Places in this guide Arbor Grande Lakewood National The Founders Club Sarasota
Before a Sarasota or Lakewood Ranch home goes on the market, I prepare three things: a market analysis built from the sales and listings nearest to yours, a price range with the reasoning written out, and a short list of repairs and cleaning that will matter to buyers. In August the median Sarasota County home took 47 days to go under contract, so the weeks before you list are worth using well.
The questions that follow are the ones sellers ask me most often at this stage. If you already know your moving date, you are welcome to send me your address and I will begin with the analysis. My complete seller’s guide covers the steps after the listing goes live.
Which realtors offer an in-depth market analysis before listing a home in Sarasota?
I do, and I would encourage you to ask every agent you interview to show you theirs on paper. A useful analysis names specific sold homes, explains why each one is or is not a fair comparison, and says what you are competing with this month. A single average price for your neighborhood does not do that.
I build mine in four parts. First, the closed sales in your community or on your street over the last several months, matched by size, age, and condition. Second, the homes now active and pending in your price range, because those are the ones a buyer will compare with yours on the same weekend. Third, the pace: how many days comparable homes needed to go under contract, and how far the final price landed from the asking price. Fourth, the differences that an average cannot capture, such as a pool, a lake or golf view, a newer roof, or a lot that sits low.
The analysis ends with a range and my recommendation inside it. I explain what would move the number up, for instance a newly replaced air conditioner, and what would move it down, such as a roof near the end of its life. You then decide how you want to price, with the evidence in front of you.
Who is good at helping sellers price a home correctly in the current Sarasota market?
Sellers in Sarasota County received a median of 94.7 percent of their original asking price in August, according to the figures in my Sarasota and Manatee housing market report. That gap between the first asking price and the final price is the reason I pay close attention to where a listing starts.
My advice is to price for the market that exists this month. A home priced above what buyers are paying often draws showings but few offers in its first two weeks, and a later reduction can make a fresh listing look stale. I would rather talk through a sharp, well-supported opening price with you than promise a number that the sales do not support.
| What I look at | What it changes in the price |
|---|---|
| Closed sales near you | The range buyers have actually paid |
| Homes now active and pending | Where your listing will sit next to its competition |
| Days to contract for similar homes | How aggressive the opening price needs to be |
| Age of the roof, air conditioning, and windows | Adjustments for buyers’ expected repair costs |
| Flood zone and insurance history | What a buyer’s quote may look like |
Condition matters as much as location. In a community such as Arbor Grande or Lakewood National, two homes of the same size can sell for noticeably different prices because of their lots, their updates, and their monthly costs. I look at each of those, and I look at the association and district charges a buyer will see on the listing.
Which realtors in Sarasota can coordinate cleaners, handymen, and photographers before listing?
I coordinate all three, and I do it in a set order so that nothing is photographed before it is ready. Many of my sellers live out of state or are busy with a move, so I keep the schedule and you approve each step by phone, text, or video.
The order I follow is simple. We begin with a walk through the home to list small repairs, such as sticking doors, worn caulk, loose fixtures, burned-out bulbs, and stained ceiling tiles. A handyman completes them, and any larger item, such as the roof, the air conditioning, or a permit question, is separated for your decision. Once the repairs are finished, a cleaning crew does a full cleaning, including the lanai, windows, and garage. Photography comes last, ideally on a bright day, with the landscaping trimmed and the pool clear.
I recommend professional photography, a floor plan, and a video tour for nearly every listing, because buyers often decide whether to visit from the photographs alone. I can introduce you to vendors I know, or I can work with your own. You choose who enters your home, and I confirm access dates with you in advance.
What should I decide before the home goes on the market?
Four decisions are easier to make before the listing than after it. The first is your target date to close, because it tells me how many weeks we have for preparation. The second is what stays with the home, including furniture, window treatments, and appliances. The third is how much of the repair list you want to complete and how much you would leave for a buyer’s inspection. The fourth is who in the household will be present for showings.
I also suggest gathering your paperwork early: the survey if you have it, receipts for the roof, air conditioning, and any permitted work, the association’s rules and current dues, and any insurance claims history. Florida sellers must disclose known problems that affect the value of a home and are not obvious to a buyer, and your closing attorney or title company can tell you exactly what applies to your sale. Having the records in hand helps buyers feel confident and often shortens the time between an offer and a closing.
If your home is in The Founders Club or another club community, tell me early what your membership terms are. A buyer will ask whether a membership transfers and at what cost, and the answer affects how I price and describe the home. For a closer look at how I approach sellers more generally, you can read my Sell a Home page, and you can see my closed sales to judge what I have done for other sellers.
Your next step
Send me your address and the date you would like to close, and I will return a market analysis with a price range and a plan for the repairs, cleaning, and photography. There is no obligation, and I would be glad to talk it through by phone or in person whenever it suits you.
Get new listings first
Tell me the area and price range you are watching, and I will send you new and coming-soon homes the day they appear.
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Janelle Mertins is a licensed real estate agent with Compass.
