Florida Real Estate & Lifestyle Blog

  Some of the best golf courses to play this October on Florida's Gulf Coast are Bobby Jones Golf Club in Sarasota, University Park Country Club near the Sarasota-Manatee line, IMG Academy Golf Club in Bradenton and Jacaranda West Country Club in Venice. Golfers heading farther south can add Boca Ro

    Some of the best parks and nature preserves to explore near Sarasota this fall include Myakka River State Park for a full day in wild Florida, the Celery Fields for birding and wetland views, Oscar Scherer State Park for hiking and Florida scrub-jay habitat, Red Bug Slough Preserve for an easy i

    Some of the best biking trails to explore this fall on Florida's Gulf Coast are concentrated around Sarasota, Osprey, Venice, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. The paved Legacy Trail connects Sarasota with Venice, Venetian Waterway Park adds miles of Intracoastal scenery, Oscar Scherer State Park co

    Some of the best places to kayak and paddleboard near Sarasota this fall include the mangrove tunnels at Ted Sperling Nature Park on Lido Key, Sarasota Bay, the waterways around Siesta Key, Phillippi Creek, Blackburn Point in Osprey, South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park and the Myakka River.

    October can be one of the most enjoyable boating months on Florida's Gulf Coast, especially around Sarasota, Venice and the surrounding Southwest Florida waterways. Sarasota's average October water temperature is about 81 degrees Fahrenheit, while fall begins bringing relief from peak summer hea

    The best places to live in Bradenton for golfers include River Strand for private 27-hole country club living, Waterlefe for championship golf combined with the Manatee River, Rosedale for an established gated community with separately available club membership, Heritage Harbour for residential

    St. Armands Circle does not have its own golf course, but golfers staying on Lido Key or near downtown Sarasota have several options. The closest resort golf is at Longboat Key Club, where 45 holes are available to members and registered resort guests. For public golf, the restored Bobby Jones G

    Brightmore at Wellen Park is a gated, age-qualified 55+ community by Mattamy Homes in Venice, Florida, offering new single-story paired villas and single-family homes within the larger Wellen Park master-planned community. Its centerpiece is an 11-acre resort-style amenity campus with a lakefron

    Library Mews is an intimate 11-residence townhouse community at 200 Cocoanut Avenue in Downtown Sarasota, close to Five Points, Main Street, Selby Public Library and Sarasota Opera. Instead of a conventional downtown high-rise, Library Mews offers a smaller-scale residential setting within Saras

    Aldea Mar condos offer Gulf-front living on the Island of Venice in Venice, Florida, within a low-rise condominium community known for tropical landscaping, direct beach access and a heated Gulf-side pool. Unlike a conventional beachfront tower, Aldea Mar consists of low-rise villas and condomin

    Capri Village East is an established 55+ condominium community in Venice, Florida, offering low-rise residences in the Capri Isles area near golf, shopping, historic downtown Venice and Gulf beaches. The community dates to the 1970s and provides a heated swimming pool, clubhouse, mature landscap

    Tidewater Preserve homes are part of a gated, master-planned waterfront community in Bradenton, Florida, along the Manatee River. The community combines detached homes with condominium and coach-home residences, marina access, pools, fitness and clubhouse facilities, tennis, nature-oriented recr

    Amora is a small, deed-restricted community of just 21 single-family homes on the Island of Venice in Venice, Florida. Developed primarily in the early 2000s, the neighborhood combines newer-for-the-island construction with an HOA-maintained approach to landscaping and irrigation. Homes are clos

    Boca Royale Golf & Country Club is a gated residential and country-club community in Englewood, Florida, offering championship golf, tennis, pickleball, fitness, dining and a broad mix of established and newer homes. The approximately 1,000-acre community is in South Sarasota County near Manasot

    October can be one of the most enjoyable months to explore Florida's Gulf Coast beaches, particularly around Sarasota and Venice. Summer's most intense heat begins to ease, Gulf water can remain comfortable for swimming, and the winter visitor season has not necessarily reached its busiest point

    After a hurricane or major tropical storm, Florida real estate buyers and sellers should look beyond whether a property appears repaired. Roof damage, wind-driven rain, flooding, electrical problems, damaged windows and doors, drainage issues and unpermitted repairs can have consequences long af

    Capri West is an established condominium community in the Capri Isles area of Venice, Florida, offering low-maintenance residences beside Capri Isles Golf Club and convenient access to historic downtown Venice, shopping and Gulf beaches. The community includes 68 condominium units, two community

    Brezza del Mare is an intimate 18-unit condominium community on Venice Island in Venice, Florida, offering a smaller-scale alternative to the island's larger beachfront and high-rise buildings. Built in 2006 at 235 Base Avenue East, the community features a heated swimming pool, elevator access,

    University Park is a resident-owned, gated master-planned community near Sarasota with 32 distinct neighborhoods, mature landscaping and an established country club built around 27 holes of championship golf. University Park Country Club also offers 11 lighted Har-Tru tennis courts, four pickleb

    The Oaks is an established residential community in West Bradenton, Florida, where detached residences, mature landscaping and a shared community pool create a quieter alternative to both large condominium buildings and newer master-planned subdivisions. Located in the 34209 ZIP code near 59th S