Why Work With Us?
Here's what our satisfied customers are saying about us:
What a Guy! We cannot say enough great things about Ray! We bought our first house 3 years ago in Bradenton, he was the sellers agent. We thought so highly of him then we had to try to find him when we decided to upgrade and buy another home, as well as sell our current home. We are real estate investors in NY, well versed in the buying and selling process there. Florida is an entirely different, very fast paced process. You must have an A+ realtor, and Ray is your man! He is not only what we consider an expert in his profession, he is just a great man. I called him morning, noon and night and he was fast to respond, kind, and took care of any questions, or concerns we had. He walks you through every single step, and is present for everything himself. Ray is personable, positive energy, detail oriented, efficient, and he has quality contacts for any type of contractor you may need, which you will need especially if this is your first home in Florida. From the sellers perspective, he has also been amazing; detail oriented, professional and again helps you through with his knowledge and experience. We had three homes on our street that were for sale, and we were the higher priced property (better looking too), and our house sold first. There are many factors that can sell your home quicker, you need good advice on what you can do to get your home ready for sale, the marketing package, and your realtors willingness to work deals. Set yourself up for success by starting out with the right realtor, it matters. We feel we teamed up with the right person! The power is in the relationships and this is what you will get with Ray Rausa at Michael Saunders. Thank you Ray, we appreciate all you have done for us throughout this process! Samm & Matt
Sammantha & Matt Ball
25 June 2026, 11:39 AM
Five "Plus" stars! We have worked with Ray several times and he always goes above and beyond. He always has our best interests at heart, and always comes through. He is so professional, resourceful, friendly, funny, and a joy to be working with.
Dayle & Ron
24 June 2026, 18:43 PM
As first-time homebuyers, we couldn't have asked for a better realtor than Alison Fitzgerald. From the get-go she took the time to understand exactly what we wanted and provided plenty of options that helped us find the perfect home in about two months. Alison's communication, transparency, and dedication were outstanding throughout the entire process. She kept us informed every step of the way, answered every question promptly, and always made our best interests her top priority. She regularly checked on the progress of our home, attended our new home demonstration, and caught details we would have easily missed, ensuring everything was addressed before move-in. She negotiated a great deal, carefully reviewed documents, and made sure nothing important was overlooked. Her knowledge, persistence, and attention to detail made the entire experience stress-free. We absolutely love our new home and are incredibly grateful to have had Alison by our side. We highly recommend her to anyone looking to buy a home.
Shelbey Kohman & Aaron Young
23 June 2026, 03:26 AM
When my house was flooded after hurricane Helene I didn’t know any real estate agents whom I would have liked to sell the house. My attorney suggested Judy Wright who had worked in their real estate division for many years. It was a joy to work with her, I knew from a brief initial meeting that she was the person I liked and could trust. She was meticulous in handling all the various issues and kept me informed about them regularly. I would heartily recommend her for any potential clients.
Margaret R.
22 June 2026, 15:18 PM
Our Michael Saunders Agent was Mrs. Judy Nimz. We couldn't have picked a better one. Very professional and yet warm and helpful. She helped me from beginning to final closing and beyond. I would surely recommend Michael Saunders and Mrs. Nimz.
Cesare Favia
22 June 2026, 15:14 PM
We wanted to express our sincere gratitude to your company for the outstanding service you provided during our recent purchase of our secondary home in St. Armands Key. We had been searching for a property in the Sarasota area for several years, and our realtor, Stacey Fredericks, played a pivotal role in making our dream a reality. Stacey’s expertise and dedication were instrumental in guiding us through the entire home-buying process. She not only helped us find the perfect home but also went above and beyond to ensure we had all the necessary information to make an informed decision. Her proactive approach included providing us with resources for homeowners insurance quotes and information on various vendors, such as landscapers and handymen. Stacey’s availability and willingness to answer our questions anytime we needed her were truly appreciated. She held our hands throughout the process, making it a smooth and enjoyable experience. We are incredibly happy with our purchase, and Stacey is the main reason behind our satisfaction. We highly recommend Stacey to anyone looking to buy or sell their home. Her extensive knowledge and experience make her an invaluable asset to anyone seeking an exceptional realtor. Again, we appreciate your company’s outstanding service.
Maria and Chris B.
22 June 2026, 15:12 PM
I recently sold my house that I would’ve considered at one time unsellable. Debbie Davidiadorf and Zita Bowers teamed up and got that thing sold! Both were very hands-on and advised me on what had to be done to sell the house. They did a most incredible job got my house sold and I have enough money to buy my new house in Georgia. Personally, I think they’re the best in the business.
Laura O.
22 June 2026, 12:58 PM
Just a note of thanks for the exceptional service that your staff provided during the listings and sales of my properties. It was especially heartwarming for me to work with Judy Canero, a long-time, well-known, and respected member of our Englewood community. She is a true professional, and I am happy she was able to help me as a member of your team. Michael Saunders & Company will certainly be at the top of my list for any future needs, and I will definitely recommend your company to others.
Janet L.
22 June 2026, 12:48 PM
It is my pleasure to provide glowing feedback for Joanna Benante in Sarasota, Florida. Though I initially reached out to Joanna @ 3/2023 to have her assist with the sale of our fully renovated home on Siesta Key, the extreme health issues of a family member prevented me from preparing the home for listing. Joanna was extremely professional in sharing her recommendations and following up to see if I was ready to sell. Regrettably, I waited too long and the home was flooded due to Hurricane Helene on 9/26/2024. Right after Hurricane Milton, Joanna invited me to meet to discuss the sale of our home. She knew how apprehensive I had become about the storms after Hurricane Ian in 2022. Additionally, I had already experienced the discouraging process of dealing with the insurance industry as I continued to navigate service providers & figure out the ridiculous way they all decided that our coverages were not applicable. The thought of selling continued to become more appealing as price gauging by a mold remediation company led to despondency. Joanna’s prompt attention to our situation and success in listing the house before Thanksgiving was ultimately the reason that it sold well over the value of the land in March 2025. The buyers had looked at the property in the fall and it was 2nd on their list. Buyers’ agents had commented to Joanna that ours was their first choice based upon the clean demo, among other favorable features such as the size of the lot. When the 1st option being pursued by the buyers fell through in January, Joanna received a call that the couple was coming back to make an offer. We had finally secured a GC which could put the estimate in the NFIP-required Exactimate and were ready to apply for a permit. It did not look as though an offer was going to occur. Throughout all of this Joanna provided advice around managing service providers as requested. Her responsiveness is incredibly notable. Of course we were excited to receive an offer in early February and, after countering and being countered, a price and a date were agreed upon in a contract. While land value was estimated @ $699,000 in 10/2024, I wanted to be aggressive and the house was listed at $850,000. We ultimately sold for $780,000. We are so fortunate! Our former neighbors are saying that no homes are even showing on Siesta Key. This includes home which have been renovated, listed as-is, or those with no damage because they had been built on higher ground. For all of this we have Joanna Benante to thank. And I have not even mentioned that Joanna has sped up the plans of one of my best friends from Virginia, Tram Grohowski & husband, to purchase a home in Lakewood Ranch. I have only met 1 other person in 24 years in Southwest Florida who comes close to this friend & the impact on having her close will be life-changing! More importantly, Tram is so thankful to be working with Joanna. She will be emailing to tell you that story and all of the ways Joanna went out of her way to adjust to their schedule and ensure they considered all of their options leading to a perfect fit. In conclusion, I cannot say enough to express my gratitude to have met Joanna at St Martha years ago and to have had the pleasure of working with her over the past 7 months. Her courteous professional demeanor provided me with the strength I needed to get through a very unfortunate time.
Sherry
22 June 2026, 11:19 AM
with Susan I felt like I had a partner in buying. We went through 2 offers and I got to appreciate her experience and knowledge which she happily shared with me even when I was being stubborn. She made me trust her - and for me that’s a tall order. The property I purchased ended up being a bit complicated due to the sellers having dementia, the seller agent being difficult, and a title company that shared info with my lender that should not have been shared causing the lender to be very difficult to the point where I had to get a new lender - and Susan directed me to Matt Lambert. Having multiple interactions with Susan daily all the way to closing… and even with all the complexities… my confidence never wavered in Susan. She managed me quite well. At the end of the process I was compelled to give Susan a hug. I try to keep my communications simple and succinct. I hope I have adequately expressed my complete and total satisfaction with Susan. She’s terrific at what she does. I don’t know if she would like doing so - but she should be teaching others how to be a real estate agent - not teaching real estate - but how to be a partner with the client and develop rapport and confidence and how to be a human being in such an inhuman business.
Michael G.
22 June 2026, 10:58 AM
