Did a quick search of Manatee and Sarasota counties and used this criteria, 300K-350K, 3 beds/2 baths or more, 2005 or newer, single family homes. 42 homes in Sarasota county and 47 in Manatee county. Restricting the age narrows the list down a lot. I'll list some of the neighborhoods in the list so you have an idea of what neighborhoods to search:

Sarasota
Villages at Pinetree Marsh
Sarasota Springs
The Enclave

Manatee/Bradenton/Ellenton/Parrish/Palmetto...

Really a hurricane can hit anywhere in Florida. I think that the Miami and Key West have the highest possibility of a hurricane strike. You need to be prepared where ever you live. I am a native Floridian and have lived in or close by Sarasota county my whole life and have never evacuated, not to say that I wouldn't but I've never felt the need to.

Anywhere you live in the world you will be faced with some kind of natural disaster-tornadoes, typhoons, tidal waves, earthquakes,...

Downtown Punta Gorda was hit pretty bad by Charlie but it is all rebuilt now. The hotel got hit and many of the homes right along Retta Esplanade (the main street along the harbor). It seems every weekend they have something going on down there. This weekend is the Seafood Festival and last weekend was the Peace River Art Show. On Thursday nights they have a jam sessions in Gilchrist Park. Punta Gorda is a pretty cool town.

There are many places to go hang out: Harpoon Harry's (they...

The term Florida cracker was originally used by the early settlers and came from the sound of the cowboys cracking the whip on the cattle. This specific term was used to describe the early settlers that used the Florida Cracker Trail which runs from Bradenton (the town I was born in) to Fort Pierce.

The term is used as a proud or jocular self-description. Since the huge influx of new residents into Florida from the northern parts of the United States, and Latin America, in the late...

Has the Realtor turned in the complete short sale package? If one piece is left out it will go back to the bottom of stack and they'll deal with another case that has a complete package.

How experienced is the other Realtor in dealing with short sales? How many have they closed? We are certified to deal with short sales and have closed many.

Is there a second mortgage? Properties with 2nd mortgages almost never work out because the first usually offers the second $1K...