Where to live in Sarasota/Sarasota area (Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton: low income, fit in)

[njdreamer07960]

Hi all -

I know this subject has been broached by others many times so let me first apologize for being redundant. I'm a single woman, age 65, who, after many years of complaining about it, has decided to finally leave the cold weather behind. I travelled to FL several months ago, checking out different areas. Even though I didn't have much time to spend in any of them, I really liked the Sarasota vibe and thought it was someplace where I could be comfortable. My townhouse in NJ is under contract and I'm hoping we can work out the problems that came up on the home inspection and that the bank appraisal is satisfactory. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that those things will work out well and, if they do, I'm thinking of putting my things into storage, moving to Sarasota and renting a furnished house/apartment for several months before deciding if it's the right place for me. I would really appreciate your input as to where the best places to rent would be. I love the beach, enjoy walking, cultural events, getting involved in community projects, and would like to meet like-minded folks as I don't know anyone (except for one snowbird) in Sarasota.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might offer.

[JudiPatooti]

Have no advice as I live in Naples and just thought I'd check out the Sarasota area Forum, but I will say that your decision to rent first is EXCELLENT! I've seen that advice given a zillion times here on CD. Best of luck to you. From what I've seen here on CD over the past two years Sarasota is one place that doesn't get a lot of criticism and does get many recommendations as a nice place to live. It's also always mentioned when someone wants "culture", so again, enjoy!

I'm not from NJ, but am from NY (LI) and can advise you NOT to move to Naples, by the way! I want out! And, the Mid-Westerners who predominate here don't like us North Easterners. LOL

[njdreamer07960]

Originally Posted by JudiPatooti

Have no advice as I live in Naples and just thought I'd check out the Sarasota area Forum, but I will say that your decision to rent first is EXCELLENT! I've seen that advice given a zillion times here on CD. Best of luck to you. From what I've seen here on CD over the past two years Sarasota is one place that doesn't get a lot of criticism and does get many recommendations as a nice place to live. It's also always mentioned when someone wants "culture", so again, enjoy!

I'm not from NJ, but am from NY (LI) and can advise you NOT to move to Naples, by the way! I want out! And, the Mid-Westerners who predominate here don't like us North Easterners. LOL

JudiPatooti - Thanks for the info and for the heads up about Naples. I'm also originally from NY - Brooklyn actually - and would likely be more comfortable someplace where there are more folks from the NE. Where do you plan on going?

[TamRE]

One of the most important things to determine in buying a home is location, location, location. How do you know what neighborhood is right for you? Here is a list that might help you.

1. Would you enjoy living there?
2. How far of a commute is it from work, school, shopping, hospitals, restaurants, parks, entertainment and transportation? Take a test drive.
3. Drive through the neighborhood to get an idea of what it is like. You may want to go at different times throughout the day. What is the noise and traffic level?
4. Does the neighborhood have curb appeal? It is well maintained? Does it have nice landscaping?
5. Does the neighborhood fit in with your demographics? Are you looking for a family friendly neighborhood, a deed restricted neighborhood, a 55 and older retirement neighborhood, or a high or low income neighborhood?
6. Price makes all the difference. Do some research to find out the price range of the neighborhoods so that you can eliminate ones that do not fit within your budget.
7. Check to see what the neighborhood crime statistics are. Look around for graffiti or other signs of criminal activity. Check with local police or check the police blotter in the local newspaper. You want to live in a safe neighborhood.
8. Be aware of any new construction or zoning laws that may be in the neighborhood.
9. If you are choosing a deed restricted community with a homeowner association, find out what the fees are?

[Sunshine Rules]

Few homes are rented furnished in our area, and most homes are rented on an annual basis due to the taxes that must be collected on short term rentals.

Your best option for a short term, furnished rental would be a condo, townhome or villa.

How much were you looking to spend a month for rent?
Do you require covered parking for a vehicle?
Will you be bringing a pet with you? (Most condos do not allow tenants to have pets.)

If you can answer the above questions it will be easier to give you suggestions for communities that may work as rental options for you.

[pohoryelovann]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Rules

Few homes are rented furnished in our area, and most homes are rented on an annual basis due to the taxes that must be collected on short term rentals.

Your best option for a short term, furnished rental would be a condo, townhome or villa.

How much were you looking to spend a month for rent?
Do you require covered parking for a vehicle?
Will you be bringing a pet with you? (Most condos do not allow tenants to have pets.)

If you can answer the above questions it will be easier to give you suggestions for communities that may work as rental options for you.

Dear Sunshine Rules,
I have this exact same question. We will be moving from Iowa hopefully before August and will need a place to rent on annual basis. We are looking to spend under $1500 for the rent per month. We don't require covered parking. No pets. Me and my husband are ages 38-41 and are originally from the Ukraine. We have two girls ages 9 and 3. So schools are important. I will be telecommuting for my work so we will need 3 + den or 4 bedroom, preferably single family house. Would love to have private or community pool. Your advice is very appreciated.

Thank you

[Sunshine Rules]

Hi,

You can probably find a 3 bedroom home to rent but finding one with a private pool may be more difficult if you want to stay under $1500 per month as rental rates have been creeping upwards. Some neighborhoods you may like to consider (going from east to west Sarasota) that would fit your school needs and rental rates would include: Lake Sarasota, Colonial Oaks, Countrywood, Colonial Gables, Brentwood, Tamaron, Forest Lakes, South Gate (zip code 34239) and Gulf Gate (zip code 34231).


The FL Dept of Education recently released not only the school ratings for each FL school, but they also ranked the schools according to specific criteria. To see the ratings and rankings of each school in Sarasota county, here is the link to the state website:
https://app2.fldoe.org/Ranking/Schools/RankDetailDist.aspx?dist=58

Since the school system changes the lines of the school districts on an annual basis to adjust for changing population, the most reliable source to find out a neighborhood's school district is at the website, which has maps showing current district borders: http://sarasotacountyschools.net/



Finding rental homes in Sarasota is a little more difficult as there is not one "go to" website to find rental listings. They are scattered among a lot of different sites. Here are some rental home websites you may want to search:

Rentals.com http://www.rentals.com/Florida/Sarasota/ (easy to use search engines)

Real Rentals http://www.realrentals.com/houses_for_rent/?city=Sarasota&state=Florida+FL


RentalHomesPlus.com http://florida.rentalhomesplus.com/Sarasota

RentalHouses.com http://www.rentalhouses.com/find/FL/SouthwestFlorida/SARASOTA-BRADENTON

Rent Range www.rentrange.com


FlipKey http://www.flipkey.com/search/l/34618/?featured=true&gclid=CLql6oiwtqsCFY125QodFhQwiw

SarasotaRent.net http://www.sarasotarent.net/


You might try the classified section of the local newspaper:

Sarasota Herald Tribune http://www.heraldtribune.com/




Here are also a couple of the better known property management companies in our area that handle rentals:

Stringer Management
Sarasota, FL
941-922-4959
http://www.stringermanagement.com/


Sarasota Management
Sarasota, FL
941-377-8400
http://www.sarasotamanagement.com/owners_choose.html?gclid=COiWw9qvtqsCFYlM4AodaE9Ze g


Good luck with your move.

[Ourdreamhouse]

Originally Posted by njdreamer07960

I'm also originally from NY - Brooklyn actually - and would likely be more comfortable someplace where there are more folks from the NE. Where do you plan on going?

You should know that the East Coast of Florida (Fort Lauderdale - Stuart) is more popular among New Yorkers than the West Coast, which is more favored by mid-westerners. If you feel more comfortable among New Yorkers, that may be a better fit for you. For several years, I lived in Boca Raton, often referred to as the 6th borough of New York City, and found that the style of many New Yorkers rubbed me the wrong way. I find Sarasota quite different, and so far i prefer it.

[Sunshine Rules]

Sarasota has quite a diverse mixture of people. We do have a lot of transplants from the midwest, but we also get a lot of people moving here from New York, New Jersey and eastern Virginia. Add to that a growing number of people coming here from various parts of Europe and even Russia. That's one of the things I like about Sarasota, you never know who you're going to meet or where they will be from.

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by pohoryelovann

Dear Sunshine Rules,
I have this exact same question. We will be moving from Iowa hopefully before August and will need a place to rent on annual basis. We are looking to spend under $1500 for the rent per month. We don't require covered parking. No pets. Me and my husband are ages 38-41 and are originally from the Ukraine. We have two girls ages 9 and 3. So schools are important. I will be telecommuting for my work so we will need 3 + den or 4 bedroom, preferably single family house. Would love to have private or community pool. Your advice is very appreciated.

Thank you

The North Port and Warm Mineral Springs area has a large Russian and Ukrainian population. You could easily find a rental in your price range in a gated community in the North Port area.

I have many clients who are from Macedonia and love living in the area.