I'll be relocating this summer around Sarasota area. I just came back and looked at several communities...Lakewood Ranch, et al

My questions is a friend of a friends has someone who has an investment villa in The Plantion Golf Club Community who will rent his villa at a discount price.

I never considered looking to live in Venice but came across a lot of nice gated communities, would this be a nice area to consider for a single woman in mid-50's but active and still wants to work. Not ready for retirment just yet.

Any advice?

I don't know Naples well but I'd never thought of it as a retirement community. It's a little beach town with kind of a tacky beach area, meaning old Florida 50's, 60's, not upscale. There seems to be a nice sense of community there. So yes, I'd say you'd probably like it.

Well Venice is on the south side of sarasota so you'd probably commute back and forth a lot. Perhaps you can get a shorter lease rather than 1 year.

But sometimes you have to weigh "Is the discount enough to make me move to where I really don't want to live?"

Whichever way you choose "Good Luck" I'll be thinking about you when I head back to sarasota.

The Plantation is beautiful--I used to run their annual pro-am golf tournament. As mentioned it is in the very southern part of Sarasota county and a bit of a drive to get to Venice proper and even more so to Sarasota. It is also a much older community than I think you would be happy with. It's absolutely a retirement venue.

To all who responded. I can't thank you all enough for responding. It really helps me out.

I'm having someone come out today who is very interested in my townhouse here in northern Virginia and I may be leaving here sooner than I thought.

I know I sound confused but the "Gulf" coast is my choice. It's just the area. My realtor also has suggested the Tampa/Clearwater area and sent me a listing of a house in Safety Harbor.
It depends on where I find a job will determine where I buy. Again my two area choices are Sarasota or Clearwater areas and their surrounding town.

Tandoori Girl: What do you know of Safety Harbor