Need help with neighborhoods (Hammocks, Rivendell, South Creek, Silver Oak....etc) (Sarasota: HOA, homes)

[celesteann]

We need your help. We are going to be looking at homes in the Sarasota area next weekend. We have identified homes in Rivendell, South Creek, Bent Tree, Misty Creek, Silver Oak and the Hammocks. It's hard to tell which area will be best for us. We have a 10 year old son and an 18 year old daughter.

Some priorities
1. We like bike riding
2. good size yards (we have a big dog)
3. We don't like very restrictive HOA rules (ie. Can't park on your driveway overnight)
4. We hope to be near tennis
5. We don't want to be too far from grocery stores/beaches
6. We don't like pretentious neighbors
7. We would like a family area (not too many retirees and lots of kids)

We don't have any info about south creek. Is that more of a retiree area?

Thank you for any info that you can give us to help narrow our search.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by celesteann

We need your help. We are going to be looking at homes in the Sarasota area next weekend. We have identified homes in Rivendell, South Creek, Bent Tree, Misty Creek, Silver Oak and the Hammocks. It's hard to tell which area will be best for us. We have a 10 year old son and an 18 year old daughter.

Some priorities
1. We like bike riding
2. good size yards (we have a big dog)
3. We don't like very restrictive HOA rules (ie. Can't park on your driveway overnight)
4. We hope to be near tennis
5. We don't want to be too far from grocery stores/beaches
6. We don't like pretentious neighbors
7. We would like a family area (not too many retirees and lots of kids)

We don't have any info about south creek. Is that more of a retiree area?

Thank you for any info that you can give us to help narrow our search.

Bent Tree has mostly 1980's style homes but I think it might be a good pick. I know many families that live in Bent Tree. I like all the mature landscaping and big oak trees that wind around through the community. They have a restaurant, country club, golf course, tennis courts, a pool, and children's pool.

Many of the homes in The Hammocks were built by Tivoli, John Cannon, Pruett and Coachman Builders. The lot sizes are generally a bit oversized and the homes are newer. All of the homes have views of the golf course, lake or nature preserve. It is also east of I-75-so not really close to the beach.

Arther Rutenberg was one of the main builders in South Creek and many of the homes were built in the mid 1990's. They have tennis courts, a playground and many of the homes are on the water with no bridges to the open water. My kids orthodontist lives in there and his kids go to school with mine. They seem to like it there.

Misty Creek is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. It also has golf, and a clubhouse. It's east of I-75 as well, so a little farther from the beach than some of the other communities.

Silver Oak in Palmer Ranch is probably one of the communities that is closet to the beach that you picked out. It's one of the newest areas of Palmer Ranch. Todd Johnston, John Cannon and Bamboo were the builders in SO. There are two sections of SO-The Estates section and the Vineyards section. SO has a exercise room, clubhouse, bike trails and tennis.

Rivendell is right next to Oscar Scherer State Park and Pine View School. They have tennis courts, walking trails, a community pool, playground, community center. It's close to the beach, the YMCA waterpark, the mall, etc.

Looking at your requirements I would probably take a closer look at Rivendell, Silver Oak, and South Creek and Bent Tree.

It seems for whatever reasons the communities that have golf in them cater more toward the retirees.