Our district's bankruptcies

ACCORDING TO DATA RELEASED last month by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending March 31 rose 27 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.

The bankruptcy filings totaled more than 1.5 million nationwide for the 12 months ending in March.

Perhaps most striking for Southwest Florida, the Middle District of Florida had the second-highest number of bankruptcy filings of any district in the country -- with 64,510 bankruptcies in the 12 months ending in March 2010. That number represents a 37 percent increase from the previous 12-month period. The Middle District stretches from the Georgia border on the northeast to south of Naples on the southwest coast. Only California's central district had more bankruptcy filings.

As the economy continues to struggle and unemployment remains high in the Sarasota-Bradenton area, bankruptcies continue to grow, with more companies and individuals forced to throw in the financial towel.

Especially vulnerable, of course, have been firms tied to real estate. For example, Aim Mortgage Corp., a Bradenton company which lists David Freed as its president, recently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection -- which entails liquidation of the company's assets.

It listed $222,412 in assets -- consisting mainly of a 1,500-square-foot office condo at 3850 East State Road 64 in Bradenton -- and $290,510 in debts. The company owes $213,435 to Community Bank of Manatee, $40,475 to Regions Bank, $25,000 on a Honda Odyssey minivan and $20,000 in credit card debt, court records show.

Condos go for less than half

Those looking for post-boom deals on condominiums have apparently been finding their way to the Parkridge complex off University Parkway in Sarasota -- where more than a dozen sales since the beginning of the year have resulted in prices at less than half of their housing boom (albeit imaginary) highs.

Thirteen units at the Parkridge condo complex have been sold this year for a median price each of about $110,000. During the boom, the median price in the complex was a now-hard-to-believe $255,000. The 13 units changing hands so far this year total $1.45 million, or 56 percent less on average than they sold for between 2004 through 2006.

Bank-owned units that have been repossessed through foreclosure are making their presence felt in the neighborhood -- and a number still remain on the market.

One two-bedroom, two-bath Parkridge unit with a garage, for example, is listed with an asking price of $89,990.

Maronda selling at familiar pace

The first five months of the year look pretty much the same as last year for Maronda Homes in Charlotte County. In fact, the builder sold the exact same number of homes. The builder's revenues were a bit higher, however, thanks to slightly higher sale prices.

Pennsylvania-based Maronda has sold six homes in Charlotte County so far this year for a total of $1.02 million, and a median price of $160,000. Last year, the company also sold six homes during the same period, but for a total of $930,400 and median prices of $145,800.

Anna Maria Island sales up

John Van Zandt and Christine Torgesen Shaw of Island Real Estate of Anna Maria Island keep a running total of Anna Maria real estate sales and prices on their blog at calltheislanders.com/salesinfo.

The pair recently did some number crunching of sales records that showed some of the recent trends on the island.

They showed that 28 properties changed hands in the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach in April -- a 40 percent increase from the 20 sales on the island the previous year.

Sixteen of the sales were single-family homes, which sold for an average price of $523,063, or 9 percent less than last year's average price of $575,270.

The 11 condos sold on the island in April sold for less than last year -- 3 percent less to be exact. This year the average price was $317,900; last year it was $327,000.

Besides the monthly totals, Van Zandt and Shaw also keep readers up to date on a 12-month total of housing performance on the island. During the 12 months ending April 30, there were 263 sales on Anna Maria, or 35 percent more than the 198 during the same period a year ago.

Single-family home sales were up 26 percent to 144, while condo sales rose nearly 70 percent to 105.

Prices, however, moved in the opposite direction. Single-family home prices dropped to $516,217 from $685,148, while condo prices fell to $349,880 from $392,519.

Contact Aaron Kessler at 361-4873 or aaron.kessler@heraldtribune.com.