Boom Town

As someone who's lived here since 1972, I can testify firsthand that Sarasota and Manatee counties are being shaken up and tossed about by building growth of historic proportions. But you-and I-ain't seen nothing yet, national urban planning expert Bob Gibbs tells us.

"This area's growth rate will take off like a rocket in 2007," Gibbs confidently predicted at the Sarasota Downtown Partnership annual retail forum last winter. He predicts we'll see wave after wave of retiring Northern baby boomers on our shores, and says, "You're about to enter a boom to end all booms."

You may very well be that boomer, getting ready to put down roots, at least part of the year, amid the beautiful semitropical surroundings of our vibrant and welcoming community.

If so, I predict it won't be long before you're plunging into the remarkable array of cultural activities our area offers-art fairs and gallery walks, reading festivals and lecture series with the nation's most topical authors, award-winning professional and community theaters, our own symphony orchestra, opera company and ballet troupe, a performing arts hall that fills its stage with international dance and music stars, a renowned marine laboratory and botanical garden, the magnificent John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art-the list goes on and on. (And, by the way, so do the volunteer opportunities-another sure way to quickly make friends and get in the know.)

You face an incredible variety of housing options, too, from the posh new golf course communities that are springing up east of town to the condominium developments that are changing the skylines of downtown Sarasota, Bradenton and Palmetto. From the Manatee riverfront to the beaches, historic Venice, North Port and beyond, the range of building styles, prices and locations has never been wider.

That's why Homebuyer is so useful. Homebuyer is the most comprehensive guide to choosing your new Sarasota or Sarasota" target="_blank">Manatee County home. Within these pages you'll find insider tips on hot neighborhoods, cool architecture and design trends, a roundup of local schools, leisure pursuits, maps and reader-friendly listings of communities, builders and new home products.

Homebuyer is published by SARASOTA Magazine, which the Florida Magazine Association this year named Best Overall Magazine in the state. So you know you're in the capable hands of a creative team that knows our community inside and out.

So grab your copy of Homebuyer and get moving. The boom is about to begin!