The Sarasota Restaurants I Send Every New Client To
A local Realtor's honest picks for the Sarasota restaurants worth your first reservations, from raw bars to fish camps.
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Food & Dining
An established island neighborhood of single-family homes, sitting between downtown and St. Armands.
Bird Key occupies an enviable piece of geography. The island sits in the bay between downtown Sarasota and St. Armands Circle, which means the cultural district is minutes one way and the beach is minutes the other. For buyers who want a house rather than a condo, and want water access without being far out on a key, it is hard to beat.
Unlike the larger barrier islands, Bird Key is a compact, entirely residential neighborhood of single-family homes. There is no commercial strip here, which is a large part of its appeal.
Tell Rich what you are looking for and he will give you a straight answer, even if the answer is somewhere else.
The neighborhood is quiet, well kept, and oriented around the water. Many homes sit on canals with dock space, and the Bird Key Yacht Club has long been a center of social life for residents who want boating, dining, and club amenities close to home.
What residents talk about most, though, is convenience. Being able to reach downtown dining, the bayfront, and the beaches in a matter of minutes is the daily luxury here, and it is why homes on the island tend to hold their appeal.
Rich will show you around, in person or live over video if you are out of state.
Bird Key is single-family throughout, with a mix of updated mid-century homes and newer or extensively renovated residences. Waterfront lots with dockage command the most attention, particularly those offering easy access out toward the bay.
Because the island is small and built out, inventory is limited by definition. Buyers who want in often need patience and someone watching the market closely for them, which is a role I am glad to play.
Buyers who want a single-family home with water access
Boaters who want dockage close to the bay and Gulf
People who want to be minutes from both downtown and the beach
Anyone looking for a quiet, purely residential island setting
Inventory moves quickly here. Rich will send you what is on the market and what is coming, before it hits the portals.
The island is known primarily as a single-family home neighborhood, which is one of the things that sets it apart from nearby Lido Key. Buyers looking specifically for a beachfront condo generally look to Lido or Longboat instead.
Very close. Bird Key sits between downtown and St. Armands Circle, so both are a short drive away. That central position is one of the main reasons buyers choose it.
No. Many properties are waterfront with dock space, but not every home on the island is on the water, and access varies by canal and by lot. If dockage matters to you, it needs to be verified for the specific property.
Ask Rich directly. No pressure and no script, just a real answer from someone who lives and works here.
Rich lives here, works here, and will give you a straight answer about whether this is the right fit.
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Lido Key
Beachfront living a short walk from the shops and restaurants of St. Armands Circle.
Sarasota
A bayfront city with a real arts scene, serious restaurants, and neighborhoods for every kind of buyer.
Longboat Key
A long, quiet barrier island where club life, boating, and Gulf-front living set the pace.
A local Realtor's honest picks for the Sarasota restaurants worth your first reservations, from raw bars to fish camps.
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Rich and his family are celebrating four years in Sarasota. His honest hit list: five things they love, two real negatives, and two tidbits for New Yorkers and parents, with the full story on video.
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