Life in Sarasota
-
9/16/2012
I was born in Sarasota 50 years ago and have lived here all but 8 years of my life. A lot has changed in this town since then. The weather has always been hot/humid, but it's even hotter now due to climate change. If you don't mind being sticky and sweaty for 7-8 months of the year, then it probably won't bother you; November-March (about 4-5 months of the year) is dryer and cooler, a time when you can actually open the windows and enjoy the weather. Over the years, Sarasota has become quite built up and there is hardly an area of the county left anymore (except way out in east county) that has not been developed by a developer. The friendly small-town atmosphere is gone and Sarasota seems to now be a magnet for the pretentious and materialistic. Longboat Key, one of the barrier islands off of Sarasota (which has nice beaches) is full of that type. The newer neighborhoods in Sarasota are run by Homeowner's Associations, and as another poster said, they can make your life miserable. Most of the newer neighborhoods have these, so unless you buy an older home, you will probably be moving into a neighborhood with one. Be prepared to hand over approx. $500-$2000/year in HOA fees, face the prospect of "assessments," and be prepared to contend with the retired HOA board members, who have nothing better to do all day than drive around in their golf carts or walk up and down the sidewalk inspecting your yard and sending notices or threats to sue and take over your property if you don't pull the weeds from the sidewalk cracks or trim your palm trees in 2 weeks. I wouldn't suggest anyone moving into a neighborhood with a HOA if, for any reason, you don't have lots of time and the ability to devote to yardwork, unless you can/intend to pay a yard service to maintain your yard full-time (and things grow like a jungle in Florida). I also wouldn't suggest living in one if you live green/are environmentally conscientious, as HOAs aren't known for having a regard for the environment, and people in these kinds of neighborhoods spray every pesticide and herbicide known to man, as well as use inorganic fertilizers on their lawns (hence, the Red Tide outbreaks that have been going on for decades in the Gulf which cause lung irritation, headaches, etc.), and they expect you to do the same. I don't think the cost of living is higher here (according to the above data on this site, it's actually slighly below the national average), but it's true the blue collar jobs don't pay well here as compared to up North, and when the housing market crashed, many in the construction industy lost their jobs, and house values (but rents as well) went way down, with a 2-bedroom, one-bath apartment/older condo costing about $600-$700/month. So, a good time to buy for those who still want to live here. The beaches here are very crowded on the weekends, especially Siesta, but I have walked the beaches in the early mornings/early evenings/weekdays, even in tourist season, and they are not crowded then. The beaches have very white, fine sand (especially Siesta) and a relatively mild surf (compared to the East Coast). Contrary to what other posters said, Sarasota has a very high crime rate. Per capita, it has a higher murder rate than Los Angeles. Also, Florida comes in at #1 w/r/t identity theft and Rx drug overdoses/deaths in the nation, and Sarasota has a tremendous drug problem as well. Just about every couple weeks a bank is robbed. Sarasota is a town of haves and have-nots and a town with a serious substance abuse problem--possibly contributing to all the property crimes. Numerous members of my extended family here have been victims of everything from white collar crime (embezzlement by an employee), sexual assault, to having hundreds of dollars of fishing gear stolen out of the back of a pickup truck while running into the public library for literally 5 minutesto return some movies. Somebody said the schools here weren't good. Of course there are many, and they're all different, but overall Sarasota has a better public school system than the rest of Florida, and used to be one of the best in the country, though don't know how it compares now. As others said, there is the symphony, the opera, the ballet, Asolo Theatre, Mote Marine Laboratory(all of which cost quite a bit of money, especially if one goes regularly), lots of water sports, the Sarasota Film Festival (annual, I think), Ringling Museum of Art, the circus museum, the beaches, many, many restaurants, some state and county parks, but there just isn't the natural beauty that the rest of the country has to offer (especially the West) and there isn't the closeness among neighbors (unless you happen to get lucky) that there used to be. Politically, it's about 50% Republican/50% Democrat--probably slightly more Republican, and very few progressives. If I ever have the money to quit my job and move elsewhere, I intend to, but clearly there are people who think Sarasota is "Paradise" and is exactly what they are looking for, as the population is still growing.
Pam | Gulf Gate Estates, FL