Buget: $175k or less. Please help! (Sarasota, North Port: sales, rental homes, insurance)

[Mayday13]

Hi there—

I'm a Sarasota native considering a move back home. I want to buy a 2BR+ condo with a pool (or a single-family home) but it must be $150-175k or less. I look at Trulia, Zillow, etc., obsessively every day — for months. What developments/areas are safe, inexpensive, have pool access and (if I'm dreaming) are close to things I can walk to/downtown? And what is Barrington Woods like?

In short: Where would YOU spend your $? Thanks so much!

[Nancy in Nokomis]

You can get a nice home in North Port for that amount - it only takes about 30 minutes to get to the beach.

[Harbor Hopper]

The closest to downtown is going to be in Citywalk Condos, just east of 41 near Payne Park. Built in 1974, 875sqft with a community pool. One ground floor unit is $118k and a 2nd floor unit is $125k. These are approx 1 mile from downtown. Just 1/2 mile south of there is a 2BR ground floor condo in Cordova Gardens listed at $160k. Those are the only options right now, close to downtown in that budget.

[Sunshine Rules]

Barrington Woods is located in an area that has quite a few rental homes, let's just say some of the tenants are "mowing challenged." The complex itself appears well maintained, I showed there a couple of months back. Buildings are frame, which does sometimes mean more exterior maintenance (wood rot) by the condo association. Condo association requires both credit checks and background checks for all buyers as well as tenants. They can also be stinkers about visitor parking from time to time. The only 2 listings in the MLS at the moment are both AWC -- which means they have an executed sales contract that may be looking for back up offers due to contingencies.

Finding anything close to downtown in your price range will be a challenge. You will get more bang for your buck if you go further east, towards Beneva or perhaps NE towards the Meadows & Palm Aire.

Single family homes will be smallish, older and probably need updating in your price range. If you are willing to look beyond the immediate downtown Sarasota area, there are probably 30 or more neighborhoods that I can think of, although many do not have active listings at the moment, check back after the holidays. For older homes the insurance rates can be expensive, you'll want to know age of the roof & AC and whether the plumbing and electrical have been updated (with permits).

For homes you might try looking in the area south of Fruitville, east and west of Tuttle. That's probably as close to downtown as you will get in your price range.

[craigiri]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

The closest to downtown is going to be in Citywalk Condos, just east of 41 near Payne Park. Built in 1974, 875sqft with a community pool. One ground floor unit is $118k and a 2nd floor unit is $125k. These are approx 1 mile from downtown. Just 1/2 mile south of there is a 2BR ground floor condo in Cordova Gardens listed at $160k. Those are the only options right now, close to downtown in that budget.

THose condos are in a very nice area IMHO....at least for city living.
I'm not sure of the condition and fees and type of people who occupy them.

For the $175 the OP may be able to pick up something in mid-grade shape in the single family house areas around there - but probably no pool (but room for one in the backyard).

I'd say about 220-250 is the lowest end where you may get a 1/2 decent house in the area there W/POOL - which I will broadly say is "within a mile of the High School).

I do think it's the nicest mid-budget area in the whole SRQ region - but then again I am biased since we have a place in Paver Park.

Some pics of the park and area enclosed.

[Mayday13]

You are all unbelievably helpful. I have been losing my mind looking at listings and trying to figure this out. I'm a first-time buyer, too, so just learning about all the costs and fees associated with buying a condo is giving me agita. I have to wonder if buying a house vs. condo might not be a better value in the end—come what may. Many thanks!

[Mayday13]

One last question: I am a little besotted with Pine Run. What do I need to know? And the Cordova Gardens also look great. How are they really?

[Nancy in Nokomis]

You should always rent first - get to know the area - then buy