Longboat Key Realtor's listing places in HGTV contest

A listing from a Realtor at the Longboat Key location of the Michael Saunders and Co. placed in the 2023 HGTV Ultimate House Hunt competition.

Cindy Fischer works and lives on Longboat Key. She has been a Realtor for Michael Saunders and Co. since 2018. Her listing of 5131 Jungle Plum Road on north Siesta Key took first for the Waterside Homes category of the annual HGTV Ultimate House Hunt. 

“I'm super excited for the sellers and because it's such a beautiful home, everything they did with their designers,” said Fischer. “It's just a really neat property so it means a lot to get that recognition.”

The competition is a monthlong online promotion among luxury homes across the U.S. Fischer’s property was one of 84 finalists. There were eight categories in the competition: Amazing Kitchens, Beachfront Homes, Countryside Retreats, Curb Appeal, Downtown Dwellings, Homes With a History, Outdoor Escapes and Waterside Homes. More than 1.2 million votes were cast to determine the winners. 

“There were other homes from different parts of the country,” said Fischer. “I remember looking it up, and there were homes from California, Connecticut, Santa Barbara, Cape Cod, from all over.”

Sharon Gould, a branch manager at Michael Saunders and Co., said that Fischer put a lot of hard work into the listing so she deserves all the recognition it is getting from the competition. 

“Working for the company, it's such a team support effort,” said Fischer. “We work together to bring awareness to our properties and have a great marketing team. It's important to have the right people.”

Fischer said that winning was actually unexpected because she heard from a HGTV super-fan who emailed her before HGTV told her the property got the most votes in the Waterside Homes category.

“The waterfront has been such a draw for people to come to the area,” said Fischer. “I think the more recognition we have, the more people we can bring to all the islands. It's going to be good for the market as a whole, just the recognition to show the stunning properties here.”