Three things about Sarasota living

Most homes in Sarasota are easy to categorize. They’re new construction in a gated community, or golf course condos, or nicely remodeled suburban homes with charm and character. Then there are the wildcards — the one-of-a-kind places with a personality all their own. Maybe it’s the setting, maybe it’s the size. Whatever makes them special also makes them unforgettable and highly desirable. Here are three homes on the market that are unlike anything else in town.

Country Life

7340 Palomino Trail

We’re considered a beach town, but head east and you’ll find lavish estates that are the epitome of country living. Here’s a 17-acre gentleman’s ranch in Saddle Creek with a 4,800-square-foot main house, and a separate four-bedroom guest house, each with its own pool. There’s also a 4,500-square-foot converted barn, perfect for hobbies or a home business. Other features include a picturesque lake, a bamboo forest, a tennis court and a gated entry. Saddle Creek has 28 miles of equestrian trails and, while definitely rural, has a convenient location just east of Interstate 75.

Priced at $1.8 million. For information, call Premier Sotheby’s Paul Clark at 350-4600, or Judie Berger at 928-3424.

On the beach

2251 Gulf of Mexico Drive #502

Longboat Key’s ultra-deluxe new Aria sold out almost immediately. But one of its penthouses is for sale, and it may be the most lavish of all. With more than 4,100 square feet and four bedrooms, the apartment features incredible views over the gulf. There’s a roof-top terrace with an outdoor kitchen and spa, and another outdoor grill just off the dining room. The open-plan living area features an elaborate kitchen. The apartment comes with a private air-conditioned cabana down by the elaborate resort-style pool, complete with wet bar and dining area. The Villa Am Meer, a 1930s beachfront mansion, serves as a clubhouse for the complex.

Priced at $5,795,000. For information, call Jonathan Abrams of Michael Saunders & Co. at 232-2868.

Art history

1666 Hillview St.

Sarasota history is in every nook and cranny of this delightfully funky artist’s compound with a sensational 0.42 acre location right in the heart of town. Built by watercolorist Hilton Leach in 1940, it was purchased by ceramicist and teacher Frank Colson and his wife, Diana, in 1964. During the next several decades, it served as an art school and meeting place for the town’s artistic community. In addition to the four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath main house, there’s a 21-foot by 42-foot studio, and a variety of other work spaces and out buildings. The compound is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is half a block from Morton’s Market.

Priced at $1.05 million. For information, call Catherine Rustin of Keller Williams at 208-0572.