Sarasota and Venice, on the Gulf coast
Find a Sarasota real estate agent, with help in Russian
Homes in Sarasota sold for a median $607,211 in the three months ending September 2026 and took a median 93 days to sell (Redfin). In Venice, 18 miles down the coast, the median was $419,800. To buy or sell here you want a licensed Florida agent who works mainly in Sarasota or Venice, and Zoya Solovyeva can find and check one for you, introduce you once you agree, and stay in touch in English or Russian.
Olympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
At a glance
Sarasota in six facts
Sarasota is a city of about 58,000 on Sarasota Bay, on Florida’s Gulf coast, roughly two and a half hours southwest of Orlando by car. Each figure below names its source and its month.
Facts checked November 8, 2026.
- County
- Sarasota CountyThe whole city lies in Sarasota County, home to 479,958 people on July 1, 2025. Venice is in the same county; Bradenton is in Manatee County.U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 estimates
- Sarasota population
- 58,458City estimate for July 1, 2025. The North Port, Bradenton and Sarasota metro area, which is Sarasota and Manatee counties together, counts 948,158.U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 estimates
- Median sale price, Sarasota
- $607,211Three months ending September 2026, all home types. In Venice the median for the same months was $419,800.Redfin, Sarasota housing market
- Days on market, Sarasota
- 93 daysMedian for the three months ending September 2026, against 78 a year earlier. Homes sold for 94.2% of their list price.Redfin, Sarasota housing market
- Drive from central Sarasota, no traffic
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- Downtown Orlando, 131.1 mi 152 min
- SRQ airport, 5.5 mi 13 min
- Venice, 18.0 mi 31 min
- Bradenton, 13.3 mi 23 min
- City tax rate, Sarasota
- 3.4035 millsThe City of Sarasota’s own levy for tax year 2026: 3.2730 for operations plus 0.1305 for voted debt. County, school and EMS levies are charged on top.Sarasota County Tax Collector, 2026 rates
The area
Sarasota and its two neighbors on the coast
Bradenton lies to the north across the Manatee County line, Venice to the south. I 75 runs a few miles inland, east of Sarasota, while US 41, the Tamiami Trail, follows the bayfront through downtown.
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Sarasota
Sarasota County · 58,458 peopleThe city on Sarasota Bay that gives this page its name. Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is 13 minutes from the center without traffic, and Tampa International Airport (TPA) about 1 hour 14 minutes.
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Venice
Sarasota County · 30,477 peopleA separate city 18 miles south by road, about 31 minutes without traffic, with its own tax rate and a lower median price. More about Venice below.
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Bradenton
Manatee County · 58,014 peopleAbout 13 miles north by road, 23 minutes without traffic. SRQ sits between the two cities, 17 minutes from Bradenton. A Bradenton address follows Manatee County for property tax and schools, not Sarasota County.
Further along the coast, two more areas have their own pages. Downtown Tampa is about 1 hour 13 minutes north (61.1 mi): find an agent in Tampa Bay. Naples is about 2 hours 14 minutes south (116.1 mi): find an agent in Naples.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, estimates for July 1, 2025; drive times by OSRM routing, November 8, 2026, without traffic, to TPA, SRQ from Bradenton, downtown Tampa and Naples; roads and the city boundary from OpenStreetMap.
Prices
What homes sell for in Sarasota and Venice
Sarasota’s median sits well above Venice’s, and in both cities the typical home took about three months to sell. These are citywide medians for every home type.
| Median sale price | $607,211up 32.0% on a year earlier |
|---|---|
| Price per square foot | $513up 40.2% |
| Median days on market | 9378 a year earlier |
| Sale price to list price | 94.2%up 0.6 point |
| Sold above list price | 5.2% |
| Homes sold in September | 295221 a year earlier |
Source: Redfin, Sarasota housing market, read November 8, 2026.
| Median sale price | $419,800up 4.2% on a year earlier |
|---|---|
| Price per square foot | $249down 2.7% |
| Median days on market | 91116 a year earlier |
| Sale price to list price | 95.8%up 1.4 points |
| Sold above list price | 4.7% |
| Homes sold in September | 281239 a year earlier |
Source: Redfin, Venice housing market, read November 8, 2026.
Sarasota’s median rose 32.0% in a year on about 300 sales a month. A jump that size can come from a change in which homes happened to sell, so read it as a snapshot of these three months, not as a trend. Redfin rates both cities “Not Very Competitive” (a Compete Score of 16 in Sarasota and 19 in Venice), and it does not say whether its city figures follow city limits or mailing addresses. For a price on one street, ask the local agent for recent sales nearby.
Venice
Venice, 18 miles south
Venice is its own city in Sarasota County, with 30,477 people on July 1, 2025, its own tax rate and its own price level.
Homes in Venice sold for a median $419,800 in the three months ending September 2026, or $249 per square foot, about half Sarasota’s figure per foot. The typical home took 91 days to sell, down from 116 a year earlier, and 281 homes changed hands in September (Redfin).
The City of Venice levies 4.1901 mills for tax year 2026: 3.8450 for operations and 0.3451 for voted debt. The county’s EMS levy of 0.7300 mills is charged everywhere in the county except Longboat Key, North Port and the City of Venice, so a Venice bill is built a little differently from a Sarasota one. Look up the parcel with the Sarasota County Property Appraiser before you compare.
South Venice and Venice Gardens are separate unincorporated places with similar names, not part of the City of Venice, so check which one an address is in. For flights, Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) in Charlotte County is 48 minutes from Venice without traffic and SRQ is 42 minutes.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Redfin, Venice; Sarasota County Tax Collector, 2026 rates, certified September 29, 2026; OSRM routing, November 8, 2026, to PGD and SRQ; flypgd.com.
Before you buy
Five checks before you buy around Sarasota
Every one of these turns on the exact address, and several differ between Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton, so settle them before you make an offer.
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Flood zone and insurance for that address
Enter the address in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, and use FloodSmart to learn how flood cover works. Get quotes from more than one insurer while you are still deciding; Citizens Property Insurance is often among them.
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Inspection reports for a condo building
Under Fla. Stat. 553.899, a condo building three habitable stories or taller needs a milestone inspection by the end of the year it turns 30, then every 10 years, and a local building office may call for it at 25 years near salt water. Each such building also needs a structural integrity reserve study at least every 10 years (Fla. Stat. 718.112). Ask the association for the latest copy of both.
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The tax rate where the home sits
For tax year 2026 the City of Sarasota levies 3.4035 mills and the City of Venice 4.1901, with county and school levies on top, and special districts can add more (Sarasota County Tax Collector). Check the parcel with the Sarasota County Property Appraiser, or the Manatee County Property Appraiser for Bradenton. If the home will be your permanent residence, Florida’s homestead exemption can lower its taxable value: apply by March 1 (Fla. Stat. 196.011).
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Vacation rental plans
The City of Sarasota requires a certificate of registration for a vacation rental in a one to four family home in its residential zones, a rule Ordinance 24-5506 widened citywide in 2024, with violations counted from January 1, 2025 (Your Observer; City of Sarasota). A vacation rental also needs a state license from the Florida DBPR (Fla. Stat. 509.241). Venice and the unincorporated county set their own rules, so check the exact address and zoning with the city and the county before you buy for rental income.
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The school district for the address
Sarasota and Venice addresses are served by Sarasota County Schools, Bradenton addresses by the School District of Manatee County. The assigned school depends on the exact address, so ask the district.
What every Florida purchase has in common is in How to buy a home in Florida, and the money due at the closing table is broken down in buyer closing costs.
How it works
How the introduction works
A licensed agent who works in the Sarasota area handles the purchase or sale. Zoya’s part is finding that person with you and staying close while the work gets done.
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Tell me your plans.
Call, WhatsApp or fill in the form, in English or Russian. Say whether you are looking at Sarasota, Venice or Bradenton, a house or a condo, and when you want to move or sell.
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I look for the agent.
I confirm the license with the State of Florida, look at the agent’s recent sales in the city you chose and at client reviews, and talk with the agent myself before I suggest anyone. If you would rather work in Russian, I look for an agent who speaks it and tell you before the introduction if there is none.
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You decide.
You get the agent’s name and brokerage first. Your details reach that agent only after you say yes, and you can ask me for a different one.
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I stay in touch.
Showings, offers and the closing are the local agent’s job. I keep checking in and answer general questions in English or Russian along the way.
Who does what
Zoya and the Sarasota area agent
| Zoya | Sarasota area agent |
|---|---|
| Hears your plans in English or Russian | Shows homes in Sarasota, Venice or Bradenton, or lists yours |
| Checks the license and finds a fitting agent | Prices the home and negotiates for you |
| Introduces you only after you agree | Writes the contract and sees it through closing |
| Keeps in touch until you are done | Works for you under a written agreement you sign |
Sarasota or Orlando
Thinking about the Orlando side as well?
Downtown Orlando is about 2 hours 32 minutes from Sarasota without traffic, and Orlando International Airport (MCO) about 2 hours 36 minutes.
For the same three months ending September 2026, Redfin put the median sale price in Orlando at $405,033, with a median 61 days on the market. Orlando and its suburbs are Central Florida, where Zoya works with buyers and sellers herself, so if that side of the state suits your plans, she can help you there directly.
Browse every place she covers in Central Florida areas.
Sources: Redfin, Orlando housing market; OSRM routing, November 8, 2026, to downtown Orlando and MCO.
Questions
Buying and selling around Sarasota: questions and answers
How much does a home cost in Sarasota?
Redfin put the median sale price in Sarasota at $607,211 for the three months ending September 2026, all home types, or $513 per square foot. That median was 32.0% higher than a year before, a jump that may partly reflect which homes sold, so ask the local agent for recent sales on the streets you like.
Is Venice cheaper than Sarasota?
On Redfin’s figures for the three months ending September 2026, yes: the median sale price was $419,800 in Venice against $607,211 in Sarasota, and $249 per square foot against $513. Both are citywide medians, and prices vary a great deal from one street and home type to the next.
How long does it take to sell a home in Sarasota?
The median Sarasota home took 93 days to sell in the three months ending September 2026, against 78 a year earlier, and sold for 94.2% of its list price; 5.2% went above list (Redfin). In Venice the median was 91 days at 95.8% of list. Plan for about three months and price with the local agent’s list of recent sales.
What are property taxes like in Sarasota?
The bill depends on the taxable value, your exemptions and every levy at the address. The City of Sarasota’s own rate for tax year 2026 is 3.4035 mills, about $3.40 for each $1,000 of taxable value, and county, school and EMS levies are added to it. The Sarasota County Property Appraiser shows each parcel. If the home will be your permanent residence, apply for the homestead exemption by March 1.
Can I rent out a Sarasota home to visitors?
Only after you check the rules for that address. The City of Sarasota requires a certificate of registration for vacation rentals in its residential zones, and the state requires a DBPR license. Venice and the unincorporated county have their own rules, so confirm the zoning with the city and the county before you buy for rental income.
Are you a Sarasota agent, and what does the introduction cost?
No. I am licensed in Florida and work in Central Florida with Olympus Executive Realty; around Sarasota, a licensed local agent handles your purchase or sale. There is no separate charge to you: if that agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee, it pays my brokerage out of its own commission. You agree the terms of service with the local agent, in writing.
Talk to Zoya
Buying or selling around Sarasota?
Write a few lines about the home you want or the one you are selling. Zoya answers in English or Russian, and nothing goes to an agent until you approve that agent by name.
- Call(609) 408-7086Olympus Executive Realty
- TextSend a textOlympus Executive Realty · (609) 408-7086
- WhatsAppMessage ZoyaOlympus Executive Realty
- Emailrealtor@zoyasells.comOlympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive, Montverde, FL 34756
About this page.
Zoya Solovyeva is a Florida licensed real estate sales associate with Olympus Executive Realty, 16903 Lakeside Drive[CONFIRM: , Suite 6], Montverde, FL 34756. She works with clients in Orlando and Central Florida. She has no office in the Sarasota area and does not show homes or write offers there herself. For the Sarasota area, she refers you to a licensed Florida agent who works mainly in that area, and she shares your details with that agent only after you agree. If she cannot find a suitable agent, she tells you and shares your details with no one. The partner agent works for a different brokerage, which supervises that agent’s work. If the partner agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee, it is paid to Olympus Executive Realty out of that brokerage’s commission, and Zoya may receive a share from Olympus Executive Realty. It is not a separate charge to you.
Keep exploring
Along the coast, guides and Central Florida
Florida
Buying in Florida
Central Florida
Facts checked November 8, 2026. Each figure links its source: the U.S. Census Bureau, Redfin, OSRM routing, OpenStreetMap, the Sarasota County Tax Collector, the City of Sarasota and Your Observer, the Florida Statutes, FEMA and the two school districts.