22 minute read
REAL ESTATE
26 THE SUN REAL ESTATE
OCTOBER 20, 2021
Love is blind
Usually, I write this column around Valentine’s Day, but this year I don’t think I can wait ‘til February. So, let’s talk about the mistakes both buyers and sellers make in an overheated real estate market and how it’s dangerous to fall in love with a home, even if it’s your own.
We’re approaching the busy selling season in Florida and everyone’s emotions are on high alert, waiting to see if sellers let loose a plethora of new listings, and if buyers are still out there and not discouraged. Whatever happens, the old selling and buying rules are still in place - don’t let your emotions rule your good judgment.
A buyer will someday be a seller, so it’s important to choose a home that doesn’t have significant location flaws. The interior of a home can be fixed, renovated or enlarged, but if the home you’re settling for is near a highway, bridge or school, that can’t be changed. It’s tempting in this market to buy whatever is available and in your price range, but you still need to consider location first.
Florida has been experiencing a tremendous influx of buyers since COVID. Some are moving for our state’s attractive economic environment, some are just done with the congestion and weather in other parts of the country. Because of this a lot of new Florida residents are making emotional decisions and may someday regret it when they become sellers.
For the same reasons as above, buyers are buying homes sight unseen. The best way to tour a home is in person, or if you have a trusted friend or relative to do it for you. However, walking in the door for the first time after you’ve closed could be a shock when the kitchen cabinets are a lot more dinged than the pictures showed.
Waiving inspections even on homes that you plan on totally renovating is also a gamble. Plumbing, septic and flooding issues will still be there after you renovate the kitchen. Inspections are especially important for vacation properties, where the goal is to keep it low maintenance and enjoyable.
In this market, buyers who are priced out of single-family homes are jumping into condo ownership, many of them without realizing that properties with homeowner’s associations have restrictions you may find tough to live with. Read the condo documents, financials and rules and regulations thoroughly before signing the final contract.
In addition, the biggest mistake sellers make is assuming that a buyer will love your collection of 18th-century dolls scattered around your house and will overlook the dishes in the kitchen sink as just part of living. Wrong, a buyer’s eye will immediately go to the defects in a home and one that has too much stuff or is offensive in some way goes to the bottom of the list, even in this market.
Most sellers in this market have accumulated a lot of capital gains. Hopefully, everyone knows to keep accurate records of home improvements that can be used to offset the remaining capital gains after the IRS exemption ($250,000 for individuals, $500,000 for couples). Also consider during the negotiating process whether holding out for that extra $10,000 will actually give you money in your pocket when the capital gains are considered. It might not be worth losing the buyer for a smaller dollar amount than you thought.
The above points out just some of the ways a crazy real estate market can make you forget that you’re probably buying or selling the largest investment of your life. As in love, emotions can drive mistakes; don’t be blind to the consequences.
Castles in the Sand
LOUISE BOLGER
Funding OK’d for new police officer
Police Chief Bill Tokajer will be able to welcome a new officer now that commissioners have approved the expenditure.
BY KRISTIN SWAIN
SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – It took some discussion, but city commissioners voted to allow the Holmes Beach Police Department to add another officer to its ranks.
Commissioners voted three to two in favor of releasing funds earmarked in the budget for the new hire with Commissioners Kim Rash and Jayne Christenson voting no. Police Chief Bill Tokajer said he’s vetted someone to potentially take the position but, as of the Oct. 12 meeting, no one had been hired for the position since funding for it was pending commission approval.
The additional officer will bring the total of officers in the HBPD, including Tokajer, to 18, with 14 of those being patrol officers. By hiring the new officer, Tokajer said it brings the department up to a good staffing level and allows Lt. Brian Hall to take the second in command role that was eliminated to put more officers on patrol when Tokajer took over as chief nine years ago.
While Tokajer said the new hire is part of his succession planning strategy, that strategy is to put a solid structure in place prior to his eventual retirement, not determine who the next chief of police will be in Holmes Beach.
Commissioner Jim Kihm said during the discussion that he’s concerned about Hall being pegged as Tokajer’s successor since he is related to Mayor Judy Titsworth. Kihm said he felt that relationship would be a conflict of interest in the city’s government structure. Titsworth said she’s very proud of Hall and the career he’s built over the years serving in the HBPD. Tokajer added that no one is guaranteed his job when he decides to retire, which he doesn’t plan to do any time soon.
While the mayor is an elected position serving a two-year term, the police chief is a city employee whose hiring is voted on by commissioners.
In her comments, Christenson said she supports the HBPD and its officers but believes an outside consultant should be hired to determine if the department needs another officer and, if so, Manatee County officials should be responsible for paying for that person rather than the city’s residents, due to the influx of tourism to Holmes Beach. Currently, Manatee County gives the HBPD $50,000 per year to patrol the county-owned beaches in Holmes Beach. Tokajer said he and Titsworth continue to work to get that amount raised.
Kihm added that he agrees the amount given to Holmes Beach for police by the county should be higher due to the public safety issues surrounding increased tourism to the Island.
Rash said that while he fully supports the police department, he also agrees the county needs to increase what they’re giving to the department on an annual basis.
“Manatee County is profiting off of the Island and needs to step up to the bar,” he said. “The residents shouldn’t have to carry the burden for all of Manatee County’s wants.”
Commissioner Carol Soustek said she voted in favor of hiring a new officer because she wants to stay ahead of enforcement in Holmes Beach. She added that she believes adequate staffing in the HBPD is essential to keeping crime rates low in the city.
Tokajer said that in 2020, HBPD officers made 379 arrests, a significantly higher number than those made by Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key police officers.
HBPD Officer Michael VanHorn addressed commissioners during public comment, relaying some of the difficulties the city’s police force faces on a regular basis. These include a large number of calls requiring multiple officers to respond, particularly if there is an aggressive suspect, such as in drug, intoxication and gun-related incidents. He relayed examples of multiple incidents which occurred on one recent weekend where more than one officer was needed to respond to a call due to a violent suspect. In each instance, VanHorn said multiple officers were needed to subdue the suspect with minimal force and to try to prevent injury to their fellow officers.
The minimum shift staff for the HBPD includes two patrol officers, a sergeant and a mid-shift officer to ease the workload during shift change hours.
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Say hello to your new neighbors
Participants sought for Veterans Day parade
Local businesses, organizations and community members are encouraged to participate in the Veterans Day parade.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The city will host its annual “Old Soldiers & Sailors” Veterans Day parade on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m., this year featuring a warbird flyover.
Last year’s parade and veterans ceremony was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parade participants will travel down Pine Avenue from Anna Maria City Hall to City Pier Park, where a veterans recognition and appreciation ceremony will take place under the shade sail structure at about 1:30 p.m.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy provided city commissioners with a parade planning update on Thursday, Oct. 14. The parade will feature four high school marching bands, military and law enforcement vehicles, a Marine Corps honor guard, youngsters from The Center, the AMI Privateer’s “Skullywag” parade vessel, floats, decorated vehicles, walking groups, state and local politicians and more.
“They can drive, they can walk – whatever they want to do,” Deputy Clerk/Code Enforcement Manager Debbie Haynes said of the parade participants.
The parade staging will take place in the city hall parking lot and parade participants are encouraged to arrive by 12:30 p.m.
The post-parade veterans ceremony will include a flyover featuring at least one World War II-era airplane, the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance led by a 100-yearold World War II veteran, a special tribute to veterans and their spouses and patriotic music performed by the marching bands.
“We’re pretty excited about this because we had to put it on hold because of COVID,” Murphy told the commission.
Murphy said city staffers are working with the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce as part of the efforts to get more local businesses to participate in the parade. Local organizations are also invited to participate. There’s no entry fee and application forms can be downloaded at the city website.
“It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be a good parade,” Murphy said.
“The purpose of these events that we put on is to bring a sense of community to our city and to our Island – to bring everybody together, to meet, greet and in some cases renew acquaintances, and in other cases make new acquaintances,” Murphy said.
For more information, please call 941528-6130, ext. 122, or email vetsparade@ cityofannamaria.com.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN Above, the Lakewood Ranch High School marching band will participate in this year’s parade. Above right, local businesses are invited to participate in the parade. Right, the annual parade serves as a salute to veterans of the United States military.
BEACH BEAT
BRADENTON BEACH
10/9, 11:24 p.m., noise complaint, 101 22nd St. N. The officer was dispatched in reference to a noise complaint. When he arrived, the officer heard loud music coming from the pool area. There was a party of about six people celebrating a birthday. The officer informed the group of the city noise ordinance and they took the celebration inside without further incident.
HOLMES BEACH
10/6, 12:50 p.m., petit theft/felony, 5353 Gulf Drive. The officer was dispatched to the Time Saver Liquor Store in response to a theft complaint. The store owner met the officer at the store, saying he had taken some time off and the manager had been running the store. According to the complaint, an employee who was terminated on Sept. 15 has been stealing money and merchandise from the store beginning Sept. 7. In addition to the manager stating he witnessed multiple thefts, there was also video evidence the police are currently reviewing. No arrest has yet been made. 10/7, 4:11 p.m., harassment, 7216 Holmes Blvd. The officer responded to a call about harassment. Upon arrival, the homeowner told the officer that someone had driven by her house on a red Polaris Gem and yelled a derogatory statement about the homeowner’s family. The victim thinks this encounter might be due to Holmes Beach not requiring a name and phone number from anyone making a noise complaint. The victim’s Ring doorbell recorded the incident and police entered it into the case file. No further action was taken at the time. 10/9, 4:16 a.m., information report, 6000 Gulf Drive. Dispatch was notified of a Silver alert subject from Citrus County whose phone pinged in the area of 72nd and Marina Drive. Two officers did a detailed search but did not immediately locate the subject. Eventually the subject was located driving south on Palm Drive. Officers followed the man to a parking lot to initiate a stop so the subject’s vehicle wouldn’t need to be towed. The police said the man was very pleasant but confused. Officers kept the man company until family arrived to take the man home. 10/11, 6:50 p.m., property damage, 5704 Marina Drive. The officer was dispatched to The Ugly Grouper in reference to a possible crash involving an Orange Jeep and a maroon EZ-GO golf cart. The owner of the Jeep stated after they ate and returned to the Jeep there was a dent that they believe was caused by the golf cart parked in front of them. The driver of the cart denied any incident had happened, so the officers asked to see the security footage from The Ugly Grouper. Due to the angle of the camera, there was no view of the incident available. The officers told the Jeep owner that since there were no witnesses and no video footage, they would not be able to say who was at fault or when the damage happened.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
607, 609, 611 Fern Streets & 610 Rose Street 12 Beds 6 Baths 1,568 Sq. Ft. Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 A4497933 $5,695,000
HOLMES BEACH
4003 5th Avenue 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,200 Sq. Ft. Stacy Haas 941-587-4359 A4514159 $1,750,000
BRADENTON
1523 1st Avenue W 4 Beds 3 Baths 3,500 Sq. Ft. Fran DeDona & Pam Goodwin 941-812-5023 A4505327 $999,750
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
112 Mangrove Avenue 4 Beds 2/1 Baths 3,577 Sq. Ft. Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 A4502423 $4,350,000
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
2719 Gulf Drive 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,119 Sq. Ft. Melinda Alvarez 941-704-0633 A4506596 $1,599,900
PALMETTO
610 16th Avenue E 2 Beds 2/1 Baths 1,957 Sq. Ft. Rachelle Golden 941-538-8998 A4514336 $919,900
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
8017 Marina Isles Lane 3 Beds 3/1 Baths 3,593 Sq. Ft. Kate Enis 941-330-6068 A4500595 $7,250,000
LONGBOAT KEY
691 Broadway Street 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,189 Sq. Ft. Cindy Fischer 941-465-1124 A4511396 $789,000
ST PETE
400 4th Avenue S 1004 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,384 Sq. Ft. Cheryl Roberts & Cathy Palmer 941-266-1450 A4512905 $789,000
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
102 Cedar Avenue 4 Beds 3/1 Baths 2,290 Sq. Ft. Hannah Hillyard & George Myers 941-744-7358 A4507978 $3,995,000
LONGBOAT KEY
3540 Gulf Of Mexico Drive 303C 3 Beds 3 Baths 2,568 Sq. Ft. Sean Clark 941-312-1146 A4512315 $1,390,000
BRADENTON
3622 Avenida Madera 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,609 Sq. Ft. Adam Cuffaro 941-812-0791 A4507676 $650,000
ANNA MARIA ISLAND
867 N Shore Drive 2 Beds 2 Baths 1,507 Sq. Ft. Kathy Marshall 941-900-9777 A4512601 $3,250,000
LONGBOAT KEY
1445 Gulf Of Mexico Drive 201 3 Beds 2/1 Baths 2,274 Sq. Ft. Kathy Callahan 941-900-8088 A4504369 $1,137,000
BRADENTON
4715 50th Avenue W 3 Beds 2 Baths 1,658 Sq. Ft. Leah Secondo 941-545-4430 A4514428 $499,000
BY JASON SCHAFFER
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH - Island Gallery West's Featured Artist for the month of October made an appearance at the gallery on Oct. 8. Jim Wheeler has been a photographer since the age of 16, and is a longtime painter of acrylics. These skills combine in “Feathers,” an exhibit of Wheeler’s work featuring photographs that have been digitally and/or manually enhanced with the addition of acrylic over-painting for a unique “painterly” look.
“I use a multi-step process to get the effect I’m looking for. I’m shooting for an impressionist look,” said Wheeler, speaking about how he gets the unique look that presents more as a painting than a photograph after the unique process is complete.
Wheeler chose the “Feathers” theme because of his love for birds of all kinds. Bird pictures have always dominated his body of work and he finds them to be a big part of the beauty of nature. He’s had a Timneh Grey Parrot who has been his companion since 1990 and has spent many hours on long bicycle rides with Wheeler, who has been a bicycle-ride leader, president and general board member with the Sarasota Manatee Bicycle Club for the past 15 years.
“I’ve always loved birds, but I didn’t realize that the bulk of my work was of birds until my wife pointed it out,” said Wheeler. “First off, my parrot is my real buddy. He sits on my shoulder and we go for walks and find birds. Living here, there are so many. I’ve been all over the world but I found that people in Florida, especially tourists from out of town don’t come here to buy artworks of African animals. They want native wildlife, so I tend to stick to that."
Jim Wheeler has had photographs published nationally on multiple occasions, served as a judge for the Cleveland Photographic Society and worked as the award-winning chief editor for a national business magazine, among other career achievements.
Island West Gallery is located at 5368 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, Trolley Stop 15, on Anna Maria Island. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
Wheeler Visit www.islandgallerywest.com or call 941-778-6648 for updates about the art and 28 memberartists of the gallery. Masks are encouraged. Hand sanitizer is available.
JASON SCHAFFER | SUN Scarlet Macaw by Jim Wheeler.
JASON SCHAFFER | SUN A peacock in grand plumage, by artist Jim Wheeler.
Top real estate producers for September 2021
A PARADISE Maria Griffith - Listing & Selling
AN ISLAND PLACE REALTY Sue Carlson - Listing Tanya McCormick - Selling
DUNCAN REAL ESTATE Darcie Duncan – Listing & Selling
EDGEWATER REAL ESTATE Lynn Zemmer - Listing & Selling FRAN MAXON Stephanie Bell – Listing Sharon Villars Foraker and Tim Villars Selling
ISLAND REAL ESTATE Team of Kathleen White and Erin Leathem – Listing & Selling
MICHAEL SAUNDERS Kathy Marshall – Listing Hannah Hillyard / George Myers - Selling PREMIER SOTHEBY Shellie Young – Listing
REMAX ALLIANCE GROUP Cindy Quinn – Listing & Selling
SALTY MERMAID REAL ESTATE Nicole Skaggs / Alex Rutland – Listing Liz Blandford - Selling
SATO REAL ESTATE Jason Sato – Listing & Selling
Funding finalized for Mote Marine facility on City Pier
Mote Marine’s buildout and installation plans will require city commission approval.
BY JOE HENDRICKS
SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – The Manatee County Commission has officially authorized an interlocal agreement that provides the city of Anna Maria with $500,000 for the buildout and installation of the Mote Educational Outreach Center on the City Pier.
The county commission authorized the interlocal agreement on Tuesday, Oct. 12, after the Anna Maria City Commission approved the Mote Marine lease agreement by a 4-1 vote on Sept. 30.
The $500,000 in county resort tax funds is expected to cover the majority of the costs associated with the interior buildout of the city-owned building and the installation of the Mote Marine exhibits. Mote Marine will be responsible for any buildout and installation costs that exceed the $500,000, with the exception of any additional costs associated with design elements or facility features sought by the city commission beyond those proposed by Mote Marine. The city will reimburse Mote Marine for the buildout and installation costs incurred and then be reimbursed by the county.
The lease agreement reached with Mote Marine in September will not generate monthly or annual rent revenues for the city, and the city will be responsible for the utilities and maintenance costs associated with the educational outreach center that will be staffed and operated at Mote Marine’s expense.
On Thursday, Oct. 14, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy told city commissioners the next step in the process will be the presentation of Mote Marine’s buildout and installation plans. Murphy said those plans will require city commission approval. He also said those plans will be reviewed by the city’s building official and the city’s engineering firm before being presented to the city commission for acceptance or denial.
“If the plans are denied, the deal is off with Mote,” Murphy told the commission. “I chartered our building official and our city engineer with making sure that we’re getting a high-quality product.”
Murphy said he and Public Works Manager Dean Jones plan to meet with Mote Marine CEO and President Michael Crosby within the next 10 days or so to discuss the plans in progress.
“They are already actively developing their plans,” Murphy said.
Murphy said he hopes to bring the plan approval process to quick fruition, but as of last week he was unable to provide an estimated date as to when those plans will be presented to the city commission.
After the September meeting, Mote Marine Vice President of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Kevin Cooper said he expects the buildout and installation to be completed by March 2022, with the Mote Marine facility opening soon after that.
JOE HENDRICKS | SUN The Mote Educational Outreach Center is to be located in the larger of the two city-owned buildings at the end of the City Pier.
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LONGBOAT BEACH HOUSE
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602 84th Street NW $725,000 Jayne Kocher 941.915.6000 ANNA MARIA ISLAND
825 North Shore Drive $10,500,000 Cindy Pierro 941.920.6818
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