Longboat Key

In this concept, Longboat is the island for people who want water on both sides and very little noise on either. Gulf beaches west, protected bay and dockage east, and eleven miles of road that never quite hurries.

The concept version of Longboat Key we present to clients is defined less by square footage than by orientation. A bayfront parcel with a working dock is a fundamentally different life from a Gulf-front parcel with a boardwalk over the dune, and the two rarely appeal to the same buyer. We ask which side of the island a client dreams on before we ask about budget.

Housing stock in our fictional profile ranges from mid-century one-storey houses set low behind sea grape to newer contemporary homes designed around a single long view. Club membership, private beach access and dock depth are the three variables that most often decide a decision here.

Pace is the argument for Longboat. Groceries are a short drive, downtown is a bridge away, and the island empties considerably after Easter. Buyers who want a restaurant scene at walking distance are usually happier downtown; buyers who want to hear the Gulf at night are not.