The Islands and the Coast
Longboat Key
Manatee and Sarasota Counties, Florida
Photo Guspederson, via Wikimedia Commons · Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 4.0
Longboat Key runs south from Longboat Pass for about eleven miles, and the town straddles the Manatee and Sarasota county line. The northern portion sits in Manatee County and the southern portion in Sarasota County, which affects taxes, services, and which set of county records applies.
The island is more built out than Anna Maria and skews toward Gulf front condominiums and larger bayfront properties, with several club communities behind gates.
- To the Beach
- On the island
- What Was Built Here
- Gulf front condominiums, bayfront estates, club communities
The Details
What defines Longboat Key.
- A town split across two counties, with different tax treatment on each side
- Gulf front condominium buildings along Gulf of Mexico Drive
- Deep water bayfront property with dockage on the eastern shore
- A short drive south to St Armands Circle and downtown Sarasota
- Strict town rules on rental minimums across most zoning districts
Questions
What people ask me about Longboat Key.
Does the county line actually matter?
Yes. Property tax rates, county services, permitting, and public records all follow the county the parcel sits in rather than the town. Two comparable units a mile apart can carry noticeably different tax bills for that reason alone. It is one of the first things I check on any Longboat Key property.
Can properties here be rented short term?
In most of the town, no. Longboat Key has long enforced minimum rental periods across the majority of its zoning districts, with limited exceptions in specific tourism zoned areas. If income is part of your plan, the rental minimum for that exact parcel needs to be confirmed before you write an offer.
What is the condominium situation here?
Longboat Key has a large number of older mid rise and high rise buildings, which places many of them squarely inside Florida milestone inspection and reserve study requirements. Some associations have funded well ahead of the deadlines and some have not. That difference shows up directly in dues, assessments, and resale value.
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