35 Sarasota Home Builders Dazzle Home Buyers
Image courtesy of John Cannon Homes - 2014 First Place Winner, Sarasota Readers Choice, Herald Tribune
Following the recession and residential real estate crash in Florida, the Sarasota housing market has enjoyed a rebound, starting with a very hot year in 2013. Some even call 2013 overheated, as the Sarasota/Bradenton single-family market took a 21% leap that year (condos were up by 17%). By most accounts, the rapid acceleration was due in large part to institutional investors scooping up distressed properties by the hundreds, which in turn impacted the level of available inventory and artificially drove up prices throughout gated communities in Florida as well as some of the best Florida beach towns.
Fortunately, in 2014 the area saw a leveling out. Median prices for single-family residential property increased at a manageable rate of 4% – still above the considered healthy level of 3-3.5%. This year appears to promise more of the same, with demand growing in virtually all market segments. Condo sales on Siesta Key are still strong, as there is more inventory available than on some of the other barrier islands, although Longboat Key is seeing single family development again for the first time in a long time. West of Trail (generally defined as the established neighborhoods west of the Tamiami, east of Sarasota Bay and south of Mound to Siesta Drive) is a prime single family residential area seeing redevelopment with the enclave of Granada Park, and tear-downs gaining momentum. Downtown Sarasota is dotted with cranes as new residential and mixed-use condo towers go up.
For certain, the Sarasota-Bradenton housing market is healthy and expanding. This is mostly due to sustained population growth, particularly in the retiree sector. Sarasota is considered one of the best retirement cities in Florida and its retiree housing market is hot. The easing of mortgage qualifications has also helped, although a high percentage of housing here is purchased with cash as retirees cash out of homes up north, and Europeans and other foreign nationals direct assets to sunny climes. With Boomers flocking to southwest Florida, Sarasota and Manatee County markets and Sarasota home builders are set for another very strong year. There is definitely a pent-up demand, particularly in moderately-priced products.
According to Metrostudy, the Sarasota single-family new home closings rate for Q4 2014 was up 9.1% over the same quarter in the previous year, with a 12.4% jump in the annual closings rate. The biggest boost in housing starts and closings was for single-family homes in the $200-350K range, although the luxury market also showed extremely strong. Demand for new homes is so strong, in fact, that the new housing finished, vacant inventory level at the beginning of the year was barely over one month’s worth in a market where six weeks to two months is considered “equilibrium.” This is good news for the 35 top Sarasota home builders, who are putting out some fabulous products at all price points and plans ranging from personalized to semi-custom and fully custom in some of the most popular neighborhoods and best retirement cities in Florida. Lakewood Ranch is certainly one of the hottest gated communities in Florida, coming in at #1 in the Sarasota-Bradenton market with 483 new home starts in 2014.
If you’re looking at purchasing a new primary or secondary residence in the Sarasota area, you’ll have plenty of excellent Sarasota home builders to choose from. Whether your lifestyle lends itself to boating or golf, active adult or family neighborhood, mainland or barrier island living, there is a builder for you. There are well over 35 active homebuilders in the Sarasota area today. We had the chance to meet most of them during the 2015 Sarasota Parade of Homes. Here’s a quick overview in case you choose to build your dream home in one of the fine developments and gated communities in Sarasota from North Bradenton in Manatee County to Venice in Sarasota County. They are in alphabetical order:
1) Allegra Homes – building custom homes since 2008, Allegra Homes offers a broad range of homes in all range of prices. From affordable homes in $200k’s to luxury homes priced over $1 million. See their newest homes in the West of Trail area (Sarasota neighborhoods west of US 41/Tamiami Trail).
2) Anchor Builders - established over 25 years ago by Roy Dupruis, Anchor Builders is building elegant homes in The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch and The Concession.
3) Arthur Rutenberg Homes/Nelson Homes, Inc. – this award-winning Arthur Rutenberg franchise led by Derek Nelson is an original Lakewood Ranch builder that consistently delivers quality and excellent customer satisfaction ratings. Nelson builds from northern Sarasota County to southern Manatee on owned lots and is currently in Marshall’s Landing and The Concession as well as Lakewood Ranch, one of the largest and most popular gated communities in Florida. Home prices typically begin just under $1 million.
4) Ashton Woods Homes – the Atlanta builder has enjoyed success on Florida’s Gulf Coast and recently had two model homes recognized in the Sarasota Parade of Homes. Their ‘Casey’ model in Rosedale won Best Kitchen and Architectural Detail, and the Floridian model in Palma Vista took the ribbon for Best Master Suite, Floor Plan, Architectural Detail and Overall Winner. You’ll find Ashton Woods homes off the beaten path in Bradenton starting from the mid $300k’s.
5) Bruce Williams Homes – this second-generation Florida home builder has sold out of Central Park in Lakewood Ranch, but you’ll find five spacious floor plans available at Winding River on the banks of the Manatee River in Bradenton, starting in the low $400k’s. A six-home enclave with Manatee River frontage called Redfish Cove is coming soon.
6) Cardel Homes – this Tampa/ Sarasota luxury home builder brings some of its best award-winning floor plans and new designs to Country Club East in Lakewood Ranch, starting in the $500k’s. Or, consider their custom home options on your lot.
7) Classic Homes by Clayton, Inc. – winner of the Best Overall Green Award, Best Curb Appeal and Best Pool in the 2015 Sarasota Parade of Homes, this semi-custom to custom builder borrows from Key West and California wine country for inspired designs with a green conscience.
8) D.R. Horton Homes – this national track home builder is currently in several Sarasota area neighborhoods, with a full range of product and pricing. Homes in Soeil and Bay Street start in the low $200k’s, in Calusa Park from the low $300k’s or choose an acre home site with water views in Vilano starting from the mid-$400k’s.
9) Emerald Homes – a division of D.R. Horton, Emerald Homes builds functional, livable homes that can be personalized with a variety of features and finishes. See models ranging from the $500k’s to $1 million at Concession, West of the Trail and Forest at Hi Hat Ranch.
10) Heritage Builders of West Florida – the luxury and custom Sarasota home builder can be seen building in the private gated communities of Grand Oaks in Venice and Ashton Oaks in Sarasota, starting from the $400k’s Heritage Builders is under the umbrella of U.S. Assets Group founded in the late 1990’s.
11) Homes by Towne – building condos and homes in seven states, including Hawaii, the Sarasota division is active at Lakewood Ranch and GreyHawk Landing, where Florida-style single family homes start in the $300k’s. Look for new condo residences at Lakewood Ranch with Lake Uihlein waterfront views.
12) Javic Homes - building since 2001 and a member of the Southern Living custom builder program. The Abaco, Corsica and Seinna floor plans can be seen in The Islands of River Wildernesss and are priced from the high $500k’s.
13) John Cannon Homes – this Sarasota luxury home builder has established a reputation for excellence for more than 25 years in the Sarasota-Bradenton market with hundreds of examples of his fine homes gracing southwest Florida waterfronts, including Siesta and Longboat Keys, and dozens of the best gated communities in Florida. John Cannon Homes has won over 175 Parade of Homes awards since 1990 and was awarded First Place in the Readers Choice Awards in 2014 by Herald-Tribune. They are currently building in Lakewood Ranch, Rosedale, The Islands of River Wilderness, Concession and several other gated communities, starting in the $500k’s.
14) John Neal Signature Homes – another top luxury builder and part of Neal Communities. They are building in The Forest at Hi Hat Ranch, The Concession, Lakewood Ranch, University Park, River Wind and many others. Neal also crafts fine custom homes on owned lots. The Manatee County-based builder has been active since 1970, winning numerous Parade of Homes awards over the years and Aurora Awards for architectural and interior design excellence from the Southeast Builders Conference.
15) Lee Wetherington Homes – The company has been named “America's Best Builder” by the National Association of Home Builders and Builder Magazine in the past, while local readers of the Sarasota Herald Tribune named Wetherington “Best Builder” for eight years in a row. They received over 500 home building awards during the Parade of Homes. Lee Wetherington Homes is currently building in The Concession, The Founder’s Club, and Lakewood Ranch with homes beginning in the high $600k’s.
16) Legacy Builders - currently building in Laurel Park and Cassata Estates.
17) Lennar Homes – another national home builder with a reputation for consistent quality, Lennar is building in several southwest Florida communities from northern Manatee County down to south Venice. From coach homes in Cuddy Cove starting from the low $200k’s to estate homes in Lakewood Ranch starting from the low $400k’s to new townhomes coming soon in Venice, there is a Lennar home for every lifestyle – first home, move-up, or retiree.
18) London Bay Homes – delivers exquisite custom homes and maintenance-free villas using design influences ranging from Tuscan to British West Indies. The Naples-based design/build firm is currently building in The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch, Spice Bay on Siesta Key and The Founder’s Club, which was named Best Overall Community in its size category for the 2015 Parade of Homes. London Bay Homes is a Sarasota luxury home builder featuring spacious home designs from the $800k’s to over $10 million.
19) M/I Homes – builds in major markets in 10 states, including Tampa and Sarasota-Bradenton in Florida. Melvin and Irving Schottenstein started M/I Homes in 1976 and has completed over 90,000 homes since then. Their well-designed, energy-efficient homes come with a 30-year transferable warranty, giving homeowners quality and value. See the newest M/I single family plans at Twin Rivers, Brookfield Estates, Rosedale Links, and Muirfield Village at Honore with prices starting from the mid $200k’s to the mid $400k’s.
20) Maglich Homes – this father & sons builder has constructed hundreds of custom and semi-custom homes in the Sarasota area. The hands-on company will build on your own lot or on their Sarasota lots in upscale gated communities in Florida. Expect only the best interior and exterior features and finishes, starting from the $300k’s.
21) Maronda Homes – builds throughout Florida, as well as several other states. Their recreational amenity-rich developments and more-home-for-the-money mantra make Maronda a great choice for families of all sizes. See single family plans in Heron Creek, Palmetto Estates, and Twin Rivers in Manatee County, and at The Villas at Charleston Port in Sarasota County, starting from the mid $100k’s to the low $300k’s.
22) Mattamy Homes - lead by Peter Gilgan, this home builder has built more than 70,000 homes across America since 1978. Their focus at Harmony at Lakewood Ranch is on affordable executive single family homes priced from the high $200k’s. Bigger windows and spacious front porches are part of their signature designs. Triple Creek was Mattamy Homes first community in Tampa/Sarasota. Awards include AVID Diamond Award for Best Customer Experience and several J.D. Power awards.
23) Medallion Home – this semi-custom Florida home builder appeals to all walks of life, with an array of floor plans in 10 communities, including Twin Rivers, Gamble Creek, The Inlets, the Enclave at Country Meadows and soon University Village in Sarasota. Prices start in the mid $300k’s.
24) Meritage Homes - building in the southwest since 1985. They’ve won a slew of awards ranging from Forbes' Platinum 400 Best Big Companies of America to being the recipient of Texas' Builder of the Year five times, or being named ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year. Meritage Homes has built over 85,000 homes to date. They are currently building in Serenity Creek with single family homes begin just under $400k.
25) MGB Homes – previously constructing as MyGreenBuildings, contractors Stephen Ellis and Grant Castilow build custom luxury homes with an acute awareness of the home’s environment and using sustainable building techniques. They work with only the best architects, designers and project managers for their custom mainland and beachfront Sarasota residences.
26) Minto – while the national builder is known throughout Florida, in particularly as a Tampa Sun City Center builder in one of the best retirement cities in Florida, it is currently selling beautiful coach homes in Harbour Isle on Anna Maria Sound. These southern coastal resort style, LEED® Certified homes are priced from the low $400k’s.
27) Murray Homes – a Wall Street Journal Home of the Year Finalist in 2013, Murray is a luxury waterfront home builder specializing in Bird Key, Longboat Key, Siesta Key and West of the Trail. Architectural designs range from coastal contemporary to traditional to West Indies. The Sarasota luxury home builder is building in The Lake Club at Lakewood Ranch with homes priced just under $2 million.
28) Neal Communities – Southwest Florida’s largest locally owned private company builds exceptional, semi-custom homes in nine neighborhoods with starting prices ranging from the high $400k’s to $1 million. See models throughout Sarasota and Bradenton at The Inlets, several neighborhoods in in Lakewood Ranch, The Concession, University Park Country Club, Wildgrass, The Forest at Hi Hat Ranch and Boca Royale. For the most part, Neal Communities builds in tight-knit track home communities. We found Watermark in Fort Myers the most interesting wholely owned by Neal Communities.
29) Nutter Custom Construction – T.J. Nutter is a Sarasota native building homes over three decades. His company has achieve LEED AP Accreditation. The newest model “The Leeward” is inspired by British West Indies architecture and features priced from just under $2 million. The Sarasota luxury home builder incorporates the latest fixtures and finishes in contemporary and traditionally inspired custom and semi-custom homes. Look for Nutter Custom Homes in Lakewood Ranch.
30) Rosedale Homes – this builder/developer started Rosedale Golf & Country Club in 1993, where to date almost 700 semi-custom and custom homes in maintenance-free patio home and traditional single family home neighborhoods have been completed, with another 300 planned. With premium features and finishes included as standard, home prices start in the upper $300k’s in this amenity-rich golf course community.
31) Ryland Homes – another large national homebuilder with 45 years experience, Ryland has several plans available in Sarasota area communities such as Arbor Reserve, GreyHawk Landing, Palmer Reserve and, coming soon, Ashton Palms. Ryland’s Design Center allows buyers to personalize their new home, while thoughtful amenity packages and water features give their communities an upscale character. Prices start in the mid-$200k’s. RMC Mortgage makes the financing process easier when buying a Ryland home.
32) Sam Rodgers Homes - building since 1968, the Sarasota home builder has completed over 5,000 homes. Currently Sam Rodgers Homes is building in GreyHawk Landing in Bradenton with homes starting in the mid $300k’s and Gran Paradiso in Venice with homes beginning in the high $300k’s.
33) Taylor Morrison – building throughout North America, Taylor Morrison was named 2014 Builder of the Year by Green Home Builder magazine in recognition of a strong commitment to sustainable building and development practices. In Southwest Florida, you can see their spacious home designs in six Sarasota-Bradenton communities: Arbor Lakes and Cobblestone on Palmer Ranch, Esplanade at Arbor Lakes, Esplanade at Siesta Key, and in Esplanade Golf & Country Club at Lakewood Ranch. Coach homes start in the $200k’s, and single-family plans start in the $300k’s. Typically Taylor Morrison builds in tight-knit, zero lot line communities.
34) Todd Johnston Homes – a native Sarasotan, Todd Johnston has built hundreds of fine custom homes in and around Sarasota since the 1980’s, with prices starting around the $1 million mark. He’s been voted Sarasota’s Best Builder for 9 consecutive years and has won over 100 design awards. Todd Johnston Homes is currently building spec and custom models in Lakewood Ranch.
35) WCI Communities – well known as a developer of some of best high-end golf and country club gated communities in Florida, WCI recently purchased Sarasota National, where it is building carriage homes priced from the $180k’s to the mid $400k’s. The popular floor plans appeal to the lock-and-leave lifestyle set. Also see homes under construction in Tidewater Preserve, Rosedale Golf & Country Club, and Venetian Golf & River Club with prices starting in the mid $200k’s. Top-notch recreational amenities are a WCI hallmark.
Home loan lenders in Sarasota include Regions Mortgage, Mutual of Omaha Bank, BB&T, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and BMO Harris Bank.
Quick facts about Sarasota: The region has 121 miles of coastline and includes the cities of Sarasota, Bradenton, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Venice. The average annual temperature is 72 degrees and the region enjoys over 360 days of sunshine. The area is nicknamed ‘The Cultural Coast’ because of the variety and quality of the cultural venues which include the ballet, symphony, opera, theatre and museums. Siesta Key in Sarasota is America’s #1 Best Beach. And on top of it all, the southwest has NFL football, MLB spring training, hockey and more.
If you’re exploring Sarasota for the first time, ask for our free Sarasota relocation information to help you learn more about the area.
