Life 2.0Sarasota, FL Homes for Sale & Neighborhoods
Bayfront high-rises, island living on Lido Key and Bird Key, historic neighborhoods west of the Trail, and brand-new communities, just up the road from Venice.
Venice is home, but a lot of my buyers start their search in Sarasota. It’s the name people know from the airport, the arts and the beaches. Sarasota is Sarasota County’s seat and its cultural capital, with about 58,000 people in the city and close to 480,000 in the county. This page gives you the neighborhoods I get asked about most, with live MLS searches for each one, so you can compare Sarasota and Venice side by side.
Why Buyers Choose Sarasota
Siesta Key & Siesta Beach, the #1 Rated Beach in the US
Siesta Beach was named the #1 beach in America by Dr. Beach in 2011, 2017 and 2024, and by Tripadvisor in 2025. Its powder-soft, nearly pure quartz sand stays cool underfoot. Bill started selling properties on Siesta Key in 2012 and has a very nice office there today.
Arts & Culture
The Ringling’s 66 bayfront acres and Ca’ d’Zan mansion, the Sarasota Opera House (opened in 1925), Asolo Rep and the Van Wezel.
The Bayfront
The Bay Park opened in 2022 on Sarasota’s 53-acre bayfront, next to Marina Jack and its 298 boat slips.
Islands & Beaches
Lido Key’s public beaches and St. Armands Circle, with more than 130 shops and restaurants, are minutes from downtown.
Easy to Get Around
Sarasota Bradenton International (SRQ) set a passenger record in 2025, and Sarasota Memorial Hospital is right on the Trail.
Sarasota’s Neighborhoods
Downtown & Bayfront
High-rise condos overlooking Sarasota Bay, Main Street and Five Points, the Rosemary District, historic Burns Court and Laurel Park, and the Saturday farmers market (7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Lemon Ave).
Lido Key & St. Armands / Bird Key
Across the John Ringling Causeway: Gulf-front condos and Lido’s public beach pavilion, 100-acre Ted Sperling Park at South Lido, and the shops and restaurants of St. Armands Circle. Next door, Bird Key is a roughly 250-acre island of waterfront homes with the Bird Key Yacht Club, founded in 1959.
West of the Trail
Established neighborhoods between the Tamiami Trail and the bay: Southside Village, historic Cherokee Park, Harbor Acres with its deep-water bayfront lots, and McClellan Park’s 1920s cottages.
Midtown Sarasota (34231)
Central Sarasota around Gulf Gate and the Stickney Point Road bridge to Siesta Key: established neighborhoods, condos and villas, and quick access to the beaches and US-41 shopping.
Sarasota East (East of I-75)
Out along Fruitville, Bee Ridge and Clark Roads: bigger lots, newer communities like Waterside at Lakewood Ranch (34240) and Skye Ranch (34241), and the Celery Fields nature area.
Sarasota New Construction
East of I-75, Waterside at Lakewood Ranch is in Sarasota County. Lakewood Ranch ranked #2 among U.S. master-planned communities in 2025, and Wellen Park ranked #8.
Siesta Key & Palmer Ranch
Already covered in depth: see my Siesta Key page and my Osprey & Palmer Ranch page.
Sarasota County ZIP Code Map
Tap a ZIP code to jump to that area.
Bill helps buyers and sellers on Longboat, Lido, Siesta, Casey and Manasota Key. Call Bill: 941-400-2307
Tap a gold island name (Longboat, Lido, Siesta, Casey, Venice Island, Manasota) for a custom map search of that island. Use + and − to zoom. Tap any ZIP code to see live MLS listings. Venice, Nokomis, Osprey, Siesta Key, Wellen Park, Englewood, North Port and Port Charlotte listings also have a yellow button to Bill’s area guide.
Sarasota Boat Dock Homes
Homes with a private dock, boat lift or davits, plus homes with marina access, across Sarasota. One click opens live MLS listings.
Search Downtown, Lido Key & St. Armands / Bird Key (34236)
Downtown, the bayfront, Lido Key, St. Armands and Bird Key share ZIP code 34236. One click opens live MLS listings, updated throughout the day.
By Price
Search West of the Trail (34239)
Southside Village, Cherokee Park and Harbor Acres are in ZIP code 34239.
34239 by Price
Search Midtown Sarasota (34231)
Gulf Gate and the neighborhoods around the Stickney Point bridge to Siesta Key.
34231 by Price
Search Sarasota East (East of I-75: 34240 & 34241)
Newer communities and bigger lots east of the interstate, including Waterside at Lakewood Ranch and Skye Ranch.
34240 & 34241 by Price
Sarasota or Venice?
Sarasota gives you a real downtown, big-city arts and bayfront high-rises. Venice gives you a small-town island downtown, Caspersen and Venice Beach, and usually more house for the money. Many of my buyers look at both before they decide. Call me and I’ll lay out the trade-offs honestly, with current numbers from Stellar MLS.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ZIP code are Lido Key, St. Armands and Bird Key in?
How do you get to Lido Key and St. Armands?
When is the downtown Sarasota farmers market?
What does “West of the Trail” mean?
Is there new construction in Sarasota?
How far is Sarasota from Venice?
Explore Nearby Areas
Ready to Explore Sarasota?
Call Bill 941-400-2307 for fast, friendly, accurate information, or join the Venice Insider Plan (VIP). We Buy Our Clients A $500 American Home Shield® Warranty at Closing, when you buy with Bill & the Sandcastle Group.
Bill Garrison, CRS, GRI, RENE • RE/MAX Hall of Fame • Associate Broker, RE/MAX Palm Realty • Venice, FL
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All of Venice · Any price · Any beds
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Bill Garrison · Sandcastle Group · RE/MAX Palm Realty
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