Willowbend is located in Osprey.  It is about 10 miles south of downtown Sarasota and 6 miles north of Venice and is a short drive to beaches, boating, shopping, golfing and a host of other amenities.  It is also close to medical facilities and several hospitals.  There is a swimming pool, fitness room and  playground within the community.

Willowbend is the State’s first Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Community, meets Florida Power & Light’s – Build Smart® requirements and is characterized by well-maintained homes and yards. It is bordered by Oscar Sherer State Park and is located in an excellent school district (Sarasota County: Venice High School and Laurel Nokomis Elemenary and Middle school).  Additionally, Willowbend is very close to Pine View School, a Sarasota public school for the gifted.

Willowbend is a Deed Restricted and maintenance free community comprised of 275 homes, encompassing nearly 130 acres.  Fees are very reasonable and range according to the size of the home.  The Covenants, Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws and the Boards Rules and Regulations promote environmental and architectural harmony in the community in order to enhance property values and encourage cooperation with homeowners

Rivendell, Osprey Neighborhood in Florida

Rivendell is a newer neighborhood in the village of Osprey, just a few miles south of downtown Sarasota and its full menu of upscale urban amenities. Within walking distance of the Pine View School, this master-planned community is designed to enhance your active Florida lifestyle

Architecture in the neighborhood is Mediterranean, with homes and estate properties nestled perfectly into their natural surroundings.

Nestled among nearly 400 acres of lakes, preserves and open spaces, this neighborhood  is located on the southern most tip of Palmer Ranch.  Winding roads, a scenic bridge and the backdrop of Oscar Scherer State Park make the community one of the most beautiful in all of Sarasota County.  The Cottages of Rivendell is comprised of 84 maintenance free homes and has the feel of the old New England neighborhoods, with charming front porches, lovely landscaping and friendly greetings from neighbors.  The Cottages has its own Clubhouse and community pool and offers residents an opportunity  to meet their neighbors at regularly planned events and activities.  ree and non-maintenance free) that overlook ponds, lakes and/or preserves.  A walking trail, community pool and gathering center is available to residents.  Rivendell gives you easy access to all necessities while making you feel away from it all.  Pine View School, a Sarasota County public school for gifted children from grades 2-12 is within walking distance of many of the homes in Rivendell.

Features include:

• deed restricted community with underground utilities and water irrigation system
• central water and sewer
• minutes from Gulf beaches
• close to a variety of golf courses and tennis courts
• community park with playground and gazebo
• accessibility to US 41 and I-75
• minutes to downtown Sarasota, minutes to downtown Venice
• close to some of the best cultural, social and recreational activities around

People often will say that they can feel the power and liveliness of Siesta Key long before crossing one of the bridges to the island and setting foot on its fine, white crystal beach.

Siesta Beach spans from Siesta Village at the heart of the island to Point of Rocks, a shallow formation of limestone that extends into the Gulf of Mexico at the middle of the western shore of the island. There are two primary public accesses to this crystal stretch of shoreline. The first is at the Siesta Key Public Beach, which has a free 800-spot parking lot and amenities including restrooms, concession stands, picnic areas/shelters, free lighted tennis courts, playground equipment, and year-round lifeguards. In addition to the main parking area, there also are numbered public beach accesses with limited parking heading north into the Village. The second primary public access is Crescent Beach, which has limited parking but usually is less crowded. It stretches for about 1.5 miles and ends at Point of Rocks, which has a unique underwater formation of coral rock and caves that offers an excellent underwater environment for snorkeling and scuba diving. There also is legend that Point of Rocks was a favorite spot for pirates looking to bury treasure!

Siesta Key Beach is central Sarasota’s gateway to the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Mexico, an island that combines luxurious amenities with a relaxed vibe that appeals to both visitors and locals.

On the east side of this eight-mile long barrier island is Sarasota Bay and Florida’s intracoastal waterway. It’s a scenic trail for boaters interested in exploring the mangrove forests that dot the area, dropping a line for snook or pompano, or cruising to Sarasota’s dockside restaurants and pubs. On the island’s west side are Siesta Key’s glorious white sand beaches — ranked number one in the world in 2011 by Dr. Beach — and the calm waters of the Gulf. Take an early morning walk while dipping your toes in the surf; build sand castles, search for shells and soak up the warm sunshine in the afternoon; then find a comfortable spot in to view the postcard-perfect moment when the sun dips below the horizon and paints the sky in strokes of red and orange.

Siesta Key homes for sale begin at the $300,000 level and can be priced as high as $10 Million. Siesta Key real estate currently being offered for sale is displayed on each of the subdivision pages in the right column or by searching with the two search forms available. The northern portion of Siesta Key is in the city of Sarasota, the south section resides in Sarasota County. Keep this in mind when searching as the homes located on the southern part of the island will have a lower tax rate.

FABULOUS WHITE SAND BEACH, FABULOUS WINTER WEATHER

Owning Siesta Key real estate is certainly beach living at its finest. Our beach is rated #1 in Florida and #2 in the country. The sand is 99 percent pure quartz, it is cool to the touch and cool on bare feet in the height of summer which makes our beach a great place to escape the heat on a mid-summers day. Siesta Key Beach, and the beach community that surrounds it, is fantastic place to call home or just own a vacation home to escape the cold of winter.

Considered a vacation paradise by tourists from the United States and far beyond and as a result, Siesta Key is one of the best Florida keys in which to invest in real estate due to the lucrative rental market. Whether you come to this beautiful island to live, visit, explore history, or just play, you will find a stunning array of beaches, landmark architecture interwoven through an intricate 50-mile canal system, and some of the most beautiful, and hotly debated, natural terrain on the southwest coast of Florida.

Casey Key Photos

Casey Key is a spectacularly lush barrier island 15 miles south of Sarasota, found in Oprey/Nokomis.  Named for Captain John Charles Casey—an English-born army officer who graduated from West Point with General Robert E. Lee—Casey Key stretches from Siesta Key on the north to the Island of Venice at its southernmost tip, allowing boaters and fishermen easy access to the Gulf of Mexico.  Casey Key’s quiet paradise  is less that 30 minutes to the Culture and activities of either  Sarasota or Venice but if in the mood for resturants they have  at least five to choose from a short  bicycle ride from one end of the key to another.
Residential real estate opportunities consist almost entirely of single-family homes many that are beach to bay estates.   This island is not gated  although many of the homes are.   When it comes to golf many of the Owners on Casey Key belong to The Oaks Golf and Country Club nearby.  Visitors and residents enjoy the  public beach on Casey Key,  but all in all,  it is  a quiet place.  The South Jetty of Casey Key has its own appeal.  Many locals gather in the morning to discuss life and share a cup of Joe.  South Jetty is  complete with a  small bait shop for the  folks fishing off the rocks and a place you can buy a beer or a pop which also makes it a favorite  as many a guest finds this out of the way place to watch the Sunset  into the gulf.

Local flavor

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