PHOTO GALLERY: See more photos of Lake Sarasota
Lake Sarasota, named after the body of water it shares with Bent Tree Country Club on its southeastern border, is a large, suburban community with more than 1,000 homes. The neighborhood combines convenience, affordability and a family-friendly atmosphere.
Lake Sarasota is not just a subdivision. It’s a body of water, too, seen here from Lakeview Park, a hidden-away county park that is a popular amenity for nearby residents. Staff photo / Harold Bubi
Located just east of Interstate 75 off Bee Ridge Road, it provides easy access to north and southbound travels and to most areas of the county. Downtown Sarasota and the Gulf beaches are 20 to 25 minutes away by car.
That, and its median real estate price of $210,300, makes it attractive to families and owners with jobs. According to NeighborhoodScout.com, 35.5 percent of the working population is employed in sales and service jobs, while 30 percent have executive, management and professional occupations. The rest work in clerical and tech support, and manufacturing. More than 50 percent spend between 15 and 30 minutes commuting one-way to work, which is less time than most Americans spend to get to their jobs.
Lake Sarasota has a spacious, established feel with an attractive Florida atmosphere. Most of the streets have sidewalks. Mature live oaks, pines and tall palm trees abound. There are three smaller lakes within the community.
Nearby is Lakeview Park, an out-of-the-way recreational amenity with lovely waterfront views, picnic facilities and even a disc golf course.
Mauna Loa Boulevard, the main entrance and primary thoroughfare from Bee Ridge Road, has a median divider for a good half of its length.
This house at 3993 Hina Drive in Lake Saraosta is listed for sale at $209,000 through Ronnie DeWitt & Associates. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms and two baths in 1,792 square feet. Staff photo / Harold Bubil
Most of the houses are Florida ranches built in the 1970s and ‘80s in a variety of colors and finishes, including stucco, wood, fiber-cement and stone exteriors. They range in size from two to five or more bedrooms. Many have swimming pools. There are also more recent dwellings and a few two-story homes, as well as a number of small apartment buildings, mostly along Bee Ridge Road. The average rental price in Lake Sarasota is $1,332 a month.
“The homes are well-built — they have good bones,” says Toni Zarghami. She and her husband, David, are real estate agents with Keller Williams and have a listing at 4071 Palau Drive. The two-bedroom home, with swimming pool, was built in 1983 and is priced at $215,000.
Zarghami likes the pride of ownership of the residents. “There is a lot of remodeling and updating going on,” she says. “People hold community events, do repairs, put on new roofs and take care of their home and landscaping.”
As there is no homeowners’ association in Lake Sarasota, county zoning restrictions apply. “A lot of people like that — they can have their boats on the property,” Zarghami explains.
They also like the proximity to amenities and schools. Doctors Hospital, Lowe’s, The Home Depot and Walmart on Cattlemen Road are virtually a stone’s throw away. Restaurants, banks, grocery stores and other shopping opportunities on Bee Ridge Road are not much further.
There also is easy access to Lakeview Elementary School just to the south of the neighborhood via Lago Street and Hand Road. The other schools in the district are Sarasota Middle and Riverview High.
A major bother, which has been going on for some time, is the expansion of Bee Ridge Road to four lanes. Barricades line the sides of the road and entrances to Lake Sarasota, along with earth-moving equipment and mounds of excavated dirt. But most residents put up with it pragmatically.
“They understand that construction is inconvenient for a while, but will be worth it in the long run,” says Zarghami.
While there are still some foreclosures and short sales in the neighborhood (remnants of the housing debacle), they have been declining steadily, and the real estate market has been robust. In the past 12 months, 87 homes sold, ranging in price from $75,000 to $263,000.
Currently, there are 9 active listings, from $164,777 to $249,000, and twenty-six houses under contract, from $171,000 to $263,500.
“This is definitely an up-and-coming neighborhood,” says Zarghami.
