When Shoppers Disappear: A Little Kmart Déjà Vu I’ll never forget one For-Sale-By-Owner appointment years ago. The seller looked me in the eye and said, “Steve, I just want someone who can actually get my house in front of real buyers — not just the MLS and the usual stuff.” Back then I hadn’t yet…

From the Broker: I called it in early 2024 and started building. Today we are a thriving, fully independent (non-NAR) brokerage—zero association dues, zero political baggage, complete transparency, and perfectly positioned for the new era in real estate. If you’re ready to drop the REALTOR® designation and join a brokerage that was built from day…

Let’s be honest: the idea of a 50-year mortgage sounds insane at first. You’ll be paying off your house until you’re eligible for Social Security… or possibly dead. But before we burn it at the stake, let’s actually look at the pros and cons — especially in a world where the average American now stays…

You’ve listed your home with high hopes. The sign went up, the photos looked perfect, and you were ready for offers to roll in. Then weeks turned into months. Showings are sparse. Feedback is vague. That “For Sale” sign is starting to feel permanent. If your home has been on the market longer than 30…

A message from Steve…  For our anniversary blog I thought it would be interesting to see what Grok would have to say about our 1st year. Therefore, I simply explained to Grok that we had a newsletter going out on November 7th and that the 1 year anniversary of Slice Of Florida Realty would be on…

Understanding Property Access After the Inspection Period As a real estate professional, I often encounter situations where buyer’s agents request access to a home after the inspection period has ended, even though the property is under contract. Common reasons include measuring for furniture, showing the home to friends or relatives visiting town, or allowing a…

You may have heard me saying recently to shop homes.com when searching for your next home. There are many great reasons for that. Among these are Zillow issues that are affecting buyers, sellers and agents. Here’s a quick look at current events. Not mentioned below is the fact that many thousands of MLS listings are…

Celebrating a Global Milestone: The Real Estate Agent Man Podcast Hits 1030 Cities! Hey there, real estate enthusiasts! Welcome to the Slice of Florida Realty blog. I’m Steve Martin Smith, your Florida Real Estate Broker and host of The Real Estate Agent Man Podcast. If you’re new here, buckle up for no-nonsense real estate advice…

A relatively common buyer’s strategy for negotiating a lower price on a home purchase goes like this… This tactic works particularly well in Florida under the As Is Contract for Sale and Purchase, which allows buyers to back out for any reason during the inspection period and get their deposit back. Savvy buyers sometimes go…

Sarasota County Real Estate Market Update – Summer 2025 As we move through the summer of 2025, Sarasota County’s real estate market is showing signs of stabilization, with inventory levels steadily declining from earlier highs. In July, active listings reached 5,883, a notable drop from the peak of over 7,500 earlier this year. While still…