East or west of 75? (Plantation, Sarasota: renting, condos, homes)

[NYNYmommy]

Planning on relocating to Sarasota next year... So excited!

I called a realtor and she seemed to be "pushing" for east of 75 which confused me, because I automatically assumed closer the coast would be "better?"

I am in my 40s (*sigh*) and have 3 children, ages 7-12. School matters to me more than anything! Would love to keep it under 300k. Are there canal front homes? At that price?

We are vacationing there at the end of June, and I'd love to look around a little. Even though we will most likely take the suggest of renting first, I need to know WHERE! And again, east or west?

DH will be a retired detective with a pension and hopefully a second career, and I am a nurse with my own business, so I feel like we will be okay financially. LOVE Florida and look forward to the change!

Thanks!

[Randy Forbes]

We've found an area that we like, just east of 75, west of Rye Rd and north of Upper Manatee River Rd in a development called Twin Rivers. Eighteen hundred (1800) acres and limited to nine hundred (900) homesites. Most lots are 1/2 acre, so there's plenty of room for preserves & ponds.

Good luck!

[bbronston]

It just depends on what you like. Typically, you'll find newer developments more toward the east but there are still newer homes west of 75, too. The newer the construction, the more up-to-date the building code and that is often important to buyers. On the other hand, some might say that there is more character in some of the better kept but older neighborhoods. Also, some prefer to be closer to the downtown area in SRQ or to the beaches. For me, I prefer newer construction and well kept neighborhoods but with easy access to the beaches and downtown. Where I live, it is nothing to drive to the beaches or hop on 75 to go north or south so it works for me.

[SoFLGal]

Since you mentioned schools as being of high importance, I'll concentrate more on that end.

Sarasota county has one of the best school systems in the state of Florida. It also has Pine View School for the Gifted, which was ranked the top school in Florida and one of the top schools in the Nation. It is a public school and the requirements are that you live in Sarasota county, have an IQ of 130 or more, pass the achievement tests required and have teacher recommendations. I have a child who attends PV. It's a great school but it's not for every kid. It services grades 2nd-12th. Here's some more info on that subject:
Welcome to Pine View School
Pine View School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Public Elites - Newsweek.com
Pine View wraps up perfect Olympics | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader
America's Best High Schools: Gold Medal List - US News and World Report

There are many other fantastic schools in Sarasota and Manatee county's Here's a website where you can see how the schools are rated:
School Accountability Report...
or www.GreatSchools.com

Here are the school districts by zone: http://www.sarasotacountyschools.net...lrp/zones.aspx

Southside services most of the downtown area south of Main St. North of Main would be mostly Booker school district. The Palmer Ranch area is mostly Ashton school district. There are other schools in the area but these are ones that I have either had personal experience with or I have friends that have kids in the schools.

Sarasota ranks as one of the top districts in the state by a number of measures, including test scores, graduation rates and teacher compensation.

It offers distinctive programs tailored to different student needs, including Florida's only school for the gifted, the state's largest special needs school and one of a handful of career-focused high schools.

Alright, if I were checking out schools other than Pine View these are the schools that I would look into, in order. This is also the order they fall in if you look at the stats on the state of FL.

I'll throw some zip codes in as well to use for a general guideline but make sure you double check them with the map provided and the local school board as the map/zip codes may change slightly if they add a new school.

I'm going to also include a few neighborhoods within each zip code. Keep in mind that there are many other communities in each zip code worth checking out. I'm just trying to give you a starting point. Also if the community is very large it might encompass two or three different schools.

Please use this website when searching for properties: www.myfloridahomesmls.com It's the most up to date website.

Sarasota County Schools

For Elementary
Southside Elementary (34228, 34236, 34239, 34242)
Most of the downtown Sarasota condos, the condos/homes on the south end of Longboat Key, Bay Isles, Bird Key, Bungalow Hill, Cherokee Park, County Club Shores, Granada, Harbor Acres, Lido Key, McClellan Park, Poinsettia Park, St Armand's, some of Southgate.

Venice Elementary (34285, 34292, 34293)
The island of Venice, Bellagio on Venice Island, Lakes of Jacaranda, Pinebrook, South Venice, Venice Acres

Ashton Elementary (34233, 34238)-The Palmer Ranch communities(Arielle, Botanica, The Hamptons, Turtle Rock, Serenade, Stonebridge, Village Walk, Wellington Chase), Center Gate Estates, Colonial Oaks, Emerald Gardens, Grove Point, Three Oaks

Cranberry Elementary (North Port)
-(34286, a certain section)

Taylor Ranch (southern Sarasota county)-(34292, 34293)-Governors Green, Gulf View Estates, Blue Heron Pond, Lakes of Jacaranda, Myakka River Trails, Park Estates, Pelican Pointe Golf & County Club, The Plantation, Pennington Place, South Venice, Stoneybrook at Venice, Venice Golf & County Club, Southwood, Woodmere Lakes

Lakeview Elementary (34241)-Bent Tree, Country Creek, East Lake, Forest at Hi Hat Ranch, Founders Club, Foxfire, Gator Creek, Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club, Lake Sarasota, Misty Creek, Myakka Valley Ranches, Preserve at Heron Lake, Red Hawk Reserve, Saddle Creek, Secluded Oaks, Serenoa, Trillium, Tuscana

Gulf Gate Elementary (34231, 34238)-Palmer Ranch communities-(Country Club of Sarasota, Deer Creek, Prestancia,
Marabella, Mira Lago, Palisades), Beneva Oaks, Coral Cove, Gulf Gate, Southpointe Shores,

Laurel Nokomis Elementary (mid Sarasota county)-(34229, 34275)-Bay Point, Calusa Lakes, Casey Key, Huntington Pointe, Isles of Sarasota, Laurel Pines, Laurel Woodlands, Mission Valley Estates, The Oaks, Park Trace Estates, Rivendell, Sawgrass, Shakett Creek, Silver Oak, Sorrento East, Sorrento Shores, Sorrento South, Sorrento Woods, South Creek, Southbay Yacht & Racquet Club, Stoneybrook at Palmer Ranch, Venetian Golf & River Club, Waterfront Estates, Willow Chase, Willowbend, Willowbrook

Tatum Ridge Elementary (34240)
-Barton Farms, Colonial Oaks, Deer Hammock, Founders Club, The Hammocks, Laurel Lakes, Laurel Meadows, Laurel Oak Estates, Oak Ford Golf Club, The Paddocks, Palmer Farms, Palmer Glen, Sarasota Golf Club, Sarasota Polo Club, Shadow Oaks, Summerwood, Tatum Ridge, Villages at Pine Tree-(Marsh, Ponderosa, Spruce Pine)
Garden Elementary(34285, 34292, 34293)

Phillipi Shores(34231, 34242)-Aqualane Estates, Bay Island, Florence, Hansens, Harmony, Hidden Harbor, The Landings, Mira Mar, much of Siesta Key, Oyster Bay Estates, Phillipi Cove, Philipi Gardens, Pine Shores, Point Crisp, Princess Gate, Ridge Wood, Sanderling Club, Sandy Hook, Sarasota Beach, Siesta Cove, Siesta Estates, Siesta Isles, Siesta Bayside, Tortoise Estates

Fruitville Elementary(34232)-Hidden Oaks, Nottingham, Sherwood Estates, Sherwood Forest, Woodland Park

Englewood Elementary (southern Sarasota county)(34223)-Artist Acres, Bay Vista, Boca Royale, Deer Creek, Eden Harbor, Englewood Farm Acres, Englewood Gardens, Englewood Isles, Englewood Pines, Manasota Gardens, Manasota Key, Overbrook Gardens, Stillwater

For Middle
Sarasota Middle (34231-34242)

High School
Riverview(34231-34242)

Manatee county Schools

Elementary Schools
Robert Willis Elementary(34201, 34202)-Carlyle at the Villages of Palm Aire, Country Club East at Lakewood Ranch, Edgewater Village, Lake Club, Lakewood Ranch, Lakewood Ranch Country Club, Long Pond at Mote Ranch, Mote Ranch, Panther Ridge, Preserve at Panther Ridge, River Park at Mote Ranch, Riverwalk Ridge Cypress Banks, University Park

Gene Witt Elementary(34212)-Country Creek, Country Meadows, Foxbrook, Greyhawk Landing, Hidden Oaks, Mill Creek, Rye Wilderness,

Gilbert W McNeal Elementary(34202)-Concession, Greenbrook Village, Lakewood Ranch, Summerfield Village

Braden River Elementary(34202, 34211)-Braden Pines, Braden Woods, Oakbrooke at River Club, River Club North & South, Rosedale, Summerfield Village

BD Gullett Elementary(34211, 34212)-Central Park at Lakewood Ranch, Greyhawk Landing, Panther Ridge

Ida M Stewart Elementary(34209)-Perico Isles, Pinehurst, Riverview Landings, Shaws Point, Wisteria Park, Woodlands Park on Palma Sola Bay

Anna Maria Elementary(34216, 34217, 34228)-Anna Maria Island, Bay Palms, Bimini Bay Estates, Cortez, Emerald Harbor, Holmes Beach, Ilexhurst, Key Royale, Long Beach, Longboat Key, Shore Acres, Sleepy Lagoon, Wells Bay Harbor

Virgil Mills Elementary(34219, 34221, 34222)-Ancient Oaks, Copperstone, Covered Bridge, Fairways at Imperial Lakewoods, Fosters Creek, Heather Glen, Kingsfield Lakes, Lexington, Waterford, Whitney Meadows, Woodlawn Lakes

Kinnan Elementary(34243)-Carlyle at the Villages of Palm Aire, Country Oaks, Desoto Lakes Country Club, Glenbrooke, Mote Ranch, Palm Aire, Palm Lakes, Quail Run, University Groves, Rio Mar, Trails, Treymore at Village of Palm Aire, Vintage Creek

Freedom Elementary(34212)-Gates Creek, Greenfield Plantation, Heritage Harbour, Lighthouse Cove at Heritage Harbor, Old Grove at Greenfield, Planters Manor at Greenfield, River Strand, Stoneybrook at Heritage Harbor, Waterlefe Golf & River Club

Tara Elementary(34212)-Barrington Ridge, Braden Crossing, Creekwood, Manatee Oaks, Mandalay, River Landings Bluffs, River Place, Rivers Edge, Silver Lake, Tailfeather Way at Tara, Tara, Tara Preserve, Wallingford, Water Oak

Middle School
Carlos E Halie Middle(34208-34212)

Braden River Middle(32401-34243)

Nolan Middle(34202, 34211, 34251)

King Middle(34209, 34216, 34217, 34228)

High School
Lakewood Ranch High(34202, 34211, 34212, 34251)

Manatee High(34205-34209, 34216, 34217, 34228)

Alternative School
Manatee School for Arts and Sciences

[Sarasota_Blues]

I have lived in Sarasota for 30 years now. As someone previously mentioned, it depends on what works for you. However, I just cannot imagine living east of I-75. Sure, Lakewood Ranch has a lot going for it, but give me the city of Sarasota anyday.

If you want something on a canal, you might find something close to Phillippi Creek in that price range.