Florida Real Estate & Lifestyle Blog

    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

  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

    Some of the best golf courses in Sarasota, Florida range from historic public layouts to highly regarded private clubs. For public play, Bobby Jones Golf Club and University Park Country Club are two excellent places to start. Private-club golfers can explore TPC Prestancia, Sara Bay Country Clu

    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

    Whispering Sands combines two features that are difficult to duplicate on Siesta Key, a gated beachfront setting and a location immediately convenient to Siesta Key Village. Developed from 1968 to 1973, the community includes 267 residences across condominium buildings and villas, with private G

    Fisherman's Cove occupies an unusual waterfront setting at Turtle Beach on the southern end of Siesta Key. The condominium community sits between the Gulf shoreline and Blind Pass Lagoon, giving residents direct access to the beach while also providing boat slips, kayak launching, and a connecti

    Somerset Cay is a boutique waterfront condominium community at 9122 Midnight Pass Road on the southern end of Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. Completed in 2002 with just 17 residences, Somerset Cay combines spacious condominium living with waterfront access, a resort-style pool and spa, fitness

    Tortuga is a beach-to-bay condominium community on the southern portion of Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. Located along Midnight Pass Road, the community combines deeded Gulf beach access with access to Little Sarasota Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway, including boat-dock facilities and a fis

  Siesta Sands is a Gulf-side condominium property at 1001 Point of Rocks Road on the southern portion of Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida. Positioned directly on Crescent Beach near Point of Rocks, the property combines direct shoreline access with two heated pools and individually configured condom

    Cityscape Sarasota is defined by residential choices woven into the urban core, where Downtown Sarasota condo living can place restaurants, shops, cultural destinations, Sarasota Bay, and Main Street close to home. Buyers can compare established high-rises, boutique residences, newer luxury buil

    When buying a Florida home, look for water stains, peeling or bubbling paint, swollen trim, damaged drywall, musty odors, visible mold growth, condensation, deteriorated caulk, roof or flashing problems, poor exterior drainage and moisture around plumbing or air-conditioning equipment. Water int

    A Florida buyer’s agent can do much more than unlock doors and send listings. Depending on the brokerage relationship and written agreement, a real estate professional working with a buyer may help define the home search, identify and evaluate properties, prepare offers, coordinate negotiations,

    Burnt Store Isles is a waterfront residential community in Punta Gorda where canal-front homes, golf-course properties and access to Charlotte Harbor create a distinctive Southwest Florida setting. For buyers, however, the important details extend beyond the water view. Canal location, bridge cl

    Parrish can be worth considering for households seeking newer single-family homes, planned communities, neighborhood amenities and access to outdoor recreation in northern Manatee County. The area includes established neighborhoods as well as substantial newer development, with housing choices r

    Buying a bank-owned property means purchasing real estate that a lender or other institution acquired through foreclosure and is now selling as real estate owned, commonly called REO. The basic transaction still involves an offer, contract, due diligence, financing when applicable, title work an

    Ellenton can be a strategically convenient Manatee County location for buyers who want access to several parts of Florida's Gulf Coast without living directly in Tampa, Sarasota or on a barrier island. Its proximity to I-75 supports north-south travel toward Sarasota and the Tampa Bay region, wh

    Tierra Verde and St. Pete Beach offer two distinctly different ways to live near the water in southern Pinellas County. Tierra Verde emphasizes residential island living, boating, waterfront homes and immediate access to Fort De Soto Park. St. Pete Beach puts Gulf beaches, restaurants, resorts a