Covered Bridge Estates (Tampa, Sarasota, Bradenton: short sales, foreclosures, to rent)

[Weaver]

My fiance and I are looking at a house in covered bridge estates by the outlet mall in Ellenton and would like to know about the area. I am a teacher who will be seeking employment in either Manatee or Sarasota and my fiance is getting a corporate transfer to Sarasota. Any info would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

[Oobie119]

It's a nice area, but Ellenton can be a bit iffy in some areas from what I hear. Try going a little further North to Parrish. It's a similar area but a little further from the mall. The schools closer to Parrish are still Manatee County but are much nicer and are A schools. Williams, Witt and Buffalo Creek are all beautiful schools. I used to teach in Manatee and my husband currently works for the district. I will mention to you though that there have been major budget cuts for Manatee county and they are currently on a hiring freeze for the rest of the school year. Ellenton is nice, It's just a little closer to Palmetto, which isnt great (Schools arent either) but I prefer Parrish..Hope this helps!

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Weaver

My fiance and I are looking at a house in covered bridge estates by the outlet mall in Ellenton and would like to know about the area. I am a teacher who will be seeking employment in either Manatee or Sarasota and my fiance is getting a corporate transfer to Sarasota. Any info would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

It was announced in the Bradenton Herald that the Manatee County school system is looking to cut 400 jobs. Go to manateeherald.com. Job market is very tight in this area. Good luck.

[helojafo]

Originally Posted by Weaver

My fiance and I are looking at a house in covered bridge estates by the outlet mall in Ellenton and would like to know about the area. I am a teacher who will be seeking employment in either Manatee or Sarasota and my fiance is getting a corporate transfer to Sarasota. Any info would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

Dear Sunrico,

My mistake. I was not trying to advertise, I was merely trying to direct them to an article that had some great pertinent advice. Yes I wrote the article and yes the blog had my name on it, but that was not my intent. I was simply trying to give them some valuable insight that was printed as an article for a local newspaper.

Sorry for unintentionally infringing on the forum rules.

[pamperedrachel]

I have friends in Covered Bridge and it seems like a nice neighborhood. Parrish is nice as well, that's where I live. True, the school board is cutting positions but not so much teachers, there are actually some postings on their website. Also check the private schools, there are quite a few in the area.

[JustTrusting]

I live in Ellenton and like it very much. It 's location is centered near everything. Palmetto has some very nice aeas, as does Parrish. However, the farther East you go (Parrish) your drive increases. If you enjoy the beach Ellenton is still close enough, hospitals, schools (MSA), are all near. There are many Private schools in Manatee County, and Manatee School For The Art is a fine school. Covered Bridge is a great choice.

[ChrisNewman]

Let me start by saying I'm a Realtor in this Bradenton, Palmetto, Ellenton, Sarasota area.

Ellenton and Palmetto properties tend to be lower priced than Bradenton or Sarasota - but then they are a little further out of town.

[patwysz]

We, also have been looking in the Bradenton area. But I saw the low prices in Covered Bridge Estates. What kind of replies did you get?
A travel agent I am working with did not recommend it. The development really didn't go too well. Thus, many short sales.
I would LOVE to hear from people with personal experience with Covered Bridge Estates as well as people who know people who live there. Any input would be greatly appreciated. We are a retired couple looking for a place to live for 6 months every year. Any other recommendations for places to live with a community pool and clubhouse would be great too.
Pat and Bill from central NY

[FLmom77]

I currently own a home in Covered Bridge and have owned it since the neighborhood started- bought back in 2000. I do not currently reside there due to my husbands job relocation, so we have tenants in our home. With that being said, I really enjoyed living in Covered Bridge- we had some really great neighbors who we continue to be friends with- even though we live out of state, and we really loved our home there. The neighborhood has really gone through some ups and downs through the years, but overall, I think its a great place to live. It is very quiet and a lot further from the crime in Palmetto than most people think- we have two small children and have never felt unsafe there. It is convenient to shopping, I-75, Sarasota and Tampa. I think a lot of the issues stem from the housing boom as that is when the majority of the building was taking place. A lot of people got in way over their heads and as a result, there are a lot of foreclosures, shorts sales, etc., which is why I chose to rent my home instead of selling it. With that being said, it does seem the majority of the foreclosures are in the first phase on the right when you enter the sub-I believe those were built by Windward and I know that many existing residents were not pleased when the building began b/c the homes did not really "match" the rest of the neighborhood. the rest of the homes were built by Custom Homes, Lennar and I am not aware of the rest.
My advice is that, like anywhere, look at the surrounding areas- are the homes maintained? Is there pride of ownership? Does it have the amenities you are looking for? If I had to do it over, I would buy again in the part of the sub that I lived in, but I would probably hesitate in other sections- hope this helps. PM if you have any more specific questions.

[patwysz]

Thank you so much. You were extremely helpful.
Pat