Commercial broker goes outside

A rumor circulating around the Sarasota commercial real estate community regarding the demise of Abbey Realty & Management is false, the firm's majority owner tells Coffee Talk.

Abbey is one of the more visible commercial real estate firms in the Sarasota-Manatee area, with a business model that combines leasing and sales with property management and maintenance. The firm's portfolio includes a significant amount of medical office space.

But while the firm isn't shutting down, it is making a significant change: It's outsourcing its leasing division to Michael Saunders & Co., a Sarasota firm with a residential and commercial unit. Dave Matthes, Abbey's majority owner, says he picked Michael Saunders after interviewing most of the area's other leading firms.