John Allen's Blog: Siesta Key real estate

West of the Trail is the area in Sarasota, Florida that is West of U.S. Highway 41 or the Tamiami Trail. Often homes for sale in Sarasota West of the Trail are preferred by affluent buyers who want to be near the Sarasota Memorial Hospital, local shops and restaurants or a quick drive to downtown Sarasota. Convenience is the desirability of this neighborhood.

Harbor Acres, Paradise Shores and McCellallan Park are popular subdivisions near Sarasota Memorial Hospital. This neighborhood shows pride of ownership with beautifully landscaped lawns, gated entrances and cascading fountains.

The beaches of Siesta Key, Lido and Longboat Key are a short drive from homes West of the Trail.

West of the Trail Home Activity Update:

• Single Family Homes:
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Siesta Key is an 8 mile long barrier islands located just off the coast from Sarasota. This tropical island is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Crescent Beach on Siesta Key is consistently on many of the Top 10 beach lists.

Homes on Siesta Key range from simple to extravagant. Waterfront options include beach front, bay front and canal front homes. Boat lovers enjoy the use of the island's 50 miles of canals.

The Sarasota MLS system currently has 251 homes listed for sale on Siesta Key. Prices start at $215,000 for a small, one bedroom home and go all the way up to $12,500,000 for an extravagant bayfront estate on Roberts Point Road. There are currently 41 homes under contract on Siesta Key. Inventory has been trending down and…

The Sanderling Club is a private community located behind a 24 hour guarded gate on Siesta Key. All residents must belong to the Sanderling Club and pay its $20,000 initiation fee in this community. Membership includes use of a private marina with boat slips, tennis courts, beachfront cabanas designed by architect, Paul Rudolph. Walking on the beach, relaxing by your oceanfront pool could be part of your lifestyle at Sanderling Club.

Sanderling Club’s owners drive a short distance to restaurants on Siesta Key such as Turtle’s and Ophelia’s on the south end of the Key. Or just off Siesta Key’s south bridge on the mainland are Carraba’s and Stonewood Grill. We often show the Sanderling Club Siesta Key community to customers desiring the ultimate of luxury…

The Sarasota Association of Realtors just released the latest market statistics for the Sarasota real estate market. All statistics were compiled on properties listed in the MLS as of November 2008. The stats show higher pending sales as we head into our "season." With the slow economy, we will probably see less visitors in our busy season which runs from January to May. The absorption rate for both condos and homes has reduced significantly from the 2007 data.

Click HERE for a PDF of the press release.

Click HERE for the new stats from the December issue of Sarasota Realtor Magazine.

Sarasota Florida is located 60 miles south of Tampa on the Gulf Coast of Florida. If you have any questions or if you would like to explore the Sarasota area further,…

What a difference a few years makes in the Sarasota real estate market. We just listed for sale a Siesta Key condo at 6008 Peppertree Way. Back in 2005, this property was listed for $965,000. For 2008, We have priced the property at $599,000.

We will be posting more information on our website and the MLS. Call or email us for more details. To learn more about this community, visit the Peppertree section of our website.