Sarasota rolls past 9,000 real estate sales

SARASOTA — Property sales in Sarasota County surpassed 9,000 in 2012 — the fourth time in the 90-year history of the Sarasota Association of Realtors that it broke that figure.

The association reported 9,169 sales last year, according to a release. The other three years with higher volume, according to SAR, were boom years: 9,697 sales in 2003, 11,267 sales in 2004 and 10,562 in 2005. The 2012 total, moreover, is a hefty increase from the depths of the recession, when there were 6,358 sales in 2006 and 5,820 in 2008.

Roger Piro, president of SAR, says results should stay on the upswing. “Our market is enjoying an amazing resurgence, and the traditional busy season still has several months to go,” Piro says in a statement. “Last year, our strongest sales months were in March, April and May. We're all hoping for a repeat performance in 2013, and agents are continuing to report steady, strong foot traffic at open houses and multiple offers on many properties.”

Sales for the county ended the year well on a monthly basis, too. On that end, there were 828 property sales in December 2012, the association reports, up 8.3% from 764 sales in November and up 28% from 644 sales in December 2011.