Located on the north end of the Gulf Gate Estates district of Sarasota, Ashton Lakes is a quiet condominium neighborhood that offers quality of life for residents and profit potential for prospective investors.

Development of Ashton Lakes began in the 1980s and continued until the late 1990s; this was one of the first low-rise condo neighborhood to feature a high ratio of nature areas to living spaces. The units are arranged within a dozen buildings that face two large lakes and nature preserves to ensure that all residents get a nice view.

The two and three bedroom floor plans at Ashton Lakes offer interior spaces measuring between 1,100 and 1,530 square feet. Even though the units are attached, they are separated by courtyards, staircases and vestibules that provide lots of privacy. All homeowners get garage space plus additional parking spaces for residents and guests.

As of late 2017, pricing at Ashton Lakes started under $190K for two bedroom units with two full bathrooms, double balconies overlooking the lakes, large kitchen with breakfast bar, new appliances, and dual sinks in the master bathroom. A three-bedroom unit built on more than 1,500 square feet was priced at $270K.

Ashton Lakes is filled with amenities for residents and their guests. Two swimming pools are located next to a large clubhouse that features a reading room as well as a social lounge; there are also tennis, shuffleboard and bocce ball courts as well as picnic areas near the lakes.

In terms of suburban comforts, the nearby Clark Road commercial district offers two supermarkets, Publix and Winn-Dixie, as well as stores such as Harbor Freight and Walgreens. Driving to Siesta Key is a five-minute drive down Stickney Point Road, which is lined with restaurants, pubs and cafés. Even though there are more than 200 units in this neighborhood, only a handful come on the market at any given time, and they tend to sell quickly to investors looking for nice rental income opportunities.