SARASOTA AREA NEIGHBORHOODS

Is there anything wrong with having too many choices?
Here in Sarasota, our housing communities defy simple description. We have neighborhoods behind gates and walls. We have winding roads, beautiful tree canopies and sidewalks. We live around golf courses and lakes, along horse trails and the Gulf of Mexico. We can build the home of your dreams or help you find the perfect gem waiting for your remodeling touch. All of this is located in one of the most temperate and beautiful locations in the country. Your next home is here.

But first, a little information about how we can help you find a new home.

Many of the neighborhoods here are new home developments. Most of them will have several builders building in the neighborhood offering you many varieties of floor plans, elevations and amenities. There is an agreement between area builders and Realtors which recognizes that our real estate community is a valuable conduit for bringing together interested home buyers and quality builders. In order to provide continuity in the new home transaction, it is important that a home buyer receive their information from a Realtor before contacting the builder. We personally maintain a file of most new home product and area builder information that is available to you at your request. Simply click on contact us to request this information and we will provide it to you in the speediest manner possible.

Here is just a brief description of some of the neighborhoods waiting for you in Sarasota:
(A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND ALL DISTRICTED INFORMATION SHOULD BE CONFIRMED PRIOR TO MAKING A PURCHASE)

HOW DO WE DIVIDE SARASOTA COUNTY?
Sarasota County is broken up into many areas. There is the City of Sarasota, Sarasota, Osprey, Nokomis, Venice, Englewood and North Port. To provide detailed information on every town within the county would be quite an adventure! For simplicity's sake, the neighborhood focus and school focus will be for the City of Sarasota and Sarasota itself (from herein referred to as simply Sarasota). However, any visit to our community should include a tour of the whole county. If you would like additional information, click on contact us.

Sarasota includes beautiful beaches for island living, distinct communities with winding roads, heavy tree canopies and sidewalks, private gated communties with or without golfing and tennis, and quiet country living. We can satisfy almost any lifestyle or housing need (unless you want a basement).

Island Living
We have three distinct islands accessable by bridge, Casey Key, Siesta Key and Longboat Key. Casey Key is a narrow strip of land where nearly every house has a view of the Gulf of Mexico.

Siesta Key is more populated with homes that may be on the Gulf, have a view across the Bay to the mainland, be on one of the many canals for boating access to the Bay or Gulf, or not have water at all. There are many condominiums along the waterfront. Siesta is a mixture of seasonal visitors and full time residents. You can definitely tell when season has arrived on Siesta! Siesta Village is an area of shops and restaurants for all of the Key's residents. There are very few planned neighborhoods on Siesta, and the island is mostly developed. Many people who buy older homes on Siesta Key do so to extensively renovate them to today's architectural styles.

Longboat Key is to the north of St. Armand's Circle, an area of world renowned shops and restaurants. The northern portion of Longboat is actually in Manatee County. The condominiums that line the Gulf of Mexico are beautiful and cater to the luxurious lifestyles the residents enjoy on Longboat. The Longboat Key Club is the subdivision that has the only golf course on any of the county's islands.

There are no public schools on any of these islands. Children who do attend public school are taken off the islands.

West of Trail
This is an exciting area of growth and renewal in Sarasota County. Located between US 41 (known at Tamiami Trail which runs north and south through Sarasota County) and the Bay, the homes in this area reflect the architecture of the founding members of the community, as well as some dramatic renovations that have taken place over the past few years. This is where you find the type of roads you knew up north. They have twists and turns and stately mature trees. The homes along the bay-front have been dramatically updated and beautifully line the shore. There are homes in this area that represent many different sizes and styles. It is not a planned community but neighborhoods that exist because of the people, not the houses. This area of the town is long and runs from the northern border and south of downtown. The school district will depend on where you are. Resales are available and range from

Palmer Ranch
Palmer Ranch is a premier master planned community located at the southern end of Sarasota. There are many neighborhoods located within the ranch, most which are gated communities of single family residences. There are two golf courses located within Palmer Ranch. The TPC Course at Prestancia is an annual stop on the Senior Tour. The other is the Stoneybrook Golf and Tennis club. Owning a home in some parts of Stoneybrook offers you the opportunity to become an equity member.

The newest addition to Palmer Ranch is Silver Oak. This is a guarded gated community of 180 homesites on 230 acres. All homesites back up to water or a nature preserve. Many of the area's premier builders are showcasing their talents here in Silver Oak.

In addition to Silver Oak, some of the neighborhoods, such as Turtle Rock, Stonebridge and The Hamptons, still have new homes going up amidst the existing homes, while other Palmer Ranch neighborhoods, Wellington Chase, Deer Creek, and Huntington Pointe, are built-out and have many beautiful existing homes for sale.

Palmer Ranch is so large that different areas fall into different school districts between Sarasota and Laurel/Nokomis and Venice.

The Meadows
This is the first of our county's Master Planned Communities. The Meadows consists of several different neighborhoods meeting the needs of many types of neighbors. There are condominiums for seasonal visitors and full time residents, villas, and single family residences. The development started in the early 1970 and still continues to build today. There are three golf courses and state of the art tennis facilities available to members. There are winding nature and bike trails and a small shopping plaza located in the center of the community with a small market, travel agency, bank, dry cleaners and more. There is also an active community association developed to maintain the development and provide activities for the residents. The schools serving this community are Gocio Elementary, Booker Middle School and Booker High School.

Heritage Oaks Golf and Country Club
Heritage Oaks is a community under construction, but well on its way to becoming one of the premier communities of the area. It is located just east of I-75 on Bee Ridge Extension. It is a gated golf course and country club community offering three types of homestyles. There are Condominiums, Villas, Club Homes (paired villas) and Single Family Homes. All homesites back up to the golf course, the nature preserve or a greenbelt area. The yearly Master Association Fee includes the full membership to the Golf Club and all golf & common recreational facilities. The club-house, recently completed, has a restaurant, fitness center, lighted tennis courts and community pool. The 18 hole Azinger/Lewis Championship Golf Course is a dream to play. The neighborhood is in the Lakeview Elementary, Sarasota Middle and Riverview High School Districts.

Misty Creek
Misty Creek is across the street from Heritage Oaks. It is gated golf course community of 302 single family homes. This community features homesites that range from 1&Mac218;2 to 1/3 of an acre in size and almost all of them have private views from the backyard. The 18 hole championship golf course offers many forms of membership, from junior memberships to social memberships and of course an equity membership. There are many existing homes for sale or you can build a new home from one of the country's premier builders featured in the community. The school district for this neighborhood is Ashton Elementary, Sarasota Middle and Riverview High School.

Three Oaks
This is a welcoming community of 149 single-family homesites. Many of the areas quality builders are creating some award winning features in these new models. Three Oaks is a family neighborhood located conveniently to I-75 and shoppings, schools and many other Sarasota amenities. This community is in the Ashton Elementary, Sarasota Middle and Riverview High School Districts.

Legends at Tatum Ridge
This is a brand-new community among large oaks, tranquil winding roads and large lakes. Fairway estate homes and fairway oaks home offering maintenance free living that is adjacent to Tatum Ridge Golf Course off Fruitville Road. The school districts are Fruitville Elementary, McIntosh Middle and Booker High Schools.

Serenoa
Serenoa is a golfing community located just east of I-75 off of Clark Road. It is a small community of large homes on oversized homesites. There are existing homes for re-sale and another phase of new homes called Serenoa Lakes. The homesites are 1&Mac218;2 acre or larger and feature golf course, lake or nature views.

Meadow Walk
This is another small new home community (there are many all over the county) of homesites of 1&Mac218;4 acre or larger. There are many floor plans to chose from, including two story models. The schools serving this community are Lakeview Elementary, McIntosh Middle School and Sarasota High School.

Country Living
Whether you want the convenience and ambiance of living in a community or just to work the land, there is plenty of space out east, that part of Sarasota that is east of Interstate I-75. Sarasota County currently has a Comprehensive Growth Plan that restricts density on developments that are built in our agricultural area. There are some home communities, however, that have been developed for family living. Off of Clark Road there is Saddle Creek Ranches and Myakka Valley Ranches. Both of these communities are parcels of at least 5 acres. You are allowed to keep horses, barns and out-buildings but only one residence is allowed per 5 acres and no commercial use of the property is allowed. These communities generally have horse riders along their roads and yet are close enough to the conveniences of grocery stores and other activites. Hidden River is a community located next to Myakka State Park which boasts its own community runway and where you can drive your private plane over the streets to the hanger on your property. There are many ranches on private acreage that still raise cattle or grow produce.

Area developers are recognizing that many people want that open space but still want the benefits of a close community so there are some new ranchette style properties being developed, such as Saddle Oak Estates. 5 miles east of the Interstate, this new home development takes adavantage of the open spaces and provides the communal amenities and deed restrictions that many people seek today.

Areas outside of Sarasota
There are many of the same communities being built around the Sarasota area as well. Bradenton has experience explosive growth in the past few years as a pour-over from Sarasota. Bradenton is also a great location for access to Tampa and St. Petersburg. There are new communites close to the Interstate that deserve brief mention.

Lakewood Ranch
This is a huge new Master Planned Community similar to the idea of Palmer Ranch. There are many neighborhoods located within Lakewood Ranch along with an Arnold Palmer designed public golf course, The Legacy, a fitness facility, a Publix Grocery Store and supporting mall, a new hospital, a large corporate park, assisted living facilities, condominiums, apartments, maintenance free homes and single family residences. No trip to visit Sarasota homes would be complete without visiting Lakewood Ranch. The schools in this community are located in Manatee County.

Ranchette Properties
There are a lot of country style ranchette developments being built in Manatee County along with other golf course communities going in on property located east of the interstate.

Northport
This is the southern most community in Sarasota. The third largest city by land mass, it has a small population but is currently experiencing a growth spurt. Much of the original development occurred with General Development, a Florida building enterprise, platted the community and sold homesites to people outside of the state. Recent commercial development along the interstate, the completion of two new elementary schools and a high school, and the price of homes in the community make Northport an attractive way to enjoying the Florida lifestyle.