Florida Real Estate & Lifestyle Blog

A swimming pool can add several recurring and occasional expenses to the cost of owning a Florida home, including cleaning, chemicals, electricity, water, heating, equipment repairs, insurance considerations, and eventual resurfacing or renovation. As a broad current industry estimate, routine Flori

Some of the best golf courses near Siesta Key include TPC Prestancia, Bobby Jones Golf Club, Serenoa Golf Club, Stoneybrook Golf & Country Club, Misty Creek Country Club, and Bent Tree Golf Club. Siesta Key itself is known for Gulf beaches rather than golf courses, but mainland Sarasota provides num

A separate mold inspection or assessment can be worth considering before buying a house when there are signs of current or previous moisture problems, visible mold, musty odors, roof or plumbing leaks, storm or flood history, suspicious staining, or concerns identified during the general home inspec

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 unexp

Some of the best golf courses near Clearwater Beach are Dunedin Golf Club, Clearwater Country Club, Cove Cay Golf Club, Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club, Belleair Country Club, and the championship courses at Innisbrook Resort. The choices range from accessible public golf and restored Donald Ross archit

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 center,

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 communities

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 east.

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 courts,

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-site

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 poo

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 fac

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 pic

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 distinct

Siesta Towers is an established high-rise condominium at 4822 Ocean Boulevard on the northern portion of Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. Its waterfront setting, elevated views from many residences, community amenities, and proximity to Siesta Key Village give buyers an alternative to lower-rise con

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 toward

Some of the best golf courses near Nokomis, Florida include Calusa Lakes Golf Club and Mission Valley Golf & Country Club right in Nokomis, plus Lake Venice Golf Club, Pelican Pointe Golf & Country Club, Waterford Golf Club, Jacaranda West Country Club, and Venetian Golf Club nearby. Golfers can cho

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 Florida,

The best golf communities in Lakewood Ranch depend on how seriously you play and how you want golf connected to your home. Buyers can choose established country club neighborhoods with access to the private Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club, the resort-oriented Esplanade Golf & Country Club, or new

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, wh