Neighborhood · Sarasota, Florida
Bay Island
Waterfront living between Sarasota Bay and Lido
18
Homes for sale
$3,472,500
Median list price
$1,189
Avg price / sqft
101
Median days on market
Bay Island sits on the bridge road between downtown Sarasota and the beaches of Lido Key, a small pocket of waterfront and pool homes on and around Sarasota Bay. It's a quiet, tightly held enclave where a short drive puts you at the sand, the shops of St. Armands, or the galleries and dining near the Rosemary District. Most homes here are sizable — a median of 3,889 square feet — and nearly all come with a pool.
The market reality is that this is one of Sarasota's premium addresses. With 18 active listings and a median list price of $3,472,500, buyers are shopping at a level that rewards patience: homes take a median of 101 days to sell, and sellers are netting about 93% of asking. If your search extends up the coast, the nearby Indian Beach / Sapphire Shores neighborhood offers a related waterfront character.
Bay Island is a community in Sarasota, Florida.
Quick facts
$750,000 – $13M price range
3,889 sqft median home
$10/mo median HOA
$17,000/mo median rent
25 sold in 12 months
Drive times
On the market now
Homes for sale in Bay Island
View all 18 →
$12,500,000
546 FREELING DRIVE, SARASOTA
5 bd · 6 ba · 4,353 sqft
$4,490,000
604 NORSOTA WAY, SARASOTA
5 bd · 5.5 ba · 4,536 sqft
$3,950,000
847 FREELING DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 4.5 ba · 4,034 sqft
$949,900
617 SIESTA DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 4 ba · 2,709 sqft
$10,500,000
3441 GULFMEAD DRIVE, SARASOTA
6 bd · 6.5 ba · 4,769 sqft
$1,549,000$1,600,000
3360 HIGEL AVENUE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 3 ba · 2,006 sqft
$750,000
749 SIESTA DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 2 ba · 1,978 sqft
$2,200,000$2,250,000
3508 LA PALOMA AVENUE, SARASOTA
5 bd · 3 ba · 3,195 sqft
$12,900,000
3750 BAYOU LOUISE LANE, SARASOTA
5 bd · 6.5 ba · 5,273 sqft
$1,800,000
3515 LA PALOMA AVENUE, SARASOTA
5 bd · 3 ba · 2,233 sqft
$12,900,000$13,950,000
3440 GULFMEAD DRIVE, SARASOTA
5 bd · 5 ba · 6,596 sqft
$5,825,000
527 FREELING DRIVE, SARASOTA
4 bd · 4.5 ba · 4,310 sqft
Every active listing inside the Bay Island boundary
Open full map search →Find your fit
Browse Bay Island
By feature — on the live map
Where the market lives
The numbers that matter
The Bay Island market
25
Sold, last 12 months
$2,695,000
Median sold price
93%
Sale-to-list ratio
What sellers actually get vs asking
35 days
Median time to sell
Bay Island vs Sarasota
Median list price
Price per sqft
Days on market
Median sold price — 3-yr, 3-mo rolling
▲ 219.9% yr/yr
Homes sold per month
Live Stellar MLS data — every listing and closed sale inside the Bay Island boundary. Rolling medians smooth single-month swings in small communities.
For the school run
Schools Bay Island is zoned for
Attendance boundaries overlapping this community — always verify zoning with the district.
What it really costs
Owning here
Owning the median Bay Island home
≈ $19,936/mo
$3,472,500 median · 20% down · 30-yr fixed at 6.9% · taxes/HOA from live listing data · insurance is a Florida estimate.
$10/mo
Median HOA
From current listings inside the boundary
$17,000/mo
Median rent
Homes for rent inside the boundary
Population
531
Median age
61
Median income
$151,850
Median home value
$2,000,000
Beyond the listings
Living in Bay Island
Culture
Top 1% in the U.S.Sites to See
This population finds the most beautiful sites just by looking up. Sunrise, sunset or sometime in between, these people love to marvel at man-made and natural wonders.
Hobbies & Interests
Top 4% in the U.S.Wanderlust
Always thinking about their next destination, this population loves exploring new places abroad or right in their own backyard. They hold onto past trips by sharing their favorite memories and pictures year round.
Beliefs
Top 5% in the U.S.Conservation
Good stewards of the earth, this population advocates for a cleaner environment and responsible use of resources. They often encourage others to recycle and use clean energy.
Lifestyles
Top 7% in the U.S.Wealth Signaling
Interested in the finer things life has to offer, this population wants to display their lifestyle by discussing luxury products. Often references jewelry, cars, and home features.
Relationships
Top 10% in the U.S.Dating Life
With dating comes highs, lows, and lots of questions. You can find this population talking about dating advice, breakups and how to express their feelings.
Hobbies & Interests
Top 11% in the U.S.Natural Beauty
This population marvels at the beauty of nature, and they want to capture every breath-taking scene.
Straight answers
Bay Island FAQs
Is Bay Island a good place to live?+
It's a small, waterfront-oriented Sarasota neighborhood where 17 of 18 active homes have a pool and 8 are directly on the water. You're minutes from Lido Key beaches, St. Armands, and downtown, with assigned schools including Phillippi Shores Elementary, Brookside Middle, and Sarasota High. It suits buyers who want a quiet coastal address with quick access to the city.
Is Bay Island expensive?+
Yes — it's one of Sarasota's premium waterfront pockets, with a median list price of $3,472,500 and 16 of 18 active listings priced above $1 million. Homes trade at roughly $1,189 per square foot, and the active range runs from $750,000 up to $12,900,000.
What do homes cost in Bay Island?+
The median list price is $3,472,500, while homes that sold over the past 12 months closed at a median of $2,695,000. Expect larger properties here, with a median size around 3,889 square feet and prices spanning $750,000 to $12,900,000 depending on waterfront position and condition.
How is the market in Bay Island?+
There are 18 active listings, and 25 homes sold in the last 12 months, so inventory turns steadily but slowly at this price point. Homes take a median of 101 days to sell and sellers are averaging about 93% of asking, which means there's room to negotiate on well-priced properties.
What about HOA fees and property taxes?+
HOA costs are minimal here, with a median of just $10 per month. Property taxes run higher given the home values, at a median of about $17,045 per year — worth budgeting for when you compare total carrying costs.
Keep exploring
More Sarasota neighborhoods
Neighborhood boundary by edgeAI; listings matched to the polygon. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers’ personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by Stellar MLS.
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