The best place in Florida you’re not going

Slow  down and savor the simplicity of life on Anna Maria Island

You know a beach town is a find when the residents aren’t sure they want you  there.

Even though it’s just 33 miles across the water from the skyscrapers of  Tampa, Anna Maria Island is on a slender spur of land at the southernmost lip of  the Tampa Bay, so driving there (no ferry required) requires 90 circuitous  minutes. JetBlue flies direct from JFK twice daily to Sarasota, 45 minutes down  the beach, but Anna Maria’s removal from hubbub makes it a placid town that’s  both easy to reach yet not spoiled by Floridian concrete, chain restaurants, and  condos.

As it is, the speed limit is a lethargic 25 mph, lights are dimmed so  hatching turtles don’t get disoriented, and the only hotels are motels. So most  visitors choose to spread out: About half the houses in town, as well as in the  adjoining (and indistinguishable) Holmes Beach, are available for tourists to  rent by the night. (A Paradise Rentals, aparadiserentals.com, is one of the main  players).

Florida’s southeast coast gets the spotlight, but the western coast — along  the Gulf of Mexico — remains the place to wade far from the sand in ripple-light  (and of course, oil-free) waves. Anna Maria, though originally developed by a  man whose company became part of Nabisco, which built Manhattan’s Chelsea Market  complex, hasn’t given in to rampant construction. There’s one grocery store, old  wooden houses, no cinema — that’s what the nightly sunset is for, although there  is a cute little theatre company — and you can count the stoplights on one hand.

It’s Key West for grown folks. Like the Conch Republic, it even has its own  fantasies of unique autonomy: Residents distinguish themselves from the hoi  polloi in nearby, unremarkable Bradenton by slapping those oval, European-style  national stickers on their car bumpers: “AMI.” Call it polite irreverence.

Instead of booze slushies and tees at Fat Tuesdays, this low-density town  classes it up, tropics-style, with James Bond martinis at the bamboo-and-ceiling  fan lounge Martini Bistro (5337 Gulf Drive). A few blocks away, Beach Bistro,  the most Zagat-endorsed table within a ride radius, takes up residence in an  unlikely concrete waterfront motel. The restaurant is foie gras-ified, and it’s  the area’s big-spending romantic night out, but it’s better to squeeze in at its  tiny Murphy’s Bar, where the menu’s signature hits, such as warm duckling salad  and a sublime tomato soup with sweet cream, are served to customers who require  closer access to professionally crafted cocktails — and less post-suntan  grooming (6600 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach).

If there’s one failing of AMI, it’s a dearth of quality mid-level places to  eat. After he cornered the high end, the Beach Bistro’s owner, Sean Murphy,  opened Eat Here, a more affordably gourmet place that has already aggressively  expanded into Sarasota, too. Here, the staples cater to a sort of “uptown  slumming” vibe that Anna Maria does so well: fish ‘n chips made with local  rockfish, hot dogs trickled with truffle butter, and “shrimpcargots” that  substitute shellfish for snails (5313 Gulf. Dr., Holmes Beach). Even in cuisine,  Anna Maria balances its self-image as a marginal paradise with its  upper-middle-class taste for nice things.

Fortunately, there’s not much need to drive a car. Many locals toddle around  on bikes — the weirder ones use electric golf carts — and Manatee County runs a  free “trolley” bus service down the spine of the slender island (every 20  minutes, 6 am to 10 pm).

Pine Avenue is the historic drag, but don’t expect Worth Avenue in Palm  Beach. There are only four blocks, but they’ve been freshening up in the past  year. An original 1935 home purchased as a kit from the Sears Catalog has been  moved here and restored last year as Really Relish (505 Pine Ave.) a cheerful  and peerlessly curated shop selling cleverly redeemed vintage clothes (such as  re-tailored 1950s swank) and wry “upcycled” creations such as “Scrabble ring”  jewelry made of discarded letter tiles. It’s gathering a deserved following.  Next door, in a 98-year-old cottage, is the Village Cafe at Rosedale, a new  unhurried coffee lounge tarted up with giant photos of ’80s divas and a chill  outdoor deck with magnetic powers.

At the end of Pine, the City Pier, which turns 101 in May, juts 776 feet into  Tampa Bay but has long since been abandoned by the Tampa steamers it was made  for. Now, a shark tooth jewelry maker works weekends and families fish for  mackerel and mullet by lamplight. This month, dolphins have been frequent  visitors.

Still, the nearby ice cream store and end-of-pier diner are so low-key as to  go almost unnoticed. That well-groomed anonymity makes them, and this casual  upscale town on this tiny spindle of land, the rarest kind of attractions.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home on Anna Maria Island or in the Bradenton/Sarasota area, please contact Sea to Sky Realty, the INTERNATIONAL Bradenton / Sarasota Real Estate Company.

Find a vacation rental

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Sarasota – Connecticut residents Neal and Sandra DeFeo bought the most expensive luxury property in Sarasota County in December – a 4,239-square-foot house off Shell Road on Siesta Key. The DeFeo’s paid $3.015 million, or $1.1 million less than Kevin D. Cogan paid in May 2006.

All told, 18 luxury homes or condos sold for more than $1 million in Sarasota County last month.

Here are the top 10 Luxury Home Sales in Sarasota for December 2011:

1. $3.015 million: 4083 Shell Road, Siesta Key

Buyer: Neal and Sandra DeFeo
Seller: Kevin D. Cogan

2. $2.4 million: 7100 Manasota Key Road, Manasota Key

Buyer: Jonross Inc.
Seller: Nancy Blackstone Spiegel

3. $2.275 million: 1403 Kenilworth St., Sarasota

Buyer: Robert Bonilla
Seller: Pamela Morris

4. $2.2 million: 8140 Manasota Key Road, Manasota Key

Buyer: Carolyn Joseph
Seller: Harold S. Samhat

5. $2 million: 15 N. Sandy Hook Road, Siesta Key

Buyers: Renee Chase and Edward Aroyan
Seller: Linda M. Boring

6. $1.975 million: 1281 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key

Buyers: Paul and Lisette Jacobs
Seller: Ingrid Leitzen

7. $1.89 million: Luxury condo, the Hyatt Siesta Key Beach, 915 Seaside Dr, Siesta Key

Buyer: Judith K. Peters
Seller: NS/CSE Siesta Key LLC

8. $1.8 million: Luxury condo, Ritz Beach Residences, 1300 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Lido Key

Buyer: Eugene S. Kahn
Seller: Arlene Barsumian.

9. $1.705 million: 929 Casey Cove Drive, Nokomis

Buyer: Steven and Deborah Grossman
Seller: Mary E. Guyton

10. $1.6 million: 751 N. Manasota Key Drive, Manasota Key

Buyer: Robert and Patricia Darroch
Seller: Claude Darroch

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Visits to the Anna Maria Island/Longboat Key area showed no sign of decline in June, tourism rose 6.5 percent that month compared with June 2010, according to the latest Research Data Services monthly tourism report for the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The RDS reported 47,500 visitors came to the area in June, while 44,600 were reported in June 2010.

Occupancy of Island and Longboat Key accommodations was 61.5 percent in June 2011, while June 2010 occupancy was reported at 58.2 percent.

It was all good news for Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce president Mary Ann Brockman.

“I haven’t had any complaints about the summer season. Everyone I talked to said it was going great, and I really expect July and August will also be up from last year,” Brockman said.

Through the first six months of this year, visitor arrivals to the AMI/LBK area are up 3.5 percent from the same period in 2010. The RDS reported a total of 275,500 visitors through June this year against 266,300 for the first half of 2010.

In addition to a tourism boost in June, economic spending also rose, climbing 11.3 percent from the $24.8 million in direct tourism expenditures reported in June 2010 to $27.6 million spent in June this year.

Direct expenditures for the year-to-date were up 5.5 percent through June 2011 compared with the first six months of 2010. The RDS reported $218.3 million in direct spending for the first half of 2011, while direct spending in the first six months of 2010 was $206.9 million.

90.9 percent of visitors said they would return for another vacation, while 93.6 percent said they would recommend Anna Maria Island as a vacation destination to friends.

The top five attributes for an Island vacation listed by vacationers were beautiful beaches at No 1, good food and restaurants was No. 2, a clean and unspoiled environment was third, complete relaxation was fourth, and clear, blue water was No. 5. Multiple choices were allowed in the survey.

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They feature Anna Maria Island as the place that offers an authentic taste of island living with best beaches for long beach walks, cute beach boutiques, chilled-out beach cafés, funky beach bars - and of course they are right!!!

Here’s the article:

Best Florida Beaches: Gulf Coast

Check out our annual guide to the best beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Grab a towel, lounge chair and your sexiest swimsuit, and then dive in.

Best For »
Beach-town devotees who want the works: long beach walks, cute beach boutiques, chilled-out beach cafés, funky beach bars. If you’re craving an authentic taste of island living, Anna Maria Island is the real deal. This seven-mile stretch of white sandy shores and crystal-clear water sparkles in the sun’s spotlight, yet not many know of this, shall we say, secret spot perched on the Gulf coast. The island revels in its small-town vibe, where building anything over two stories is a no-no. So expect lushly landscaped clapboard homes and quaint inns, plus a scattering of colorful beach-chic shops and eateries.

And the best thing? It’s only an hour or two from St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Tampa and Orlando.

Like A Local »
The ideal way to experience Anna Maria is to rent your very own beach cottage. Trust us, great options abound here. First choice is naturally a place on the water, but no matter where you land, you are certainly never far from the Gulf or Tampa Bay. Wake to a sunrise over the Intracoastal Waterway from the private deck of Casa Bella (satorealestate.com), one of many rental homes, or just bird-watch while floating on your back in the house’s infinity pool. Even indoors it’s nature-centric. You’ll feel like you can reach through the living room’s window and touch the ripples in the bay from the comfy sofa — it’s literally right there.

Go South »
Anna Maria starts out as a wide maze of residential lanes in the north, tapering down to a single narrow road as you reach its southern tip, where one of the best beaches caps off the island. Coquina Beach is a gorgeous strip of easy-to-access public beach with wide, flat expanses of sand blending into quiet Gulf water. Our favorite spot is south of 13th Street, where it’s completely undev- eloped. Soft, shady pines line its eastern edge, and people snorkel around its mini limestone jetties where an occasional dolphin pokes its head out of the water. Boat enthusiasts hang at the southern- most point to watch sailboats of all sorts navigate through Longboat Pass. Bradenton Beach, the south end’s hub, is where to go to feast on strawberry jam crêpes, croissants and even French toast. Parisian chef Olivier Rose makes them at the cozy Island Creperie (941.778.1011). Take a peek at the jewelry and local artwork displayed on driftwood and dried sea grape leaves in Hive Creations (941.778.7432). The Historic Bridge Street Pier is where pelicans harass fishermen returning from a day on the water. It’s also home to the deceivingly ramshackle but friendly Joe’s Eats and Sweets (joeseatsandsweets.com), serving deliciously fresh banana splits.

Go North »
The City of Anna Maria anchors the northern end of the island. Tight sandy lanes lined with inns and eateries open up to boulevards where thick foliage obscures rows of houses. If you search hard enough, you’ll find Bean Point, the locals’ favorite beach. While Coquina Beach is super accessible on the southern end, Bean Point is a completely in-the-know secret spot tucked away at the island’s northern tip. Amid the sprawling mansions on North Shore Drive, there are a few hidden walkways. If you can find street parking, you’ll be treated to graceful dunes with clusters of yellow wildflowers and the softest white sand kissed by Caribbean-clear emerald waters. Wade out to a sand- bar for a view of the pristine beach that curves around the island and disappears into the distance. Pine Avenue, with galleries, boutiques and cafes, is perfect for strolling. Among the shops at the historic Green Village, an assemblage of newly restored Old Florida cottages, is Island Cabana (941.896.4946), where a collection of classic whitewashed pottery and vintage etchings of corals and pelicans tempt shoppers. Hop on one of the free old-fashioned trolleys heading back south. En route in Holmes Beach is the brand-new Eat Here (eathere-ami.com) restaurant, the casual sibling of the well-known upscale Beach Bistro. Art covers the walls, and tables overflow with plates of Cedar Key clams and Pelham frites — crispy fries with gravy — paired with Saison Athene beer from the Saint Somewhere Brewing Company in nearby Tarpon Springs.

Wrap The Day »
For the ultimate sunset experience, book a table at the all-new Bridge Street Bistro (941.782.1122). You’ll want to request one on the balcony facing the Gulf. The view from this third-story perch begins at palm trees blowing in the sea breeze and extends to the horizon. Hands down, the succulent Grassy Key grouper with a light, buttery lime sauce is the dish to order. Finish off your meal with the berry basket dessert. The almond-crust bowl filled with the freshest strawberries, raspberries and handmade cream is even better than the sunset.

Siesta Beach was named the best beach in the United States Friday in an annual survey by Florida International University professor Steven Leatherman, who is also known by the friendly nickname “Dr. Beach.”

Siesta Beach – Sarasota, Florida

Siesta Beach is the number one beach in the 21st annual Top 10 Beach List, produced by coastal expert Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research.

Siesta Beach in Sarasota boasts that it has the finest and whitest sand in the world, and I cannot argue with this claim; the powdery sand is nearly pure quartz crystal.  The beautiful blue-colored water is clean and clear, making it so inviting to bathers and swimmers.  The beach is hundreds of yards wide, attracting volleyball players and beachcombers as well as those who just want to find their place in the sun.

Waves at Siesta Beach are normally measured in inches and the beach gradually slopes into the Gulf waters, making it a very safe area for children.

This beach park is complete with showers and bathrooms, snack bars, grills, picnic tables, shade trees, and a large parking area, which does fill up on summer weekends.  Siesta Beach is a smokeless beach, earning extra points for cleanliness and environmental management. My favorite time to visit is after Labor Day when things have calmed down, and the water is still warm enough for swimming until November.  Snowbirds from northern climes call this area home during the winter because of the great weather.  The beaches are for exploring, but not swimming at this time of year, albeit I have been in the water as early as March.

1.  Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
2.  Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
3.  Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
4.  Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
5.  Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
6.  St. George Island State Park, Florida panhandle
7.  Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina
8.  Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
9.  Waimanalo Bay Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

If you are interested in Sarasota Real Estate fill out our Dream Home Finder Form and we will email you a list of properties that match your criteria.

If you want to be on Siesta Key here are some choices:

Showing properties 1 - 50 of 421. See more 34242 zip code real estate.
(all data current as of 2/4/2012)

1. $1,695,000 : 9363 Blind Pass Rd, Sarasota
   
   10 beds, 12 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,876 sq ft

   Lot size: 19,692 sq ft

   Year built: 1979

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 2
2. $599,000 : 350 Avenida Leona, Sarasota
   
   3 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 1,620 sq ft

   Lot size: 11,127 sq ft

   Year built: 1970

   Parking spots: 1

   Days on market: 3
3. $729,000 : 5337 Siesta Ct, Sarasota
   
   4 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 3,495 sq ft

   Lot size: 19,235 sq ft

   Year built: 1978

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 3
4. $430,000 : MLS # M5826925 in Sarasota
   
   3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 1,905 sq ft

   Lot size: 12,993 sq ft

   Year built: 1987

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 3
5. $335,000 : 5830 Midnight Pass Rd # 92, Sarasota
   
   2 beds, 2 full baths

   Home size: 921 sq ft

   Lot size: 2.53 ac

   Year built: 1970

   Days on market: 3
6. $849,000 : 1225 Tree Bay Ln, Sarasota
   
   4 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 3,279 sq ft

   Lot size: 10,925 sq ft

   Year built: 2003

   Parking spots: 4

   Days on market: 4
7. $849,000 : 1310 Roberts Bay Ln, Sarasota
   
   3 beds, 3 full baths

   Home size: 2,959 sq ft

   Lot size: 25,065 sq ft

   Year built: 1977

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 5
8. $4,999,000 : 9230 Blind Pass Rd, Sarasota
   
   4 beds, 5 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 6,410 sq ft

   Lot size: 16,580 sq ft

   Year built: 1979

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 6
9. $1,599,000 : 1294 Whitehall Pl, Sarasota
   
   4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,811 sq ft

   Lot size: 17,309 sq ft

   Year built: 1975

   Parking spots: 2

   Days on market: 6
10. $450,000 : 5401 Shadow Lawn Dr, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,539 sq ft

    Lot size: 17,400 sq ft

    Year built: 1963

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 6
11. $329,900 : 1350 N Portofino Dr # 409, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 929 sq ft

    Lot size: 3.10 ac

    Year built: 1969

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 8
12. $475,000 : 5600 Beach Way Dr # 305, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,182 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.80 ac

    Year built: 1970

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 9
13. $349,900 : 8635 Midnight Pass Rd # C503, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,115 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.95 ac

    Year built: 1970

    Days on market: 9
14. $479,000 : 9393 Midnight Pass Rd # 704, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,380 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.24 ac

    Year built: 1975

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 10
15. $2,975,000 : 4929 Higel Ave, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 2 part baths

    Home size: 5,873 sq ft

    Lot size: 17,744 sq ft

    Year built: 2009

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 10
16. $2,599,990 : 8191 Midnight Pass Rd, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 2 part baths

    Home size: 4,060 sq ft

    Lot size: 19,824 sq ft

    Year built: 1986

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 10
17. $1,099,000 : 800 Idlewild Way, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 4 full baths

    Home size: 3,307 sq ft

    Lot size: 15,850 sq ft

    Year built: 1989

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 10
18. $424,850 : 8767 Midnight Pass Rd # 507f, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,303 sq ft

    Lot size: 6.30 ac

    Year built: 1979

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 10
19. $649,000 : 514 Cummings St, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 3 full baths

    Home size: 2,230 sq ft

    Lot size: 9,483 sq ft

    Year built: 1955

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 11
20. $3,600,000 : 3916 Solymar Dr, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 3,892 sq ft

    Lot size: 12,053 sq ft

    Year built: 2006

    Parking spots: 4

    Days on market: 11
21. $4,699,000 : 648 Beach Rd, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,094 sq ft

    Lot size: 9,550 sq ft

    Year built: 1996

    Parking spots: 4

    Days on market: 12
22. $4,449,000 : 8068 Sanderling Rd, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 4 full baths

    Home size: 4,502 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.43 ac

    Year built: 1967

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 12
23. $1,375,000 : 1660 Summerhouse Ln # 604, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,490 sq ft

    Lot size: 3.50 ac

    Year built: 2007

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 13
24. $369,000 : 1300 Midnight Cove Ii Pl # 710, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 1 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 860 sq ft

    Lot size: 11.56 ac

    Year built: 1979

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 13
25. $1,380,000 : 5525 Azure Way, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 4 full baths

    Home size: 3,952 sq ft

    Lot size: 27,300 sq ft

    Year built: 1976

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 16
26. $399,995 : 8730 Midnight Pass Rd # 300a, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,365 sq ft

    Lot size: 3.31 ac

    Year built: 1980

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 16
27. $400,000 : 9150 Blind Pass Road # 405, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,797 sq ft

    Year built: 1975

    Days on market: 16
28. $1,150,000 : 4568 Woodside Rd, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 3,396 sq ft

    Lot size: 15,823 sq ft

    Year built: 1972

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 17
29. $939,900 : 819 Paradise Way, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,505 sq ft

    Lot size: 13,783 sq ft

    Year built: 1996

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 17
30. $2,149,000 : 1248 Northport Dr, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 3,712 sq ft

    Lot size: 17,587 sq ft

    Year built: 2012

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 18
31. $965,000 : 6957 Belgrave Dr, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full baths

    Home size: 3,200 sq ft

    Lot size: 18,132 sq ft

    Year built: 1966

    Days on market: 18
32. $639,900 : 6396 Midnight Cove Rd # 932, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,472 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.77 ac

    Year built: 1979

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 18
33. $750,000 : 1226 Sea Plume Way, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,727 sq ft

    Lot size: 13,581 sq ft

    Year built: 1975

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 19
34. $599,000 : 5780 Midnight Pass Rd # 203b, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,361 sq ft

    Lot size: 3.44 ac

    Year built: 1979

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 19
35. $399,900 : 6396 Midnight Cove Rd # 921, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,472 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.77 ac

    Year built: 1979

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 19
36. $369,900 : 199 Whispering Sands Dr # 208, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,271 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.27 ac

    Year built: 1970

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 19
37. $3,650,000 : 750 Freeling Dr, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,585 sq ft

    Lot size: 25,880 sq ft

    Year built: 1992

    Parking spots: 3

    Days on market: 20
38. $894,999 : 8307 Midnight Pass Rd, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,244 sq ft

    Lot size: 19,950 sq ft

    Year built: 1945

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 20
39. $849,000 : 4712 Ocean Blvd # W3, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 3 full baths

    Home size: 2,277 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.57 ac

    Year built: 1981

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 20
40. $975,000 : 1348 Moonmist Dr # B-6, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,906 sq ft

    Lot size: 9.24 ac

    Year built: 1968

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 20
41. $12,500,000 : 3410 Flamingo Ave, Sarasota
    
    7 beds, 8 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 7,194 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.74 ac

    Year built: 2000

    Parking spots: 4

    Days on market: 20
42. $795,000 : 19 Whispering Sands Dr # 506, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,282 sq ft

    Lot size: 3.19 ac

    Year built: 1973

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 20
43. $699,000 : 5300 Ocean Blvd # 903, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,375 sq ft

    Lot size: 1.95 ac

    Year built: 1973

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 20
44. $549,000 : 5085 Commonwealth Dr, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,511 sq ft

    Lot size: 14,946 sq ft

    Year built: 1990

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 20
45. $999,000 : 5180 Sandy Shore Ave, Sarasota
    
    3 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,700 sq ft

    Lot size: 16,021 sq ft

    Year built: 1969

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 21
46. $1,250,000 : 1295 Whitehall Pl, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 1,933 sq ft

    Lot size: 15,836 sq ft

    Year built: 1961

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 22
47. $2,200,000 : 762 Siesta Dr, Sarasota
    
    5 beds, 4 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 4,651 sq ft

    Lot size: 19,100 sq ft

    Year built: 1958

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 23
48. $1,150,000 : 4959 Oxford Dr, Sarasota
    
    4 beds, 3 full, 2 part baths

    Home size: 3,190 sq ft

    Lot size: 6,650 sq ft

    Year built: 1991

    Parking spots: 2

    Days on market: 23
49. $425,000 : 9393 Midnight Pass Rd # P5, Sarasota
    
    2 beds, 2 full baths

    Home size: 1,029 sq ft

    Lot size: 5.24 ac

    Year built: 1975

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 23
50. $469,999 : 6041 E Peppertree Way # 227, Sa
    
    2 beds, 2 full, 2 part baths

    Home size: 1,415 sq ft

    Year built: 1975

    Parking spots: 1

    Days on market: 24

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

This beach, on the southern tip of Anna Marie Island, near Sarasota, is famous for “coquinas,” colorful mini seashells. “Every morning, there’s a row of shells on the shoreline for kids to scoop up,” says Debbie Meihls, executive manager of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Another activity: kayaking. You can rent one on the beach or sign up for a guided eco-tour; either way, you’re likely to see dolphins, manatees, and stingrays. Shady Australian pines, warm water (it averages 82°F year-round), and a 1½-mile paved nature trail also make Coquina fun.

If you are looking for a place in paradise, call us today @ 941.866.1666.

Anna Maria Sound is located in the city of Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida. Harbour Isle, located in beautiful Perico Island, is just minutes away from Anna Maria Island, with its quaint business districts, award-winning restaurants, specialty shops, and arts and entertainment venues that make it one of the nation’s favorite vacation spots.

These new homes in Harbour Isle offer easy access to US Highway 41 State Road 64 (Manatee Ave W).

Harbour Isle will be a gated community offering a lush tropical setting. After entering through the gated guard tower, visitors will proceed down a narrow Royal Palm-lined drive, running parallel to a 2-mile walking path that encircles the island, skirted by a 38-acre man-made lake, and bordering a large mangrove preserve on the east side.

Buyers have a choice of 7 different homes, beautifully designed in a southern coastal resort-style architecture. The homes will range in size from 1,621 to 2,960 square feet of living space, and will be LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified, the highest rating for green features such as energy efficiency, enhanced indoor air quality, water efficiency and sustainable use of materials and land.

Minto Group, created in 1955, has built more than 67,000 homes, including over 19,000 in Florida. 

Please contact us to request more information about these new luxury condominium at Harbour Isle.

Topping the list was Hanalei Bay. This remote, two-mile crescent-shaped beach on Kauai where the emerald mountains meet the sparkling sea was selected No. 1 on “Dr. Beach” Stephen P. Leatherman’s 2009 list of top 10 beaches, which was released Friday.

But the runner-up on Leatherman’s list was Siesta Beach in Sarasota, FL:

Siesta Key was followed by Coopers Beach in Southampton, N.Y., on Long Island; Coronado Beach in San Diego; Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii; Main Beach in East Hampton, N.Y., on Long Island; Cape Hatteras in Outer Banks, N.C.; Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Fla.; Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod, Mass.; and Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, S.C.

Leatherman based his selections on 50 criteria, including water quality and temperature, cleanliness, weather, sand, safety and facilities. And Hanalei is his personal favorite “getaway beach” in Hawaii.

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No, no, don’t laugh. I’m serious. Of course, I don’t mean property that is overpriced or overvalued. The kind of real estate that is only available at these times and at these prices.  Realistic sellers, short sales and foreclosures mean opportunities for buyers.

Look ahead of the crowd

Today, you can find some great bargains on real estate in the Florida, if you know where to look. Look ahead now and you won’t have missed the boat like you did before. I mean these people from overseas saying, if we knew the market would go like this, we should have bought something here in 1995. The 2nd chance is just around the corner waiting.

Sure, the US Real Estate and mortgage market is desparate now. Have we already seen the bottom of the real estate market and the US-Dollar vs. the other important currencies of the world? I don’t believe so, but nobody knows for sure. Besides that election year is coming, what I know for sure is that the US Real Estate market is not Florida. Why?

Sail, surf and beaches! Period!

Espcially the Sarasota / Bradenton market was ahead of the rest when the prices began to skyrocket and it was ahead when they began to drop. So this is the market where you should starting looking now. Don’t wait to long and try to chase prices better catch them in advance.

More money to buy real estate

The falling dollar and the mortgage crisis make up a perfect storm that has left overseas investors in U.S. stocks and bonds facing unattractively low interest rates and unattractively low (or negative) returns on stocks. The dollar’s fall will cause them to lose money in their home currencies even if U.S. stocks hold steady.

An increasing number of overseas investors are joining the global search for alternatives.  The number one alternative is real estate.

 Do you think real estate is a smart investment now?

At some point, though, those same overseas investors will realize that U.S. real estate is a great hedge against what they fear most: an attack of runaway inflation in the United States. A physical asset such as real estate goes up in value when inflation soars. At some point, those overseas investors will notice that real estate in the U.S. is cheap enough that any recovery in the American economy will produce windfall profits.

And besides all profits, don’t forget: Surf, sail and beaches and this can be the source for: More profits…

Axel Weiss, MBA
Lic. Real Estate Pro, Lic. Mortgage Broker
with material from Matt Augustyniak, Horizon RealtyBradenton, Florida

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Owners of condominiums now fear, that it will be even harder to find a buyer. With to much inventory on the market it hurts if the board is cutting out a big part of potential buyers.

If you struggle to sell your condo, please pick up your phone and give us a call @ 941.866.1666. We will market your home to our qualified local and international buyers.

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