We would like to move to Sarasota?
 

We want to be closer to Siesta Key beach, or any beautiful beach on the Gulf side of the state.

Has anyone recently move to TV from that area, (Sarasota and surrounding areas)?

We would like to be able to drive to the beach in 10 or 15 minutes.

I realize that I cannot afford to live very close to the beaches, but where would affordable housing for a younger person (47 years old) be? We like to have families and kids in the neighborhood.

I like the shopping close to us and activities in the area that is geared more towards younger people.

I think TVs is beautiful and great, but it’s way too soon for us to live here.

Thank you in advance for any input on the Sarasota area.

P.S. Spring Hill looks like an affordable area, but from what I have read the beaches are not very user friendly.

Also 30 minute drive is not out of the question if we and find a newer home for around 300K.

I lived in Sarasota for about five years back in the eighties. I lived in a development called Lake Sarasota which is at the intersection of Bee Ridge Road and I-75. It's about a 20 minute ride down Bee Ridge Road to Siesta Key. The homes were very affordable and it was a fairly new development at the time. I can't tell you what it's like today. Get in touch with a real estate agent down there and they'll be glad to take you around and show you homes in your price range.

We like that area too. We stayed in Parrish, Fl....about a 40 minute drive to beaches. Developments abound....nice schools too. Siesta and Anna Marie beaches are way crowded. We like St. Pete's beach better

Malls In Sarasota | The Mall at University Town Center


If you like shopping, check out this very upscale mall at University and I-75 in Sarasota. It just opened last October. The anchor stores are Saks, Dillards and Macy's, and the eating places are top notch.

OP, Only heard this second hand---"There were a lot of older people in Sarasota and we moved to the Villages". Honestly, a couple told us that about three years ago. I've only been to their beaches (nice). Just from what it's worth Department.

Be sure to check out Englewood and especially Charlotte Harbor. You will get a Premiere style home, solidly built for less than a designer here. Great family area. PC has its own small beach and twin city Punta gorda has a good beach at the end of Marion Street. Excellent boating. We drove to Sarasota in half an hour. Additionally Fort Myers to the south is just a little farther so it puts you in the center of reaching both within an hour and both have airports. PC also has an airport, a fairly new one. I lived on Siesta Key but it got way to overcrowded so we moved to Port Charlotte before coming here. I miss the boating and sand but hopefully the activities here will make up for that. Eg. You can get a 2400-2700 sf home, on canal, with pool, trey ceilings, granite, all tile for $250...older ones are less. Their market had not yet totally recovered.

Agree. We lived in The Riverwood Golf Club in Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda and the Charlotte Harbor just south, Englewood to the west, and Venice just north. Siesta Key Beach about 45 min. north but is getting a bit crowded. Hurricanes and cost of insurance in flood zones near the coast was part of our decision to move 9 years ago. The other was The Villages.:wave:

Thank you all very much!

You are fortunate that you chose a place that will sell quickly and you can be on your way again.

Hope you find all the things you want there on the coast and are happy for a long time there.

We have been all over Florida and each has some wonderful things.

BUT, well you know the rest.

We have friends that retired to Punta Gorda last year (they are both 62) and couldn't be happier. We spent some time there and were quite impressed. Population didn't seem quite as old as what we found in Fort Myers. And when I say old I'm not referring to age but lifestyle and attitude.

We almost bought a house in Palmer Ranch in Sarasota.
It is only about 10 minutes from Siesta Key - my favorite.
Good luck!

Don't forget to figure in the outrageous cost of homeowner's insurance in those places by the water. We could have bought a beautiful condo on Sarasota Bay, but the amenities were well over $700/month due to the insurance. And that was a condo, not a single family residence.

We spent two winters on Anna Maria Island, and I was concerned about the advanced age of the residents and the horrible traffic. It was a good 45 minutes to get from Bradenton to Sarasota in February.

We put a bid in on a house in Palmer Ranch during the height of the real estate frenzy. Thank goodness someone else got it. Palmer Ranch was nice but in no way compares to The Villages.

Sarasota is more expensive than north of Tampa Bay. Pinellas County (St. Pete - Clearwater) is more reasonable and the further north you go, it's even cheaper. Pasco County and Hernando County you can find nice single family homes in the $150K-$200K range.

I sold real estate in Hernando County in 1989 and at that time I held open houses for new homes. We had brand new 3 BR, 2BA, 2 Car ranchers with birdcage pool for $115K. Hernando would put you about 10 miles north of the nearest beaches, which would be in Hudson. If I were to live down there now, I would look in the Safety Harbor to Dunedin areas. There you could easily go to Clearwater Beach, or downtown St. Pete or go to Tampa across Courtney Campbell Causeway.