October 2010

Situated on the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, the luxury condos of Positano on Longboat Key offer residents luxurious amenities as well as an unparalleled level of privacy and security. In addition, thanks to the prime location of the condos in the middle of the island, residents of Positano in Longboat Key are also located only a short drive away from all the restaurants, shopping venues and other attractions found at St. Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota.

Positano was recently built in 2007 to the most stringent hurricane building codes. With only 29 units ranging in size from 3,156 to 3,319 square feet, residents of Positano enjoy plenty of space and privacy. All residences feature three bedrooms plus a den/office or three bedrooms with a den and

Retirees and baby boomers are still calling us to ask about popular Sarasota country club real estate. Many of these buyers are avid golfers or tennis enthusiasts and are searching for a second home. Their plan is to visit over the next several years, enjoy their home in Sarasota, lock the house up and head back to real life until retirement. Amenities are the key, and the more amenities available to these buyers, the better the chance of fulfilling their dream of a complete resort lifestyle.

There are several new golf communities in the area, but here are five of the most popular country club communities in Sarasota:

Lakewood Ranch Country Club – a master-planned community offering a Town Center, a gorgeous Club House featuring bar, dining room,

St Armands Circle is an exclusive island located just off the coast of Sarasota, Florida that provides an unforgettable experience to visitors from around the world. Over 130 exclusive shops, boutiques, art galleries and restaurants surround a large European-style roundabout with a park in the middle.

The Beginning

Charles St. Amand, a French pioneer, purchased a Florida mangrove island located just west of the fishing village of Sarasota in 1893. The three tracts of land totaled about 131 acres. St. Amand settled in this area where he fished in the surrounding waters and raised produce. Land deeds later misspelled his name as “Armand” and the name eventually stuck. The island is today called St. Armands Key.

Circus Magnate John Ringling Develops the

You would never guess that the beautiful island of Casey Key, with its beautiful and elegant homes, famous lifestyle, wonderful beaches, and natural landscaping was once part of a wild region in the late 1840's. U.S. Army Captain John Charles Casey, a graduate of West Point, was sent by the U.S. Government in the mid-1800s to survey the area. Casey was also assigned the task of assisting in the removal of the Seminole Indians from the region during his survey.

The Key was called Chaise’s Key on the 1849 map, and John Casey’s name was on the map marking the area where he was surveying. When Casey’s map was published later in 1856, the name was changed to Casey Key. Since that mistake, several attempts have been made to change the name back to Chaise’s