Real Estate Gossip

Neighborhood Watch
Glittering Golden Gate Point

Once a ragtag assemblage of low-slung, ‘60s-era vacation villas, Golden Gate Point has turned it into one of the area’s hottest luxury condo communities. The pretty 22-acre peninsula was called Cedar Point back in the 1920s, when John Ringling’s name was on the property deed and his Italianate mansion, Cà d’ Zan, was under construction up the road. Nowadays, it’s prime real estate, boasting The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota as a next-door neighbor. The knockout views encompass Selby Gardens, Bayfront Park, Bird Key, the Ringling Causeway and beyond Big Pass across the Gulf of Mexico. A building resurgence in the mid-1990s resulted in signature buildings like The Phoenix, Alta Mer, Renaissance and Golden Bay. These premier properties have been joined in the last three years by distinctive skyline silhouettes including Grand Riviera, Majestic Bay and LaBellasara. A few of those old-timey villas remain—but not along the waterfront.

Number of Golden Gate Point owners: 1,300

Number of sales 7/2006-7/2007: 8

Range of sales prices: $274,900 to $4.2 million

Average sales price: $1.5 million

Range of square footage: 383 to 6,000-plus

* Sales reflect only those reported to the Sarasota Association of Realtors’ MLS from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and do not include sales of new condos made by developers, realtor sales not reported to MLS or private sales by owners.

Recent Listing

This 3,290-square-foot, lavishly finished corner residence at LaBellasara is listed at $2.9 million. It has three bedroom suites with private terraces, a study, designer kitchen and breakfast room, separate dining room and grand salon opening to almost 800 square feet of terrace, complete with summer kitchen. LaBellasara’s amenities include fitness center, club and catering areas, media room, pool and spa. Pat Betts of Michael Saunders & Company is the listing agent.

Recent Sale

Spectacular western views of Sarasota Bay and the John Ringling Causeway were definite selling points for this 3,785-square-foot, three-bedroom unit at The Phoenix, which sold recently for $1,975,000 following an original list price of $2.25 million. A top-of-the-line European kitchen, bamboo and slate floors, fireplace, spacious outdoor terrace, private elevator and private two-car garage are among its luxury features. Michael Moulton and Annette Rogers of Michael Saunders & Company were the listing and selling agents.

MLS statistics courtesy of Debra Lichter of Michael Saunders & Company. MLS records transactions and listings by members of the Sarasota Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service.

Top of the Market

A Sarasota Polo Club home at 8060 Cow Camp Lane, which sold for $6.9 million after an original list price of $8.95 million, captured the highest price in July residential sales. The nine-bedroom estate is set on nearly 14 acres overlooking the polo grounds. Manicured lawns and natural landscaping frame an 8,000-square-foot lanai surrounding a gorgeous swimming pool and spa. There are eight full baths and four half baths, a grand parlor, formal dining room, gourmet kitchen, two family rooms, two offices, a den and exercise room with gymnasium floor padding. The home has 11,763 square feet of living space with an additional 1,352 square feet of guest quarters above the four-car garage. A full barn with multiple stalls is located on the property. Stacy Haas of SKY Sotheby’s International Realty was the listing agent and Jaime Scully of Coldwell Banker was the selling agent.

Sales information provided by Kim Ogilvie of Michael Saunders & Company.

French Accents

A most unusual Longboat Key home meshing Old World elegance and beach cottage comforts is offered for sale for $6.9 million. The Ragland-Lewis estate resembles a country estate in Provence, with ivy-covered walls, flowers blooming in earthen pots and gently rolling landscape—that is, until you wander over the hill and down the bricked pathways to more than 100 feet of private white sand beach.