Looking for input - Villa Rosa Sarasota (sales, HOA fees)

[Sunny SU fan]

We are relatively young retirees who are looking for a snowbird home in Sarasota.
Can anyone tell me more about the Villa Rosa neighborhood and surrounding area? We viewed a house there earlier and thought the community was nice. Our concerns are the safety, and walkability outside of the gates of the neighborhood. We have a dog and enjoy going for longer walks. Also hoping for a friendly community where we could make new friends. Decent proximity to the beaches, shopping, restaurants and SRQ is important to us.

we are working with a realtor, but she is not familiar with this area. We have looked pretty extensively on Palmer Ranch, but the prices and HOA fees of the few properties we have liked are more than we were hoping to spend on a residence we will be in 6 months or less per year.

Any input is really appreciated!

[Sunshine Rules]

Villa Rosa is a well kept community of homes built around 2001 - 2002. Because the roofs are now over 15 years of age, that is something that may come up with insurance companies for new policies. Location is just south of one of the county parks, Urfer, which offers nature trails, playgrounds, etc.

Always read the Restrictions and Covenants for the community before making any move to purchase -- this is applicable to buyers for any community with deed restrictions and a mandatory HOA.

You want to know what you can do to the exterior of your property and what you cannot, whether you can park in the street or not, pet restrictions, etc.

Villa Rosa, for instance, has specific rules for exterior changes, limits owners to 3 pets per household and they must be on leashes when outside, no large trucks or pick up trucks over 18 feet long, street parking is very restricted.

You can get a lot of the info from their website at: https://villarosaofsarasota.com/

Their site also has contact info for their management company, AMI. You can contact them to get a copy of the current budget and reserves, which is VERY important information before you buy. You'll want to know the HOA is financially solvent, is collecting sufficient monies for reserves for big ticket maintenance items such as the clubhouse, pool, roads, etc. Otherwise you can expect special assessments to be levied whenever funds run short.


Whether your agent is familiar with the area or not, these are common sense things that your agent should be sharing with you regarding communities with HOAs and deed restrictions.

[Sunny SU fan]

Thanks so much. Our realtor is great and yes, has informed us of the good points you make. I was more looking for guidance on this part of town - safety, desireability, walkability. Also curious because there have been a ton of sales in that neighborhood. Appreciate your input!

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Sunny SU fan

Thanks so much. Our realtor is great and yes, has informed us of the good points you make. I was more looking for guidance on this part of town - safety, desirability, walkability. Also curious because there have been a ton of sales in that neighborhood. Appreciate your input!

Neighborhood re-sales ebb and flow. When you get a neighborhood down here that is 17-18 years old, many of the original owners who retired and bought around age 62-65 are now reaching into their 80's and are ready to move on. I think the age of this community could be what is driving an unusual humber of transactions.

[Sunshine Rules]

As to walkability, the cross streets are Wilkinson, which I would not consider a good option for a variety of reasons, and Honore that has good sidewalks but carries a lot of north - south traffic, especially morning and evening commuters. If your dogs get spooked by traffic and noises, then there might be better options than Villa Rosa with less traffic congestion.