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My husband and I live in Michigan and plan on moving to FL in the next 3 years. It's a long time away but I wanted to do some research on nice areas to live in the Sarasota area. We are in our late 40's (husband soon to be 50 this year) with no kids and 2 dogs. We are looking for condos or villas and would consider single family homes up to $265,000. We also don't mind being in a 55+ area (if we can). We are very quiet.
Ideally, we want to be closest to the beach but we are not millionaires so I was looking more in the South Sarasota area and was wondering:
1.) what it is like to live there?
2.) Is it s safe area and close to a lot stores?
3.) What areas in South Sarasota are the nicest for the price range we are looking at that is closest to the water?
4.) If we look at condos and villas, would it be reasonable to find a place with lower HOA fees? Are there any hidden fee we should be concerned about?
5.) Please feel free to suggest any other areas close to Siesta Key beach that we should consider also.
Sorry for all of my questions. I am just starting my research
Take this with a grain of salt, because our experience is limited. I am the same age as your husband and we bought our condo in 2015, never having lived in Florida. Our budget was $200 - $250K in 2015. Like you, we wanted something pretty near the water.
It took us two or three trips to Sarasota (can't recall now), each trip being a week long.
The first thing to know is that the areas of Sarasota are very, very different. So, when you start out, you'd want to figure out which area you are interested in (and can afford) and then help your agent by narrowing it down to an area or neighborhood.
Being total beginners, I remember travelling -with an infant- to Longboat Key, Siesta Key, South Tamiami Trail areas, and Venice. We found Longboat Key too remote. We saw a beautiful townhouse place there, but it was $320K and the other townhouses were practically on top of each other. Ok...no Longboat Key.
We went to Siesta Key but that was almost immediately a no-go. At $300K there was a place which looked like a motel but was actually a condo association which allows for weekly rentals. There was a large roach looking at us as soon as we entered. No way. You'll get more for your money off the Key.
We drove around some areas in central Sarasota and it felt kinda city. And by that I mean probably less safe/more crime.
We drove to Venice and felt it was way too old and quiet (my wife is 7 years younger than I am).
So we ended up realizing that at the $200 - $250K price point, we were going to be in the S. Tamiami Trail area between Osprey and Stickney Point Road. From there it was easy - there was Pelican Cove, and there were a bunch of smaller condo communities just before the bridge on Stickney Pt Rd. So we ended up at Castel Del Mare. It's technically walkable to Siesta Key but a bike is better. The grounds/community is very nice. Some restrictions on the rentals but that is probably for the best. I believe we looked at one new community over by Walmart just to see what you'd get in a new construction and not near the water. It was nice, just not for us.
Your price point + <30 minutes to beach + 2 dogs = unattractive listings
With 2 dogs, you'd be much happier in a single family home, or Villa w/ attached garage.
I think you should push back your time horizon until you can afford $350,000 (cash purchase).
The current price for a 1,600-1,800 sq ft newer Villa built w/ the latest Hurricane code requirements is $325,000 (<30 mins to beach). In 5 years, it will be $350,000. You don't want a pre-2002 anything here. The constructon codes were too lax back then, as evidenced by the destruction Andrew wreaked upon Homestead FLA. Why live in fear, & overpay for homeowners insurance?
Many people here live in pre 2002 homes, and never had any Hurricane issues. However, if they live here full time, and are here for the entire Hurricane season year after year, they are living w/ added stress. Plus, they are likely deciding to bail out (evacuate) every 3rd year, or so, when a Cat 3+ takes aim at them.
Location: Sarasota/ Bradenton - University Pkwy area
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When considering condos, I would suggest checking out the dog restrictions first since a number of the condo communities restrict unit owners to just one dog and they also have weight restrictions for pets as well as well. Please do not go by what listing agents state in the MLS when it comes to pet restrictions, not every agent verifies the information they get from the seller or "copy" from other MLS listings in that community that may have incorrect information. It's best to verify with the condo management company, your agent can do that for you.
Before buying a condo, there are a number of questions I would ask regarding Rules & Regulations, Bylaws and voting rights, BUDGETS, Budget Reserves for big ticket maintenance (a very important factor), routine maintenance, the Board (try to get & read several months worth of meeting minutes) and whether there are any current or pending lawsuits against the condo association.
The financials of a condo association are, in my opinion, as important (if not more so) than current monthly fees. Is the association meeting it's current financial obligations? Do they have sufficient reserves for the more expensive maintenance/repair items (such as roofs) or can you expect to see special assessments to help cover costs? How many owners are behind in their payments?
Meeting minutes will give you a better idea as to what is going on within the condo community -- are they having issues with an owner/tenant that may lead to a lawsuit? Are they discussing unexpected maintenance issues? Rule changes?
I would also want to know how many units are owner occupied and how many are used as rentals. If there are a large number of rentals within the community and you are looking for something to use as your residence, you may want to rethink that particular community. Investor owners generally vote with their wallets in mind.
The more homework you do up front when purchasing a condo, the less likely you will encounter surprises later.
Your price range if you decide to go the single family home route would probably mean buying an older home if you want a south Sarasota location. I could do an entire second post on what to look for in buying an older FL home, but one of the top things to watch out for is work done without permits when permits were required.
If you purchase a property that had remodeling work done that was done without permits when permits were required, the building department has the authority to force the "current owner" of record to obtain the required permits and satisfy ALL code requirements. Doesn't matter which previous owner did the unauthorized work, current owner becomes responsible. Once you close on the purchase of that property you are now the "current owner."
First, the building department can assess penalties on the current owner for non-compliance. Applying for a permit after the fact is not necessarily an easy procedure. If construction documents and inspections would have been required to satisfy the original permit, those items must now be obtained as well. Walls may need to be opened to inspect electrical and plumbing. Inspectors will not assume everything was done according to code, they will want verification. You may have to get an architect, an engineer and/or a general contractor involved in the inspection process, depending on what type of work was done without permits and documentation required to obtain the permits.
Another issue is that the work that was done must meet CURRENT code, not the code applicable when the unpermitted work was originally done.
If the work completed is not to code, the building department can and has required the "current owner" to remove the entire unpermitted project. That additional bedroom with bath may have to be gutted and turned back into a garage at your expense.
Insurance can become another issue. If any of the work done without permits is not to code it may impact a buyer's ability to get hazard insurance on the property. I have been involved in a couple of closings where that happened. The sellers ended up having to pay to have the electrical and/or plumbing work redone, with permits, before the buyers would/could close.
Insurance companies are also getting pickier about permits in general, especially as it pertains to electrical and plumbing work. More than one insurance agent within the past couple of years has told me that should a homeowner file a claim because of damage caused by unpermitted work (when permits were required), the insurance company may deny payment of the claim based on the failure to obtain proper permits to ensure the work was done to code. I do not know if this is industry wide.
Always check the listed square footage living space plus number of bedrooms and baths with what is given for the property on the local property appraiser's website to see if they match. If they don't, then odds are someone created more living space in that home without getting the required permits. That's important information to know before making an offer on a property.
You might want to check out the communities in the West Villages located between Venice and North Port. Villas, condos and townhouses available below $300,000. Also homes starting in the $300s. Some communities are more retiree oriented and others with with families or mixed. New baseball stadium nearby (Braves) and shopping area being developed. Within 15 minutes to beach and downtown Venice. One of the fastest growing areas in the country.
You might want to check out the communities in the West Villages located between Venice and North Port. Villas, condos and townhouses available below $300,000. Also homes starting in the $300s. Some communities are more retiree oriented and others with with families or mixed. New baseball stadium nearby (Braves) and shopping area being developed. Within 15 minutes to beach and downtown Venice. One of the fastest growing areas in the country.
Keeping in mind when they say from $299,000, that includes zero upgrades, and upgrades can easily exceed $25,000 if the new home buyer is extremely careful. Better to look at resales to see what they are going for.
With 2 Dogs, I dont think the HOA's in a condo will go for that. More likely a Villa.
Also, ask about the special taxing district, and any applicable City of North Port taxes. Not all communities there are in the city, but beware.
Location: Sarasota/ Bradenton - University Pkwy area
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Here are some suggestions for condo/villa/townhouse communities that allow at least 2 pets, although all have some sort of weight restriction and some include breed restrictions.
Palmer Ranch:
Arielle at Palmer Ranch -- upper and lower units with garages, pool but no other amenities, runs around $430/mo in fees.
Palmer Oaks -- townhomes, newer, fees run around $305/mo.
Pinestone -- upper and lower units, some with carports, nice clubhouse & amenities. Runs about $350/mo.
Promenade on Palmer Ranch -- townhomes, new construction by DR Horton, no CDD fees. Runs around $180/mo but buyers should be aware that fees will probably increase once the builder turns community over to residents. Allows 3 pets.
Other mid to south options:
Calumet at Center Gate -- villas near Bee Ridge, older but well maintained community, about $440/mo.
Village Plaza -- villas, older but nice sized w/2 car garages, near Bee Ridge & Beneva, around $350/mo.
Strathmore Riverside -- villas, older w/1 car carports, lots of social groups/activities (under normal conditions), about $350/mo.
Landings South -- townhouses near US41 & Proctor, lovely community, fees run about $400/mo but vary by section, additional $1500/year & $1281/year for amenities and master association.
Stonehaven -- townhouses on Bee Ridge by Honore, built around 2010 - 11, tight parking for guests, about $230/mo.
Pelican Cove -- condos & townhouses with carports, multiple pools & clubhouses, private boat harbor & boat slips, tropical landscaping throughout. Very active social schedules & clubs (under normal conditions), monthly fees vary by size of units, most 2/2's run around $500/mo.
You may also wish to check out the Nokomis - Osprey area located between south Sarasota and north Venice.
We live in Nokomis and I wish we had been closer to Sarasota - we still have teenagers and all their activities are in Sarasota - nothing goes on in Venice and it is very old - North Port has a younger population but there is nothing to do there.
We live in Nokomis and I wish we had been closer to Sarasota - we still have teenagers and all their activities are in Sarasota - nothing goes on in Venice and it is very old - North Port has a younger population but there is nothing to do there.
I agree with this post for the most part. For people with kids, move the Palmer Ranch.
We recently purchased a condo in Osprey and are so happy with our choice! We are a relatively younger retired couple with one dog.
We originally identified South Sarasota and Palmer Ranch (also looked in Venice and Nokomis) as our target area. We were having trouble finding what we wanted. Osprey was not even on our radar. Our location is so convenient to both Sarasota and Venice. We can get to both Siesta Key and Nokomis beach easily.
good luck in your search. We worked with a great realtor and took 2 trips house hunting.
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