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So, I am here now. Just drove all of Sarasota and omg, I love it! It is beautiful. A city, but not too big and not too much traffic. I found St. Pete very, very crowded and kind of run down. It did not give me that Florida feeling I am looking for. So, it looks like it will be Sarasota for me if I stay on the West Coast. I have a dear friend on the East Coast of Florida - Space Coast, Satellite Beach - which I also found beautiful... but my impression is that Sarasota has more going on for a divorced 45 year old with no children - idk. As an aside, I did consider Dunedin and Safety Harbor but learned about a much higher frequency of sink holes and expensive foundation repairs there. It is a risk I do not want to take considering I do not have to be there for a job or family.
So glad you loved it! It really is a great little city, and is experiencing a mini-boom, especially around the downtown. It has the amenities of a much larger city due to it's cosmopolitan nature, without the problems of the big city. As you may have found, there is a lot of traffic this time of year due to snowbirds and travelers, but it's only about 4 months out of the year so not too bad. You are definitely in the age group to really enjoy what this area has to offer. By the way, did you manage to check out all of the beautiful beaches/keys in our area? And free parking to boot!
So, I am here now. Just drove all of Sarasota and omg, I love it! It is beautiful. A city, but not too big and not too much traffic. I found St. Pete very, very crowded and kind of run down. It did not give me that Florida feeling I am looking for. So, it looks like it will be Sarasota for me if I stay on the West Coast. I have a dear friend on the East Coast of Florida - Space Coast, Satellite Beach - which I also found beautiful... but my impression is that Sarasota has more going on for a divorced 45 year old with no children - idk. As an aside, I did consider Dunedin and Safety Harbor but learned about a much higher frequency of sink holes and expensive foundation repairs there. It is a risk I do not want to take considering I do not have to be there for a job or family.
I too have been following this thread. I've been waiting to hear what your impression was. I am planning to move within the next 6 months or so. I was leaning toward St Pete as well, but then a friend of mine told me to check out Sarasota. He said I would love it there. So your insight gives me much to think about.
Probably the thing that keeps pointing me back toward St Pete is that there are likely more job opportunities. My industry is construction (accounting, so I can go into other industries as well). I'm not big on a long commute either. I typically like to live where I work. So I still have much to consider.
The other thing is the airports. I know there is one in Sarasota, but it doesn't seem that there are any NS flights in and out of that airport to anywhere I would fly.
With all of that said, I'm wondering if I should keep my focus on St Pete or somewhere else entirely....
Hey sailelsa, read through the thread and felt I had a lot of similarities with you and also have been looking at Sarasota so I was glad to hear you are liking it!
How would you compare your impression of the east coast with west coast of florida?
Is sarasota a retirement community with a lot of older people? I'm early 30's so want to avoid living in Boca Raton type place you know.
So funny, that was my concern with Sarasota too - that it might feel like a retirement community - but it doesn't. I'm 45. But, a young 45. Granted there are older people there, but I don't feel a difference between Sarasota and any other area of Florida - I'm including St. Petersburg, Largo, Clearwater, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Vero Beach, Satellite Beach, Space Coast in general. Now I am sure some of those areas skew older and some skew younger - but it is not noticeable in my opinion. St. Pete is the only bigger city I was considering. That definitely has more activity, but the traffic is bloody awful - I would never want to drive in that daily. It felt less like I was in Florida and more like I was in just a city anywhere. It is as bad as Philadelphia traffic at rush hour. I find Sarasota a big small city. It offers so much more than other places for it's size. Comparable to much larger cities.
The east coast I have been exploring is the Space Coast. It is a beautiful area and with the same budget of $300 - 375K for a house I can live a block from the Atlantic Ocean on a barrier island... but, I find it much less culturally diverse and not as intellectual as Sarasota. Ion't want to knock it and I wanted to like it (bc of where I can buy a house), but there is a social cost to living in an area where $300 can buy you a single family home on the barrier island. I still want to love it. I am going up to Cocoa Beach and Melbourne today to talk to as many people as I can and get an even better feel. I also feel alot of political/religious tension there so far... lots of gun bumper stickers. I didn't see any of that in Sarasota.
Just moved out of our 2nd home condo in Downtown St. Petersburgh in August last year. Have had several condos in the St. Pete Beach area. I have lots of local contacts that I have know for years. Several of them are local real estate agents. They would know all the answers to your questions for sure in order to help.
Contact me if you need a local real estate source to help you find the right location for you.
So funny, that was my concern with Sarasota too - that it might feel like a retirement community - but it doesn't. I'm 45. But, a young 45. Granted there are older people there, but I don't feel a difference between Sarasota and any other area of Florida - I'm including St. Petersburg, Largo, Clearwater, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Vero Beach, Satellite Beach, Space Coast in general. Now I am sure some of those areas skew older and some skew younger - but it is not noticeable in my opinion. St. Pete is the only bigger city I was considering. That definitely has more activity, but the traffic is bloody awful - I would never want to drive in that daily. It felt less like I was in Florida and more like I was in just a city anywhere. It is as bad as Philadelphia traffic at rush hour. I find Sarasota a big small city. It offers so much more than other places for it's size. Comparable to much larger cities.
The east coast I have been exploring is the Space Coast. It is a beautiful area and with the same budget of $300 - 375K for a house I can live a block from the Atlantic Ocean on a barrier island... but, I find it much less culturally diverse and not as intellectual as Sarasota. Ion't want to knock it and I wanted to like it (bc of where I can buy a house), but there is a social cost to living in an area where $300 can buy you a single family home on the barrier island. I still want to love it. I am going up to Cocoa Beach and Melbourne today to talk to as many people as I can and get an even better feel. I also feel alot of political/religious tension there so far... lots of gun bumper stickers. I didn't see any of that in Sarasota.
That's a FL thing. Drive on 41 and there are gunshops all around the area, through Venice and into Northport. It's also on the east coast, lots of gun ranges. A lot of people have CCW.
It's a FL thing, and you'll see it everywhere. It's common. It's not worth worrying over if it bothers you, because you cannot avoid it.
Sarasota has a lot of younger people here, too! A way better feel than Bradenton...don't do Bradenton! I would stick with either St. Pete or Sarasota! Younger people, good food, active people, there is a group here in Sarasota called "Drinking Liberally", there are a lot of activist groups, etc. Tons of cycling (most of my friends have bikes), kayaking, outdoor activities...Sarasota is small enough to get acquainted with everyone here quite quickly vs. St Pete is larger. Lots of healthy and organic eating people here
Let me know if you need more advice! Feel free to message me!
That's a FL thing. Drive on 41 and there are gunshops all around the area, through Venice and into Northport. It's also on the east coast, lots of gun ranges. A lot of people have CCW.
It's a FL thing, and you'll see it everywhere. It's common. It's not worth worrying over if it bothers you, because you cannot avoid it.
There is a different feel tho in sarasota vs the space coast in regard to gun culture. There aren't numerous angry bumper stickers about guns in sarasota. Guns don't bother me - I have a CCW, learned to shoot at age 8, and have a couple myself. It's the vocal angry gun owners that need to proclaim it publicly all over the place in a semi anti-social way that bother me. I didn't feel that at all in sarasota where I do feel it in rural florida.
There is a different feel tho in sarasota vs the space coast in regard to gun culture. There aren't numerous angry bumper stickers about guns in sarasota. Guns don't bother me - I have a CCW, learned to shoot at age 8, and have a couple myself. It's the vocal angry gun owners that need to proclaim it publicly all over the place in a semi anti-social way that bother me. I didn't feel that at all in sarasota where I do feel it in rural florida.
Having a bumper stick doesn't make a person angry. You do realize that a few years ago there was a concerted effort to remove gun rights from the population? In a state like FL, as in other southern states, people were political about it.
Frankly, I trust those law abiding, "angry," and "anti-social" gun owners -- Is that how you would describe yourself is you had a bumper sticker someone did bit like? -- over a street thug who is hiding his weapon and behaving unlawfully any day. To each his own. Which is the general sentiment in FL. Those that wish to change FL to fit their own views are generally unhappy here.
BTW, my post was for informational purposes. Attitudes around guns and the prevalence of them is very, very different in FL then in other parts of the country. For those that are not used to it, it can be a bit of culture shock. And I really do not see any difference in gun culture here or on the east coast in FL where I lived for 10+ years. Don't think that because you aren't seeing bumper stickers, that it doesn't exist in Sarasota. My guess would be that the class of cars in Sarasota is higher, and they don't want to ruin the bumpers.
Having a bumper stick doesn't make a person angry. You do realize that a few years ago there was a concerted effort to remove gun rights from the population? In a state like FL, as in other southern states, people were political about it.
Frankly, I trust those law abiding, "angry," and "anti-social" gun owners -- Is that how you would describe yourself is you had a bumper sticker someone did bit like? -- over a street thug who is hiding his weapon and behaving unlawfully any day. To each his own. Which is the general sentiment in FL. Those that wish to change FL to fit their own views are generally unhappy here.
BTW, my post was for informational purposes. Attitudes around guns and the prevalence of them is very, very different in FL then in other parts of the country. For those that are not used to it, it can be a bit of culture shock. And I really do not see any difference in gun culture here or on the east coast in FL where I lived for 10+ years. Don't think that because you aren't seeing bumper stickers, that it doesn't exist in Sarasota. My guess would be that the class of cars in Sarasota is higher, and they don't want to ruin the bumpers.
Ugh, all I can say is you always seem to nit-pick anyone's post, mis-understand what was written and have a consistent argumentative streak.
I came from Arizona and it makes gun owners in Florida seem easy going in comparison!! Puuuulease - I can tell an aggressive anti social bumper sticker from just an opinionated one. I personally don't care what the subject is - if your bumper sticker is crude and aggressive - that's different from simply being opinionated. I'm not anti gun - and I came from a state that is like Texas about their guns. Like I said, I have a couple guns. But a person can be talk big and stupidly aggressive about their guns (trying to intimidate) or just be pro-gun and responsible and absolutely with no intention to intimidate. Please don't deny my experience. You don't know what I saw --- and there where several.
Additionally, I believe you said you lived in Southeast Florida. - near Delray or something. That is very very different than four hours north of there.
As an aside - no one was trying to take our guns several years ago. That was hyped up and not true in the slightest. There was just a gun show and Internet loophole that was trying to be closed. Those with very severe mental illness diagnosis where also restricted (I believe that came after the shooting on Gabby Gifford in Tucson, AZ by by someone with severe mental illness.)
Ugh, all I can say is you always seem to nit-pick anyone's post, mis-understand what was written and have a consistent argumentative streak.
I came from Arizona and it makes gun owners in Florida seem easy going in comparison!! Puuuulease - I can tell an aggressive anti social bumper sticker from just an opinionated one. I personally don't care what the subject is - if your bumper sticker is crude and aggressive - that's different from simply being opinionated. I'm not anti gun - and I came from a state that is like Texas about their guns. Like I said, I have a couple guns. But a person can be talk big and stupidly aggressive about their guns (trying to intimidate) or just be pro-gun and responsible and absolutely with no intention to intimidate. Please don't deny my experience. You don't know what I saw --- and there where several.
Additionally, I believe you said you lived in Southeast Florida. - near Delray or something. That is very very different than four hours north of there.
As an aside - no one was trying to take our guns several years ago. That was hyped up and not true in the slightest. There was just a gun show and Internet loophole that was trying to be closed. Those with very severe mental illness diagnosis where also restricted (I believe that came after the shooting on Gabby Gifford in Tucson, AZ by by someone with severe mental illness.)
Don't worry, your instincts are correct. I don't know what the other poster's "agenda" is, but you will pretty much find a laid back "live-and-let-live" vibe in Sarasota. I love it here, not too liberal, not too conservative. And everyone pretty much gets along! Feel free to PM me for specific questions. And so you know, I have been in Sarasota a total of about 26 years ow.
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It really is a great little city, and is experiencing a mini-boom, especially around the downtown. It has the amenities of a much larger city due to it's cosmopolitan nature, without the problems of the big city. As you may have found, there is a lot of traffic this time of year due to snowbirds and travelers, but it's only about 4 months out of the year so not too bad. You are definitely in the age group to really enjoy what this area has to offer. By the way, did you manage to check out all of the beautiful beaches/keys in our area? And free parking to boot! 
