Three Things: Beach Living on Siesta Key

A place at the beach is everybody’s favorite real estate fantasy. And endless sunny days with family and friends — preferably while everyone else is freezing up north — are a Sarasota specialty. Now that Siesta Beach has been officially enshrined as one of the best in the country, visitors from all over the world are daydreaming about a place of their own on the powdery white sand. Here’s a small selection of what they might find — three beach homes currently on the market that promise the fun informality and good times of a classic winter getaway.

Top of the line
104 Beach Road

This art deco-inspired townhouse has an incredible location — at the very north end of Crescent Beach, just as the Key turns eastward toward Big Pass. The views of the Gulf and the graceful curve of white sand are jaw dropping, even from the master bath. You’ll find four bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths on three living levels. Each level has a 35-foot balcony overlooking the water and sand. There’s a large storage area on the lower level for Jet Skis and other toys. And you’re just a block or so from Siesta Village, with its restaurants and nightlife. This is a unique beach house with a price tag to match.

Priced at $5,795,000. For more information, call Dan Miller of ReMax Tropical Sands at 376-7442.

Family fun
5411 Avenida Del Mare

This Key West-style home, built in 2003, is a block and a half from all the action on Siesta Beach, but tucked away on a quiet residential street. It has a touch of whimsy — it befits a house at the beach. You’ll find an over-the-top master bath, a home theater, and lively kitchen, a four-car garage — even a glass-enclosed elevator. Oddly enough, it doesn’t have a pool, although there is plenty of room to install one in the large backyard. And, with four bedrooms and four baths, the home will hold a lot of guests.

Priced at $1,039,000. For more information, call Judie Berger of Premier Sotheby’s at 928-3424.

Beachfront bargain
6208 Midnight Pass Road, Unit 300

The condo complexes that line the mid-Key provide a great resort feeling at affordable prices. This unit at Siesta Dunes has most of the things you’ll be looking for: two bedrooms and two baths in 1,150 square feet, and, though it is set back from the water, you still have the all-important view. (It has not been updated recently, and the price reflects that.) Amenities include a heated saltwater pool, tennis court and lots of lounging areas on the beach. Owners can join the rental program to receive income when they’re not using the unit themselves.

Priced at $695,000. For more information, call Tara Lamb at 266-4873 or Judy Greene at 350-0451, both of Michael Saunders & Co.

To see more photos, click here.