HOME BUYERS! Don't miss a "historical buyer's market opportunity!" Call THE SERENA GROUP today to get our "Best Buy" list for Lakewood Ranch in Bradenton, FL. Take advantage of the "HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT" before it expires on NOVEMBER 30TH, 2009. THE CLOCK IS TICKING... not much time to find a home, contract to buy, and go to the closing table... we know how to guide you to a successful "happy ending!" CONTACT US TODAY...   Lakewood Ranch in Bradenton consists of seven villages with both gourmet and casual restaurants, top notch schools, unique & bountiful shopping opportunities, a hospital and medical facility, 3 fantastic golf courses; an fitness center that includes 18 lighted tennis courts & Polo and Cricket clubs, sidewalks and trails, community parks, lakes and nature preserves...... 08/31/2009

Home buyers... The time is ripe for making YOUR move!  Home prices are rising... investors are grabbing the best deals... the home buyer tax credit expires on November 30, 2009!  WHAT ARE YOU WAITNG FOR?  Contact THE SERENA GROUP today to find out how you can get into the market... before this "HISTORICAL BUYER'S OPPORTUNITY" passes you by.... Heritage Harbour is a master-planned, gated golf course and river front community located in East Manatee County. Encompassing more than 2,500 acres of graceful beauty, including a 200 acre island in the Manatee River. Heritage Harbour offers it's residents enjoyment of a wealth of amenities including: championship golf courses, resort-style pools, fine dining, and lighted tennis. HERITAGE HARBOUR IN BRADENTON - REAL ESTATE, MARKET STATISTICS - 8/... 08/31/2009

Interested in Homes for Sale in River Sound by Neal Communities? Located in East Manatee County, River Sound offers comfortable and serene living for affordable prices. Homes in River Sound are affordably priced from the low 100's to the high 200's. Veiw all of the floor plans Neal Community has to offer below. There really is something for EVERYONE! For more details on new construction homes in East Manatee County and Manatee County, contact the Burish & Serena Team! Visit www.usa-floridahomes.net or call 941-704-4223. River Sound Site - REV Lots RS Celebration Series Inserts Preliminary 121008 RS Cottage Series Inserts Preliminary 121008 River Sound Floor Plans 08/27/2009

(This story is best enjoyed if you start the video at the bottom of the post before you start reading!)   Wow... what an unusual Monday!  The day began... as all Mondays do... with lots of coffee, a shake off of the "weekend attitude", and a "kick it into gear" for a great week ahead. My arrival at the office brought a few surprises, but nothing that could not be considered par for the course of doing business in a busy Real Estate office.... especially in this challenging Real Estate Market! At about lunch hour, I wandered into the kitchen to unwrap my "frozen pile of italian mush" chosen for Monday's lunch, and pop it into the microwave to be turned into a "steaming pile of italian mush" to be consumed to fuel my brilliance for the day.  (I use the word "brilliance" very loosely here!... 08/24/2009

The Real Estate Market for our area of Florida - BRADENTON, SARASOTA, MANATEE COUNTY AND SARASOTA COUNTY has been a whilwind of activity in the past month! In the last 30 days, our team has 3 new listings that went under contract immediately after listing them (all short sales), numerous offers on other traditional listings, and home buyers coming out in droves... ready to buy a home! It's a home seller's market in the price ranges of $100,000 - $200,00... with multiple offers becoming a common occurance with listings in this range. Home Sellers... there's light at the end of the tunnel! and Home Buyers... Take the leap! This is going to go down as one of the best "Buyer's Markets" in recent "Real Estate History!" Call THE SERENA GROUP when you are ready to make YOUR MOVE!(*use the arro... 08/17/2009

Bradenton SHORT SALE...Very open floor plan! Move-in-ready 2 bdrm/2 bath villa with den/office or 3rd bdrm. Large master suite. Vaulted ceilings. Screened, enclosed lanai overlooking lovely shaded back yard. Active and amenity rich community with heated pool, shuffleboard, tennis courts and rec. center. Convenient WEST BRADENTON location... Close to loads of shopping, restaurants and the beautiful area beaches.   www.TheSerenaGroup.com   08/17/2009

Looking for a place to LIVE AND PLAY? Waterlefe Golf and River Club is a first class community, located in East Manatee County, on the banks of the Manatee River on the West Coast of Florida.  Waterlefe Golf and River Club offers a meticulously maintained community of custom built homes, top notch 18 hole golf course, marina, private docks and amenities galore!The 18-hole championship golf course is one of the finest in the country. The Waterlefe Golf and River Club course offers five sets of tees to challenge and fit any golfer. This beautiful golf course takes you along the Manatee River and through majestic Florida conservation. Boating enthusiast will appreciate the marina and private boat docks that line the Manatee River. Congregate docks are available for those who prefer to kee... 08/10/2009

Cypress Creek Estates - Manatee County's Hidden Treasure The Burish and Serena Team have expert knowledge of Manatee County's most prescious gem. Hidden away along the banks of the Manatee River lies Cypress Creek Estates, a gated executive community offering large 1 acre parcel lots, individual boat docks and waterways direct to the Gulf via the Manatee River with no obstructions. WE ARE Cypress Creek's Real Estate Professionals of Choice. Search for Homes in East Manatee County Our Listings in Cypress Creek Estates: 6144 9th Ave NE - $765,000 6163 9th Ave NE - $980,000 6147 9th Ave NE - $525,000 6104 8th Ave NE - 189,000 6109 8th Ave NE - $169,000 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE GREAT REAL ESTATE RESOURCES - Search for Homes in Florida Market Updates Short Sale Q & A Disclosures Mortgage ... 08/10/2009

In the past three years I have been forced to become an expert doing short sales.  Right now over half my business is dealing with short sales.  One common frustration comes up time and time again. Here is a typical scenario. A family owns a home that was bought at the peak of the market, or refinanced at the peak.  For example they may owe 400,000 on a home that is only worth 250,000.  The owner is employed, but with the economic slow down they are making less money then they did when they took out the mortgage.  They have attempted to contact their lender, with the hope to either get their principle balance reduced, or work out a way to get a lower payment.  They are still employed, but just making less. I meet with the owners, and let them know that they are 100,000-200,000 UPSIDE-DO... 08/10/2009

With the deadline for taking advantage of the "HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT" looming close... you might want or need some great alternatives to "SHORT SALE HOME LISTINGS" and "FORECLOSURE HOME LISTINGS" to choose from! CONSIDER A NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME! There are some great deals from "NEW HOME BUILDERS" out there right now. Builders are negotiating GREAT DEALS for buyers who are represented by "EXPERIENCED REALTORS ... REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS with EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE WITH NEW HOMES AND NEW CONSTRUCTION SALES. THE SERENA GROUP, together, has decades of NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME EXPERIENCE. Both Gina and Bob Serena started their REAL ESTATE careers in NEW CONSTRUCTION home sales and have intimate knowledge on how to negotiate with the builder to get you the best incentives and the BES... 08/01/2009

Bradenton Homes for Rent Rentals in Bradenton, Florida 07/30/2009

Bradenton Apartments Apartments in Bradenton, Florida 07/24/2009

HERITAGE HARBOUR - BRADENTON... OPEN HOUSES!   (SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2009) FOR MORE INFORMATION... OR FOR YOUR PRIVATE SHOWING, CALL BOB SERENA AT: (941) 928-1248   FOR A "FREE BRADENTON HOME SEARCH"                          click here:                                                    OR VISIT: www.TheSerenaGroup.com   07/18/2009

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING... SIMPLIFIED!  Do you feel that staying in touch with family, friends, clients, prospects, and referral sources...RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.... is crucial to a successful & prosperous business and personal life but, somehow, other "high priority" actions have interfered with your timeliness & consistency?  If, after looking over your business plan, you find that you really need to improve your "touch system" with past clients, current prospects, and business associates, consider:   SendOutCards.com!            I just sent out my first 2 cards yesterday... so simple & quick... and have plans to use this fast & efficient communication resource for both my personal and my business communications from now on!  In my opinion, there is just no better, faster, or easier way ... 07/17/2009

      BREAKING NEWS!  Villages of Lakewood Ranch South project approved by county commissioners.... more here!         www.TheSerenaGroup.com 07/09/2009

View Lakewood Ranch - Bradenton, FL in a larger map   Seven villages with both gourmet and casual restaurants, top notch schools, unique & bountiful shopping opportunities, a hospital and medical facility, 3 fantastic golf courses; an fitness center that includes 18 lighted tennis courts & Polo and Cricket clubs, sidewalks and trails, community parks, lakes and nature preserves...YOU NAME IT... YOU CAN FIND IT AT LAKEWOOD RANCH! Located on West Florida's Gulf Coast... close to I-75.   Please click on the blue balloons for more information and resources for LAKEWOOD RANCH in FLORIDA! View Lakewood Ranch - Bradenton, FL in a larger map     www.TheSerenaGroup.com   07/07/2009

Heritage Harbour is a master-planned, gated golf course and river front community located in East Manatee County. Encompassing more than 2,500 acres of graceful beauty, including a 200 acre island in the Manatee River. Heritage Harbour becons it's residents to enjoy a wealth of amenities including: championship golf courses, resort-style pools, fine dining, and lighted tennis. Please click on the blue balloons for more information and resources for Heritage Harbour!View Heritage Harbour in Bradenton, FL 34212 in a larger map                                             www.TheSerenaGroup.com     06/28/2009

The chairman of MOVE, INC. (Realtor.com),Joe Hanauer, has been lobbying in Washington with a proposal that poses a solution to the question:  If home buyers had insurance to protect them from falling home values woud it give the needed "boost" to home sales that is needed to breathe new life into our failing economy?  He’s suggesting that the US government offer the insurance as a supplement to the "housing bailout." WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS IDEA... DOES THE COST JUSTIFY THE BENEFITS... and how effective do you think it would be? Follow the link to read the details of Joe's proposal. ......MORE HERE!           06/27/2009

All of us are being bombarded with advice, seminars, etc. about the importance of having a presence on the important social media platforms.  Great advice.... not very helpful, though, without also giving some advice about developing a strategy for using your presence on all of these sites!  When I first started posting our team's profile and information on sites like:  ACTIVE RAIN, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND MYSPACE... I wasn't quite certain how I was going to use these profiles to market our business and to generate buzz, interest and leads.  In hind sight... I now realize that developing the STRATEGY is the first step that you should take in this effort... not the last!  You must use the strategy that you develop to generate the keywords, titles & the content that you write for your prof... 06/24/2009

Proposed 25-acre park in the Creekwood neighborhood including: two dogs parks, a playground, exercise trail, & 2 tennis courts, is in its final planning stage, waiting for approval from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.   The park would be on the corner of 44th Avenue East and Creekwood Boulevard.                                                MORE HERE.....                     www.TheSerenaGroup.com   06/17/2009