Located on the barrier islands close to Englewood and Venice, Manasota Key is the closest you can get to living in a tropical paradise without actually moving to the Caribbean. Part of Manasota Key lies within Charlotte County, but the most interest section of this housing market is in Sarasota County.

As a small real estate market, listings are not available as often as prospective buyers would like them to, and they tend to sell very quickly. Quite a few of the properties enjoy water views; the most sought-after homes are right on the Gulf, but some of offer views of Lemon Bay and the small isles of Stump Pass Beach State Park and the Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve. Life on Manasota Key is quiet and pleasant; unlike nearby Venice, the white sandy beaches on this island are not overcrowded with tourists. Residential zoning dominates this part of town, although there are a few seafood restaurants and pubs along North Beach Road. Driving to South Englewood for groceries does not take long at all; the Merchants Crossing shopping center, which is anchored by a remodeled Publix supermarket, is less than 10 minutes away.

Between condos and single-family residences, there are only about 500 properties on the island, some are million-dollar New England mansions that sit right in front of the beach. This is a place where you can still find Old Florida cottages for less than $250K, and low-rise beach condo units for even less than that. Some homes have private docking space along the many canals around the island. In general, pricing in Manasota Key is very affordable when compared to other beach communities in Southwest Florida.

Over the years, Manasota Key has been home to quite a few celebrities for whom privacy and a quiet lifestyle were priorities. As one of the most intimate and laid-back housing markets in Florida, you should really explore what Manasota Key has to offer.