Located in Sarasota County
Sitting 5 miles off the coast from Sarasota, Longboat Key offers luxurious island living without the tourists. “Here we get the island life,” says Maureen Horn, a broker with Michael Saunders & Company, who’s lived on Longboat for 25 years. “This means wearing shorts year-round, being surrounded by water views and going boating whenever you feel like it.”
“Longboat is like an island suburb of Sarasota,” says Horn, “at first people think of it as a vacation spot, then fall in love with it and buy a home.” The Key is about 10 miles long and only half a mile wide, with Gulf of Mexico Drive running from north to south, lined with dense mangroves, palm trees and entrances to waterfront communities facing the Gulf of Mexico to the west and Sarasota Bay to the east. There’s no need to worry about beach access here; whether on the main road or in a gated community, it’s a short walk away. “The beaches are relaxing with little foot traffic because it’s mostly residents,” says Horn. Single-family homes range from a three-bedroom island-inspired ranch-style with a spacious back patio within walking distance of the beach for $1 million up to a brand-new five-bedroom Spanish Revival mansion on a 1-acre beachfront lot with an infinity pool for over $18 million. For those looking for a slice of the island life at a lower price or want less space, condos range from a two-bedroom with a Spanish-inspired red tile roof and community beach access for $500,000 to a four-bedroom unit in a luxury building for $6.8 million with contemporary touches like floor to ceiling windows, full indoor and outdoor kitchens, a communal pool area and pickleball courts.
Along with the beaches, amenities are key to the island lifestyle, so it’s no surprise that Longboat has impressive public facilities like Bayfront Park, which has a large indoor recreation facility and an outdoor playground, dog park and kayak launch looking out over Sarasota Bay. Racket-heads can join a rally at the Longboat Tennis Center, which has ten courts and a pro shop offering lessons. Golf weather is year-round, and residents can play at two semi-private courses, Harbourside and Links on Longboat, which are a part of the Longboat Key Club. This private beach club has a tennis facility, multiple dining options, a marina and a fitness center.
With these views, there are, of course, some scenic waterfront restaurants like Dry Dock Waterfront Grill on the south end of the Key, where you can get steamed seafood straight from the water. On the north end, indulge in upscale seafood dishes like the Colossal Blue Lump Crab Salad at Shore. Drive south over the bridge to St. Armands Circle on Lido Key to sip on a latte while perusing through boutique shops. You can stay on the Key to get your groceries at Publix. While it’s relatively quiet here at night, head 5 miles to Sarasota for a night of entertainment, then return home to living the island life in Longboat Key.
Students may be a part of the Manatee County School District, but there are no schools on the Key, so they must drive seven miles north to begin at Anna Maria Elementary, which is graded a B-plus by Niche. They may continue on the mainland about 10 miles away in Bradenton at Martha B. King Middle, graded a B-minus, and round out their education at Bayshore High School, which received a C-plus. There are also prestigious private options across the bay, like IMG Academy, a boarding school with state-of-the-art athletic facilities and staff that have produced countless college and professional athletes.
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this area.
Lysette Ketterer
CENTURY 21 JIM WHITE & ASSOC
(813) 519-5053
41 Total Sales
1 in Longboat Key
$1,200,000 Price
Daniel Jittu
G2 International Realty LLC
(941) 957-2565
18 Total Sales
2 in Longboat Key
$500K - $1.7M Price Range
Argelia Vidal
COLDWELL BANKER REALTY
(734) 999-4637
244 Total Sales
2 in Longboat Key
$600K - $1.5M Price Range
Marianne LeBar
ROSEBAY INTERNATIONAL REALTY, INC
(941) 740-8842
33 Total Sales
1 in Longboat Key
$1,900,000 Price
Suzy Kolaz
KELLER WILLIAMS ON THE WATER S
(941) 841-7071
41 Total Sales
1 in Longboat Key
$454,322 Price
Maryann Lawler Garcia
WAGNER REALTY
(941) 960-7803
60 Total Sales
1 in Longboat Key
$294,000 Price
On average, homes in Longboat Key, FL sell after 90 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Longboat Key, FL over the last 12 months is $1,045,000, down 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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