Sarasota County, Florida was once part of Hillsborough County until the early part of 1912; it then became a part of Manatee County. It was not until 1921 that the county became its own entity; Sarasota County, naming the city of Sarasota the county seat. The name comes with many conflicting stories: some claim that the names roots come from the Spanish term "e;sarao sota"e; which means "e;a place of dancing"e;, while others claim that the origin of the name comes from the Calusa Indian language meaning "e;point of rocks"e;. In the early 1800's, during the Seminole Indian Wars, settlers came to the Sarasota county area and most left just as quickly, due to the many Native American Indian attacks. It was not until 1884 that the area began to take shape. During this time Sarasota began being advertised and promoted in Scotland by the Florida Mortgage and Investment Company. With the many promises of "e;fresh air"e;, "e;plentiful crops"e; and "e;fertile land"e;, many Scottish families came across sea to Sarasota to find it barely inhabited. Many families left the area as quickly as they came; however, 60 families did stay and began setting up a colony. John Hamilton Gillespie was one of the Scottish families that chose to stay and make the best of the beauty of Sarasota County. Gillespie was responsible for the construction of the first golf course in the country, the DeSoto Hotel and was elected the city of Sarasota?s first Mayor in the year of 1902. While Gillespie was getting sworn in, a woman by the name of Bertha Honore Palmer lost her husband, Potter, in Chicago. Potter left his entire estate of 8 million dollars to his wife and while Bertha was reading the newspaper on morning, she came across an ad for property located in Sarasota, Florida. Palmer quickly became on of Sarasota's winter residents, and soon thereafter, a full time resident. After purchasing 80,000 acres in the area of Sarasota, Bertha began cattle ranching and farming. There was a point in time that Mrs. Palmer owned approximately 1/3 of Sarasota County.

Today Sarasota County as been made home to cities like Sarasota, North Port, Venice, Longboat Key, Bee Ridge, Englewood, Kensington Park, Osprey, Plantation and Siesta Key. As Sarasota County is located on the Sarasota Bay, the outdoor recreational activities are endless. Choosing to spend your afternoon fishing, paddling, snorkeling, diving, boating or jet-skiing promises to be a day that is remembered. If staying on land is more your style, come visit one of our many golf courses in the county. Bobcat Trail Golf & Country Club in North Port provides 18 holes of prime golfing, as well as The Village Green Golf Club of Sarasota located within the City of Sarasota. The two courses are only a small taste of the challenging golf courses that inhabit this area. Sarasota County is a Mecca of culture and entertainment. With festivals for every holiday, season and event, this area has a celebration for every occasion, not to mention the hosts of schools, museums, state parks and theaters. You could never possible be bored in Sarasota County.

The real estate opportunities are never ending in Sarasota County. Whether you are looking for a place to retire, raise a family or just to enjoy the ?big city? life, Sarasota County is like being on vacation every day of the year! From the small community of Bee Ridge, Florida to the active city life of the city of Sarasota, Sarasota County has something for everyone! Single family homes in the cozy community of North Port, Florida with the fast pace city night life of Sarasota only a few minutes away. Waterfront homes throughot the communities of Osprey and Englewood. Opportunities to build your dream home on one of the many land lots. Relocating to Sarasota County promises to provide many years of making memories and enjoying life. Rich in history, nature, education and some of the friendliest people around, Sarasota County offers a life of learning, living and laughing.