Shaun Benderson is a true expert on commercial real estate (CRE). He has handled in properties across the country, from Sarasota to Phoenix to Tampa Bay. He also deals with all types of CRE, from income properties to retail properties. Throughout his career, he has seen people make the same mistake over and over again, and that is that they only think of numbers. They watch the news for the latest scoop on market crashes and buy or sell based on that. It is a strategy to use, but Benderson believes there is more to being successful in real estate to that. Specifically, it is about location and nowhere is this truer than in Sarasota.
Why It’s all about Location in Sarasota According to Shaun Benderson
Sarasota offers a very different commercial market than any other in the state. A commercial property is one that the owner can use in order to gain revenue. This can be done by running a business in that property or by leasing it out, for instance. Either way, however, location is of vital importance. One of the reasons for this is that the economy of Sarasota is very diverse.
A simple example would be of someone who hopes to own a working farm in order to grow vegetables and fruits. In that case, a property near Fruitville Road is the logical location to choose. Not only is there land here, but there are also regular markets at which produce can be sold. That said, there are always pros and cons to any type of property and any type of location, which is why people looking at CRE should ask themselves:
- How often traffic comes past the site.
- How far the closest amenities, such as grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, and malls, are.
- How easy it is to access the physical property.
Sarasota is also a location with high tourist numbers and the economy is dependent on visitors from out of town. Indeed, it is a true vacation hot spot. It is attractive for all types of visitors, from the very young to the very old, and from single individuals to entire families. This means that Sarasota is also a very interesting location for multi-family properties and income properties. Again, however, the interest is not found so much in the permanent occupancy properties, although they can provide interesting returns, but more in the vacation homes, the beachfront villas, and other such properties.
The high level of tourism, in turn, also means there is a demand for quaint shops, souvenirs, and children’s beach toy shops. Again, however, those only work if they are near Sarasota’s beach front. Location truly is everything when it comes to owning property in Sarasota that is anything other than a primary residence. For Shaun Benderson, there is very little point in looking at any other statistics and economic factors in this area. It is all about what you are doing and where you are doing it.