Florida Real Estate & Lifestyle Blog

    A financially healthy condo association generally has a realistic operating budget, appropriate reserves for future capital work, manageable owner delinquencies, adequate planning for insurance and maintenance, and a credible strategy for paying for major projects without repeatedly relying on u

    LakeHouse Cove at Waterside is an established single-family neighborhood within the Waterside area of Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota County. Built around an extensive lake-oriented setting, the community offers one- and two-story homes, lake and preserve homesites, a resort-style pool, community cen

    Central Park offers condominium living near the southern edge of Downtown Sarasota with an unusual combination of urban convenience, mature landscaping, recreational amenities, and access to Hudson Bayou. Buyers should know that the Central Park name can refer to two separate condominium communi

    Fishermans Haven is a gated, 36-residence condominium at 9150 Blind Pass Road near Turtle Beach on the southern end of Siesta Key. Built in 1975, the seven-story building occupies an unusual waterfront setting, with Gulf beach frontage to the west and protected water with boating access to the e

    L’Elegance on Lido Beach is a Gulf-front condominium at 1800 Benjamin Franklin Drive on Lido Key in Sarasota, Florida. Built in 1996, the gated beachfront community combines direct private beach access with an 85-foot heated lap pool, Gulf-view spa, children’s wading pool, two Har-Tru tennis cou

  Key Tower South is a Gulf-front condominium at 1750 Benjamin Franklin Drive on Lido Key in Sarasota, Florida. Built in 1970, the high-rise occupies a direct beachfront setting with Gulf access, a heated beachfront pool and sundeck, fitness facilities, saunas, a library, bicycle storage, and on-sit

    Vista Hermosa is an established Siesta Key condominium community just south of the Stickney Point Bridge and a short walk from Crescent Beach. Established in 1971, the community includes 89 private residences in a combination of one-story villas and mid-rise condominium buildings. A large heated

    Harbor Towers Yacht & Racquet Club is a bayside condominium community at 5855 Midnight Pass Road on Siesta Key, combining Intracoastal waterfront with one of the island's larger condominium marinas. Built in 1976, Harbor Towers also offers two heated outdoor pools, Har-Tru tennis courts, fitness

    Gulf and Bay Club Bayside is a gated condominium community on the Intracoastal side of Siesta Key, combining a bayside waterfront setting with access to Siesta Key Beach across Midnight Pass Road. The community features low-rise residences among landscaped grounds, two swimming pools, tennis and

    Turtle Cove is a small waterfront condominium community at 9000 Midnight Pass Road on the south end of Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. With only seven townhome-style residences, a community pool, waterfront setting, boat docks, and close proximity to Turtle Beach Park, Turtle Cove offers a dist

    Earnest money is a deposit a home buyer makes in connection with a signed purchase agreement to demonstrate good faith in the transaction. The money is typically held in escrow rather than treated as an immediate payment to the seller. If the purchase closes, the deposit is generally credited to

    Before buying a home, look beyond whether the roof simply appears new or old. Buyers should investigate its documented age, roofing material, visible condition, signs of leakage, prior repairs, permits, remaining useful life, wind-resistant features, and potential insurance implications. In Flor

    A fixed-rate mortgage provides a predictable interest rate for the life of the loan, while an adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM, can change after an initial period. Neither option is automatically better for every home buyer. A fixed rate may appeal to buyers who value long-term payment stability

  A property survey is a professional measurement and drawing of real estate that can show the property's boundaries, improvements, and other physical features relevant to ownership. For Florida home buyers, a survey can help identify issues such as a fence crossing a boundary, an improvement near a

  Some of the best golf courses near Wellen Park are remarkably close to home. Wellen Park Golf & Country Club and Boca Royale provide championship golf within Wellen Park neighborhoods, while Sarasota National, Myakka Pines, Jacaranda West, Pelican Pointe, Plantation, and Venice East expand the cho

    You can golf surprisingly close to Anna Maria Island, although only one course is actually on the island. Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach is a private nine-hole club, while public golfers can cross to Bradenton for Manatee Golf Course, IMG Academy Golf Club, Pinebrook Ironwood Golf Club, and oth

    The Gulf Coast housing market is entering September with an interesting question: will fall bring buyers more homes to choose from? The latest complete data does not yet show a broad inventory expansion. In fact, July 2026 brought stronger sales and declining active inventory across Sarasota and

    Hamilton Club is an intimate waterfront condominium community on the northern portion of Siesta Key, with just 18 residences arranged in a gated setting near Coconut Bayou and the Intracoastal Waterway. Its multi-level residences are substantially larger than many traditional island condos and c

    White Sands Village offers an established, casual approach to condominium living near Siesta Beach. Located along Midnight Pass Road, the low-rise community puts residents within a short walk of the public beach while offering a heated pool, tropical grounds, clubhouse, covered parking, grilling

    Harbour Towne is a gated waterfront condominium community on Siesta Key designed around a protected marina and private boat docks. Located off Midnight Pass Road along Dockside Place, the approximately 50-residence community combines boating access with attached garages, a heated pool and spa, t