Bird Key Homes for Sale – Sarasota MLS Update

Our report on Bird Key homes for sale is often posted quarterly, but since this community is quite active we are providing an update. Our April 28, 2009 post reported 44 homes for sale on Bird Key. Read our Poston the Bird Key real estate market update in the April report. This month there are 39 Bird Key properties currently available in the Sarasota MLS.


Bird Key’s winding deep canals lead to open waters and provide a Paradise for boaters. Located between St. Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota, boaters have easy access to Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Many homes on Bird Key have their own dock or owners use the active Yacht Club to moor their vessels.

Buyers of Bird Key Homes can choose from old Florida style ranch and plan to redo to fit their own lifestyle or select a mini mansions with custom fishes created for the luxury buyer. Many older homes were replaced in the last several years on this popular Key. There are over 500 homes in this enclave, and buyers can select from the 39 active listings of homes for sale in the Sarasota MLS. Bird Key continues to be an active area of Sarasota for single family sales as the statistics show:

Bird Key Home Sales Update:

• Least Expensive Home: $451,000


• Most Expensive Home: $6,800,000


• Average Home Price: $2,180,397


• Median Home Price: $1,775,000


• Under Contract: 19


• *Solds: 18

For additional news and information on Bird Key real estate sales, contact John Allen at 941-544-6467. John knows waterfront properties and has the experience to guide you to a successful purchase of a home on Bird Key. If you are planning to view homes for sale on Bird Key, please give us plenty of notice as our calendars fill quickly. Owners and agents need time to make their arrangements also.

*Homes sold in the last 6 months on Bird Key, according to the Sarasota MLS database.

Lido Key Real Estate - 2009

Lido Key real estate is hot right now. Buyers are searching for small homes to purchase under $500,000. Their idea is to hold on to these homes until their retirement, refurbish or tear down and build their dream home within walking distance or a short drive from Lido Key Beach.


Lido Key condos are on the radar of buyers right now too. With price adjustments, buyers are finding deals on Lido Key condos priced under $500,000 too. Some buyers searching for second homes just don’t want the problems of dealing with maintaining a second home that is sometimes thousands of miles away. A Lido Key condo offers a carefree beach lifestyle. Stay at home and cook a seafood dinner or take a short walk to St. Armands Circle and choose your pleasure. You might just opt for a 1905 salad at Colombia instead.

Luxury home buyers from around the world are drawn to Lido Shores Sarasota. This neighborhood is home to some of the most spectacular homes on the Gulf coast of Florida. Single family home prices here currently start at $600,000 and go all the way up to $8.9 million.

If you are searching Lido Key FL real estate and are ready to view properties, call John Allen at 941-544-6467. John shows properties regularly on Lido Key and is ready to assist you with your purchase of a Lido Key condo or home.

Looking for a Casey Key Florida Beach House?

Have you been dreaming of a Casey Key beach house for the last 10 years? Perhaps you’ve recently read “Duma Key” by Stephen King and just discovered Casey Key, Florida. Regardless of how you found out about this special island Paradise, now might just be the time to begin a search for your Casey Key beach home. The winter selling season is over in the Sarasota area, prices are at reasonable levels and the selection is terrific.

Casey Key is a very private key, however you can still be in downtown Sarasota in 25 minutes from the North end of the Key. Venice, FL is only a few minutes from the South Casey Key Bridge. Many residents here enjoy the privacy that the island provides. In addition to privacy, Casey Key offers beach houses on the Gulf of Mexico from the North end of its 8 miles to the South end. Some special properties cover several acres and extend from the Bayside of the island to the Gulf of Mexico and beaches.

Currently the Sarasota MLS reports 54 houses available. Options include direct beachfront, bay front and gulf-to-bay properties. Many of the homes that are not directly on the beach have deeded beach access. If you were looking for that tiny two bedroom traditional Florida beach house, the lowest priced Gulf listing is priced at $1,599,000. If your budget is just a little over $2,000,000, you might consider purchasing a listing directly on the beach offering 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and 2300 sf of living space. Use your beach house a few years, tear it down and built your dream home. If the sky’s the limit, a cool $17,000,000 will purchase the largest of Casey Key beach houses – a Gulf to Bay estate with over 16,000 square feet of living space.

Don’t’ wait another 10 years, call John Allen, at 941-6467 with your parameters for your Casey Key beach house. John regularly shows the finest properties available on Casey Key, FL. If you want to keep up on sales, inventory and new listings, check out our new Casey Key Florida real estate blog where we will be posting regularly.

St Armands Cirlcle: Cork Restaurant

If you have a home or condo on Lido Key, Longboat Key or Bird Key, chances are you’ve been to Cork on St Armands Circle. Cork is one of the new bright spots on the Circle and quite popular with many locals. Sarasota magazine recently named Cork the "Best New Restaurant." Jeff Trefry, Executive Chef, adds his experience and culinary gifts to bring metropolitan cuisine to Sarasotans palates.


If you're in the mood of fish, try the seared mahi fillet with celery root puree. It’s a hit and a favorite of many diners. Located at 29 N. Boulevard of the Presidents on St. Armands Circle, Cork is just above the Bottle Shop.

St. Armands’s has many popular restaurants, but Cork Restaurant is exceptional. Buy a bottle of great wine to enjoy at home from the Bottle Shop on your way back to your Longboat Key home! If you can’t get a table at Cork, try Columbia, Hemingway’s Retreat or the always popular Columbia Restaurant.

For information on St Armands Key real estate for sale or properties on Longboat Key, Lido Key or Bird Key, contact John Allen at 941-544-6467. John shows waterfront properties regularly on all of Sarasota’s barrier islands.

More Good Sarasota Real Estate News

Sarasota real estate got some more good news this week. The Herald Tribune reported a $6,000 rise in the median price of homes in Sarasota-Bradenton in March from February figures. Sales rose 8% from a year ago. Read entire article.

We noted in several blog articles since the first of the year that our web traffic and showing are up. Inventory levels have gone down. Sale pendings are following the upward trend too. Foreclosures and short sales are popular right now, but there are some fabulous buys out there in properties that are not distressed too. Sellers who are realistic are making deals and buyers are taking advantage of a brisk buyers’ market.

Contact us today to help with your Sarasota Florida real estate needs or shoot us an email for a prompt reply.

Lido Key Florida Real Estate Update - March 2009

Customers are flocking to see Lido Key real estate this season. Each week we have inquiries about condominiums at Orchid Beach Club, St. Armands Towers and Lido Beach club, as well as L Elegance. These condos are located conveniently to Lido Key Beach and are close to dining and shopping on St. Armands Circle.


Homes for sale near the Circle are hot right now to with low interest rates in place and a fabulous selection of inventory. Lido Key FL is an easy drive from Tampa International Airport. The drive takes about 60 minutes.

The Sarasota MLS currently reports 51 Lido Key homes for sale and 123 condos are currently on the market. Prices for homes start at $325k for a two bedroom two bath home within walking distance to St. Armands Circle. Many homes on Lido Key are canal front and need your handyman's special touch. Premium prices are asked for property on deep open water with sweeping views of downtown Sarasota and Sarasota Bay. If you are a boater, some Lido Key homes offer private docks for large boats and some are on sailboat water.

From the Sarasota MLS

• Active Homes on Lido Key: 51
• Lowest priced Home: $325,000
• Highest Priced Home: $11,300,000
• Pending Sales: 2
• *Sold Last Six Months: 7

If you are interesting in a maintenance-free lifestyle for your second home, you might consider Lido Key Florida condos for sale. The Sarasota MLS data base reports 123 condos for sale on the Lido Key currently. Newer complexes such as Orchid Beach Club provide owners superior architectural detailing today's luxury buyers expect.

• Active Condos on Lido Key: 123
• Lowest Priced Listing: $219,000
• Highest Priced Listing: $4,495,000
• Pending Sales: 4
• *Sold Last Six Months: 10

Call us for detail information on Lido Key homes and condos for sale or check our websites for property listings which are updated daily. For photos, virtual tours and area information for Sarasota, Florida, visit our blogs and find about what's happening in Lido Key Real Estate.

* Appraisers use the sales data from the last six months for comparable purposes.

Casey Key Florida Housing Market Update

There are currently 51 properties being marketed for sale in the Sarasota MLS. Prices range from $1,300,000 to $20,000,000. The $20M property is a brand new listing of 5 continuous lots being offered as one beautiful compound.

In addition to the Active MLS listings, there are two properties under contract:

• 937 Casey Key Road - Listed for $4.2M
• 609 Casey Key Road - Listed for $3.952M

Since January 1, 2008, there have been 2 closed sales:

• 2509 Casey Key Road - Listed for $4.395M, Sold for $3.09M
• 3858 Casey Key Road - Listed for $1.99M, Sold for $1.34M

For more information on all MLS listings currently available, stop by the Casey Key homes page.