Sarasota...Na - 5/27/2017

The beach is beautiful, since its been redone..Na.. cultural is what I can say, no parking, great sand....Restruants Ok not great, Siesta Key...expensive for not much..People are strange, melting pot...Rude, dont do construction..you'll regret it..They can build a community in 5 months..renovations on the other hand years...windows upside down..headers wrong...worst tile work ever..plan on at least a 2 year remolel...The winter weather great..Summers on the other hand 98 W/99%humudity...decent schools,smelly gyms for kuds to play....kids have no manners..Have friends dealung with others kuds hitting and punching and no doing a thing&thats private schools...mostly the eighty and iver crowd for 6 months with the same ourfit , hair color and all the husbands look the same...and are the nasty along with the store owners and employees..Shopping hurendess.. the absolute worst...and all the arts they talk about sliwly deminishing, as the locals complain about all the art and music festivals so they are eliminating them 2! Lets talk about allergies forgit it everyone has them..oh Red tide...disgusting. dead fish on the beach and respiratory issues....Think twice..alot if the locals feel this way...everyone moves 1 at a time..I am next!

[Comment on this Posting]

A True HELL HOLE, as in Florida - 1/7/2017

First, let me say, is the weather. Six months in a sauna, then the "season" where every half crazy and Alzheimer candidate suddenly emerges like Cousin Eddie. These idiotic old folks get up and start driving around and never stop. There is "breakfast out", then the Doctor, then Walmart, then the Doctor, then the "early bird". So you cannot enjoy ANY part of the year. Even in "winter", as in TODAY, the temperatures are 80 degrees and when I woke up today the humidity was also 89PERCENT. Some wonderful winter weather. House prices go up dramatically, then collapse. You can get invited to endless "dinner on us" seminars and "presentations" where they try to sell you everything from hearing aids to botox to "financial plans" to insurance, etc, etc, even "cremation" lunches. ( I suppose they serve you an incinerated piece of meat). Then you have the so called entertainment. Well, it mostly occurs in the winter and the wealthy snowbirds have pushed the prices up so high no one can really afford it. Even Selby Gardens, a mediocre garden "not for profit" charges nearly $20 just to look at their plants. Crazy. I will admit that there are endless crappy restaurants which open and close, open and close, open and close, on and on. So, at present, if you want to live in a sauna, fight constant traffic jams and idiotic old drivers, eat crappy mediocre mush food for the elderly, spend a fortune on "entertainment", purchase an overpriced house from a high pressure realtor or "developer"(which will certainly go down in price and need constant maintenance), and be marooned on a corner of the US far from real civilization, come to Florida. Oh, I forgot to mention the endless array of people you will need to maintain your house since it is so hot and humid: the pressure washer (to remove mold constantly);the exterminator"bug guy"; the painter(to repaint your basement above ground house); the Yard guys to mow, fertilize, and "treat" year round the so called "grass" (more like crabgrass); the pool guy (you must have one); the air conditioner guy (an absolute necessity); on and on. Then the CDD taxes (special assessments the developers shift onto the home purchasers, another fraudulent government invention in Florida), the HOA fees (and HOA telling you to use professional lawn care people, pressure the dirt off your roof and walks, etc, etc), the "healthcare" factories which advertise endlessly; I could go on forever, but it is getting too depressing. I live here. Don't tell me you will go to the beach. No one goes there except the tourists and it takes forever with all the traffic over the bridges. Better to just stay home in the AC and watch television in your recliner like everybody else. If you are still working, there are jobs. How about roofing at a near minimum wage in extreme heat and humidity? There are innumerable similar jobs. Enough income to live in a one bedroom leaking roof hovel and eat gruel. It is what the Florida politicians (neanderthal party) desire. Come here, everybody else does. Then many get depressed and die. Others return back to their real homes. The ones who remain........

[Comment on this Posting]

Say No to Sarasota - 12/30/2016

Agree with many of the other comments about rude people. Moved here in 2012 thinking the arts scene would draw a more friendly, open-minded population. But many new residents bring wealth and privilege and a pretentious "me first" attitude. Almost every time we drive here, we see people getting cut off or getting flipped off by other drivers. There is an "arts crowd," catered to by several non-profit organizations who waste their money on expensive events for these self-indulgent phoneys. There is no intellectual stimulation, and it's hard to meet people. This attitude carries over to the workplace. The worst experience of my career. Even though the winter weather is wonderful, we're finding a new community that offers friendly people, a genuine vibe, real culture, better drivers, and a more open atmosphere. Goodbye, Sarasota, and good riddance.

[Comment on this Posting]

Are you young? Look to relocate elsewhere! - 10/23/2016

The 2016 election has really made the ugliness of Sarasota come out. There are Tr*mp signs on every corner as well as Tr*mp shops. Anyway, this place is not good for young people, why? Well, because the cost of living is very high (btw, this site's cost of living is super inaccurate), traffic is awful, people drive like maniacs, restaurants are expensive and there's not much variety (a lot of places are closed of Sundays), people from up north come here and stay for 6 months and turn this place into a living hell. Young people are leaving this place for a reason, so do yourself a favor and don't take that job offer.

[Comment on this Posting]

Overall - 5/1/2016

I lived here 12 years ago and enjoyed it very much. Now, in 2016, I find it very different. So built up, much more traffic and high rises. Even the beaches have changed. Yes, the restaurants are wonderful, there are many cultural activities to do and see. But overall, prices are so high you need to have a lot of money or make a lot of money to live here. Rent or owning is super expensive. We can't find a single family home in a 55+ for under $300,000.00. The traffic in the winter is so overpowering it takes the joy out of going anywhere. You spend most of your time in traffic. The first week I was here in December there were 3 major accidents within 5 miles of me in either direction. People drive erratically. But then again, I live off a busy street. Caution. Yes, it's beautiful. From the sky, for a weekend in the summer (if you like the heat..we do), but we've chosen to look elsewhere that's more affordable and still can give us affordable living, things to do that we love, lovely beaches while looking at the dolphins, smaller beaches which suit us better, and still close enough to bigger cities if we choose to make a day trip and anticipate traffic. The Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area, although still up and coming and a bit more of a risk for hurricanes, is lovely and affordable. But it won't be in a few years. Fort Myers and Sarasota are only 45 minutes away, and beautiful Venice only 30 minutes away. We've been all over the state searching for the right place, community etc and we hope we've found it. Good luck all.

[Comment on this Posting]

Way more expensive than noted on this site. - 11/10/2015

Average rent in sarasota is 1500.00 amd thats basic for studio, 1 bedroom house or apartment. Cost of homes are roughly 200,000.00 plus. Maybe 150,000 and under for condos/villas. A lot of people in the service industry live with several generations in order to afford it.

[Comment on this Posting]

Do not move to Sarasota unless you are rich!! - 11/5/2015

I moved here to Sarasota Fl. back in 2012 from New York it's been 3 years now. This is definitely not my ideal spot to settle down. The people are horrible, unfriendly, and ignorant as hell. Everything and everyone here is still partially segregated, the cost of living is sky high and not to mention snow bird season which is the winter time when all of the tourist and visitors come down just horrible!!!!

[Comment on this Posting]

Quality of Life in Sarasota - 9/17/2015

I am thinking of moving to Sarasota from New York and I would like hear from people who live there who are from New York or surrounding states. How is the quality of life? How is the crime rate? How are the people? Does anyone know how this compares to the Boynton Beach/Delray area? I know it's much more quieter and more conservative than Boynton.

[Comment on this Posting]

want to move - 9/10/2015

Also wondering about moving to Sarasota. I am a single woman aged 65 who has to move because the place I currently rent is too expensive. A friend has elderly parents in Sarasota and said it is a great place -- but some of the reviews here frighten me. I looked at rentals on Craig's list as I cannot afford to buy a house. I have to move in December so I will arrive when the snowbirds are renting all the short term spaces. I would like to find a place I can stay for at least a few years so I don't have to move again. I am really getting too old for this.

[Comment on this Posting]

Life in Sarasota - 6/17/2015

Due to the climate and ease of getting around town and easy access to doctors and hospitals; great major league sports and many other factors, the quality of life is much better than some of the larger, Northern cities for young and old alike!

[Comment on this Posting]

Big City Amenities in a Small City Atmosphere - 4/18/2015

Named by Movoto.com last year as one of the "Top Ten Most Exciting Small Cities in America", Sarasota-Bradenton (and its surrounding market area) continues to receive high rankings for its amenities: #1 beach, #1 in "well-being" (Gallup poll), etc. My husband and I moved here in late 1996 and have never considered leaving even though the community and populaton has expanded drawing more seasonal residents and increasing traffic during the winter season of January - April. In fact, there is a common frustration among most locals during the winter season as roads are more crowded and the wait is longer for a table at a favorite restaurant, but there is also an appreciation for what is offered in our market area that draws so many people. Considering Sarasota's arts/culture (Selby Botanical Gardens, Ringling art museum, Van Wezel performing arts center with top entertainers, orchestras, symphonies, broadway shows)theatre, easy access to several beaches as well as rivers340, free concerts and festivals throughout the year, a vibrant downtown, numerous fine and casual dining establishments, excellent retail and shopping, meaningful volunteer opportunities, warm climate, excellent medical care, and outdoor activities...Sarasota offers a quality of life that is hard to match on either coast of Florida. When we moved to Sarasota, reaching out to neighbors and making friends was easy....many were from other parts of the country and happy to connect. We recently relocated to another part of the market area, walked up and down the street to meet neighbors and invited them to an impromptu happy hour 4-5 hours later. 18 neighbors came and we had an instant party that lasted for hours! I've read reviews with the opinion that people were not friendly here...I've personally never found that to be true in a broad sense...but then I always believe "you must be the change you want to see" so I am often the initiator. There are plenty of ways to connect with others in the community by getting involved in any of the numerous non-profit organizations, neighborhood association activities, local events, meet-up groups,etc. When my mid-western friends ask how I can stand the hot, humid summers, I reply that being along the coast with gulf breezes keeps the average hot months at a high of 91-93 with the evenings dropping in the mid-70's to low 80s...there is rarely a summer evening that we can't enjoy sitting outside on the lanai comfortably. That was not always true in the agricultural areas of central Illinois during July and August. There is a joke among locals that "we shouldn't speak so positively about Sarasota because we don't want any more people moving here" ha...I often wonder if that is what is happening when I read something negative about our town. I would suggest that whatever is negative, could most likely be found anywhere in the country in a similar small city. Then again, Sarasota-Bradenton area might not be the right fit for everyone. Certainly the wage to housing cost ratio must be personally evaluated. The small communities surrounding Sarasota-Bradenton often offer more home for the price/rent, so there is something for everyone. I'm grateful to be able to live in such a beautiful area offering such a high quality of life!

[Comment on this Posting]

Your Business. Your Life. - 4/2/2015

Both can flourish right here in paradise!

[Comment on this Posting]

Do Not Move To The Sarasota Bradenton Area - 2/25/2015

Have lived here since 2009. Moved here from Washington State. People are rude and inconsiderate and hard to deal with. Difficult to make friends. Area draws a lot of criminals. Want to move back to the West Coast where people are much more open and friendly. Moving here was a huge mistake.

[Comment on this Posting]

Sarasota, Florida relocation - 10/27/2014

I want to move to Sarasota, FL within a year. I am researching the city on all categories. My income is low, $24,000/yr., 67 year old woman, single and very healthy. Love art, beaches, exercise and social activities. Want rent and to live in a one or two bedroom apt.

[Comment on this Posting]

Sarasota has changed so much in the last 2 years a - 9/10/2013

I moved to Sarasota from Rhode Island seven years ago and thought I would never leave. The weather, beaches and restaurants are top notch. It all changed two years ago when Siesta Key beach was named #1 and the Reds left and the Orioles came to town for spring training. Having spent the my first 40 years in the northeast I couldn't believe the difference in cultures and attitudes in a city mainly populated by mid-westerner's. They are calm, polite, humble and never in a hurry. Now the northeasterner's have found Sarasota and it will never be the same. Someone is always tailgating me now or weaving in and out of traffic to get one spot ahead. People no longer greet you with a hello or good morning anymore, I feel like I'm back up north again. When I first arrived I could get on the beaches any time of year, I can't even find a spot in August now. My favorite restaurants have lines out the door in September, unheard of before. There is no more off season now, just like Orlando it is all year long. This used to be a very, very friendly town, no longer. The cost of housing if you can find any is unattainable for a working family. It is time to go, I'll miss the old Sarasota very much.

[Comment on this Posting]

Noisiest Place I Have Ever Lived! - 7/25/2013

The noise level here is at least 10 times that of a large city. Some days I am literally in tears from it. Car horns, dogs, loud engines, machinery, trucks, planes- it's unbelievable. I am out ASAP! I slept better in New Orleans! Also, the Whole Foods here is inundated with homeless people and everything is at least $1 to $4 more than in Orlando. Don't move here, don't let the Siesta Beach fool you- it is not accessible at all in the Summer. In the Winter the snowbirds come back and the traffic is a nightmare. There are homeless camps all over the city and in one of them a 5 year old child was raped. I don't go anywhere without my husband. People are randomly shot for no reason if they accidentally wander into the wrong neighborhood. And the city is knowingly breaking Florida State Law by banning cigarette smoking in OUTDOOR public places- it's ludicrous! But the biggest factor is the noise- it's a Migraine City- and I'm not old, I'm 40! Don't move here is less you want to listen to headphones all the time and sleep with earplugs in.

[Comment on this Posting]

Nice weather but often hostile environment - 7/21/2013

The Sarasota-Bradenton area might be right for you if you’re from the Northeast. I’m from the Midwest and I’ve lived here two years. Except for Latinos, the vast majority of the population is from New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, or some other northeastern state. Considering Florida is geographically part of the South, the demographics are here are nothing but weird. My experience has been that people here are often rude and antisocial, although you will hear the word “socialize” a lot for some reason. I have a foreign language degree, and I have been to nearly a dozen different countries. People in Sarasota are definitely not nice. There are many ex-military people here, or recent veterans and military retirees. Many of them have no concept of civilian law and therefore no qualms about breaking it. So don’t be surprised if you meet with massive privacy invasion, slander, or even stalking by former soldiers and sailors. All this should come as no surprise considering that the military has a history of prisoner torture and a current epidemic of crimes against women in the military. This is obviously condoned or even encouraged. Florida has a high crime rate compared to other states. Healthcare is mediocre at best. There is only one major hospital. Doctors and other healthcare people can be surprisingly rude for no reason at all.

[Comment on this Posting]

Only thing I like about it is the weather - 7/14/2013

Sarasota might be right for you if you’re from the Northeast. I’m from the Midwest and I’ve lived here two years. Except for Latinos, the vast majority of the population is from New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, etc. There’s only a handful of Florida natives and people from the rest of the country. Fact is, the demographics of Florida are just plain weird. My experience is that people here are often rude and antisocial, although you will hear the word “socialize” a lot for some reason. There are a large number of ex-military people here, or recent veterans and military retirees. Perhaps a result of being in the military so long, many of them have no concept of civilian law and therefore no qualms about breaking it. So don’t be surprised if you meet with massive privacy invasion, slander, or even stalking by former soldiers and sailors (mostly the latter). All this should come as no surprise considering that the military has a history of prisoner torture and a current epidemic of crimes against women within the military. This is obviously condoned or even encouraged. So a little privacy invasion or slander never hurt anybody, right? Florida has a high crime rate compared to other states. Healthcare is mediocre at best. There is only one major hospital. Doctors and other healthcare people can be surprisingly rude for no reason at all. My advice? Go elsewhere.

[Comment on this Posting]

Only thing I like about it is the weather - 7/14/2013

The Sarasota-Bradenton area might be right for you if you’re from the Northeast. I’m from the Midwest and I’ve lived here two years. Except for Latinos, the vast majority of the population is from New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Michigan, etc. There’s only a handful of Florida natives and people from the rest of the country. Fact is, the demographics of Florida are just plain weird. My experience is that people here are often rude and antisocial, even though you'll hear the word “socialize” a lot for some reason. There are a large number of ex-military people, or recent veterans and military retirees. Perhaps a result of being in the military so long, many of them have no concept of civilian law and therefore no qualms about breaking it. So don’t be surprised if you meet with massive privacy invasion, slander, or even stalking by former soldiers and sailors. All this should come as no surprise considering that the military has a history of prisoner torture and a current epidemic of crimes against women in the military. This is obviously condoned or even encouraged. So a little privacy invasion or slander never hurt anybody, right? Florida has a high crime rate compared to other states. Healthcare is mediocre at best. There is only one major hospital. Doctors and other healthcare people can be surprisingly rude for no reason at all. My advice? Go elsewhere.

[Comment on this Posting]

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.

[Comment on this Posting]