Hey everyone, today I wanted to share some overlooked neighborhoods and communities that I think homebuyers and investors should take another look at in 2024.

A lot has changed in Sarasota real estate even in just the past couple years. Many communities that were once hugely popular have been forgotten amidst the new construction boom and covid buyer fatigue. But some of these established neighborhoods can offer great value and location that you just can’t find anymore.

So in this article, I’m going to highlight 7 top hidden gem communities in Sarasota that I think deserve a fresh look, especially if you’ve been shopping from 2019 up until now and still haven’t purchased. My aim is to uncover some forgotten spots that could be just what you’re looking for!

(1) Grand Park - An In-Between Spot That Keeps Looking Better

First up is Grand Park, built by Neal Communities located in South-Mid East Sarasota. This neighborhood was always seen as an “in-between” option, situated between Neal's other popular communities Windward in Lakewood Ranch and Grand Palm down in Venice.

When homebuyers first visit Sarasota, they tend to focus their search on one of three general areas - Lakewood Ranch, Central Sarasota, or Venice/South of Sarasota. Grand Park can get overlooked as buyers try to narrow their options between master planned suburbs, urban downtown, or coastal living.

But today, Grand Park’s central location keeps getting more valuable as new construction marches further inland. It probably feels less “forgettable” as nearby communities fill up.

Neal builds some really attractive home designs here too, on good sized homesites. For Sarasota, new construction neighborhoods within the city limits are less common nowadays. So if you want that blend of new-build convenience close to Palmer Ranch amenities, beaches, and urban life, Grand Park deserves a fresh look.

(2) Artistry - High End Quality in a Fantastic Spot

Sticking with central Sarasota, community number two on my list is Artistry. Built primarily by Kolter Residential with some newer homes by Cardel, Artistry offers elegant estate-style living between Lakewood Ranch and the beaches.

A few years ago, Artistry was massively popular as Kolter constructed luxury homes catered towards move-up and second home buyers. But they grew too fast and couldn’t deliver homes on time, pausing sales for over 6 months recently while they sorted out their construction delays.

Many buyers got frustrated and gave up on Artistry. But now things appear back on track. If you liked Artistry’s high end homes and location before...I’d take another look today. Kolter builds some of the nicest finishes and floor plans in Sarasota, on good sized homesites. And adding Cardel as a second builder brings even more options.

Overall if you want new construction but NOT in masterplanned USA, Artistry remains one of the top choices in this part of central Sarasota.

(3) Del Webb Lakewood Ranch - Forget the Age Minimum, Think Lifestyle

Alright, switching gears let’s talk 55+ living! Del Webb is Pulte’s well known active-adult living brand, catering towards boomers and seniors. Their Lakewood Ranch community has been sold out for awhile now, but resales remain popular.

What draws so many buyers to Del Webb? It’s not really about excluding young families or kids from the neighborhood. Instead, Del Webb sells a lifestyle - focused around resort-style amenities that select for certain demographic groups. You instantly have neighbors who enjoy similar sports, dining, entertainment options in their community because of certain age and life stage filters.

This makes Del Webb popular amongst relocators seeking to find their crew more easily when moving to Florida. Having generations nearby is great, but establishing your core friend group and community activities gets much simpler when the whole neighborhood is aligned on preferences.

Del Webb Lakewood Ranch allows buyers to compare side-by-side the value differences in amenities, newness, and costs between Lakewood Ranch and more distant areas like Parrish. At one point you could tour Del Webb Lakewood and Del Webb Bayview back-to-back very easily to weigh your priorities.

While sold out, Del Webb Lakewood Ranch remains a hidden gem especially for resale buyers who want to be closer to Waterside Place, Nathan Benderson Park, UTC Mall and other hotspots coming soon. Get to know the Del Webb brand and lifestyle now before the rumored North Venice location opens up!

(4) The Esplanade Brand Resales by Taylor Morrison

Alright, onto number four on my list! Sticking with popular resort-style living brands, let’s look at Taylor Morrison’s Esplanade communities around Sarasota/Manatee Counties.

The Esplanade branded neighborhoods cater towards luxury living, usually built around extensive resort amenities like multiple pools, clubhouses, fitness centers and more. Taylor Morrison hits it out of the park on certain home designs offering large open floor plans with gorgeous upgrades in the 2,200 to even 4,500 square foot range.

Originally, Esplanade Palmer Ranch attracted the most attention thanks to its central location between booming suburbs and access to everything from Siesta Key to downtown Sarasota. But today you can find awesome resale Esplanade homes in places like Lakewood Ranch, Central Sarasota & beyond.

These resort-style brands offer a great way to tour the Sarasota area experiencing the regional differences from neighborhood to neighborhood. For example, Esplanade Lakewood Ranch Golf & CC will have a very different vibe and price point than the Esplanade at Skye Ranch or Esplanade at Siesta Key.

Take advantage of all the inventory available to find your perfect location at an attractive price point!

(5) Grandview at the Heights - Affordable New Construction Between Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota

On a similar note, number 5 on my list Grandview at the Heights is a new construction community in North Sarasota also built by Taylor Morrison. One of the builder’s more affordable brands compared to that of Esplanade, Grandview offers detached single family homes convenient to I-75, the Sarasota International Airport and just a short drive to downtown or the Gulf beaches.

What’s interesting is that not many people, locals or visitors have heard about Grandview at the Heights. And it remains a little sneaky compared to Taylor Morrison’s other communities. But when you look at the value differences between Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota city neighborhoods, University Park and other surrounding communities, Grandview really pops for its competitive pricing and central location.

Waterside Place continues expanding its shopping, dining and entertainment district just to the east along with other hotspots off Fruitville Road. So for a brand new home, Grandview Heights lets you take advantage of this major growth corridor on Sarasota’s north side. Take a closer look here while the deals last!

(6) Divosta Homes - Resort Living From Venice to Osprey

Moving down towards Venice now, let’s look at Divosta Homes and some of their exceptional resort-style neighborhoods you may have forgotten about or not even realized existed!

One of Pulte’s amenity-rich brands, known as Divosta, competes directly with Taylor Morrison’s Esplanade line we just covered. Amenity-focused communities with tons of upgrades and high end touches. Years ago, Island Walk seemed to generate the most buzz - a gorgeous community built around extensive lakefront in Venice offering great value and family-friendly features.

But today, Pulte has expanded the Divosta neighborhoods into the fast growing North Venice area off Laurel Road. In particular, Talon Preserve, has some fantastic amenities, tons of family friendliness and just minutes from the Gulf.

Or maybe check further south near Englewood, where Beach Walk offers incredible values for brand new spacious homes just minutes from this quaint coastal town’s restaurants, shopping and beaches along the intercoastal waterway. Divosta by Pulte Homes absolutely deserves a fresh look today.

(7) Aqua by Medallion - Coastal Living Around Western Bradenton

My last hidden gem takes us way up north to coastal Manatee County. Ready to throw another curveball option at you here! If you like the general Sarasota coastal lifestyle but want newer construction outside master planned communities closer to the water, then Aqua by Medallion Homes deserves a close look.

Located conveniently around the world class IMG Academy sports complex, Aqua provides semi-custom homes to maximize the coastal location with gorgeous water views, top rated schools nearby, and easy access to major employment corridors.

Medallion Homes really impresses me with their quality, floor plans and included features compared to many national builders. And having new-construction neighborhoods THIS close to beaches is just exceptionally rare to find anywhere around Sarasota nowadays.

So if you want out of that cookie cutter suburban feel but still desire modern homes with upgraded finishes AND water proximity, put Aqua at the top of your list! Or also check Medallion’s large luxury home offerings 15 minutes away in East Manatee’s Hampton Lakes community.

Well, there you have it! Just a sample of some of my favorite overlooked communities in the Sarasota/Bradenton region that offer fantastic lifestyle, location and value many buyers appear to have forgotten about lately.

Not as picked over. Better pricing. Ideal locations that keep increasing in demand. New inventory opening up. Whatever your priorities, hopefully this gave you a few fresh ideas or perspectives!



And if you’re looking to buy or sell around Sarasota, I’d love to help! My team specializes in understanding the nuances between neighborhoods to match buyers and investors with the right homes. Reach out anytime to put our local expertise to work for you.