The west coast of Florida was inhabited by native Americans as long ago as 8,000 B.C. In the 1500's, Spanish explorers, including Ponce de Leon and Hernando De Soto arrived on the Gulf Coast in search of gold and silver. The United States gained sovereignty of the territory of Florida in 1821 and in 1824 private ownership of land along Sarasota Bay was permitted for new settlers. The native Seminoles were dispossessed of their lands and pushed further south, but it wasn't until the 1880's that development really began.

In 1885, Sarasota saw an influx of Scottish families who had been promised that fields of vegetables, housing, and citrus groves awaited them. Instead they found an undeveloped land and most of the would-be colonists left. Scottish influence is reflected today in the Riverview High School Kiltie band, with it’s authentic kilts, bagpipers and Highland dancers, and the annual Sarasota Highland Games. You can see what life was like for Sarasota’s 19th century settlers at the Crowley Museum and Nature Center.

Sarasota became a magnet for wealthy Americans in the 1910's. One of our famous residents, Mrs. Bertha Palmer of Chicago, purchased a 30,000-acre ranch which today is the location of a number of planned communities collectively known as Palmer Ranch, as well as the Myakka River State Park. Her waterfront winter home, Osprey Point, is open to the public and known as Historic Spanish Point. In the 1920s, John Ringling of circus fame and his wife, Mable, built a magnificent Venetian-style estate on Sarasota Bay they called Cà d' Zan. The art museum, which was built to house their collection of 17th-century Italian and Flemish artists, is today one of Sarasota’s cultural gems. Sarasota lore has it that Ringling’s circus elephants helped build the first bridge from the mainland to St. Armand’s Key, which is the site of one of our premier shopping and residential neighborhoods.

John Ringling’s influence on the community is still felt today. Sarasota County is the only public school system in the United States that sponsors an after school youth circus program known as the Sailor Circus.

The Sarasota School of Architecture flourished between 1941 and 1966 and many fine examples of it’s modernist architecture can be seen today.

Rapid development, tastefully done over the last few years has produced dramatic changes in Sarasota. This once sleepy town was discovered by the world and thrust into the limelight. It has turned Sarasota into one of the most sophisticated and desirable places to live in the U.S.

So if you want to buy a vacation home or primary residence in Sarasota, Siesta or Longboat Key, please email me below with your requirements and I will send you property information and a Relocation Package right away!

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Located on the Western Coast of Florida, about 60 miles south of Tampa, Sarasota and the adjoining area has much to offer. Nowhere else will you find the perfect blend of small-city living with large city amenities.

35 miles of white sandy beaches, superb restaurants and world-class shopping paired with a vibrant economy, rich cultural life and outstanding educational opportunities attract a wide cross-section of people.

While voted the best place to retire young by Money Magazine in 2007, almost half of Sarasota’s population is in the 25- 64 age range. With employment opportunities expanding, an excellent school system and a great year-round climate, Sarasota is a great place to call home no matter what your age!

The greater Sarasota area is a complex mosaic of diverse communities with the City of Sarasota at it’s heart. Adjacent to the City limits lie vintage neighborhoods loaded with the eclectic charm of old Sarasota.

Farther from downtown a variety of planned communities await your discovery. Ranging from the elegance of The Landings on the Intercoastal Waterway, to Lakewood Ranch northeast of the city, to the sought-after Palmer Ranch communities to the south, you will find an enticing selection of lifestyles and homes to choose from.

If sea and sandcastles are the centerpiece of your Florida dream, you will want to explore the casual extravagance that our barrier islands have to offer. From south to north, Casey, Siesta, Lido and Longboat Keys form a sheltering necklace around Sarasota Bay with Bird Key and St. Armand’s at its center.

No matter what your lifestyle expectations are, Sarasota offers a nearly endless selection of permanent and vacation residential choices. Let me help you find the home that best suites your needs and fulfills your dreams.

To find out more about specific Sarasota lifestyle opportunities, please click on the links below:

Sarasota City Living
Palmer Ranch
Island Lifestyles

To receive complimentary relocation information please fill out the form below.

You can contact me in total confidence. I guarantee your privacy will always be respected.