Make Manatee County Your Home

With so much to offer, Manatee County enchants newcomers of all ages and lifestyles. From apartment dwellings to beachfront condominiums, or quaint established neighborhoods echoing with the sounds of children at play to country club living and all of its amenities, the choices are almost limitless. Newcomers to Manatee County will especially appreciate the wide variety of communities.

The majority of homes in Manatee County are single-family residences. According to statistics from the multiple listing service, single-family residence sales typically outpace condominiums two to one. Perhaps the reason for this is due to the fact that in addition to the abundance of housing communities available, Manatee County boasts an array of leisure activities, shopping and dining, advanced education institutions, and a flourishing business community.

The neighborhoods of this county offer a wide variety of home styles. Whether your taste is early era or modern, traditional or contemporary, you are certain to be delighted with the vast selection. Some of the more popular features that attract homeowners to Manatee County's casual Florida lifestyle are the cathedral ceilings, large-scale windows, shaded courtyards, screened porches and below ground pools. The majority of new communities have also incorporated recreational and leisure opportunities within the neighborhood. Such opportunities include community swimming pools, tennis courts, walking paths, bike trails, and stocked lakes for a little fishing. Many communities also boast their own golf courses and/or waterway access.

Homeowners who enjoy golf tend to gravitate toward communities such as Heritage Harbor, located just off Interstate 75 and State Road 64. Terra Ceia Bay, in nearby Palmetto, offers its residents the benefits of tennis and golf, as well as a 500-foot fishing pier that affords panoramic waterfront views. One of the county's award-winning developments, Lakewood Ranch, features ranch-style homes in a master-planned environment with Florida-style nature living, waterfront lots, lakes, golf courses, and the new Lakewood Ranch Town Center, which boasts upscale retail, professional and hospitality venues. University Park has enhanced the aesthetic appeal of its luxury golf course located in the southern portion of the county. Country club style homes offer a choice of scenic backdrops with a series of lakes, protected areas, and well-landscaped streets. Other new developments such as Panther Ridge and Rye Wilderness Estates offer homeowners spacious estate-sized homesites and acreage abounding with native Floridian plant life.

Placing emphasis on maintaining the land's environmental beauty during development, Manatee County's ecological efforts are also seen throughout other neighborhoods and encouraged by the Yards & Neighborhoods Program, which is designed to assist homeowners in preserving the environment and revitalizing natural habitats through effective landscape design and plant selection.

CONDO LIFE & MORE!

For those who prefer condo life, Manatee County has two very distinct styles of living from which to choose, the single-story villa style and the multi-unit / multi-story buildings. Condo developments offer the convenience of shared facilities and common areas, making them especially popular with both the county's young professionals and retired residents.

Another option available when shopping for a home is to rent before owning. A variety of rental options are also available in Manatee County. From apartment complexes to villas and mobile home communities, these rental accommodations are especially appealing to the more than 50,000 visitors who flock to the region each winter.