The Islands and the Coast
Bradenton Beach
Manatee County, Florida
Photo Gregory Urbano, via Wikimedia Commons · Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
Bradenton Beach occupies the southern end of Anna Maria Island, from Cortez Road down to Longboat Pass. It is the most condominium heavy of the three island cities and historically the most rental oriented.
Bridge Street is the small commercial core, and the Historic Bridge Street Pier runs out into the bay behind it. Inventory here skews toward smaller units and cottages rather than large single family homes.
- To the Beach
- On the island
- What Was Built Here
- Cottages, condominiums, resort style units, duplexes
The Details
What defines Bradenton Beach.
- The highest concentration of condominium inventory on the island
- Bridge Street and the Historic Bridge Street Pier
- Coquina Beach at the south end, with the pass beyond it
- A shorter drive to Longboat Key and north Sarasota
- Rental oriented ownership across much of the housing stock
Questions
What people ask me about Bradenton Beach.
What should I look at before buying a condominium here?
The association documents, in detail. Florida now requires milestone structural inspections and reserve funding based on a structural integrity reserve study for buildings three stories and taller, and the effect on some island associations has been higher dues or special assessments. I want the budget, the reserve study, the milestone inspection, and recent minutes before we go under contract.
Is this a better rental market than the rest of the island?
It has historically had more rental inventory and more units zoned for shorter stays, but the rules are set by the city and by zoning district rather than by reputation. Any income assumption should be checked against that specific parcel and its rental history rather than against what is typical for the area.
How far is it to the mainland?
Cortez Road and the Cortez Bridge connect Bradenton Beach directly to the mainland at Cortez, which puts west Bradenton about ten to fifteen minutes away outside of peak season traffic. Longboat Pass Bridge at the south end leads down Longboat Key toward Sarasota.
Nearby