Sarasota, Florida: homes for sale with Janelle Mertins
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Sarasota · Waterfront

Harbor Acres in Sarasota

This bayfront neighborhood of custom single-family homes on Sarasota Bay, just south of downtown, was first sold in 1951 and offers deep-water lots on Harbor Drive and Hillview Drive.

At a glance

Harbor Acres at a glance

This bayfront neighborhood of custom single-family homes on Sarasota Bay, just south of downtown, was first sold in 1951 and offers deep-water lots on Harbor Drive and Hillview Drive.

Median asking price
$5.50M
Lifestyle
Waterfront

The area

Living in Harbor Acres

Overview of Harbor Acres

About Harbor Acres

Harbor Acres is a bayfront neighborhood of single-family homes on Sarasota Bay, just south of Downtown Sarasota off Orange Avenue. It was dredged and seawalled after World War II, and its first lots went on sale in 1951.

There are 171 lots, from about a third of an acre to a full acre, and more than half of the original lots were on the water. Waterfront homes line Harbor Drive and Hillview Drive, while garden homes sit on the interior streets. A few original 1950s ranches remain beside updated homes and new custom estates, mostly in Spanish and Mediterranean styles with a few modern designs.

Homes sold for about $1,870,000 to $17,000,000 in the last two years, with the highest prices on the bayfront. Downtown Sarasota is about five minutes away.

What to know before you buy in Harbor Acres

  • I will confirm the HOA and any CDD fees, what they cover, and whether a transfer fee applies at closing.
  • I will check the flood zone and elevation of the home, and we will get a flood insurance quote before your inspection period ends.
  • If you may want to rent the home out, I will review the rental and lease rules with you.
  • We will look at drive times to work, to SRQ, and to the beaches at the hours you would actually travel.

Buying in Harbor Acres? I would be happy to walk you through everything before you make an offer. Email me or call me at (813) 394-3313.

Harbor Acres FAQ

Where is Harbor Acres?

Harbor Acres sits on Sarasota Bay just south of Downtown Sarasota, off Orange Avenue in ZIP 34239. Downtown is about five minutes away, and Sarasota Memorial Hospital is about five minutes in the other direction.

What kinds of homes are in Harbor Acres?

Harbor Acres is all single-family homes. A few original 1950s Florida ranches remain, many homes have been updated and enlarged, and new custom homes have replaced older ones, especially on the waterfront. Homes not on the water are often called garden homes.

When was Harbor Acres developed?

The land was dredged and seawalled after World War II, and the first lots went on sale in 1951. Most of the first homes were low, long Florida ranches, and many have since been enlarged or replaced.

Can I keep a boat in Harbor Acres?

Boating is a big part of life here. The waterfront lots on Harbor Drive and Hillview Drive are deep-water lots on Sarasota Bay, and many of these homes have private docks with access to the bay and the Intracoastal Waterway. Before you write an offer, I will help you check the dock, water depth and seawall on the specific home.

Do you have a question about Harbor Acres that is not answered here? I would be glad to help. Email me or call me at (813) 394-3313.

Climate

Weather, month by month

Average high and low in °F, and rain in inches, for each month.

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ)

  1. Janhigh 72.5°low 52.3°2.8 in
  2. Febhigh 74.9°low 54.6°1.9 in
  3. Marhigh 78.2°low 58.1°2.9 in
  4. Aprhigh 82.5°low 62.7°2.5 in
  5. Mayhigh 87.5°low 68.2°2.6 in
  6. Junhigh 90.0°low 73.6°7.1 in
  7. Julhigh 91.1°low 75.2°7.4 in
  8. Aughigh 91.5°low 75.3°9.1 in
  9. Sephigh 90.2°low 74.1°6.0 in
  10. Octhigh 86.3°low 68.3°2.8 in
  11. Novhigh 80.0°low 60.1°1.8 in
  12. Dechigh 75.2°low 55.2°2.3 in

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (NOAA National Hurricane Center, https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/); June through September is the rainy season, with most afternoons bringing a short thunderstorm.

NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ). Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals), as reproduced in the Sarasota, Florida climate table (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarasota,_Florida); read 2026-10-04.

Nearby

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All of Sarasota

Updated October 13, 2026

Market now, as of October 13, 2026

Homes for sale
9
Median asking price
$5.50M

Every quarter

Prices in Harbor Acres

These are the homes sold in Harbor Acres from July to September 2026, by closing date.

Homes sold
5
Median sale price
$4.58M
Median price per sq ft
$1,153
Lowest to highest sale
$1.33M to $17M
SalesJuly to September 2026July to September 2025
Homes sold54
Median sale price$4,578,125$2,843,750
Median price per sq ft$1,153$602

The median price per square foot was up 91.5% from July to September 2025.

On October 13, 2026, 9 homes were for sale in Harbor Acres, at a median list price of $5.50M and a median $1,164 a square foot.

These figures are closed sales of homes (no land) in Stellar MLS, in the places this page's home search covers. Medians and the lowest and highest sales require at least 3 homes.

I update these figures every quarter from MLS sales. This is the July to September 2026 quarter, and the next update is in January 2027.

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New listings

Get new Harbor Acres listings first

New Harbor Acres listings often sell within days. Tell me what you are looking for, and I will send you new and coming-soon homes as soon as they come on the market, often before they reach the major portals. If you would rather talk, call or text me at (813) 394-3313.

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Reviews

What clients say

Read all 39 reviews

5.0 from 41 reviews on Google, Zillow, Realtor.com, RateMyAgent, and HomeLight

  • Janelle is fantastic. We recently were able to sell our home in one week at 1% over asking price. I believe that the professional photos and staging coupled with Janelle helping us price competitively led to this success. We closed in one month and are so very grateful for Janelle and her help with the sale of our property.

    Bob Conner Google, October 7, 2026

    Sold a home

  • I highly recommend Janelle Mertins She is extremely knowledgeable, honest, and incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. She is also very responsive and even made herself available after hours when needed. After working with several agents in the Sarasota area, Janelle truly stood out. Her professionalism and dedication made all the difference.

    Pools by Jeff Google, April 7, 2026

  • Janelle did a great job selling our house. We have worked with 4 realtors over the past 19 years in FL, and she was by far the best. She is very knowledgeable about the real estate market, and was great at communicating with us throughout the sales process. Her responses to our emails and texts were very detailed and timely. She was also very proactive with recommendations on how to get our house ready for sale, and she went above and beyond to make sure our house was sparkling clean and staged appropriately to make sure our house stood out compared to others. The video she created for our...

    Seller RateMyAgent, July 20, 2025

    Sold a home in Bradenton

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