I think I have been to Sarasota once. As you all know, the struggles of looking for work have been mighty for me since May. An opportunity may have come up for work in Sarasota but I don't know much about the place or the surrounding area.

Job would be around 301 and MLK.

Within a 1 hour commute, what communities should I look at?
Is it family friendly?
Is housing affordable?
How are the schools?
From what I understand, Sarasota itself appears to be a huge retirement community. For some reason, it seems a lot of professional wrestlers retire to there.

We are a 3 person, 3 dog and 2 turtle family and would be looking for a single family house with 3/2, 1,800+ square feet and 2 car garage.

I don't have the details you are looking for but I can tell you Sarasota is a nice FL city with good beaches. I grew up about an hour or so north of Sarasota.

I would imagine your cost of living would be about the same coming from Texas.

I have been going to Sarasota 3-5 times per year on business for the last 20 years. It's a nice place. It has grown A LOT in those 20 years. The population swells quite a bit in the winter. I do not have the exact number, but my guess is 50%-100% increase in the number of people in the winter. There are some of the best beaches in the country nearby or within a one hour drive. Being close to the water keeps the climate temperate, at least by Florida standards. The one bad thing is housing prices, Florida prices have taken off like a rocket. I would have no qualms about exploring an opportunity in Sarasota.

A good friend from high school has lived in the area (currently Siesta Key just over the bridge from for Sarasota) > 25 yrs. Her mom lives in Sarasota. They love it.

I'll list some of the negatives...

SUPER! humid and hot in the Summer, which is almost half the year.

Traffic, especially in Winter, is a problem. Getting to the Tampa airport from Sarasota is frequently a shit show.

But overall Id say thumbs up given all the positives others have mentioned.

But Im biased, I love Florida, grew up there (So Fla and then Tallahassee).

If work takes you there, I think you should seriously consider it.

And great Amish restaurants!

And lovebugs, palmetto bugs (flying roaches) and fire ants when we lived there over two decades ago just south of Bee Ridge Rd. in the Centergate subdivision.

I just sent you an email.

Email sent.

Bump to see if there is anymore feedback.

Don't have to be in Sarasota, in fact, I don't think I want to be in Sarasota after looking at the cost of housing. Open to commuting into town.

Yes it is humid...but I lived in Wash D.C. for 18 years and it was much worse. I'm in a sleepy little town on the east coast, Sebastian. Love it, but I'm basically retired.

Much of the west coast is congested, Tampa sucks, if you will be flying on and off, you'll hate it. I won't even drive over there to see in-laws.

As a 20 year Tampa Bay resident, an hour commute could put you anywhere with both big and small towns. Heck, Tampa is an hour away, but I would not want that commute.

Im not sure of the exact question though, but I will do my best.

Bradenton, just north is a nice place with a lovely downtown, although traffic can be a bear in downtown.

Palmetto, just north of Bradenton, is slightly more rural, but still traffic heading to Sarasota...

Myakka City to the northeast; again rural, but some 30 minutes from Sarasota.

Anything along the barrier island(s), housing will be pricy

My email in in profile. If there is a particular location you are looking at, let me know

301 & MLK are in the Newtown section of SRQ and have some of the higher crime rates. You should be able to find a solid rental East of the trail (Tamiami /US41) between the Southgate & Sarasota springs neighborhoods along Webber Dr. You maybe surprised just what $1800 gets you there. As previously mentioned Traffic is a bitch but now throughout the year. You can have a lot of fun there if you own a boat. Plenty of good places eat too. Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by dlc444:
My email in in profile. If there is a particular location you are looking at, let me know

E-mail sent.

Housing is impossible to find. New Yorkers and New Jersey idiots have FLOODED the area. I've heard of people trying to find rentals, and they cant. Everything goes within one hour of being posted. Houses that were $850 two years ago are now $2200 and UP. Single room efficiencies are almost $2000 per month.

I'm just south and I have NEVER seen traffic like this. Ever. I think the population is up 100% in the past year, and that is no exaggeration. I guess when the governor of Florida says "Florida is open", he means it. And the downtrodden subjects of the northern states flock here... it rather sucks.

I've been in Florida for 31 years and its not the same state it was. Its too darn crowded. I want SO BAD to move north as soon as I can escape this god forsaken place.

I'm not a fan of anything in Sarasota.... for a nice more rural house I'd head east towards Myakka. City or east of Bradenton (whatever that area is called)

quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
New Yorkers and New Jersey idiots have FLOODED the area.

I'm not a fan of anything in Sarasota.... for a nice more rural house I'd head east towards Myakka. City or east of Bradenton (whatever that area is called)

Idiots have ruined their state and now trying to ruin Florida. Orlando was the same way. Perfect reason why there's a need for 5 year voting moratorium as a condition of moving to Florida.

I'm thinking that living in Sarasota itself isn't going to be possible so I'll focus on a commute within 1 hour.

There’s a 1000 yard rifle range in Myakka City