When I first discovered Towles Court in Sarasota it was very much by accident. This lovely artist colony is kind of like Narnia - an enchanting destination that you wouldn’t even know existed unless you happened to stumble upon it. In fact, even once you know it’s there, it can be hard to replicate your journey and find it once more. [...]

 

All great stories of romance have one thing in common, and that is an unforgettable setting. From the breathtaking beauty of Tara Plantation in Gone with the Wind, to the graceful balcony beneath which Romeo professed his love for Juliet, iconic backdrops have inspired tales of romance for centuries.

Florida's Gulf Coast, with its delicately swaying palms, soothing Bay breezes and sun swept beaches, could easily provide the romantic locale for such tales of passion. And [...]

Click here to see this month's entire Newsletter

Anna Maria Island is as easy-going as a woven hammock swaying gently in the tropical breeze. Many people are drawn to Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte County for our beaches and sunny blue skies, but only on Anna Maria Island do you truly get the sense that you are away from it all. Endless white sand beaches mix with “old Florida” charm [...]

Each month at The Saunders Blog, we channel our inner Barbara Walters and pose a series of questions to the agents, staff or management of Michael Saunders & Company. Here, we interview Dina Van Duyne, who this March will be celebrating her 36^th year with the company – that’s almost as long as Michael herself! Officially, Dina is the [...]

No matter how you slice it, 2013 was an exceptional year for Southwest Florida’s housing market.  In fact, the Sarasota Association of Realtors has officially reported its second most productive year ever in terms of the total number of properties sold.  Indeed, were it not for the shortfall in available properties that these many months [...]

• Combined sales of single-family homes and condominiums throughout Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte Counties during the month of December were up nearly 18% compared with November; and by 1.6% compared with last December. • The overall inventory of properties is up by 10.3% compared with a year ago. There is currently a 5.1-month [...]

Visitors to Sarasota’s downtown are in for a tuneful treat - a new interactive art project just got underway involving local artists, musicians, and well, pedestrians. Called “Sarasota Keys,” The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County coordinated the addition of six colorful pianos to the downtown landscape.

Anyone with a desire to run their fingers over the ivories can have a go! (Watch as the crowd begins to grow bigger and [...]