Looking to buy a place on the gulf side in the near future. Between the stretch of coastline from Clearwater Beach to Naples, what is the best beach community to live, in your opinion.

If you are looking for beautiful beaches and high $$$$  homes Siesta Key area comes to mind....  If you are looking for hobby opportunity then a bit further north is  better like the clearwater area......

Bigpart52

Big is right I was almost going to post Clearwater then read his .
Sarasota and Siesta Key , Longboat Key and anything south is going to
cost but if you find something in Northport you will wind up in a kinda growing community
not elaborate but more house for your buck.

Angela

Lido Beach, Bird Key just west of Sarasota, have a few friends living there. Great beaches! If your're into fishing and have a boat you need to look on the east coast of Florida. Ocean fishing is 1/2 mile off beach starting in 300 feet of water and drops off to 2000 feet 3 miles out. The west coast you will have to go out 15-20 miles for the same water.

I know of some great outta the way places all along there...

beachfront condo, 2-3bdrm, no more than $600k.

Not too congested area, but would like to walk to restaurants.

Hi Ted,

Sand Key, just south of Clearwater is nice, then head south through the rest of Pinellas County to the north side of ST. Pete Beach.

Just south of Pinelllas is Anna Maria, very nice community, small, in Manatee County.

Sarasota, start at St. Armands Circle head south. Really nice beaches, more expensive area. Further south is Manasota Key Beach, this area is more rural and very beautiful. This extends into Charlotte County and leads to Boca Grande, which is a great fishing area.

If you want pure beach and urban lifestyle, look at the Sand Key and all the little beaches and south along the beaches in Pinellas. Then again the immediate beach areas of Sarasota.

If you want quaint and a little more out of the way, Anna Maria and Manasota Key.

Let me know and I can help even more. I'm in the business but not trying to make a sale. I'll be more than happy to just help you dial it in...

only be a short drive down to Naples and across the alley to Ft. Lauderdale and all the wonderful ladies who call the gold coast home.

Small town feel, less expensive than Sarasota or Tampa. Great views of The Skyway Bridge and Tampa bay, and a short ride to Egmont key, a nice little island only accessible by boat.

I live in the Sarasota area about 5 minutes from the gorgeous turquoise water. Great fishing, great little beachy clubs on Siesta, great shops, great St. Armands Circle. Awesome art and fine dining along with caual on the beach. Longboat Key is very high end but you can get a place that is not so much that, but still nice, but deed restricted and high property taxes. It's all good. Depends on exactly what you are looking for.

Oops, sorry for double post. OMG, I mispelled casual. LOL Have fun in your search!

Bird Key was my old hang out back in the 70's also had a good friend on Washington right
down the street from the old Big Daddys lounge which was also renamed Ruby Tuesdays and the
gorgeous shops on St Armands Circle . Do you remember Columbia Spanish restaurant? The Elboe
room where Jim Stafford started? And oh the Buttery where after hours they made the best breakfasts.
Lido Beach was the place to BBQ and have fun as was Turtle beach . Several notables not only lived there
but visited there too. I once danced with Venus Flytrap from the old show WKRP if anyone remembers.  

Maybe time for a visit so much more I remember . Too much to list.

Angela

I was able to look out of my kitchen window and see the bridge . I was just off 75th

I like Clearwater beach and Anna Marie Island. Siesta Key is probably a little too hoity toity. Longboat Key a little too secluded maybe.  Is anyone familiar with St. Pete Beach? Is it too developed? It's getting some national attention lately and I like the approximity to a major metropolitan area.

I try and avoid anything St. Pete, but that's just me. Gulfport, Tierra Verde, Treasure Island, etc are great. There are a lot of good deals anywhere though. I have seen those $2million condos sell for $500k... just watch out for the condo fees, lots of unresolved legal issues with numerous condo associations...

The best approach to take is to rent a condo in an area that you think you might like and take day trips to all of the areas you mentioned.  After spending time here, you will know where you want to live.  Even then, you may want to rent for a while to make sure.

Good luck

I loved Siesta Market the bakery had some of the best cream cheese cherry croissants .
Do you remember a candy/ ice cream  store that was right in the village ? They also sold kids
trinkets and dolls. The owner was a hobbyist. One of the nicest guys I ever met. Oh can I
tell some stories .


Ang