Finding walkable area (Tampa, Sarasota, Dunedin: for sale, renter, HOA fees)

[ColoradoPepe]

My wife and I are planning on relocating to the Sarasota area in the near future. We are looking for a home with no outside maintenance. We would like shopping (like Publix, Target, restaurants, etc.) to be within walking distance (within a mile or two). We would like to stay under $400k. We like the UTC area but are wondering if there are other areas to consider. Thanks.

[Veniceman]

You might research the area around the Westfield Sarasota Square mall. There's a Costco there and other shops and restaurants nearby. Bike trail isn't far either. Work with a realtor and they can get you info on the housing opportunities around there. There are many maintenance free communities in the Sarasota area. HOA fees aren't cheap here though. I live in a maintenance free area in Venice which is about 20 minutes south of Sarasota. It's called Venice Palms and is within walking distance of Publix and a small shopping center. We are about 4-5 miles from Venice Beach. Homes run around $330k-$380k here in our little community. HOA varies but ours averages about $220 per month. Sarasota usually runs a little higher than Venice.

Good luck to you.

[beach43ofus]

I lived in a neighborhood across from the Westfield Sarasota Square Mall for 1.5 yrs (2 years ago) as we rented while we were researching the area.

We rented in a community that has almost zero rentals, but I was determined to get in there, and I figured out a way to do so. I'm pretty sure I was the only renter amongst about 100 villas. They were 2-3 bedroom attached villas with 2 car garages. Gated community w/ small pool (no clubhouse) and low HOA's. Walking distance to Costco. 1 mile gets you to Publix and Target.

The community is called the Villa's at Deer Creek. Deer Creek single family homes are ~35 years old, but the villa's are a bit newer. Maybe 20 years old. Many of the tile roofs were getting re-done while we were there, so you definitely want a unit that has been refurbed w/ a new roof. Its maintenance free landscaping, but the roof and exterior paint, is not. Very quiet and safe. I think the Villa's are called the Villa's of Deer Creek.

The Westfield Sarasota Mall is 40 years old, and it may be for sale. The entire property is going to morph into something different and new. Likely a mix of retail, office, and residential...mixed use. I'm not sure if Costco owns their building in the mall or not, but I'd check into that. The Publix and Target are totally seperate property than the mall, and those are maybe 10-15 years old I'm thinking.

That is a great area. Its backs up to the Legacy walk/bike trail, and 15 minutes to Siesta Key beach, and close to all kinds of retail. There's even an older YMCA in walking distance from Deer Creek's gate.

The Deer Creek Single family homes are more expensive than the neighboring Villa's, and they are not maintenance free. Lots of mature trees in there, and I biked and walked through the single family home area daily on my way to the Legacy Trail.

The Villa's HOA seemed to be very well run. To rent there, they really checked me out thoroughly, (FBI background ck, credit ck, DMV ck, & 2 referrals) and I had to sign a 6 month lease. They strongly discourage rentals. Beautiful property, and a great location. I doubt you'll find a rental in there, so you'd just have to buy.

The one I lived in (1,900 sq ft) was not refurbed, and sold for $325,000. It was one of the few that had an upstairs which is undesireable. Most are 1 story and ~1,400 sq ft) That is why it was available for me to rent. Only buy a ranch villa, avoid 2nd floor like the plague. 2 story's don't sell easily at all.

This is not a family place. Its older retirees, and snow birds. I', in my 50's, and felt like one of the youngest people in the Villa's.

[sware2cod]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

They were 2-3 bedroom attached villas with 2 car garages.

Villas are really duplexes or triplexes or quads...depending on whether 2, 3 or 4 units are attached.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by sware2cod

Villas are really duplexes or triplexes or quads...depending on whether 2, 3 or 4 units are attached.

These were mostly duplexes, but the entryway doors were on opposite sides, so you almost never saw your neighbor. There was a lot of privacy.

[beach43ofus]

Personally, I would not walk around the UTC Mall area. Too much traffic, too many lanes to cross, too many cars moving too fast. I'd be looking for a smaller more walkable area.

After the areas surrounding the Westfield Sarasota Square Mall in Palmer Ranch, I'd suggest looking at Dunedin, which is a suburb North of Tampa. It's much more walkable.

[Rosa Robin]

Originally Posted by ColoradoPepe

My wife and I are planning on relocating to the Sarasota area in the near future. We are looking for a home with no outside maintenance. We would like shopping (like Publix, Target, restaurants, etc.) to be within walking distance (within a mile or two). We would like to stay under $400k. We like the UTC area but are wondering if there are other areas to consider. Thanks.

Village Walk on Palmer Ranch , walkable country club lifestyle with all services a few miles away ~ publix, target, Kohl’s, sprouts, Costco, medical, auto dealers, etc.
Villagewalkofsarasota.org

[sware2cod]

Although walkable sounds good - you will find that it's too hot and humid to walk very far in the summer and also during parts of late spring and early fall. It's so hot and humid that your clothes can be soaking wet with sweat. Also during summer is rainy season which means high chance of daily thunderstorms.

During the hot and humid summer and warmer months, you would want to do most of your walking as early in the morning as possible anyway, as it's not quite as hot early in the morning and also the T storms are more common during the afternoon.

It's so hot and humid during the warmer months that even sitting in a car for a few minutes with the windows open is uncomfortable.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by Rosa Robin

Village Walk on Palmer Ranch , walkable country club lifestyle with all services a few miles away ~ publix, target, Kohl’s, sprouts, Costco, medical, auto dealers, etc.
Villagewalkofsarasota.org

Rosa,

Have you heard or read anything about the sale of Westfield Mall in Palmer Ranch, and what that could become? Any time frames given? That could become an ideal location for higher density villa's/condo's.

I read a while back it could become mixed use, but that was 2 years ago. I read the problem was that there are multiple owners of parts of the Mall, and getting them all onto One page is the obstacle that is delaying forward progress.

[Rosa Robin]

I guess I’m out of the loop regarding info on the mall. I’ll check my online resources.