zandts.

Originally posted on HeraldTribune.com