Recently developed and still in progress, the gated community of Sunrise Preserve at Palmer Ranch has outstanding location, high quality new construction, and superior amenities.

The area it occupies south of Clark Road and east of Honore Avenue used to be the 18-hole Sunrise Golf Club, which was built in 1971. Over the next decade or so several condo communities sprung up overlooking the course and pincering the links like a horseshoe from the entrance on the north side.

After the club closed in 2004, it was sold several times, but all attempts to revitalize it or build additional condos there failed. Then, in 2016, Mattamy Homes and Vanguard Land Ventures, a Sarasota-based developer, acquired the 115-acre property for $14.3 million. They also paid $2.5 million for additional parcels to create an entrance to the community from Honore Avenue.

Construction began in earnest the following year on neighborhoods of paired villas on either side of the scenic divided entry boulevard, surrounded by attractive floral landscaping and tall palm trees. The former golf course was platted for single-family homes.

Mattamy, Canada’s No. 1 builder, set aside more than a third of the property for open spaces – four percent more than required by Sarasota County. As a result, there are attractive lakes and wooded preserve areas throughout. Greenbelts and retention ponds provide buffer zones for the surrounding condo communities.

The paired villas all have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and share a common wall. Floor plans range in size from 1,539 to 1,677 square feet. They were the first neighborhoods to be built and finished, so new homes are no longer available.

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The sections of single-family residences, which feature Coastal, Craftsman and West Indies architectural looks, still have vacant sites and new construction. The homes come in two- to four-bedroom and two- to three-bathroom floor plans, with two- and three-car garages. Living space ranges from 1,843 to 2,626 square feet.

“It’s a great location, great area,” said Kevin Bruinsma, an agent with Better Homes & Garden Real Estate. “It’s 15 minutes to Siesta Key, 15 minutes to Nokomis Beach, 25 to downtown Sarasota, and 30 to St. Armands.” He continued, “You can ride your bike to the Publix and the stores and eateries at Palmer Crossing, which include Chick-fil-A, Gecko’s Grill & Pub, and an Office Max.”

Bruinsma’s listing at 8609 Rain Song Road, north of the entrance boulevard, is one of the larger villas with 1,677 square feet under air. Situated at the end of a private cul de sac, it has a lovely pond view out back. A paver driveway leads up to the two-car garage. The asking price is $550,000.

Although close to Honore Avenue, you wouldn’t know if when you’re inside. “Mattamy used quality materials and soundproofing, so that you don’t hear any traffic or your neighbors on the other side of the shared wall,” said Bruinsma.

Because Sunrise Preserve is a relatively new community, riding the building boom in Sarasota County, Mattamy offered amenities that people want – pickleball, tennis and bocce courts, a community pool with hot tub and a fire pit. The clubhouse has a fitness center with a sports court and yoga studio. Residents walk or use a golf cart to get there.

According to Bruinsma, the demographics of Sunrise Preserve include retirees, empty nesters and some families with children. “The villas are predominantly empty nesters and retirees, while the single-family homes have some families with children,” he said.

Parents like that Ashton Elementary and Sarasota Middle School, as well as New Gate Montessori School, are within easy driving distance – less than two miles away. Riverview is the district high school. The popular Twin Lakes Park, a public, family-oriented facility with playgrounds, baseball diamonds, and football and soccer fields, is just east of I-75.

For active residents, the Legacy Trail is just a mile to the west. There are also three golf courses within a three-mile radius.

To encourage a cohesive community, Mattamy instituted certain rental policies. “They put in regulations early on that you have to own a home a year before you can rent it out,” Bruinsma explained. “Then, the contract has to be for a minimum of 12 months.”

HOA fees for the single-family residences are $290 a month and cover upkeep of the sidewalks, gates and all amenities. The maintenance-assisted villas have dues of $320 a month which also include landscaping and mulching, pressure washing, and painting of the homes’ exteriors, as needed.

Currently, there are two villas on the resale market in Sunrise Preserve: Bruinsma’s and another on the same pond, with an asking price of $559,000. There are also two three-bed, three-bathroom new construction homes available for $911,226 and $963,363.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Homes for sale: Sunset Preserve in Sarasota’s popular Palmer Ranch