These Realtors perennially lead Manatee and Sarasota in sales. They had quite a year in 2020
Roger Pettingell of Coldwell Banker Real Estate on Longboat Key and Jason Sato of Sato Real Estate on Anna Maria Island perennially lead the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee in sales volumes.
In 2020, Pettingell had $175,567,000 in sales, and Sato had $153,866,000, finishing first and second, respectively,in sales volume.
Pettingell lead all agents in the two-county area in sales volume, while Sato lead all agents who are based in Manatee County.
“I have been doing this for 18 years and I have never seen anything like this. The demand was off the charts,” Sato said.
Sato and Pettingell have never met but after the close of sales in 2020, Sato called Pettingell to offer his congratulations.
About 95 percent of Sato’s record sales in 2020 were on Anna Mara Island, and he still trailed Pettingell by more than $20 million.
It’s a mutual admiration society. Pettingell takes his hat off to Sato, co-owner of Sato Real Estate, for his dominance on Anna Maria Island.
Sato had 107 transactions in 2020, almost four times the number of the next real estate agent in Manatee County.
Sato credits his success to working in the Anna Maria Island community where he grew up and continues to live, as well as remaining responsive to his clients and staying ahead of market trends, as well as the loyalty of his customers.
Pettingell does not foresee another year like 2020 due to tight market inventory.
Both Realtors know that the COVID-19 pandemic was driving the frenzy of sales in 2020.
Buyers were looking to get outside into a healthier lifestyle, and some buyers, particularly from California, New York and New Jersey, were fleeing high taxes in their home states.
“I see the demand is still there,” Sato said of the outlook for 2021 “People want to be on the island. What we are running into now is inventory. We don’t have the homes to sell now.”
