NOKOMIS -- Heading south through Nokomis toward Venice, the Tamiami Trail crosses two bodies of water: first, Dona Bay, and then, Roberts Bay. The tongue of land between them thrusts westward like a triangle. The area is home to one of Nokomis’ finest waterfront communities, Enchanted Isles.
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Along Sunrise Drive with a view of Roberts Bay in Enchanted Isles, Nokomis. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
Although there are five access streets from the Trail, it’s easy to miss the neighborhood, as it is tucked behind a row of single-story commercial buildings that include the Curry Street Café. But drive inside and you’ll be charmed by a distinctive Old Florida atmosphere, with lush vegetation, a plethora of palm trees, wooden docks and impressive water views.
“It is definitely a boating community,” says Melissa Caldwell, an agent with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. “The bay views are phenomenal.”
On Sunrise Drive and Sunset Drive, which run along Roberts Bay and Dona Bay, respectively, many of the homes have their fronts facing the water from the inland side of the street. Their docks are located across the street, with a generous, open lawn area in between. Nicely landscaped, it feels like living on a waterfront park.
A grand new home in Enchanted Isles, Nokomis. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
Caldwell has a listing by one owner of four contiguous parcels on Sunrise Drive. Together, they comprise 428 feet of Dona Bay waterfront with a price of $5 million. The four homes, one of them a 1950s midcentury modern, have terrazzo floors. Two have swimming pools. They all could be remodeled or torn down. “The property could be divided, but there is the opportunity for someone to buy them all and build a very nice home,” she says.
The community has nearly 100 houses. The gated area at the tip of the peninsula, called the Anchorage, consists of 20 properties, representing the most recent and expensive residences. The luxury mansion for sale at 457 Anchorage Drive, for example, was built in 2008 and currently lists for $3.6 million. There are also several empty lots. One is for sale, priced at $1.55 million.
A procession of royal palms frames a midcentury modern house that is part of a four-house complex on Sunrise Drive in Nokomis’ Enchanted Isles. The four parcels are listed at $5 million by Melissa Caldwell of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. The property, which is being marketed as having potential for redevelopment as an estate, has 428 feet on Dona Bay with four docks. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
“The landscaping is magnificent in Anchorage,” says Caldwell. “The HOA fee of $500 a year covers the gate and public areas, and the homeowners take very good care of their yards.”
The rest of Enchanted Isles is a mix of 1950s ranch homes and beach cottages nestled among two- and three-story, Key West-style residences. Many have been renovated or replaced by newer houses.
According to Caldwell, residents are mostly year-round, with a smattering of snowbirds in the Anchorage. There are business owners, working professionals, including doctors and attorneys, and families with children. One of Sarasota County’s commissioners lives there.
Perhaps the most famous resident was Dr. Douglas “Doc” Murphy, one of the founders of Venice Hospital, the Venice Yacht Club and Lake Venice Golf Club, who lived in Enchanted Isles until 2004. He came to Florida during the 1925 land boom, attended Venice High School, and worked in the laboratory of Dr. Fred Albee, who was instrumental in putting Venice on the map. After graduating medical school and serving in the Navy in World War II, Doc Murphy returned to Venice in 1950 and practiced as a gynecologist and general surgeon for 35 years.
No doubt, he enjoyed the boating as much as the current residents. There is deep water at all bay sides of the community and direct access without intervening bridges to the Venice jetties and the Gulf of Mexico. On the way is Snake Island, which has been refurbished and is one of the happening spots for people to anchor their boats, swim, fish and have a good time. The Venice Yacht Club on the opposite side of Roberts Bay is a good place to socialize, as well.
Shopping and dining venues are nearby along the Tamiami Trail and in downtown Venice, just five minutes away. Nokomis Community Park is virtually across the street, and even Sarasota is within easy driving distance. “Enchanted Isles is a great location,” says Caldwell. “It’s not on a key, so you don’t have to deal with bridges going up and down, but it is not far from beaches.”
According to Zillow, four properties are on the market in addition to the mansion in the Anchorage and Caldwell’s 4-parcel package. They range in price from $2.4 million to $615,000. An empty lot is for sale close to U.S. 41 for $96,000.
