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Willowbend in Osprey is a charming, deed-restricted neighborhood with unusual beginnings. It was homebuilder Lee Wetherington’s first venture into eco-friendly development. He partnered with Oscar Scherer State Park, just to the south, and the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods guidelines for water-conserving landscapes.
The result is a beautiful community of 275 homes on 128 acres. Drive into Willowbend from either of its two entrances on the Tamiami Trail, and you’ll see some of the lushest, most exquisitely landscaped front yard of homes in the area. All of the homes have tile roofs and more than half surround the three scenic interior lakes.
This house at 570 Crane Prairie Way in Willowbend, Osprey, is listed for sale at $329,900 through Eileen Hampton of Re/Max Platinum Realty. But in 2005 by Lee Wetherington Homes as the Opal model, it has three bedrooms and two baths in 2,298 square feet. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
Wetherington platted Willowbend in 2002 and commenced sales in December of that year with three of his model homes. Within six months, he had sold 40 percent of the properties and built out the community by 2005.
The houses vary in lot size and square footage. The smallest homes are unattached villas on 55- by 120-foot lots. The club series commands 65- by 120-foot lots. The Executive homes, occupying 72- by 120-foot properties, were the last to be built and back onto Oscar Scherer State Park. Their sizes range from roughly 2,000 to 3,300 square feet, and the largest are two-story, four-bedroom residences.
“Part of what was attractive and unique about Willowbend is that Lee Wetherington used some of his most successful models,” says Ron Suponcic, an agent with Re/Max Alliance, who has been selling homes in the neighborhood since its inception. He currently has a listing at 512 Luminary Blvd, an Ashley model, with a swimming pool and an attractive lake view.
“My wife fell in love with the Ashley model, and used it when we built our own home in another neighborhood,” he says. “In fact, all of the models used there — the Ashley, the Willow and the Opal — have become popular in other Wetherington neighborhoods, as well.”
This house at 1308 Thornapple Drive in Willowbend, Osprey, is listed for sale at $491,900 through Greg Scheller of Re/Max Alliance Group. But in 2002 by Lee Wetherington Homes, it has three bedrooms and two baths in 2,188 square feet. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
“He added lot of the detailing from his custom homes, and also incorporated his services — his pool company and his interior-design company. People had the opportunity to purchase what looked like a custom-built home for between $200,000 and $400,000,” Suponcic continues. “It was the most successful community for him up to that point, and became a showcase for him.”
Willowbend has other features that make it attractive to buyers. The location is ideal. Surrounded by nature, it is only 10 miles from downtown Sarasota and six miles north of Venice. Pineview School is just up the street. Historic Spanish Point, Gulf beaches, restaurants and shopping opportunities are within easy driving distance.
The makeup is intergenerational, including retirees, single adults and families with young children. A community center for residents offers a heated swimming pool, fitness center, basketball court, tennis court and playground.
The homeowners association is mandatory, with dues ranging from around $280 to $320 a month, depending on the size of the property. The fees cover fiber-optic Internet and cable TV, lawn care, public sewer and water, streetlights and maintenance of common-area buildings and park areas.
The entrance to Willowbend on U.S. 41 in Osprey. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
According to Suponcic, the early results of the eco-measures were a bit Spartan. “When it started, landscaping was quite bare — mostly pine needles — and some owners didn’t like the look. They wanted to add more plants and trees,” he says.
By 2009, they had rewritten a number of the covenants and regulations, allowing them to put in trees and shrubs, leaving the HOA take care of sod, lawns and sprinkler systems.
During the real estate downturn, a number of homes went “underwater,” and from 2007 to 2011, most of Suponcic’s real estate transactions were of short sales. Property values are still catching up. “To compare, for houses sold at the end of 2005, the price per square foot was $291; for homes sold since the beginning of this year, $191,” he comments. “That’s still $100 less than at the peak.”
But Willowbend is on solid footing again. “Now that prices are coming back, some of the short sales are reselling,” Suponcic explains. “That is the case with my listing, which, two years ago, sold for $360,000 and now is going for $489,000.
Since January 2015, there have been seven sales, ranging in price from $350,000 to $600,000. The latter was a four-room Executive home. Currently, three houses are in the MLS, ranging in price from $385,900 to $491,900, and four sales are pending. One house for sale is a “pocket” listing.
