New shop aims to be one-stop shop for Longboat Key real estate

Jim Sauter still vividly remembers cruising around Longboat Key on his jet ski after the 2024 hurricanes to check in on the homes of residents who couldn't get to the island in the wake of the widespread damage.

That experience gave him insight into what services homeowners want in the area — an important step in the journey to celebrating the recent launch of complimentary home monitoring and real estate businesses.

Sauter and business partner Randee Long officially cut the ribbon for the offices of Sauter by the Water Real Estate and Beach 2 Bay Home Watch on March 6.

Photo by Dana Kampa

"We wanted to take a more customized approach to real estate, including checking in on properties," he explained at the opening.

The office, located at 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive No. 206, holds regular operating hours, but Sauter said the duo is always ready to show patrons the latest on the market.

He says they bring a wealth of knowledge of the business and look forward to exercising the autonomy of operating their own companies.

The agency plans to serve the Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island and Lido Key communities. 

The monitoring arm should be especially useful to residents who don't live on the Key year-round, or those who would struggle to get access to their properties after a big storm, Long said. 

She said the inspiration hit them when they shared post-storm photos of the Key to social media and received multiple requests from fellow homeowners to check their properties.

"We know what it felt like to not know," she said.

The service includes routine visual inspections of a property, as well as optional coordination with technicians and other contractors and assistance with arrivals and departures.

"Especially for folks who live by the water, we want to make sure they're prepared," Sauter added.