I recently learned a new word "Uehvtkv" which means ocean in the language spoken by the Seminole Native Americans of Florida. It seems that wherever we go on Anna Maria we're surrounded by the ocean. Something that I recently appreciated while showing a group of young women new to the area around Anna Maria Island. They were as impressed by the water as the Seminoles, and just like the Seminoles, getting as close to the water as possible is where everyone wants to be, and the closer to the water the more expensive. Therefore, here is my five-month analysis of Anna Maria Island and Cortez properties that sold for one million or more.

The following statistics are from the Manatee County Property Appraiser's website and include sales between Nov. 1, 2015, through March 31, 2016, that are recorded as $900,000 and over. I generally include sales between $900,000 and one million since many of them are so close to the million dollar criteria that I feel they should be noted.

For the five months researched Cortez did not have any one million dollar sales, but did close a property at $965,000. The last time I looked at million dollar sales was for the four months between July and October of last year, and at that time Cortez did not have any $900,000 or over sales.

The city of Anna Maria on the other had had 14 million or over sales ranging from $4,100,000 to $1,100,000 for the five months researched. In addition there were five sales between $900,000 and one million. From July through October of last year there were only three one million or over sales and nine over $900,000.

Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach between Nov. 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016, had 10 million dollar or over sales with a high of $3,000,000 and a low of $1,000,000. In addition, there were three sales between $900,000 and a million. For the four months between July and October last year, these cities had nine one million or over sales and four over $900,000.

As you can see, our million and over sales are still chugging along in an upward motion. Some of the increase in sales is driven by the season, but it's still clear that we continue to experience sustainable appreciation. The sales include every type of property, single family, condo, land, multi-family and duplexes. Most were waterfront or water view, but many were not.

On another note, as I was looking at the numbers, I couldn't help but notice where some of the buyers in these upper price ranges were coming from. With the exception of two sales from United Kingdom buyers, all of the sales were from other states and surprisingly few from Florida. Some of the states represented were New Hampshire, Illinois, Indiana, New York, Missouri Minnesota, Georgia, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Massachusetts and Wisconsin. There was no predominance of buyers from any one state and no buyers from Canada – somewhat surprising.

As our merry little group drove up and down the Island streets I realized I was seeing the Island through their eyes, they made me better understand the lure of the water and the special quality of Anna Maria. So thanks to the ladies of the Nutmeg State, who fell in love with our little island, who went home with T-shirts, AMI bracelets and memories, all while reminding me of how powerful the ocean (Uehvtkv) is.