Neighborhoods in Sarasota - from PA to FL (Tampa, Clearwater: to rent, HOA fees)

[MishI1103]

Hi all!!! We are seriously considering moving from Pennsylvania (Philly burbs) to SE Florida.

About us:
We are in our early 50’s and enjoy the beach, outdoor activities (walking, exploring, swimming, canoeing or paddle boarding) dining out and chilling at home. We have two, young adult daughters and two dogs. We are a very close family that loves nature, the outdoors and having fun/dining out together.

Work requirements:
My work is remote but husband will need to eventually find work, he is a carpenter, an AMAZINGLY SKILLED carpenter. One daughter works remote but the other will be just finishing college, major is media and culture w/a minor in linguistics.

Home desires:
$500-$550k range. Would prefer a newer home (bonus if it has a pool) within 30-45 minutes to great beaches. Close to a town area for some nightlife like downtown Clearwater and Siesta village. By close to a town I mean a 15 to 30 minute drive is OK. Do not want CDD fee’s or high HOA fee’s with lots of rules/restrictions. Would like some land 0.5-1.0 acre and do not want neighbors so close that I can see into their home.

Does such a neighborhood(s) exist in this area? Are there any other areas we should consider besides the Sarasota area on the West Coast of Florida? If so, can you recommend some? It’s hard to tell from Zillow what the neighborhood feel and vibe is like. We will be heading down a few times this year to check out different areas. Definitely plan to rent before we buy. We really love the new homes in Lakewood Ranch, but the restrictions and fees and the homes being right on top of one another scare me, thoughts on that area?

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading my post and thank you for taking the time to respond if you have any input/suggestions for us!!

[FLKitties]

Something like this?: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...81821487_zpid/

Also, I think Mill Creek (Bradenton addresses but technically not part of Bradenton "proper" and serviced by Manatee County Sheriff's Dept instead of local PD) has some larger lots and doesn't have a lot of rules/restrictions if I remember correctly. Hopefully one of the helpful local agents can chime in on that and other places that might suit your needs. There are definitely some non-HOA/CDD communities around, they are just going to be harder to find and less likely to be super new or have large lots.

I think Parrish also has some areas not governed by HOAs and/or CDDs. You might need to further whittle down your search area, though, because none of the places in Sarasota/Bradenton/Venice are going to be 15-30 minutes from downtown Clearwater. I think most places in Clearwater are probably not going to meet that criteria with traffic at times. We were up there in July and it was a beast on the causeway just going between Clearwater and Tampa.

[Sunshine Rules]

Mill Creek does have deed restrictions, about 30 pages of them, along with an Architectural Committee that must approve exterior changes. Also, you can't keep RVs or boats unless they are "shielded" from the street or kept in the garage. The deed restrictions do vary somewhat from section to section, with more restrictions being included in the last couple of sections (east) with the newest homes there. I have heard several about several incidents where new residents to Mill Creek ran into issues with the HOA because they assumed the deed restrictions weren't being enforced. HOA fees vary, according to which section you are in, but run on average about $375 - $450 per year. So reasonable.


All of the new and newer construction located within subdivisions in our area are going to come with HOAs and a long list of deed restrictions. Some of those run 60 pages or more (that's not counting the by-laws or articles of incorporation). I can't think of one that doesn't call for an Architectural Committee to approve any exterior changes to your property. Most restrict kinds of vehicles, parking, pets, etc. Many come with lawn maintenance included, so quarterly fees will run $500 - $600 or more.


So if a buyer wants larger lots with little or no deed restrictions, you'll have to consider older construction homes (pre 1990's).


For larger lots with nice homes (mostly located within communities with HOAs and some deed restrictions), buyers might consider:

Manatee County (most will be 30+ minutes from beaches)
Braden Woods - built mostly 1980's, acre plus lots, are on septic tanks
Panther Ridge - larger homes built in the mid 2000s range, on well and septic
River Club, River Club North, River Club South - built mid 1990's to early 2000's, some sections have larger lots than others, on central water & sewer & located thisclose to Lakewood Ranch
Country Creek -- late 1990's to early 2000's homes, 1/2 - 1 acre lots, central water & sewer
Country Meadows -- 1/2 acre plus lots, built mid 2000's, central water & sewer


Sarasota
Hidden Oaks -- late 70's to early 80's, 1+ acre lots, central water & septic tanks, central SRQ location
Desoto Acres -- anything from 1950's to current builds, 2 - 5 acre lots, most are on central water & sewer but not all
Lake Estates -- mid to late 1980's, 1/2 - 1 acre lots, central water & sewer, central SRQ location
Oak Ford -- several miles east of I-75, 3/4 - acre plus lots, built mainly early 2000's, central water & sewer, more than 30 minutes to the beaches
Racimo Ranches -- late 70's to early 80's, 1 - 2 acre lots, no HOA, well & septic, homes are mainly frame construction, east of I-75 off Fruitville


Nokomis
Mission Valley Estates -- homes from the late 70's to early 2000's, 1+ acre lots, well & septic, no HOA



There are other small neighborhoods here and there that may have something similar, but these are the main subdivisions that come closest to matching your wish list items.

[craigiri]

Originally Posted by MishI1103

Hi all!!! We are seriously considering moving from Pennsylvania (Philly burbs) to SE Florida.

About us:
We are in our early 50’s and enjoy the beach, outdoor activities (walking, exploring, swimming, canoeing or paddle boarding) dining out and chilling at home. We have two, young adult daughters and two dogs. We are a very close family that loves nature, the outdoors and having fun/dining out together.

Work requirements:
My work is remote but husband will need to eventually find work, he is a carpenter, an AMAZINGLY SKILLED carpenter. One daughter works remote but the other will be just finishing college, major is media and culture w/a minor in linguistics.

Couple of quick notes - not as exacting in terms of location, but general....

1. You can't get there from here- if you really like beach, bay and water you must stay within no more than a 3 mile range of DT and the Bay. Some who live further report 45 minutes or more...sometimes quite a bit more...to get to the Beach.

2. Lots are generally smaller as you are closer in - but there are plenty of exceptions and in many places most every property has a fence and lots of landscape, so you don't always see in.

3. Some open areas have other downsides - Desoto area has big lots but jets overhead, etc. - do your google maps homework.

Also, as far as the talented hubby be aware that there is a super-abundance of contractors down here and that has always driven down the rates. Most all trades are very competitive compared to what I was used to (and I am a carpenter, remodeler, etc...although I don't do it for money any more).

Also keep the heat in mind if his job involves outside work. It is dead serious dangerous heat for some - and uncomfortable for others. Ideally he can find something really high end like doing the interiors and kitchens of all the new high end condos where he is working for the owners and not the "meat market" builders.

Consider the hottest summer days in the Philly area...going on for months.
I'm from the Main Line myself.....family everywhere from Philly to Reading to S. NJ, etc.

I'd say that the rates for carpentry here are about 40% lower than the Philly burbs area. Take it for what it is worth.....but it might figure into where you want to live. The Big Money stuff is all the new condo building downtown (multi-million each) and my assumption is that many are sold "decorator ready" which means bare - and the owners get the interiors and kitchens, etc. done to their taste.

[MishI1103]

Thank you all SO much for taking the time to respond!! You’ve given me wonderful advice and lots to think about and consider!
I’m still hoping to make the move soon, but will take all of your responses into consideration and do my homework!!

Craigiri how are you liking it down there! Thank you again for the response and all the information about carpenter positions down there. We are expecting my husband to make half what he makes up here or he may start his own business and do custom work (kitchens, built-ins, finish/trim work). He did that up here for 20 years and was very successful, not sure how he would do down there but he may go that route. My job will pretty much carry us financially, his job will just be extra income (if he can make any). He works for a University in our area in the carpenter shop, are there such jobs at schools/colleges down there? Also, we both love the heat, and I totally hear you about dangerous heat, that is a different ballgame and we will be sure to be wise about activities and his job regarding that. I just cannot do Fall/Winter anymore and am so bored in this area.

Thank you all again!! Love from Philly!

[blueherons]

Originally Posted by MishI1103

Work requirements:
My work is remote but husband will need to eventually find work, he is a carpenter, an AMAZINGLY SKILLED carpenter. One daughter works remote but the other will be just finishing college, major is media and culture w/a minor in linguistics.

It doesn't matter how skilled your husband is. He needs to have a Florida Contractors license. It is time consuming and very expensive. However, if he doesn't have it, he is at the mercy of licensed contractors that can pay him whatever they want.

You can't even pour concrete in this state without being a licensed contractor. You literally can't even take down a wall in your house.

Look into this before you do anything.