Stopped behind a school bus recently gave us an appropriate moment to reflect on how very fortunate we are to live in a region that takes education very seriously at all levels.
Families with school-age children can look forward to enrolling them in one of Florida’s highest-rated public school systems. The Sarasota County school district has been designated an “A” district by the Florida Department of Education, with 95 percent of its elementary schools and 84 percent of its high schools receiving “A” or “B” grades in 2009. Its graduation rate is at an all-time high of 86 percent; and even though we are rarely thought of in the same breath as Florida’s better-known college towns, our college-bound seniors have no less than 15 institutions of higher learning to choose from within Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties.
Many of our public and private schools, colleges and universities are routinely ranked among the nation’s best. U.S. News & World Report, for example, consistently ranks Pine View School for the Gifted among the nation’s very best public high schools. The school also ranks 1st in the State of Florida both for mean SAT scores and mean ACT scores.
Just last Tuesday, U.S. News’ 2011 edition of America’s Best Colleges hit the newsstands. It ranks Sarasota’s New College of Florida among the top five of all public liberal arts colleges in the U.S. For the sixth consecutive year! Offering apologies to Harvard, Yale and Princeton, Parade Magazine—in its August 22nd edition— ranks New College among the top 7 colleges where you can get an Ivy League education at a public university price.
Discover a range of lifestyle opportunities in Burn Store Lakes.
A deed restricted community established in 1972, which resulted in the creation of 1860 single-family lots and 170 multi-family lots, Burnt Store Lakes is a captivating place to call home. To date, approximately 25 percent of the total properties have been developed and are occupied by year-round and seasonal residents alike. Prior to becoming a residential community, Burnt Store Lakes was operated as a prosperous gladiolus flower farm.
Residential Opportunities – Burnt Store Lakes
Pride of ownership is abundant in Burnt Store Lakes, as displayed by the tasteful new entry to the community and carried out by the individual homeowners throughout the neighborhood. The homes range in size from 1,400 square feet to over 3,000 square feet, and currently are selling from the mid $100,000s to roughly $400,000. Most of the homes in the community generally range from 5- 15 years old.
Convenient Location – Burnt Store Lakes
Residents of Burnt Store Lakes have the opportunity to take advantage of the neighboring 27-hole executive golf course, marina and dining opportunities at Burnt Store Marina. For those desiring to take in Florida’s great outdoors, Burnt Store Lakes is within proximity to Babcock- Web Wildlife Management area, Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve, Peace River Wildlife Center, Ponce De Leon Park and boat ramp, Burnt Store Marina and Pine Island’s Matlacha.
There are several shopping and dining options approximately 15 minutes away in downtown Punta Gorda (to the north) or nearby Cape Coral (to the south). For those sun seekers looking for the beach, Englewood/Venice, Boca Grande, Fort Myers/Lover’s Key/Sanibel are all about a 45-60 minute drive. With I-75 nearby, Fort Myers’s Southwest International Airport is within a 50-minute reach. (more…)
Sarasota is recognized around the world as a special place. It’s like Santa Fe or Santa Barbara – blessed by nature, with a unique beauty that stirs the soul. Mankind has been gentle to its delicate environment. Sarasota homes celebrate the sunny, tropical atmosphere, and as a community, both city and county achieve a harmony of place that attracts people from all over the world. Those who could live anywhere choose to live here.
What makes Sarasota so special? First of all, its spectacular 35 miles of white sand beaches. They are recognized as among the finest in the world. Some have white talcum powder sands of pure quartz – cool and soft to the touch. Others are perfect for shelling and bird watching and fishing. Some attract families, with gently lapping waves perfect for children – and grandchildren. On others you may well be the only person in sight. But sunset turns each of them into an unforgettable experience.
Get out and enjoy this Labor Day weekend. You earned it.
Celebrated since September of 1882, Labor Day is a longstanding observance dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the American workforce and the contributions they have made to the prosperity and well-being of our country. It also signifies a long weekend for many to ring in the unofficial end of summer, complete with family outings, barbecues and more.
As with all holidays and special occasions, the greater Sarasota area is filled with events and activities to entertain residents and visitors–and you deserve it. Here are our top 10 Labor Day weekend activities taking place in the Sarasota area:
1. Labor Day Family Picnic at the Point – Bring the whole family for a day of fun at Historic Spanish Point, the premier outdoor museum. This Monday, September 6, starting at 9:00 am, just $10 per car load gives your family access to 30 acres of shady nature trails, scenic boardwalks, historic buildings, rich gardens, bay breezes and more, with plenty of picnic tables at a variety of interesting locations throughout the museum. Bring a Frisbee or baseball bat and balls and play on the Lychee Field near one of the largest butterfly gardens in the area, or take in some sunshine right next to the cool waters of Little Sarasota Bay overlooking Casey Key. Sorry no grills or pets. Open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with no site admittance after 4:00pm. Visit HERE for more information.
2. Labor Day All Day Celebration – Looking for a delicious brunch complemented with live music on your extra weekend day? Blu Smoke Island Grill and Bar is offering an all-you-can-eat-and-drink Holiday Weekend Brunch starting at 9am and ending at noon on Monday, September 7. Stay for the pig roast from noon – 4 pm and live reggae on the from 2-6 pm. Go HERE for more information.
3. 5th Annual Selby Instructors’ Summer Showcase – This Monday, September 6, enjoy an annual exhibit and sale showcasing the work of many of Selby’s talented art instructors, giving you a preview of the fun and interesting experiences waiting at the Gardens every week. Come see this exhibit and be inspired to sign up for classes taught by these talented artists and instructors. Many of the works will also be available for sale. Cost: Included in admission to Gardens. More information is HERE. (more…)
Sarasota County:
Consistent with the national decline in sales that followed the expiration of the home buyer tax credit, sales in Sarasota County declined by 22.9% versus last July—when the tax credit was in full effect. Pendings remained flat, year over year, which is an encouraging sign. They kept pace with last July, when the tax credit was in effect.
Manatee County:
Year over year sales were flat, an indication that July sales without the tax credit kept pace with last year’s sales when the credit was in full effect. Year over year pendings not only kept pace with last year, but finished the month up by 5.1%.
Charlotte County:
Sales down by 8.2% in the first month since the tax credit expired. Pendings kept pace with last year, when the tax credit was in effect.
Few have survived the recessionary effects of the past few years with their financial psyches in tact. Thus, today’s luxury home buyers are much different from the “boom-and-bling” buyers of the past decade. In a case of reshuffled priorities, they have become relatively frugal; which includes a change in behavior when it comes to buying luxury properties. For even if their wealth has rebounded to some extent with the stock market, the sting of lost value to their portfolios—even if only on paper—still smarts.
In embracing these new attitudes, luxury buyers haven’t gone totally thrifty. High net worth individuals still regard luxury properties as solid long term investments; and still demand noticeable “bling” in the ones they end up buying. Just less bling overall, but more focused on where it will ultimately help boost the home’s re-sale value in future markets; while fully accommodating their own lifestyle. Nevertheless, in this new age of more disciplined spending—amid the most advantageous buyers’ market in recent memory—whatever “extras” a property has to offer had better be part and parcel of an unquestionably great deal.
Grounded in a new sense of financial realism, many of today’s buyers now eschew such once-desirable extras as upstairs laundry rooms and home theaters; preferring instead more practical and cost-effective uses of space. For many, the next primary home they buy will be smaller and more flexible version of their current one. So even if there is a home theater or media room it may have to do double duty as a den, office or spare bedroom.
Trading-down in size is one thing; but trading-down in quality and prestige is quite another matter. Buyers accustomed to luxury are willing to scale back on the absolute number of extras or amenities, but rarely will they skimp on the quality of the ones they are most determined to have.
“Location, location, location” remains amenity number one for the high net worth buyer. In the 2010 Private Wealth Report conducted by Citi Private Bank the “reputation of an area” is singled-out as the most important factor when considering where to buy a primary residence. Security, design and size come in second, third and fourth respectively. Clearly, it’s perfectly acceptable to buy the smallest house on any given block; so long as the property exudes quality and the block is situated in a highly prestigious neighborhood.
Bay Isles is what most people think of when they picture Longboat Key. It is gated, of course, and impeccably manicured, with lavish yet discrete homes. Views of the water or the golf course – or both – are everywhere. The lifestyle epitomizes affluent Florida living – year round golf, tennis, boating, with the famous cultural pursuits and fine dinning of Sarasota just a few minutes away.
Located at the southern end of historic Longboat Key on land that was first developed by John Ringling, the common thread that runs through Bay Isles’ collection of gated communities is a unique level of taste and luxury.
Walk above the trees at the Myakka Canopy. Photo courtesy of 511enews.com.
Beyond the crystalline waters, world-class beaches and swaying palm trees lies a rarely discovered world involving historical significance, cultural importance and natural exploration. It is among these unique charms that one truly discovers what our area is all about, and why those of us who live here are fortunate to call this slice of paradise home.
Here are the top 10 fun facts and places off the beaten path here in the Sarasota area:
1. Burns Court – Nestled away in downtown Sarasota, in the middle of historic Burns Square, is a small raspberry-colored theater that many people consider a landmark of the surrounding area. After opening its doors in 1993, Burns Court Cinemas has continually proven to be the best place around to find first-run, hand-picked foreign language, independent, and art films. Fun fact: Money Magazine has called Sarasota the best small city in the U.S., and has named Burns Court one of the best places to live in Sarasota. Click HERE to see what’s playing today.
2. Myakka Canopy – One of only about a dozen worldwide where you can walk along the treetops, the Myakka Canopy Walkway puts you 25 feet above the ground and extends 85 feet through the tree tops above the Myakka floor. Fun fact: Completed in June of 2000, it is the only one in the world in a subtropical forest. Click HERE for more information.
3. Paul Rudolph Houses - Take a rare look into one of Florida’s most influential architects and view the early residential works of Paul Rudolph, which were widely published at the time of conception and played a significant role in the culture of mid-twentieth century American design. Fun fact: Rudolph’s Sarasota time is now part of the period labeled Sarasota Modern in his career. Learn where to find them HERE. (more…)
