The full guide
If you are moving to Sarasota from a larger home, from another state, or while you still have a house to sell, the first thing I do is put your dates on one page: when you can leave, when you must be out, and what has to close first. The right town and the right home follow from that. I work in Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, and Wellen Park, and these are the questions I hear most from people planning a move.
Since 2015 I have closed 168 sales in Sarasota and Manatee counties, 78 of them as the listing agent (through September 2026). This page answers the questions about downsizing, selling and buying at the same time, and doing it from a distance. For the wider picture, see my relocation guide and my planning guide for downsizing and retirement.
Who can help me move from a large home to a condo in Sarasota?
Start with what you want to stop doing, not with the property type. Lawn, pool, stairs, and spare rooms are different problems, and a condo, a villa, and a smaller single-family home solve them in different ways.
Near the water, Siesta Key and downtown Sarasota have the most condo choice. If you want to keep a garage and a little outdoor space, look at villa neighborhoods in Lakewood Ranch, where several communities handle exterior upkeep through the association. Which items the association covers differs from one community to the next, so I read the documents before you fall in love with a floor plan.
For a condo, I ask for the budget, reserve information, any planned projects or special assessments, the insurance arrangement for the building, and the rules on pets, guests, and rentals. Then I walk the route from the parking space to the front door with you. A condo that works on paper can still fail on the third trip with groceries.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who maintains the roof, exterior, and landscaping | Decides how much work you are really giving up |
| Reserves, planned projects, and assessments | Shows what the monthly fee may not cover yet |
| Parking, storage, elevator, and guest rules | Shapes daily life more than square footage |
| Pet, rental, and occupancy limits | Matters if you travel or may rent the home later |
Which agents can coordinate selling one home and buying another at the same time?
I do, and the plan starts before we look at a single listing. There are three common ways to sequence a simultaneous move: sell first, buy first, or buy with terms that account for your sale. Each puts the risk somewhere different.
Selling first removes the pressure of owning two homes, but you may need a place to stay between closings. Buying first gives you time, if your finances support it. Making an offer that depends on your sale can work, but the seller of the next home has to agree to it, and in a busy price range that is a harder ask. A lender should walk you through the financing side of each option.
If your current home is in Sarasota or Manatee County, I can list it and find the next one, and I can line up the closing dates so they sit as close together as the contracts allow. If your home is somewhere else, I work with a local agent there and keep one shared calendar so nobody relies on an old date. My advice: ask for a backup plan for housing and storage before you sign anything. A flexible moving reservation is worth more than a perfect closing day.
Can I buy a Sarasota home using only video calls?
Yes, and many buyers do most of the search that way. FaceTime and Zoom work well for tours, for the inspection walk-through, for reviewing documents, and for the final check before closing. Florida contracts and closing documents can generally be signed electronically, and a closing can often be handled by mail or with a mobile notary. Your title company confirms what it needs from you.
What video does not replace is the surroundings. Before you commit, I send street-level video of the approach, the neighbors, the nearest main road, and the view from each window, and I will ask you to visit at least once before closing if you can. Even a short trip lets you test the drive to the places you will use every week.
What should a relocation buyer look at first?
Sort the search by how you want to live. For golf and club life, I start with The Founders Club, where I have closed 35 sales, the most of any community. For newer homes with resort-style amenities, I look at Lakewood Ranch and Wellen Park. For a walkable town feel, I send you to downtown Sarasota and Siesta Key. My comparison of Lakewood Ranch and Wellen Park shows how those two differ.
Two things catch out-of-state buyers more than any others: flood zone and insurance. Ask your insurance agent for a quote on any specific address before you make an offer, and ask me for the flood zone and the elevation. Prices on the same street can hide very different insurance bills.
What do I do if a family member, an estate, or a divorce is behind the move?
Tell me at the start who has the authority to decide and sign. Your attorney or title company confirms the paperwork; I plan the sale or search around that. When relatives are helping, I want to hear the future resident’s own priorities directly, such as step-free entry, a quiet room for work, or a short drive to a specific address.
The market gives you some breathing room. In August the median Sarasota County home took 47 days to go under contract, per my September 2026 market report. That is time to plan a move properly, but it is not a reason to wait on the decisions that control your dates.
Your next step
Send me your earliest and latest moving dates, whether a home needs to sell first, and the tasks you want your next home to remove. I will come back with a plan and a short list of communities to compare. You can also contact me here or read about my background first.
Get new listings first
Tell me the area and price range you are watching and I will send you new and coming-soon homes the day they appear.
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Janelle Mertins is a licensed real estate agent with Compass.
