Moving plans (Sarasota, Bradenton, University: bank owned, short sale, apartments)

[otherside]

Planning to move over to the west coast of florida in a few years, single,female, late 50's year old...Any suggestions which area to look at? Hope to find a 1 story place with garage under $150000. Either house or condo. Thanks for any suggestions. Have a daughter in St Pete so I'd like to be within an hours drive or closer.

[Sunshine Rules]

I actually can think of quite a few neighborhoods that fit your basic criteria, both in Sarasota and Bradenton. Having a little more information would make it easier to suggest specific communities for you.

Do you want a newer construction home/condo, or are you willing to consider an older one that is well maintained and/or updated?

Deed restricted or not?

Is being able to have a fenced back yard a must have?

If condo, do you want amenities like a community pool or does it matter?

Many of the local condo fees run anywhere from $250 to $350 per month. Does that work within your budget?

Are you open to 55+ communities?

Will you be bringing a pet or pets with you? Most of the condo communities here do have restrictions on number and weight of pets. Some of the newer single family neighborhoods in planned communities do too.


We have friends that live in St. Pete so frequently make the trip via the Skyway Bridge to visit them. Lovely place to visit although I prefer to live here.

[otherside]

Thanks for your reply...

Only concern for age of home is the ease of getting homeowners insurance, Most companies don't want to provide policy for home built in the 70's/ 80's.

Honestly not sure what deed restricted is ? Perhaps it goes by a different name on the east coast.

Don't care about a fence..but a pool is a must!

Certainly I expect monthly fees ...

I suppose I hope to find an area where it will be easy to meet people and make friends...isn't that what most people want.

[Sunshine Rules]

Most of the area homes built pre-1980's will likely put owners into the state of FL's Citizens insurance pool. On older homes, insurance companies are looking for at minimum a satisfactory 4-point inspection report (roof, electrical, plumbing and AC/Heat system) from an appropriately licensed home inspector. Lately I've been hearing more and more that insurance companies don't want to provide insurance on homes that have roofs that are 15 years old or older. So you can buy a home built in the 1990's with an original roof and still find yourself paying higher insurance rates than you anticipated. The insurance companies that provide insurance on homes with 15+ yr old roofs will typically charge higher rates AND you will need a satisfactory inspection report from a licensed roofer that the roof still has at least 3 - 5 years life left and not leaking. Most insurance companies are also getting very picky about remodeling done without proof of permits.

If you want a "newer" home, you'll find most of the construction moved east of US301 in south Manatee county and also east of I75 in the Bradenton - Ellenton areas. These neighborhoods mostly have homeowner associations and recorded deed restrictions that homeowners within those communities must abide by. Some neighborhoods have more basic deed restrictions about things like not parking commercial vehicles in the driveways or boats in the yard, others get more detailed and go into what colors are approved for exterior of homes and architectural committees to approve major changes to your landscape or lawns. Those neighborhoods with HOAs usually have annual or quarterly fees. Some communities with more amenities and lawn service have monthly fees. Some of these communities have clubhouses with social activities for the residents of the community.

You can still find newer construction, 2 or 3 bedroom homes in the areas I mentioned above in your price range but finding one with a private pool in that price range is going to be more difficult unless you are open to buying a short sale or REO (bank owned) property that may need some TLC or have some deferred maintenance. A number of the smaller 2 or 3 bedroom homes without pools will be in neighborhoods with community pools.

Some newer, single family neighborhoods in south Manatee that may have something in your price range would include Creekwood, Sabal Harbour, Fairfax, Garden Lakes Estates, Regal Oaks, Lionshead, Silver Lakes (although I would caution you to check out the news stories on one of the builders, KB Home, regarding a condo community in our area named Willowbrook), possibly Barrington Ridge, The Trails, Country Oaks, slightly older but some nice homes would be Palm Aire. Some of these neighborhoods have Bradenton mailing addresses and others Sarasota even though they are in Manatee county. I know, it's a little confusing.

Palma Sola Trace is a large, newer community in NW Bradenton. The neighborhoods are deed restricted. Taylor Morrison is still doing some new construction homes and luxury condos there. Perico Bay Club is another larger, NW Bradenton resort style community of homes and villas with clubhouse, 12 neighborhood community pools, tennis and beautiful grounds.

Glenn Lakes is a newer, west Bradenton community off of 53rd St W that once in awhile has a home priced under $150k, although they are more less frequent than they were a year or two ago.

Villas with garages - many of the newer communities will be found nearer to the Palm Aire / University Parkway, I75 area or Lakewood Ranch. Some of the newer communities were condo conversions from apartments, so may not have the same sound barriers between units as communities built as actual condo/villa communities. If you're open to villas built in the 1980's and early 90's, both The Meadows (in Sarasota county just south of University Parkway) and Palm Aire (in Manatee county just north of University Parkway) are both very popular with buyers. Both Palm Aire and The Meadows have country clubs where membership is optional, you are not required to join if buying in the community. There's also a smaller 55+ community in south Manatee county that has a great social calendar and both free standing and duplex style condos priced for under $150k - it's called Garden Lakes Condos. It was built in the 1980's, so some units have been updated and others have not. Love the large oak trees, winding streets and beautiful grounds by the pool/clubhouse.

Village Green in west Bradenton is an older, 1970's built community of homes and villas that has aged gracefully and is very popular with buyers looking to stay under $150k. Some of the villas have carports, other garages.

El Conquistador is an older, SW Bradenton community of various condo, townhome and villa neighborhoods of various price ranges that is well maintained and offers a variety of possibilities in your price range.


If you're open to considering some other villa communities built in the 1980's, there are a number of them in west and NW Bradenton that I can also post here for you.

[ArmyChief]

Otherside,

The other option is to buy a lot in an area with no HOA, have a contractor or builder build your home. Typical prices are going to run about $90-120 a sq ft plus land cost.

It's an option that will get you all the new building codes, open up insurance options and if you don't like HOA's (do your own research..this board has MANY threads..pro & con).....your monthly expense for life will be less :-) (think when your older onfixed income and home is paid off)