Rotonda West, FL Is a quiet, deed-restricted community with seven sub-neighborhoods. The master-planned community is spread over twelve square miles, and there is something unique about Rotonda West; it is the only city in Florida with the distinct and unusual shape of a wagon wheel.
Rotonda West consists of Seven Neighborhoods.
There are seven sub-communities, golf courses, lakes, and canals between those spokes. The southwest area of the “wheel “is a big nature preserve inhabited by alligators, bald eagles, and a wide variety of other “Florida Natives” like mosquitos, beetles, and crawling creatures. Simply “Floridians.”
The homes are nestled between the spokes (the streets) and face golf courses, canals, or beautiful lakes. Some look into nature preserves, and only a few back up to the neighbor’s yard.
Oakland Hills, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Broadmoor, Long Meadow, Long Marsh, and Pine Valley are the names of the neighborhoods. Outside the wheel are four more communities, Rotonda Lakes, Rotonda Sands, Rotonda Heights, and Rotonda Meadows and Villas.
Each neighborhood has its distinct character. Some communities have smaller, older homes; others have newer homes with 2,500 square feet. Some have a lot of Florida vegetation, others are more “naked.” They have only one thing in common: None of the “pizza slices” is an entirely “new community.” It is always a mixture of older and new.
The sales process took decades, and in the beginning, the new buildings were scattered all over the place. The space between houses was often more than 200 – 300 yards; however, that changed relatively quickly. Later, more homes were filling the gaps in between. During that process, the first homes were already aging. Today, there is a mixture of 10, 20, or 30-year-old homes next to brand new ones or still vacant lots.
Rotonda West, FL Real Estate and Homes for Sale
Are you convinced to buy a home in Rotonda West? Location, location, location – the old real estate rule still applies. Just south of Englewood and only minutes away from the pristine beaches of Englewood and Boca Grande, golfing, and shopping, the home buyer has many choices in Rotonda West. Single-family homes and Pool Homes dominate the market; however, condos and townhouses are also available.
Properties are slightly different in the seven Rotonda West Communities. Single-family homes are usually smaller and older in Oakland Hills; however, expect larger, newer Estate Homes or even brand new homes in Rotonda Meadows and Long Marsh. Homesites are up to 1/3 acre in the Meadows and Long Marsh. Sometimes you are lucky when you can buy the lots on either side of your property, too. A one-acre lot gives you a lot of elbow room.
Rotonda West Florida New Construction
Plenty of vacant lots are available in Rotonda West; many come with a decent price tag. Some reputable home builders will build your home according to your specifications, Greenbelt views, golf course views, pond/lake views, or canal and waterway views – the choice is yours. You buy the lot and have the builder do the rest, or you can buy the whole package, lot and home from the builder and move in. Ask us about local and reputable builders that have been around for some time.
All that Glitters is not Gold.
In January 1970, a surveyor ramped a stake in the ground of the center wheel-shaped Rotonda West Community. A new and unique community was born. The builder finished the first seven model homes one year later. The fully furnished pool homes were priced from $22,000 to $36,000, excluding the lot.
The standard lot size is about 80×120 and 9600 square feet, overlooking canals and lakes, golf courses, landscaped green belts, and nature preserves. Lots on the main arteries of the Rotonda Blvd East, West, and North are deeper and have 16,000 sq. ft.
The canals, quite a few of which can be used by small boats, were never designed to hook up to the Intracoastal waterway or Charlotte Harbor. However, residents didn’t mind because it was not intended to be a boater community. Therefore, if you are looking for a saltwater canal home, Rotonda West is not the right place.
Although, in 1971, the first resident moved to Rotonda, sales were sluggish. It took quite a while until the sales momentum accelerated. Due to questionable sales practices at the beginning and other issues the community was not responsible for, Rotonda went through several boom and bust cycles. Property owners from those crazy times still desperately try to sell their lots without a loss. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not.
Rotonda History Boom and Bust
During those boom and bust times, everybody was under the impression that he was sitting on a gold mine when he owned lots in Rotonda, not realizing that the sheer number of lots was depressing the real estate market. The same happened in areas like Cape Coral as well. The rule is as simple as it gets: when there are many more properties than buyers, prices drop until you reach some equilibrium. That is the point when the prices start rising. Everybody thought Rotonda would be sold out in a few years, but fifty years later, there are still lots for sale in the circular city. In 2020 and on, lot sales have been brisk, with prices rising. However, there are still a few remaining pieces of land for sale.
Fortunately, the calm after the storm has straightened everything out, and the real estate market in Rotonda is now as good or bad as it is everywhere else in Florida. However, remember that this is the only circular city in Florida.
Lord of the Rings
The outer ring is enormous; this round city is about 4 miles in diameter, and when driving on that street, you barely notice that you are in a circle. That pure size makes the structure visible from the sky and instantly noticeable on maps. Therefore, you cannot miss that distinct circular shape because there is no other round city in Florida like Rotonda West.
The most prominent ring consists of a canal framed by two streets. The wheel’s spokes lead to the smallest circle in the center. Even that ring in the center is still one mile wide. In the middle of that circular street is a park where the residents can enjoy the outdoors. Restrooms, pavilions, grills, and other amenities make the stay comfortable and worthwhile.
A mile south of Englewood is the border between Englewood East and Rotonda West. Although it is not a border, it is more like a transition into another architectural world. You will only notice that everything is square or rectangular again.
How many residents live in Rotonda West?
The Rotonda West community has about 9,000+ homesites, approximately 8000 completed homes, and 17,000 residents. The circular city is experiencing tremendous growth; beautiful new homes pop up everywhere.
Most are predominantly full-time residents, but snowbirds own a good number of homes and also enjoy the mild winter months in Rotonda. People from overseas like it in Rotonda, too. Notably, residents from Canada, England, and Germany reside in that circular city. However, residents come from all 50 states and 33 countries overseas. Homes for sale in Rotonda West.
Unique Features of Rotonda West
We should point out one unique feature of Rotonda West. First of all, the circular city is a deed-restricted community. No resident can keep his boat, RV, or trailer on his property. Of course, he can load, unload, or keep it overnight on the property. But that is pretty much it. What are his choices? He can store the boat in a marina and his RV in a storage facility. However, in the center of the wheel is an oversized lot that belongs to the homeowner association. Each Rotonda resident can store his toy on that lot. Space is limited, though, but it is always worth a try.
In the middle of the wheel is also a nice Community Park where the residents can hang out with their families. BBQ grills, picnic tables, picnic shelters, gazebos, tennis courts, pickleball courts, bike trails, nature trails, and restrooms are provided. This is the place to be if you want to invite your friends to a nice party. You can rent the gazebo for a few $$ and stay out of the hot Florida sun.
“My swing is so bad I look like a caveman killing his lunch. ” ~Lee Trevino
Golf fanatics will get their money’s worth in Rotonda. There are five golf courses in Rotonda West with combined 99 holes, and there are also other 44 golf courses within 20 miles of Rotonda, including public, municipal, and private courses.
The oldest one in the Rotonda West area is the Lake Venice Golf Club, which opened in 1957. The longest golf course is the Sarasota National Golf Club, which is 7,344 yards long. Coral Creek Club is rated the best course near Rotonda West.
Bay Breeze International Realty, we are Rotonda specialists. We live and work here. Call us or email us if you need more information about Rotonda West.
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