This pier gives residents of Waterlefe Golf & River Club a splendid view of the Manatee River. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
Some newcomers to Manatee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties feel torn between pursuing their dreams of boating or golf. Should they buy waterfront property or join one of the area’s many links neighborhoods?
They might want to check out Waterlefe Golf & River Club. Located east of Interstate 75 and north of State Road 64 and Lakewood Ranch, it is one of the few communities in the Sarasota-Bradenton area that merges both lifestyles. It has a marina on the banks of the Manatee River, as well as some private docks, and an 18-hole, championship golf course.
PHOTO GALLERY: Waterlefe Golf & Country Club
The developers took advantage of the natural surroundings, wetlands and spectacular river vistas, and also enhanced them with a network of canals, ponds and lakes with fountains, attractive wooden and stone bridges, shrubbery and trails. Wildlife abounds in the mangrove wetlands and large nature preserves. Sandhill cranes can be seen walking the fairways.
The marina has 59 boat slips, which residents not directly located on the banks can purchase, and 14 additional docks are on a nearby canal with access to the river. The fishing in the upper Manatee River is great, and a half-hour boat ride will take you to Tampa Bay, Anna Maria Island and the Gulf of Mexico. There’s also a kayak and canoe launch area.
The Waterlefe golf course was designed by famed links architect Ted McAnlis. The course varies in length from 4,700 to 6,908 yards, depending on the tees used. The scenic fairways wind through preserves and along wooded easements and lakes. Several holes border the Manatee River. Amenities include an aqua driving range, practice putting greens, a full-service pro shop and a grill room.
The gated community opened in 2000. A well-landscaped, divided lane with palms and shrubbery on a central median leads from Upper Manatee River Road to the gate house. Prospective buyers can choose from a variety of homes, both in type and price point. Most of the architecture is Florida-Mediterranean in style with red and yellow barrel-tile roofs.
Waterlefe has 144 condos in two-story coach houses — four per building. The units range in size from 1,156 to 2,343 square feet. The 156 attached villas, from 1,400 to 1,900 square feet, are maintenance-free. Both are priced at around $200,000.
The 293 houses, from 2,100 to 2,590 square feet under air, start at around $300,000.
In addition, The Shores is a gated enclave on Riverbank Terrace, with 28 estate-size houses of 3,400 square feet and larger. Prices start at about $1 million. Each has its own private dock, either on the Manatee River or the canal that runs parallel to it.
Waterlefe Golf & River Club has 631 residences. “It’s one of those places that’s small enough for you to know a lot of people, yet big enough so you don’t know everyone,” says Karen Enis, a Realtor with Michael Saunders & Co.
Enis and her partners, Howie and Roby Drourr, have sold homes in Waterlefe since 2006. She likes the community for its active lifestyle and many social events. “There are lots of activities — bridge, euchre, painting, yoga and more,” she explains. “People like to read. There are a dozen or so book clubs.”
This townhouse at 1015 Fish Hook Cove in Waterlefe Golf & River Club is listed at $799,000 by Roberta Burish of Keller Williams Realty. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms and five baths in 3,402 square feet. It also has Manatee River views. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
Homeowners don’t have to join the golf club, but a quarterly HOA fee of $537 covers the use of all other common areas. They include the facilities at the River Club — dining, a fitness room, a salt-water swimming pool and a tiki bar on the patio. There is also a small playground and an observation platform at the end of a long dock thrusting into the sheltered river.
Residents are a mix of retirees, families, working professionals and pre-retirees from up north who want to be in Florida and have bought a home in anticipation of moving here upon retirement. Some of the snowbirds are here throughout the year; others stay for the season.
Although Waterleaf is in east county, it is not too far from downtown Bradenton, the Ellenton Outlet Mall, Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street and the University Town Center for shopping, restaurants and hospital services.
Sales are steady. Over the past 12 months, the transaction list includes 35 houses, ranging from $245,000 to $1.175 million, and 11 condos and villas, from $175,000 to $275,000.
Currently, 33 homes are on the market, priced from $235,000 to $1.295 million; 11 condos and villas are listed from $190,000 to $315,000.
