The Isles on Palmer Ranch (also known as The Isles of Sarasota) is an attractive inland community with a considerable amount of waterfront property. All of the homes are built around lakes and large nature preserves, and residents can enjoy maintenance-free living in a variety of housing options.
This house at 6144 Abaco Drive in The Isles of Palmer Ranch is listed at $539,900 by Mike Faber of Keller Williams on the Water. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms and three baths in 2,448 square feet. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
The neighborhood was master-planned and developed from 2005 to 2013 by DiVosta Homes, a Florida subsidiary of Pulte Group, a national leader in energy-efficient home building. DiVosta is currently following its success at The Isles with Sandhill Preserve, immediately to the north.
Starting with the attractive entrance off Honore Avenue, south of Central Sarasota Parkway, all features and amenities of The Isles were designed for active lifestyles in luxurious, safe surroundings. All dwellings are “maintenance-free.” Although the community is not gated, each homes comes with a private security system.
Residents can enjoy basketball, tennis and bocce ball courts. A lagoon-style, heated pool with an outdoor patio offers a resort-like experience. There is a gazebo and playground for children. The ponds are stocked with fish. Walking and biking trails offer the opportunity to watch sandhill cranes and other wildlife in and around the picturesque lakes and native preserves.
The 11,000-square-foot clubhouse, which serves as the hub of the community, has a fully equipped fitness center, a multi-purpose meeting room, a card room and a catering kitchen. An onsite activities manager arranges social events and activities – from arts and crafts, bridge, Mah Jongg, yoga and a book club to a variety of friendly sports competitions. The Isles even has its own post office.
This house at 5954 Roseto Place in The Isles of Palmer Ranch is listed at $409,900 by Kristen Srur of Michael Saunders & Co. Built in 2009, it has three bedrooms and three baths in 2,008 square feet. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
The Isles has 674 homes with paver driveways, tile roofs, stainless-steel appliances, tile flooring and screened-in lanais. Houses range from 1,641 to 2,506 square feet of living space and come with two to four bedrooms and attached, two-and-a-half car garages.
Other housing options include two- and three-bedroom attached villas, varying from 1,526 to 1,548 square feet, and duplex townhomes from 1,628 to 1,858 square feet.
“The quality of construction is high – steel-reinforced concrete and hurricane shutters. Insurance costs are about half that of homes that don’t have these features,” says Michael Bowers, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker.
“It’s a beautiful community, very meticulously maintained – you won’t find a blade of grass out of place,” he continues.
He and his wife, Cynthia, have sold homes in The Isles since in opened in 2006 and are rated the No. 1 sales team in the community. This year, they have recorded the five highest-priced sales there. “The numbers keep going up, and there is no sign of it letting up,” he says.
According to Bowers, half of the residents in The Isles live there all year. The rest are second-home owners from up north. There is also a strong international flavor among the snowbirds. “I have sold homes to Irish, French, English, Scandinavian and Swiss buyers,” he says.
With nearly three-quarters of the owners being retirees, only about 25 percent are working professionals and families. “Any time you have maintenance fees, it doesn’t attract families with children. They prefer to use that extra money to get a bigger home,” he explains.
HOA and maintenance fees are around $280 a month; they vary according to the different kinds of properties, and they include the Palmer Ranch’s umbrella dues.
“There are a lot of positives,” says Bowers. “You get a nice house with resort-style amenities, minutes from Siesta Key and not in a flood zone.”
While The Isles is in the southeastern corner of Palmer Ranch, the neighborhood is actually conveniently located. The Legacy Trail runs close by. Shopping and restaurant opportunities at the Westfield Sarasota Square Mall and along the Tamiami Trail are a short drive away.
No wonder buyers are drawn to a neighborhood that has so many plusses – beautiful surroundings, an active social life, and a sense of safety, seclusion and ease. “There is not a lot of inventory right now; it’s a very active market,” says Bowers. “Everything I put up sells pretty quickly.”
In the past year, 12 sales have ranged from $250,000 to $277,000. Currently, 12 homes are on the market, priced from $267,000 to $599,000.
