<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945</id><updated>2012-01-11T11:07:15.304-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Amazing Luxury Homes</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>19</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-1457734513038317540</id><published>2012-01-11T11:00:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2012-01-11T11:07:15.309-08:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:16.0pt"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Who ever said you cannot have the best of both worlds?&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Living the lifestyle you always dreamed of while still being in touch with the real world is possible in &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com"&gt;Sarasota, Florida&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The paradise lifestyle, paired with a city life full of all the modern amenities you need, equals the good life.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If the big city amenities with a small town feel, where you can enjoy the white sandy beaches on the weekend and the theater at night sounds like your cup of tea, then you might want to learn more about Sarasota real estate.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Sarasota Florida is known around the world by having one of America’s most beautiful beaches.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Crystal white, soft, gorgeous sand with majestic sunsets and clear warm waters is what first takes visitors breathes away when they come.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Although not something to be overlooked, the simple truth is Sarasota offers much more to residents, it offers the Sarasota lifestyle.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The lifestyle consists of beautiful weather, scenery, food, wine, art culture, fashion and much more! Here are a few things out of many to do in Sarasota:   &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 1.0in"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"&gt;&lt;span style="mso-list:Ignore"&gt;·&lt;span style="font:7.0pt &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Explore what the city is known for!&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Breathe in the warm ocean air, while sitting and watching the beautiful sunset on &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/siesta-key-real-estate/"&gt;Siesta Key&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There is a reason so many people travel to see the beaches.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Not only does the location of Sarasota create beautiful beaches but it also offers you opportunity to experience and learn about the coastal and environmental sea life.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Mote Marine and Myakka State Park are two places where you will be sure to have some hands on and up close fun with environmental and sea life in Sarasota.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 1.0in"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"&gt;&lt;span style="mso-list:Ignore"&gt;·&lt;span style="font:7.0pt &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Immerse yourself in all the art and culture Sarasota has to offer! The Ringling Museum of Art established in 1927 by John and Mable Ringling sits on 66 acres on the Sarasota  Bay.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The museum offers galleries of European paintings as well as Asian Art, American paintings and contemporary art.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Also located on the estate sits the amazing Ca d’Zan Mansion, also known as the House of John which was renovated in 2002.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sarasota also holds a strong focus on performance art through the Circus, Ballet, Asolo Theatre and also van Wezel which is a magnificent performance hall located on the bay.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list 1.0in"&gt;&lt;span style="font-family:Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol"&gt;&lt;span style="mso-list:Ignore"&gt;·&lt;span style="font:7.0pt &amp;quot;Times New Roman&amp;quot;"&gt;         &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Treat yourself to great wine, good and fashion!&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A great place to do this is St. Armand   Circle.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This roundabout is famed for its great wine and dinning as well as some of the best places to shop in the area.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You will never be more than a step away from great food and fun times.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&gt;     &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&gt;&lt;/span&gt;Sarasota is a beautiful place to vacation but the perfect place to live.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you can see yourself living the Sarasota lifestyle, contact a &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com"&gt;Sarasota realtor&lt;/a&gt; to check out of this could be your everyday.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-1457734513038317540?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/1457734513038317540/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=1457734513038317540' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/1457734513038317540'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/1457734513038317540'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/who-ever-said-you-cannot-have-best-of.html' title=''/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-4168910265089539485</id><published>2011-10-14T07:44:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-10-14T07:52:38.515-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Bradenton Seasonal Rentals</title><content type='html'>&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:worddocument&gt;   &lt;w:view&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:punctuationkerning/&gt;   &lt;w:validateagainstschemas/&gt;   &lt;w:saveifxmlinvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:ignoremixedcontent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:breakwrappedtables/&gt;    &lt;w:snaptogridincell/&gt;    &lt;w:wraptextwithpunct/&gt;    &lt;w:useasianbreakrules/&gt;    &lt;w:dontgrowautofit/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;w:browserlevel&gt;MicrosoftInternetExplorer4&lt;/w:BrowserLevel&gt;  &lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if !mso]&gt;&lt;object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"&gt;&lt;/object&gt; &lt;style&gt; st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt;  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable  {mso-style-name:"Table Normal";  mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;  mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;  mso-style-noshow:yes;  mso-style-parent:"";  mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;  mso-para-margin:0in;  mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;  mso-pagination:widow-orphan;  font-size:10.0pt;  font-family:"Times New Roman";  mso-ansi-language:#0400;  mso-fareast-language:#0400;  mso-bidi-language:#0400;} &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Bradenton  Beach’s Scenic Highway boasts a relaxed tropical charm that is highlighted with narrow, winding streets, white sugar soft sandy beaches, a soft gulf breeze, abundant wildlife, and a wide mixture of buildings, with rustic, historic, and contemporary shops and homes along the way.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you want to extend this glorious road trip, you can take the scenic route, traveling from St. Armand’s circle in Sarasota up the 12 miles of beautiful Longboat Key to Bradenton  Beach.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Once you’ve made it onto Bradenton, you can settle in at one of the great &lt;a href="http://rentals.michaelsaunders.com/rns/search/img-academies.aspx"&gt;Bradenton seasonal rentals&lt;/a&gt; that are available.  Then, you will obviously want to check out the beach.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;IT is known for having great, cozy beaches, with secluded spots covered in dunes and sea oats.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;In some places like the end of Manatee Avenue, you can get a great view of the Sunshine  Skyway Bridge. &lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;The two most popular beaches in Bradenton are Cortez and Coquina beaches.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Located on the Gulf side of the area, they are managed by Manatee County and have numerous access points available to the public.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Cortez beach is located on the northern end of the island, and is the less popular of the two (which is good if you want to get away from it all).&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Coquina beach lies at the southern end of the city and has plenty of amenities, including public washrooms, a picnic area, and also a snack bar.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Lifeguards are also there to supervise you and your family as you play in the waves.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You can also make your way over to the bay side of Coquina, which is popular for those with personal watercraft.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;If you want to get even closer to the marine life that you see from afar on the beach, you can check out the Parker Aquarium at the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, which is the largest natural and cultural history museum on the Suncoast.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Besides featuring displays on local maritime traditions, turn of the century medical equipment, and early Spanish exploration dioramas, the Parker Aquarium is also home to Snooty the Manatee as well as two other manatees.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Parker Manatee Aquarium is the second stage of a rehabilitation clinic that works to rehabilitate manatees.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At the South Florida Museum, you can not only become closer to marine life but also the stars, as the Bishop Planetarium offers a multipurpose, all-digital domed theatre with one of the most advanced projection systems in the world.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You can make a day or two days of this great museum location.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;So grab your car, put the top down, and head on over to Bradenton, where you will find a ton of things to do and enjoy with your family.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-4168910265089539485?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/4168910265089539485/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=4168910265089539485' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/4168910265089539485'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/4168910265089539485'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/10/bradenton-seasonal-rentals.html' title='Bradenton Seasonal Rentals'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-1138614502822067229</id><published>2011-09-25T07:35:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-10-14T07:44:29.868-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Vacation Rental in Boca Grande</title><content type='html'>&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:worddocument&gt;   &lt;w:view&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:punctuationkerning/&gt;   &lt;w:validateagainstschemas/&gt;   &lt;w:saveifxmlinvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:ignoremixedcontent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:breakwrappedtables/&gt;    &lt;w:snaptogridincell/&gt;    &lt;w:wraptextwithpunct/&gt;    &lt;w:useasianbreakrules/&gt;    &lt;w:dontgrowautofit/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;w:browserlevel&gt;MicrosoftInternetExplorer4&lt;/w:BrowserLevel&gt;  &lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if !mso]&gt;&lt;object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"&gt;&lt;/object&gt; &lt;style&gt; st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt;  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable  {mso-style-name:"Table Normal";  mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;  mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;  mso-style-noshow:yes;  mso-style-parent:"";  mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;  mso-para-margin:0in;  mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;  mso-pagination:widow-orphan;  font-size:10.0pt;  font-family:"Times New Roman";  mso-ansi-language:#0400;  mso-fareast-language:#0400;  mso-bidi-language:#0400;} &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There are many things to do if you are staying on a &lt;a href="http://rentals.michaelsaunders.com/rns/search/boca-grande.aspx"&gt;vacation rental in Boca Grande&lt;/a&gt;, but fishing is a clear champion of activities there.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Boca Grande is a little slice of paradise, a charming and historic village that can be one of the most beautiful and relaxing places you’ll ever visit with its tropical palms, brightly colored hibiscus flowers, and vibrant teal waters.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;On land, you’ll find plenty to do with shops and dining establishments, tennis courts, basketball courts, rollerblading and walking trails, and of course the white sandy beaches, but the real fun comes when you hit the water.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Check out Gasparilla  Inn Marina or Whiddens Marina for a location to drop off your boat.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Gasparilla  Inn Marina even offers dry boat storage, although there is a waiting list, and has several full-time mechanics on duty as well as a well stocked part department in case your boat runs into any trouble.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Whiddens has the distinction of being on the National Register of Historic Places, and features fuel, live bait, ice, and beverages for its customers, and also allows boat rentals through Captain Russ’ Boat Rentals if you do not have your own seafaring vehicle.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;While there are plenty of fish in the sea, there are some that frequent the areas around Boca Grande.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They include tarpon, snook, cobia, pompano, goliath grouper, king mackerel, amberjack, barracuda, blacktip shark, blackfin tuna, bull shark, bonito tuna, mangrove, mutton and yellowtail snapper, redfish, red grouper, and seatrout.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Tarpon, snook, and goliath grouper are some of the most popular targets right off of Boca Grande.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Tarpon, especially, are popular.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They are considered the King of all costal game fish as they display insurmountable strength and speed, and will jump through the air in an effort not to get caught, making them a highly entertaining and accomplished catch.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Boca Grande and nearby Gasparilla  Island are known as the Tarpon Capitol of the World.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You can go out on a boat in order to catch these fish in the deep water or settle in near the beach, where pods of tarpon are known to stay near the waves.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or, if you are feeling adventurous and visiting during the summer, check out the “Hill Tide” which occurs during the new and full moons of May, June, and early July in the shallows near Boca Grande Pass.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Crabs and in turn tarpon are lured into the shallow waters, reachable by the beach for boatless fishing.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt; &lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;So join the marine adventures as one of the popular Boca Grande things to do.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You’ll have time to relax at the beach or enjoy one of the dining establishments in the evening, but the fish and the stories they can bring to your children and grandchildren are only available if you get out there and join the adventure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-1138614502822067229?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/1138614502822067229/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=1138614502822067229' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/1138614502822067229'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/1138614502822067229'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/vacation-rental-in-boca-grande.html' title='Vacation Rental in Boca Grande'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-1470996372452129305</id><published>2011-09-15T06:11:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-10-14T07:35:14.853-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Anna Maria Properties for Rent</title><content type='html'>&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:worddocument&gt;   &lt;w:view&gt;Normal&lt;/w:View&gt;   &lt;w:zoom&gt;0&lt;/w:Zoom&gt;   &lt;w:punctuationkerning/&gt;   &lt;w:validateagainstschemas/&gt;   &lt;w:saveifxmlinvalid&gt;false&lt;/w:SaveIfXMLInvalid&gt;   &lt;w:ignoremixedcontent&gt;false&lt;/w:IgnoreMixedContent&gt;   &lt;w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext&gt;false&lt;/w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText&gt;   &lt;w:compatibility&gt;    &lt;w:breakwrappedtables/&gt;    &lt;w:snaptogridincell/&gt;    &lt;w:wraptextwithpunct/&gt;    &lt;w:useasianbreakrules/&gt;    &lt;w:dontgrowautofit/&gt;   &lt;/w:Compatibility&gt;   &lt;w:browserlevel&gt;MicrosoftInternetExplorer4&lt;/w:BrowserLevel&gt;  &lt;/w:WordDocument&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;&lt;xml&gt;  &lt;w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"&gt;  &lt;/w:LatentStyles&gt; &lt;/xml&gt;&lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if !mso]&gt;&lt;object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"&gt;&lt;/object&gt; &lt;style&gt; st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;&lt;!--[if gte mso 10]&gt; &lt;style&gt;  /* Style Definitions */  table.MsoNormalTable  {mso-style-name:"Table Normal";  mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;  mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;  mso-style-noshow:yes;  mso-style-parent:"";  mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;  mso-para-margin:0in;  mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;  mso-pagination:widow-orphan;  font-size:10.0pt;  font-family:"Times New Roman";  mso-ansi-language:#0400;  mso-fareast-language:#0400;  mso-bidi-language:#0400;} &lt;/style&gt; &lt;![endif]--&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Anna Maria Island is considered to be one of the northernmost keys associated with Sarasota, located just south of Bradenton Beach.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is known for having some of the best beaches to get away from it all.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;A secluded spot to get away from it all, the beaches on Anna Maria Island are covered with sea oats and rolling dunes.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Check out the tip of Anna Maria Island where you can get a view of the Sunshine  Skyway Bridge.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;If you need a change from relaxing on the beach, check out the Historic Bridge Street at Bradenton Beach, located on the island.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Bridge Street Merchant Circle strives to make this the best shopping location, transforming it from a previously notoriously bawdy beach bar district.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Businesses in this area that are members of the merchant circle add a touch of class to the area.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Back Alley features not only a combination of unique gifts and local art but also a tiny coffee shop.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Island Bazaar gift shop sells quality beach related products, including brands like Reef and Costa Del Mar.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Sailor’s Knot Clothing Company offers not only women and men’s apparel but also jewelry, gifts, home décor, and more, and was listed in Southern Living magazine as a favorite place to shop.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;For food and drink, check out a number of places.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Beachhouse Restaurant is perfect for dining with the family as kids can play on the beach while you enjoy tropical drinks, and the Bridgetender Inn and Dockside Bar offers not only fabulous food but also great entertainment and a breathtaking view.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Rotten Ralf’s can be visited by boat or by car, and has a relaxed atmosphere.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Sun House Restaurant is an ideal location for gatherings where you get a unique experience at sunset, as a gong is rang, a song is sung, and “green flash shooters” are passed out to all guests.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;For a little fun, you can check out the Fish Hole, a unique miniature golf course themed like an old Florida fishing village.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or, relax at the Island Wellness center, with beach massages in tiki huts as well as climate controlled indoor treatment rooms, and yoga sessions available in both.&lt;span style="mso-spacerun:yes"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you want to get to know the island a little better, Segs by the Sea offers Segway tours and rentals, electric bikes, beach cruiser bikes, and even stand up paddle board rentals.&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Clearly, no matter if you want to dine, relax, explore, or shop, Anna Maria Island has something for you to enjoy!  &lt;a href="http://rentals.michaelsaunders.com/rns/search/anna-maria-island.aspx"&gt;Anna Maria properties for rent&lt;/a&gt; come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so book one today and start enjoying the beauty of this island.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-1470996372452129305?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/1470996372452129305/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=1470996372452129305' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/1470996372452129305'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/1470996372452129305'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/normal-0-false-false-false.html' title='Anna Maria Properties for Rent'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-378716432477558875</id><published>2011-08-30T10:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-09-06T10:12:26.349-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Palm Island's Don Pedro Island State Park</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Don&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Pedro&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;State Park&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; is one of the many outdoor attractions available to those who are visiting and staying a &lt;a href="http://rentals.michaelsaunders.com/rns/search/palm-island.aspx#"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Palm&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; vacation rental&lt;/a&gt; or anywhere in the &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt; area.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Don&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Pedro&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placename&gt; is one of the four islands strung together that are collectively known as &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Palm&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is a 129 acre barrier island across the Intercoastal Waterway from &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Cape&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Haze&lt;/st1:placename&gt;, located right in between &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Knight&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; and Little Gasparilla Island.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is only accessible by boat – whether you take a ferry to the island or your own private one is up to you, as there is a dock with access via private boat or kayak as well.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Don&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Pedro&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;State Park&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; itself features mangrove forests, dunes, and white beaches.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There are plenty of opportunities to see the local wildlife while visiting &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Don&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Pedro&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placename&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Some of the animal species that can be seen include the West Indian manatee, gopher tortoise, southern bald eagle, American oystercatcher, and various tern, including the least, royal, and sandwich.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You can also learn more about the animals, natural environment, and the history of the island at one of the interpretive exhibit programs given by the park’s rangers.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Those who visit &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Don&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Pedro&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;State Park&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; can also participate in a wide variety of outdoor activities.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They include boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking on nature trails, scuba diving, and snorkeling.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There are pavilions that are available to rent for events or on a first come, first serve basis.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;For all your picnicking needs, there are also restroom facilities, tables, and grills that are available on the island.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-378716432477558875?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/378716432477558875/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=378716432477558875' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/378716432477558875'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/378716432477558875'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/palm-islands-don-pedro-island-state.html' title='Palm Island&apos;s Don Pedro Island State Park'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-2115325707148887594</id><published>2011-08-20T10:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-09-06T10:04:43.119-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Palm&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; resort is located on &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Palm  Island&lt;/st1:city&gt;, &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:state&gt;, a small string of islands on the west coast of &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:state&gt;, equidistant between &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Tampa&lt;/st1:city&gt; and &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Cape Coral&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Accessible only by ferry, Palm Island Resort is located on the main &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Knight&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;, and features one, two, or three bedroom villas with an “old &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt;” architectural feel with today’s comforts and conveniences.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;a href="http://rentals.michaelsaunders.com/rns/search/palm-island.aspx#"&gt;Rental Properties in Palm Island&lt;/a&gt; are a hot commodity for those living in Florida that want to get a week or even a month away from their regular lives, as well as for those traveling here from anywhere within the United States or even the world.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;There are many different types of vacation villas available for rental properties in &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Palm&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; resort.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Island Villas look over the white sand beaches, with access to the beach and water right at your back door.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Island Bay Villas are two bedroom villas, located right next to the docks, and perfect for boaters visiting the area.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Mainland Marina Villas are one bedroom condos on the main land in Harbortown, which are very popular as well with boating and fishing enthusiasts.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Island Cottages are duplex style condos, which have three bedrooms and direct access to the beach and water, which are perfect for families or larger social gatherings.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Finally, the private homes are great for family reunions, wedding parties, and tennis clubs, with a limit of four week holidays and holding indoor and outdoor entertainment rooms.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you decide you do not want to stay on the island but still want to enjoy the amenities of the Palm Island Resort, you can pull in at the &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Marina&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The marina offers full marine service and haul-out facilities, a heated outdoor pool, gas barbecue grills, kitchen facilities, a pavilion area, private restrooms and showers, washer/dryer facilities, electric, water, and cable TV, dry storage facilities, waste pump-out station, free wi-fi, and nearby golf courses.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Palm&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; Resort is a great location to visit and create some great Floridian west coast memories.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-2115325707148887594?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/2115325707148887594/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=2115325707148887594' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/2115325707148887594'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/2115325707148887594'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/palm-island-resort-is-located-on-palm.html' title=''/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-3379957315620563102</id><published>2011-08-10T10:02:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-09-06T10:04:00.467-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Palm Island, FL</title><content type='html'>Palm Island is located off the west coast of Florida, south of Tampa and St. Petersburg just west of Sarasota.  As it is equidistant between Florida’s western hub of Tampa and St. Petersburg and Southwest Florida’s city of Cape Coral, it is easily accessible by Interstate 75 and &lt;a href="http://rentals.michaelsaunders.com/rns/search/palm-island.aspx#"&gt;Palm Island vacation rentals&lt;/a&gt; and homes a hot commodity for many Floridian tourists to visit along with visitors from out of the state or even out of the country.  There are few cars and even fewer roads on this island, as you have to take a ferry over to even get there.  Only those who are living or vacationing on the island take their cars over, though, as there are no parking lots but instead only private residential parking locations.  To get from place to place on this little piece of paradise, people will often take golf carts, ride bikes, or even simply just walk.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Palm Island is actually made up of four interconnected islands.  Knight Island, home of the Palm Island Resort, is what people generally think of when they say Palm Island.  Don Pedro Island is south of Knight Island, and is filled with private homes and vacation rentals, but no stores, restaurants, or other commercial properties.  Little Gasparilla Island is located to the south and is only accessible by boat, as the only sand road between the two islands is private property and accessible only to residents with a gate key.  Much like Don Pedro Island, there are no stores, restaurants, hotels, or high-rises located on this island.  Furthermore, there are no paved roads and no cars.  Finally, Thornton Key is an uninhabited preserve with no beaches, which is very rarely visited.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-3379957315620563102?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/3379957315620563102/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=3379957315620563102' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/3379957315620563102'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/3379957315620563102'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/palm-island-fl.html' title='Palm Island, FL'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-297180347710033743</id><published>2011-07-30T08:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-09T09:11:31.516-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Florida Gulf Coast</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:state&gt;’s &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Gulf&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Coast&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; is a charming place for work and for play, making it a popular destination to live in &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;From Manatee to &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt; to &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Charlotte&lt;/st1:city&gt; county, there is a &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Gulf&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Coast&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Islands&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; property that is in your style and price range.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Some of the following locations are popular island communities:&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/area-listings/anna-maria-island/"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Anna&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Maria&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placename&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; is often compared to a private island, known for its miles of pristine beaches.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It also holds a quaint business district with many award winning restaurants and specialty shops, making it an enjoyable place to work.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Holmes&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; and &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Bradenton&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; are both popular cities within this island, each its own close knit community with a range of homes, from lovely beach condos to quaint suburban locations.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;The keys in &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:state&gt;’s &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Gulf&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Coast&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; off of &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; are also popular places.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Longboat Key, Lido Key, and St. Armands Key are located in a small string between the Gulf of Mexico and &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Bay&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They maintain a year round average temperature of 73 degrees, making it perfect beach weather all year round.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;They also feature first class tennis and golf facilities, making them a fun place to play on weekends after you finish your workweek.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Siesta Key is also famous for its beaches, as it has come in second on &lt;a href="http://www.drbeach.org/"&gt;Dr. Beach&lt;/a&gt;’s list of top beaches in the &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:country-region st="on"&gt;USA&lt;/st1:country-region&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; in both 2009 and 2010 and first in 2011.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Featuring three beaches with white quartz sand, which is soft and cool to the touch, Siesta Key is the perfect island getaway for you and your family.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/area-listings/venice-island/"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Venice&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/a&gt; is known for its downtown area, and is considered one of &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt;’s greatest treasures.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Between &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt; and &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Fort&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Myer&lt;/st1:placename&gt;’s, &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Venice&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt; features more than 100 unique shops, salons, and other businesses to enjoy.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Finally, Boca Grande is located on the &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; of &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Gasparilla&lt;/st1:placename&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;, a barrier island featuring seven miles of lush white beaches on its Gulf side.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;These tropical paradises make not only wonderful places to visit but also amazing homes.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Check out &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Gulf&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Coast&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Islands&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; real estate to learn more about these locations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-297180347710033743?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/297180347710033743/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=297180347710033743' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/297180347710033743'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/297180347710033743'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/florida-gulf-coast.html' title='The Florida Gulf Coast'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-4763353337721057631</id><published>2011-07-18T08:00:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-09T10:17:52.561-07:00</updated><title type='text'></title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;According to &lt;a href="http://www.bocagrandechamber.com/"&gt;Boca Grande’s Chamber of Commerce&lt;/a&gt;, the “historic village of Boca Grande, on the &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;island&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; of &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Gasparilla&lt;/st1:placename&gt;, is located at the southern tip of the Cape of Haze Peninsula on &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:state&gt;’s &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Southwest&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Coast&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; midway between &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt; and &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Ft.&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Myers&lt;/st1:placename&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;”.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;With seven miles of powdery quartz sand beaches, Boca Grande is often described as having an “Old World” feel that is reminiscent of the &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Caribbean&lt;/st1:place&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Whether you are looking to stay for a weekend or become a permanent resident, there are many options available when it comes to finding a place to call home on this island.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;With a population of just over 1,000 people, the population skews slightly older, with a median age around 55 years old.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This makes Boca Grande a popular retirement spot, and there are plenty of things for people to do.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;With a wide array of community organizations, it is easy for people to get involved.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Boca&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Grande&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Lighthouse&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Museum&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; is a centerpiece of the island, located in the state recreational area, and serves as a local history museum.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The Boca Grande Art Alliance and Royal Palm Players, Inc, both work to preserve the arts, including not only painting and sculpting but also performing arts.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you are more of an outdoor type, the Boca Grande Fishing Guides Association helps keep the area presentable and accessible for fishermen and the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association works to preserve the island atmosphere, enhance the quality of life, and conserve natural resources.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;But besides participating in any of these worthy causes, you can also have some fun too while &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/area-listings/boca-grande/"&gt;living on Boca Grande&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;With access to the gulf on one side and the Cahrlotte Harbor and Gasparilla Sound on the other, the mix of brackish water makes it a perfect breeding ground for many fish, including grouper, snapper, mackerel, kingfish, snook, and redfish.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;If you aren’t a fan of fishing, you can also enjoy swimming, shelling, or just plain relaxing on the beach.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or, take a trip into town and enjoy a fresh seafood meal followed by shopping at one of the many stores offering antiques, apparel, gifts, art galleries, and jewelry.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;So if you are considering a retirement home, Boca Grande might be the place for you.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Check out the real estate offerings available in that area to learn more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-4763353337721057631?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/4763353337721057631/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=4763353337721057631' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/4763353337721057631'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/4763353337721057631'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/07/according-to-boca-grandes-chamber-of.html' title=''/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-8139156386100707215</id><published>2011-06-30T07:46:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-09T09:15:43.574-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The World's Best Beach</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/area-listings/siesta-key/"&gt;Siesta Key&lt;/a&gt; is certainly the most famous of the keys surrounding the &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt; coast.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It’s beaches are some of the best in the world (and, in 2011, were actually named the best beach by Dr. Beach himself), featuring the world’s finest white sand, made of 99% quartz crystal, making it soft and cool to the touch.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The weather in Siesta Key is also beautiful, with an average yearly temperature of 73, making it warm enough to visit during the winter, while cool breezes off of the &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Gulf of Mexico&lt;/st1:place&gt; keep it nice during the hotter summer months.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Depending on which of the beaches you attend in Siesta Key, you will experience different things.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The main beach is located to the north of the island, and is known for its recreational facilities, including volleyball nets, grills, bathrooms, and a snack bar.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;It is also home to May’s annual World Class Sand Sculpting Competition and the &lt;a href="http://www.crystalsand.org/involved.php"&gt;Siesta Key Crystal Classic&lt;/a&gt; in November.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;The beach in the middle of the coast, known as &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Turtle&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;, is considered very family friendly as well, with playgrounds, a horseshoe pit, and fishing opportunities as well as a boat launch.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Crescent&lt;/st1:placename&gt;  &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; is the most secluded beach, located to the south, with the Point of Rocks at its southern tip where you can go snorkeling and diving to get up close and personal with the wildlife.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Dolphins and manatees play in the surf here and all along the coast, and pelicans and other shore birds often roost close to the beaches.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;While there are some beach cottages and condominium properties available with an ocean view, you can also go more inland on the island and see what the Siesta Key real estate has to offer.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There are plenty of things to do on Siesta Key even when you are not at the beach, with museums, art galleries, and restaurants located on the island and also a quick drive over into &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Check out the Downtown Saturday Farmer’s Market for crafts, flowers, food, and more.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Or, if adventure is more your style for the weekend, there are plenty of water sports available with sail boating, fishing, snorkeling, and parasailing to keep you entertained.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-8139156386100707215?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/8139156386100707215/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=8139156386100707215' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/8139156386100707215'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/8139156386100707215'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/06/worlds-best-beach.html' title='The World&apos;s Best Beach'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-4553639385895740252</id><published>2011-05-10T07:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-08-05T07:37:05.305-07:00</updated><title type='text'>World Famous Beaches</title><content type='html'>&lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;Looking for a beach getaway that is ready for you year round?&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt;, &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:state&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; may be just the place for you.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Whether you want to visit for a&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;weekend, a month, or live there permanently, &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; offers some prime beach real estate to its visitors and residents.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;This year, after two years stuck at the #2 spot, &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:city&gt;’s Siesta Key beat out beaches across the world to be named &lt;a href="http://www.drbeach.org"&gt;Dr. Beach’s &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Number&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;One&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; in the World&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Sarasota earned the coveted top spot because of its vast space, ranging hundreds of yards wide, the fact that it is nonsmoking, and the amenities it offers its visitors, including bathrooms, a snack bar, grills, picnic tables, and shade trees.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;At the center of Siesta Key’s beach there is &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Crescent&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;, with a laid back atmosphere, and the southern end holds &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Turtle&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;, known for its excellent shell collecting.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;But the beaches on Siesta Key are not the only great locations that &lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt; has to offer.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Hop on over to Lido Key, which offers a public park at the north end, complete with nature trails leading from the water to a Floridian pine forest.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Further south there are more recreational areas similar to Siesta Key, ending in &lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;South&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Lido&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Park&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt;, known as a great place to park your boat and relax.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Longboat Key offers a wide variety of fabulous resorts that overlook the beach.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Venice&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Beach&lt;/st1:placetype&gt;&lt;/st1:place&gt; is popular as well, known as one of the best places in the world to find shark’s teeth.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;There is also a massive fishing pier that extends into the gulf where you can walk, relax, or try to catch a fish!&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Casey Key’s public &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;North&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placename st="on"&gt;Jetty&lt;/st1:placename&gt; &lt;st1:placetype st="on"&gt;Park&lt;/st1:placetype&gt; and Nokomis beach offer a look at old &lt;st1:state st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Florida&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:state&gt;.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;You might even spot someone famous on this little island, as author Stephen King owns a home there.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;Finally, Manasota Key, offers lesser known – but still beautiful – beaches where you can pretend that you’re living on your own personal deserted island.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p class="MsoNormal"&gt;So no matter where you go in the &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com"&gt;&lt;st1:city st="on"&gt;&lt;st1:place st="on"&gt;Sarasota&lt;/st1:place&gt;&lt;/st1:city&gt; area&lt;/a&gt;, there is a beach that is a perfect fit for your mood.&lt;span&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;And with weather that stays an average of 72 degrees even in the winter, you’ll want to spend as much time at these gorgeous beaches as you can!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-4553639385895740252?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/4553639385895740252/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=4553639385895740252' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/4553639385895740252'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/4553639385895740252'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2011/05/world-famous-beaches.html' title='World Famous Beaches'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-114581154523795019</id><published>2006-04-23T09:59:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-04-23T09:59:05.300-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Christie's Great Estates | Stately Oceanfront Estate - Jupiter Island, Florida</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/properties/view_8593/"&gt;Christie's Great Estates  Stately Oceanfront Estate - Jupiter Island, Florida&lt;/a&gt;, Jupiter Island is a special place in Florida and is one of those quite places where everyone has a little piece of paradise.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I found this cozy 1938 home with an ocean front view to be exceptional. If you are going to live i none of the best communities in Florida, then your home should be one of the best in the state right?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If this luxury home is not to your liking then you should check out the other homes listed on Jupiter Island.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-114581154523795019?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/114581154523795019/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=114581154523795019' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114581154523795019'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114581154523795019'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/04/christies-great-estates-stately.html' title='Christie&apos;s Great Estates | Stately Oceanfront Estate - Jupiter Island, Florida'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-114580946144698184</id><published>2006-04-23T09:24:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2006-04-23T09:24:21.616-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Sarasota Luxury Real Estate, Florida Homes, Oceanfront Property - Saunders Showcase</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/cntrl/Saunders_Showcase.aspx"&gt;Sarasota Luxury Real Estate, Florida Homes, Oceanfront Property - Saunders Showcase&lt;/a&gt; I always find a that Michael Saunders &amp;amp; Company always has the best lisitngs in Sarasota. Check out some of these great listings and check out the onlie video, you know that this is not your just any real estate company but one that really knows how to meet the needs of luxury home buyers.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-114580946144698184?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/114580946144698184/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=114580946144698184' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114580946144698184'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114580946144698184'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/04/sarasota-luxury-real-estate-florida.html' title='Sarasota Luxury Real Estate, Florida Homes, Oceanfront Property - Saunders Showcase'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-114339107156571486</id><published>2006-03-26T07:23:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-03-26T08:37:51.616-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Florida Real Estate News &amp; Views</title><content type='html'>The Florida real estate markets continue to be one of the best in the country but some areas of the state are seeing changes in demand, so let's look at what is Happening in the Florida Luxury Real Estate Market.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;While we are seeing that house flipping and the quick buy and selling investment approach that has been so popular over the last few years is starting to waned in the $250,000 - $750,000 market. The true luxury market is stable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Jacksonville real estate - While Orlando's luxury homes are affordable because they in the middle of the state, Jacksonville is a bargain compared to Miami, Naples and the Keys. Jacksonville which actually has temps below 30 in the winter and beautiful sunshine year round is still a pretty solid market becuase there has been less overbuilding as there has been in Miami. The slower pace of grow benefits buyers and sellers but the balance equal a more steady growth in value. Realtors say the high end market is good and many from the Northeast see Jacksonville's million dollar homes as wise investments.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Miami, FL - The luxury condo market is cooling while some projets remain strong expect the discounts or incentives many be coming soon to those buildings that have have broken ground but are now only 25% to - 40% complete.  Word is many projects that have not broken ground are being tabled, based on demand and some are seeing whether construction materials come down in price which could reduce projected building cost.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The luxury home market is a mixed bag as  as the average sales price in Miami fell -1.3% from January, yet sellers got 96% of their asking price and that was up from 95% in January. While the buying season is coming up, we expect to see a jump in home sales but over we expect unit sales to be lower than 2005.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Orlando, FL - Orlando continues to see housing growth, with more real estate inventory out there but prices are still up but at a much faster rate.  The Orlando area continue to lead the state and in some cases the nation with job growth and opportunity. Luxury homes in this marketplace are sometimes sen as undervalued when compared to the rest of the state, but without dynamic ocean and gulf view it is logical. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Luxury homes around the Isleworth, Windermere, Lake Nona and Healthrow arae continue to do well as do homes in private community with large natural lakes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tampa Bay - Pocket of Tampa Bay real estate continue to sizzle but we are also seeing that prices are leveling off and increasing at a rate of 1 to 4% rather than double digit rates over the last few years. I am hearing from my real estate friends the this is no longer a flippers market but one for people who want to live here. There are great homes in this metro area and if you plan to be here 5 years then your house should have a nice return.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sarasota real estate - New inventory is up, but the number of million dollar resales has not changed. There continue to be some wonderfull estates in this market place that offer amazing views of the Gulf and place you near or on the beach. The good news is that if you are looking to buy, you have more power than you did a year ago and sellers are negotiating more. Homes and condos are selling at an average of 5 -10% below list price.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-114339107156571486?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/114339107156571486/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=114339107156571486' title='3 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114339107156571486'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114339107156571486'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/03/florida-real-estate-news-views.html' title='Florida Real Estate News &amp; Views'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>3</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-114081460933033055</id><published>2006-02-24T12:31:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-02-24T12:56:49.343-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Gulf to Bay Luxury Home Just South of Sarasota</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://photos.michaelsaunders.com/Sarasota/281537-a.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos.michaelsaunders.com/Sarasota/281537-a.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; A gem of a home, located just south of Sarasota in Osprey, Florida. This is on Florida's Southwest coast and this not only offers unique views of the Bay but exceptional views ofthe Gulf of Mexico.&lt;br /&gt;No matter what room youy are in the view is amazing. This home is perfect for those that love the water, the beach, and enjoy their privacy a getaway like no other.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You'll want to entertain and invite friends and family to stay, but when you do, you want have to know that they are there. With eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms they will not interfere with your daily routine.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;And there is plenty to do as this home a billiard rooms, indoor lap pool, tennis court, gym, putting green and a beautiful beach. This home has all these and more. To learn more about this &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/cntrl/ResidentialDetail/ListingID/281537/OrgID/sara.aspx"&gt;luxury estate and make an appointment click here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-114081460933033055?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/114081460933033055/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=114081460933033055' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114081460933033055'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114081460933033055'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/02/gulf-to-bay-luxury-home-just-south-of.html' title='Gulf to Bay Luxury Home Just South of Sarasota'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-114081306151868206</id><published>2006-02-24T11:38:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-02-24T12:58:51.446-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Ft. Lauderdale and Miami Real Estate Lives Large</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007881_0000011421.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007881_0000011421.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt; There are places that are known for luxury real estate The Hamptons, Malibu, and throughout the SouthEast coast of Florida are many luxury homes that own by the rich and famous and the rich and not so famous. I've had a client who has been looking for just the right property and while I've been looking I have viewed some very nice properties that may inspire you. They weren't right fo rmy client but maybe right for you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My first noted listing is from Fort Lauderdale and as soon as I saw this photo I needed to investigate. This Mediterranean Villa is located in Harbor Beach and has a one hundred feet of waterfront and is the perfect place to keep a yacht or speed boat. The home is over 6000 sq. feet and has a comfortable six bedrooms and five and a half baths. Inside you will find open spaces, clean lines and plenty of room for entertaining.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The home was built in 1980 and includes excellent touches including a spiral oak staircase, Vermont slate floor, a fieldstone fireplace and mahogany touches. The owner of this property also has access to a gated footbridge to a private beach. Learn more about this &lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/properties/view_7881/5/"&gt;Fort Lauderdale luxury home&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This stunning 13,000 sq. feet residence just captured my imagination, the inside of this home is stunning and exudes elegance. This luxury estate is localed in Boca Raton's exclusive &lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/properties/view_7341/1/"&gt;Royal Palm Yacht &amp; Country Club&lt;/a&gt; and all I can so is that the photos do not do it justice, it is far more impressive in person, in fact it is breathtaking.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007341_0000006175.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007341_0000006175.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;This home is truly for those who expect the best and already own it. Classic architecture and craftsmanship went into building this masterpiece and it can be yours for around $16 million.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well not everything I during this real estate search was on the water, this one was in the sky. The Palms Penthouse in Fort Lauderdale is classic and refined with an old worl charm and a view the makes you feel like your discover the world every time you look out on the water.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007366_0000006315.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/images/property_image/0000007366_0000006315.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;This grand penthouse commands the entire 29th floor and occupies over 7,500 sq. feet. There are 4 bedrooms and 3 baths and 24 hour security so you can relax in comfort.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;From your balcony you'll be illuminated as the sun's reflection crosses the ocean and into the waters of the intercoastal waterway. At night you can see the city skyline brighten up and hear the gentle sound of the waves below you. this penthouse was a masterpiece in the making and is a must see for anyone looking for a home that takes your breathe away. And you can have it for for $6,350,000. See more of this &lt;a href="http://www.christiesgreatestates.com/properties/view_7366/"&gt;Fort Launderdale Penthouse&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well that is all I have from Florida's Southeast coast. The Luxury Home Guy.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-114081306151868206?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/114081306151868206/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=114081306151868206' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114081306151868206'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/114081306151868206'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/02/ft-lauderdale-and-miami-real-estate.html' title='Ft. Lauderdale and Miami Real Estate Lives Large'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-113837936319001267</id><published>2006-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-01-27T08:29:23.196-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Sarasota Estate with Miami style</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://photos.michaelsaunders.com/Sarasota/245700-b.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos.michaelsaunders.com/Sarasota/245700-b.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You have a custom home design, large window walls, a dramatic white finish but it not in Miami, it's on the other coast in Sarasota, FL&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This stunning home has a view of Sarasota Bay and Longboat Key. This home is perfect for nightlife and entertaining. The design is ne that truelly imerses you in the outdoors even when you are inside.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With almost 10,000 sq feet of living space you will have plenty of room for everything.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I love the sytle of this &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/cntrl/ResidentialDetail/ListingID/245700/OrgID/sara.aspx"&gt;Sarasota luxury home &lt;/a&gt;as it is one the appears to be timeless. The property offers wonderful features, but does not appear to have a dock nor an outside pool. I would contact the selling agent to view the property in person.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This Luxury home is located at &lt;a href="http://www.michaelsaunders.com/cntrl/ResidentialDetail/ListingID/245700/OrgID/sara.aspx"&gt;8011 Longbay Blvd. in Sarasota, FL &lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-113837936319001267?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/113837936319001267/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=113837936319001267' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/113837936319001267'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/113837936319001267'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/01/sarasota-estate-with-miami-style.html' title='Sarasota Estate with Miami style'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-113837752787395223</id><published>2006-01-27T07:46:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-01-27T07:58:47.880-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Why blog on Luxury Real Estate?</title><content type='html'>Well, Tiger just bought a great property on Jupiter Island and there are many great properties around Florida and the world but not everyone knows about them, so being that I am active in the real estate market I plan to show off great properties I find.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'll start with the area I live in Sarasota, this has been one of the top real estate markets over the past five years and and it is a cultural haven. The rebirth and rediscovery of this area continues to surprise even me.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Get ready for some of Florida's best luxury estates!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-113837752787395223?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/113837752787395223/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=113837752787395223' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/113837752787395223'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/113837752787395223'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/01/why-blog-on-luxury-real-estate.html' title='Why blog on Luxury Real Estate?'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21587945.post-113837674920779304</id><published>2006-01-27T07:29:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2006-01-27T07:45:49.213-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Tiger Woods buy Luxury Home</title><content type='html'>Did you see Tiger's new $38 million dollar home on Jupiter Island! 10 acres on the water in one of America's most prestigious homes.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;While I don't have all the details to comment on the house, it is impressive with a 13,000 sq. foot home plus secondary residences on the property. Tennis court, basketball court,  a private beach, a nice dock for his impressive yacht and so much more. And now he is just a short drvie from Miami - this is a big change from landlocked Orlando.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Any how with this type of sale, it goes to show that the luxury real estate market is alive and well in Florida.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21587945-113837674920779304?l=luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/feeds/113837674920779304/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21587945&amp;postID=113837674920779304' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/113837674920779304'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/21587945/posts/default/113837674920779304'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://luxuryhomeguy.blogspot.com/2006/01/tiger-woods-buy-luxury-home.html' title='Tiger Woods buy Luxury Home'/><author><name>luxuryhomeguy</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06856205939197716004</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
