Living downtown on the cheap

Marc Rasmussen is the Broker/Owner of DWELL Real Estate in downtown Sarasota, Fla. He has been selling real estate in the Sarasota area since 2000 and has worked at several large brokerages including RE/MAX Alliance, Sotheby’s and Michael Saunders. If you have ever searched online for anything pertaining to Sarasota real estate, you probably have run across Marc's LuxurySarasotaRealEstate.com website. He was one of the early adopters of marketing real estate on the internet.

Downtown remains one of the most sought-after areas to live in Sarasota. Along with living on the beach, it is one of most requested destinations from our local and out-of-town real estate buyers.

There aren’t too many cities where you can enjoy a tasty meal at a myriad of fine and casual dining establishments, take a leisurely bike ride to the beach, buy some quality grub at Whole Foods, hop on your boat at Marina Jack's, catch an indie film at Burns Court Cinema, attend a play, take your four-legged friend for a swim at Bird Key park, do some kayaking with friends in the Sarasota bay, get your sweat on with a jog over the Ringling bridge or do some shopping in many of the quaint shops along Main Street---all within a short distance from your downtown condo or home.

I have several friends living this lifestyle, and it sounds pretty darn appealing.

Living cheap is a relative thing. Oprah would find everything in downtown Sarasota inexpensive, while a minimum-wage worker would find it pretty costly. Below are some locations on the bottom quarter of the price scale.

Frances Carlton – 1221 North Palm Avenue

Step back in time and walk in the same footsteps as the early Sarasota residents. Frances Carlton is an adorable 20-unit condo complex built in 1928. It is conveniently located within a short walk of Main Street. Don’t expect spaciousness, as the units run from 660 to 1,395 square feet. Currently there are two condos for sale under $300,000.

Pier 550 – Golden Gate Point

This is an oldie but goodie. These 51 condos were built in 1951 and sit on a beautiful slice of paradise on the highly sought-after Golden Gate Point area. Because of the fabulous water views and convenient location, this complex captured the attention of real estate developers back in the craziness of 2005. It is a prime target for redevelopment. Residents have a relatively easy walk to all of the amenities of downtown Sarasota. Currently, there are a few options under $300,000.

Broadway Promenade – 1064 North Tamiami Trail

This 187-unit mid-rise condo, built in 2007, is located on the north side of downtown. Many would argue that this is stretching the definition of living downtown because of the proximity to Main Street. While on a hot day you will most likely prefer to hop in your car to enjoy most of what downtown has to offer, residents here are walking distance from new popular restaurants such as Darwin’s on 4th and Derek’s Culinary Casual. This is one of the best places if you are looking for newer and cheaper. There are several condo options under $250,000.

Central Park – 825 and 835 S. Osprey Avenue

This 90-condo mid-rise built in 1985 is located on the corner of Mound Avenue and Osprey Avenue. It is right across the street from the new P.F. Chang’s that is currently under construction. While not the closest to the Main Street strip, this condo offers walking proximity to Burns Court, where highly-acclaimed restaurant Owen’s Fish Camp and indie theater Burns Court Cinema are both conveniently located.