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Sarasota County is located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 325,957. Its county seat is Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota County was created in 1921. It was named for a word in the Calusa Indian language, whose meaning may (but is not certain to) mean Point of Rocks. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 725 square miles. 572 square miles of it is land and 154 square miles of it is water. The total area is 21.19% water. Demographics As of the census 2000, there are 325,957 people, 149,937 households, and 94,460 families residing in the county. The population density is 570/sqmile. There are 182,467 housing units at an average density of 319/sqmile. The racial makeup of the county is 92.65%White, 4.18% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islanders, 1.14% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 4.34% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 149,937 households out of which 18.30% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% are married couples living together, 7.70% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.00% are non-families. 30.40% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.90% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.13 and the average family size is 2.61.
In the county the population is spread out with 16.20% under the age of 18, 5.00% from 18 to 24, 21.70% from 25 to 44, 25.60% from 45 to 64, and 31.50% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 50 years. For every 100 females there are 90.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $41,957, and the median income for a family is $50,111. Males have a median income of $32,114 versus $25,721 for females. The per capita income for the county is $28,326. 7.80% of the population and 5.10% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.70% of those under the age of 18 and 4.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns Source: Nation Master |
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How Much Home Can You Afford?
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Our calculators will help you determine loan amounts, mortgage qualification, affordability or whether you should be renting or buying. Complete the fields below and click Calculate Now. To view the results of each calculation, click on the various tabs. To email yourself a copy of the results, click the Receive this Detailed Analysis link. |
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Understanding Capital Gains in Real Estate
When you sell a stock, you owe taxes on your gain — the difference between what you paid for the stock and what you sold it for. The same holds true when selling a home (or a second home), but there are some special considerations.
How to Calculate Gain
In real estate, capital gains are based not on what you paid for the home, but on its adjusted cost basis. To calculate, follow these steps:
1. Purchase price: _______________________
The purchase price of the home is the sale price, not the amount of money you actually contributed at closing.
2. Total adjustments: _______________________
To calculate this, add the following:
- Cost of the purchase — including transfer fees, attorney fees, and inspections, but not points you paid on your mortgage.
- Cost of sale — including inspections, attorney fees, real estate commission, and money you spent to fix up your home just prior to sale.
- Cost of improvements — including room additions, deck, etc. Note here that improvements do not include repairing or replacing something already there, such as putting on a new roof or buying a new furnace.
3. Your home’s adjusted cost basis: _______________________
The total of your purchase price and adjustments is the adjusted cost basis of your home.
4. Your capital gain: _______________________
Subtract the adjusted cost basis from the amount your home sells for to get your capital gain.
A Special Real Estate Exemption for Capital Gains
Since 1997, up to $250,000 in capital gains ($500,000 for a married couple) on the sale of a home is exempt from taxation if you meet the following criteria:
· You have lived in the home as your principal residence for two out of the last five years.
· You have not sold or exchanged another home during the two years preceding the sale.
· You meet what the IRS calls “unforeseen circumstances,” such as job loss, divorce, or family medical emergency.
Reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (REALTOR.org/realtormag) with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. |
Educate Yourself
The real estate industry and industry terminology are foreign to the vast majority of people. Unless you have worked in the industry, or know someone who has, the whole process can be confusing and overwhelming. To assist you in the purchase of your new home, we recommend becoming more informed in the industry and with the terminology you will hear relating to the purchase of your home.
Have an Open Mind
Have an open mind when going through the showing process and consider all the possibilities a certain home may encompass. Not every home is going to be decorated as you see fit, just remember that some things are easier to change than others. When viewing a home try to visualize it with your furniture and according to your taste. It is easy to paint walls, change carpeting and re-landscape. However, adding a bathroom, expanding a room, or knocking out walls may get costly.
Needs Versus Wants
Differentiate your needs in a home from your wants. Every buyer has an ideal house in mind that includes specific features, layouts and styles. The reality of house shopping is that no house is going to contain all of your wants and needs, unless you design it yourself. Start your house search by listing the features you deem essential in your new home and then create another list for the features that aren't a necessity, but would be an added incentive. Creating a needs vs. wants list will get you into your new home quicker and save you and your chosen realtor time in the search process. |
 No single landscape can represent the natural diversity of Florida. From the rolling upland pine forests of the panhandle to the mangroves of the Florida Keys, this state is made up of complex and varying natural communities and recourses. Vegetation and wildlife species vary from north to south, as do soil types, rainfall and temperatures. Florida’s ecosystem evolved through dynamic natural processes such as fire, flood, and the interaction of native species. A recent study of the best beaches in America found six of the top 20 in Florida’s state parks. In past years, three state park beaches – Bahia Honda, Grayton Beach and St. Andrews – were voted No. 1 in the country. | |  Although Florida is best known for its tourist attractions and beaches, the booming worldwide trend in ecotourism (or nature based tourism) attracts growing numbers of visitors every year to The Real Florida. These travelers are beginning to realize that Florida’s true wealth is based on its abundance of wildlife, diverse natural communities and unique cultural heritage. | | The state park system, containing over 500,000 acres in more than 150, represents a major commitment by the state of Florida to preserve its natural and cultural recourses while  providing outstanding recreational opportunities to the public. Florida’s welcoming subtropical climate and bountiful vegetation have always been attractive to visitors from around the globe. |
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